Call of Duty 2023 will be delayed by Activision Blizzard. The information came via the Bloomberg website, where it is said that it will be the first time the franchise has not had an annual release in nearly two decades.
The reason for the delay in the launch of Call of Duty next year is due to a recent release in the series that ended up not meeting expectations. This made some executives begin to think that the underperformance was related to the speed at which new titles are available on the market. Information from sources familiar with the matter said the decision was made in connection with the deal to sell Activision to Microsoft for $69 billion.
Confirmed! Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2022 and Warzone 2 are in production
Other games are being developed to fill the Call of Duty gap in 2023
To avoid a "void" in May for title releases, Activision is already developing other game projects. According to information provided by Bloomberg, there will be a new free online title in 2023. In addition, Activision-owned studio Treyarch is said to be involved in the development of the free-to-play game. A spokesperson said:
"We have an exciting list of premium and free Call of Duty experiences for this year, next year and beyond. We look forward to sharing more details when the time is right."
Consequences of the "delay" in the launch of Call of Duty
With Call of Duty 2023 being delayed, it is believed that there will be a big impact on the gaming industry. The franchise's titles lead annual sales and have sold over 400 million copies since 2003.
The title Call of Duty: Vanguard did not meet Activision's sales expectations, leading executives to think the game was cannibalized by the previous year's game in the series. However, Call of Duty: Warzone remains a huge success.
Source: Bloomberg
