Call of Duty's established development structure will remain unchanged under Microsoft's ownership. Activision has confirmed that up to 15 different studios are currently working on the franchise, maintaining the collaborative approach that has been in place for years.
Matt Cox, senior vice president and general manager of Call of Duty at Activision, stated that the existing development process will continue. This includes the practice of studios trading off on yearly entries, allowing each team up to three years to produce a game while maintaining the annual release cycle.
The collaboration between studios is exemplified by the long-standing partnership between Treyarch and Raven, who have been working together on the Black Ops franchise since 2010. This established history of cooperation is expected to continue, contributing to the quality of the finished product.
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard has not altered this development strategy. In fact, the latest entry in the series, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, was released on October 25, 2024, and was the first in the franchise to be available on Game Pass on day one.
This approach seems to be successful, as Activision Blizzard reportedly drove a 43% jump in Xbox revenue during Microsoft's first quarter following the acquisition. The upcoming Black Ops 6 and Warzone Season 1, set to launch on November 14, 2024, will continue to follow this established development structure.
