The Series that Changed Gaming Forever
In the perpetual argument as to whether games ought to be more “cinematic”, perhaps no game is as important to the discussion as Call of Duty. When the franchise debuted some eight years ago, very few games had taken the movie-like approach for which Infinity Ward is now famous. Some had taken inspiration from various films, sure, but none had really captured the intensity and production value of A-list movies until Call of Duty. Now, the series is a poster child for linear, scripted gameplay, for better or for worse.Shattering sales records as some blockbuster films could never hope to, Call of Duty has captured the hearts and minds of millions of gamers the world over. Still, it’s a controversial series: some circles of gamers complain of the strict, on-rails experiences; others detest the sometimes spiteful multiplayer community. Whatever the games are doing wrong, the sales numbers speak for themselves: they definitely do some things right for a whole lot of people.
Before Call of Duty, single-player games tended toward the formulaic rather than the cinematic. Narrative-driven experiences like Half-Life were the exception rather than the rule. Fetch-the-red-key mission objectives, strictly scripted friendly and enemy AI, and enclosed, point-A-to-point-B mission structures were still commonplace. While Call of Duty did not do away with linear scripting, the game subtly scripted its squad and enemy AI to perform in a more organic fashion, offering the player the illusion of a dynamic, constantly shifting battle that was more intense than many games up to that point had been able to achieve.
As the first few games in the series played a part in revolutionizing singleplayer narratives, so the later entries made waves in the multiplayer arena, the effects of which will be felt for years to come. The persistent reward system, Prestiges, and killstreaks have all profoundly changed the way multiplayer games are developed and experienced. Looking back on the gaming industry of the 2000s from now, love it or hate it, we will regard Call of Duty among the most significant games of the past ten years. As Modern Warfare 3 waits in the wings to make its debut this November, let’s take a few minutes to look back on the history of the franchise.
The Games:
- 2: Call of Duty
- 3: Call of Duty 2
- 4: Call of Duty 3
- 5: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- 6: Call of Duty: World at War
- 7: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- 8: Call of Duty: Black Ops
- 9: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The Future of the Franchise
The Call of Duty franchise is at the height of its success: unbelievable sales numbers with record-shattering numbers of players logging on each night accompany each new release. Activision’s pet IP is on top of the world.
With the departure of key talent at Infinity Ward, teams from Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software, and the leftover members of IW have stepped up to fill the gap. While we have yet to see the fruits of their efforts, no doubt MW3 will be one of the bestselling games of the holiday gaming deluge. But where do we go from here?
Surely Activision wants to maintain the growth and profitability of Call of Duty; to that end, the publisher will be pushing DLC and Call of Duty Elite hard to follow up MW3‘s release. But after that, who knows? Will the franchise continue its slow-and-steady progress, opting for small tweaks with each installment rather than revolutionary changes and risk-taking? Or will Activision guide the franchise in an unknown direction and take everybody by surprise? Your guess is as good as mine.
We hope you found The History of Call of Duty informative and illuminating! Take part in our poll below, letting us know what your favorite Call of Duty game is, or leave your thoughts in the comments.
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