Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4: Will Another Rehash Still Work?

A recent Youtube video by an Activision employee has reignited speculation as to whether the next Call Of Duty game will be announced soon. The Call Of Duty series still manages to sell games by the truckload even in today’s economy. Does a title that successful really need to reinvent the wheel? By simply adding more polish to the game, and maybe providing better network coding for smoother online connectivity, surely another Call Of Duty game is still worthwhile. The above image provided for this article is a troll image illuminating the thought by some that the Call Of Duty series is stagnant and sucking its fans dry. The title, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 isn’t even confirmed yet, with many speculations having the title of ‘Ghosts’ to be the new slogan for the series.

It’s weird though, because the different monikers of ‘Modern Warfare’ and ‘Black Ops’ and now ‘Ghosts’, usually tend to symbolise the single-player portion of the game. Let’s face it, the single-player aspect of the game is where most of the differences between the installments lie. The single-player mode in Call Of Duty, while fun, is not where most fans spend countless hours. It’s the multiplayer component that draws in the most fans. That component, has been mostly identical since Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

A whole generation of consoles is looking to pass by without much in terms of innovation from that original title. Does it matter though? Obviously a lot of gamers find the games fun. Isn’t that all that matters in the end? Much of it is to due with playing with friends, and that helps the game, because everything is miles better when playing with friends. Co-op games with lackluster gameplay can be tons of fun when you play with a mate. So is the case with Call Of Duty. That’s not all though. The immense staying power of the series to constantly be in the top 10 sold games in monthly charts, months after release, speaks volumes. It means it draws in all kinds of gamers; those that want to scratch their multiplayer gaming itch early on, and those that are patient, but still want in on the action.

More importantly, you have to consider the downside of innovation. If the Call Of Duty franchise was reinvented with some fancy new addition, will that drive away customers? It seems to be the typical scenario with companies that rely on active consumer participation (ie. Facebook, EA), that they always try to milk the most out of you. They push and push and hope you never break. If you do however, the whole thing can come down in a bust. Many people are already fed up with the antics of Facebook/EA, so isn’t it better that Call Of Duty stays on its well trodden path?

A yearly release of the series brings forth some form of anticipation within the Call Of Duty community. Could more be done to the series? Sure, but it has to make sure it doesn’t strip away its core. Additions like ‘Zombie Mode’ in Black Ops are brilliant and should be encouraged. Perhaps this ‘Ghosts’ moniker we’ve being hearing is an actual gameplay addition towards the multiplayer component (eek, hopefully it’s not some Ghost Pro boost!). That would be much more exciting than having the moniker simply detail the mission structure of the single-player campaign. Sure, a much better single-player component is welcomed too, but it won’t sell the game. Stick with what works for now. If gamers ever get tired of the Call Of Duty franchise, then maybe it would be time to reevaluate. As it is, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 should still be fine.