According to recent reports, the highly anticipated 2023 Call of Duty installment, though not officially confirmed, is purportedly delayed until 2024. NPD analyst Mat Piscatella chimed in on social media, voicing concerns about the potential ramifications of this delay on both the retail sector and the wider premium gaming market. Piscatella hinted on Twitter that the lack of a yearly game release in 2023 could exacerbate the industry’s shift towards live-service games, diverting attention from conventional upfront sales of premium titles.
“The potential delay has the potential to significantly impact both the retail scene and the broader premium gaming market,” commented NPD analyst Mat Piscatella.
He underscored the probability of an expedited transition towards games sustained by DLC/MTX revenues rather than initial purchases. Piscatella stressed the rapid expansion of subscription expenditure and the shift towards recurring spending dominating console transactions, predicting a substantial advancement in these patterns if the delay is substantiated.
Considering Activision’s focus on the free-to-play Warzone series, Piscatella speculated that players might redirect their spending there if a new premium game isn’t released in 2023. He anticipated a major marketing push from Activision to promote Warzone or Call of Duty Mobile as the go-to options for that year.
The postponement may create a window for alternative developers to introduce fresh titles during the typically Call of Duty-dominated holiday season. This break from the franchise’s yearly release pattern, which has been consistent since 2005, marks a notable departure. Treyarch, renowned for their Black Ops series, is purportedly at the helm of the delayed 2023 game installment, aiming to elevate its quality after certain shortcomings observed in Call of Duty: Vanguard.
Despite the delay, Treyarch is reportedly working on a free-to-play online game to fill the usual Call of Duty slot in 2023. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion proceeds independently of this decision. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s underperformance and concerns about games cannibalizing each other reportedly factored into the delay, according to sources.
Amidst these developments, Infinity Ward is developing the 2022 Call of Duty installment, titled Modern Warfare 2.
