TheCall of Dutyfranchise’s futuristic era was a mixed bag to say the least.Call of Duty: Ghostsserved as a precursor to this period, and while Extinction mode was an interesting concept, a messy campaign, strange multiplayer choices, and ugly visuals held it back.Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s extremely over-the-top movement guaranteed it would be divisive, and its use of Kevin Spacey means the campaign has aged poorly.Black Ops 3was the one bright spot, asInfinite Warfare’s solid campaign and Zombies mode could not save it from a soulless multiplayer and a community that was tired of the future.
Considering the backlash againstInfinite Warfareand its reveal trailer, Activision would be taking a risk if it ever broughtCall of Dutyinto the future, as fans made it very clear in 2016 that they wanted boots on the ground gameplay back. Since then, they have gotten their wish, though onlyCall of Duty: Modern Warfare2019 has been truly well received. As fans continue to find issues with recent premium releases despite a return to boots on the ground combat, it is hard not to wonder if another shot at a futuristic game could be worthwhile. After all, it would have one massive benefit the current games lack: killstreak variety.
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Call of Duty’s Killstreaks Shine More in Futuristic Settings
To be clear, killstreaks in recentCall of Dutygames has been decent enough, andModern Warfare 2’s killstreak animationsadd quite a bit of immersion. However, though there was a good lineup of killstreaks on offer in games likeCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold WarandCall of Duty: Vanguard, they were all things that fans have seen time and time again - a problem that all games based on real warfare will be unable to overcome.
By setting games fully in either a modern setting, or basing them on real wars,the developers ofCall of Dutyinstantly back themselves into a corner. There have only been so many tools used by militaries in the conflicts that have taken place over the last 100 years, andCall of Dutyhas spotlighted just about all of them with its various killstreaks. Chopper Gunners, Attack Helicopters, AC-130 Gunships, Attack Dogs, UAVs - the same exact streaks are seen time and time again.
Though someCall of Dutyfans may despise the idea of returning to the future, it is hard to argue against the idea that doing so would help alleviate this killstreak issue. In a fully fictional future war,Sledgehammer Games, Treyarch, or Infinity Ward would be free to make their own rules. Brand-new killstreak ideas that are not grounded in reality could be created once again, with players finally getting away from the same old streaks - something that contributes quite a bit to every yearly release feeling stale.
It’s worth noting that some ofCall of Duty’s best killstreaksare tied to futuristic games. The Swarm fromBlack Ops 2was always exciting to get, as the AI-controlled drones raining down from the sky on the enemy team was essentially a match-ender. RAPS fromCall of Duty: Black Ops 3were a more interesting and intimidating take on the overused Attack Dogs, while the Guardian was useful for objective players.Advanced Warfare’s Vulcan Laser andInfinite Warfarestreaks like the THOR and AP-3X are just a few more examples. Even the DNA Bomb and De-Atomizer felt more interesting than a basic Tactical Nuke.
Going back to the future would make it easier to reviveCall of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s customizable killstreaks, too, which is a mechanic that remains underrated over eight years after release. Obviously, a return to futuristic gameplay is highly unlikely, as Activision will likely want to play it safe withCall of Dutyfor a long time - especially withWarzonebeing a priority and the battle royale’s image being tied to more grounded settings. Still, as long as familiar wars remain the focus,Call of Dutykillstreaks are unlikely to feel interesting or unique.
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