Activision responds to rumors Call of Duty 2020 has been delayed

Call of Duty publishers Activision have finally confirmed the franchise’s highly-anticipated 2020 release is “on track” for the series’ usual Q4 release, despite rumors Treyarch’s next title may have halted behind the scenes.

New titles in the Call of Duty mega-franchise have become as commonplace as Christmas or a birthday. Every year since 2005 ⁠— when the game became a series with Call of Duty 2 ⁠— has seen a new blockbuster release drop.

2020 may have seen that 15-year streak broken though, if rumors surrounding the next title, and it’s potential delays, were to be believed. Even before the ongoing global situation forced devs to work from home, there were concerns.

Luckily, those concerns seem to have been misplaced. Activision COO Daniel Alegre confirmed the Call of Duty 2020 title is “on track for release later this year” during a May 5 earnings call, despite the “challenges” the devs are facing.

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“The shift to remote working does add complexity in some areas of the game development process. We are implementing mitigation measures to address each of these areas,” he said. “This includes the next premium release of Call of Duty.”

What do we know about Call of Duty’s 2020 release?

Alegre did add the as-yet-untitled game “already looks great”. He remained tight-lipped on details about when and where it would be set, however. He also avoided confirming which studio is currently helming the project.

That said, it’s practically an open secret Treyarch have been tasked with developing the 2020 title, after Activision chose to sideline Sledgehammer Games. The swap saw the studio slapped with a shorter two-year turnaround as a result.

Originally tipped to be set in the Cold War era, it now looks like Treyarch pivoted to a Vietnam setting soon after taking over the project. Prominent leaks also suggested the devs will leave their famous Black Ops storyline behind.

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Activision’s Q1 calls did not include a potential reveal timeline. Confirmation the title is “on track,” however, suggests the usual roll-out schedule should apply. That means fans should see the first details by the end of May.

The franchise’s 2020 release is full steam ahead, but what does that mean for Warzone? According to Activision, these behind-the-scenes plans haven’t slowed down ambitions regarding their battle royale title just yet either.

Alegre confirmed Modern Warfare ⁠— and its huge new battle royale ⁠— is now the best-selling release in the series. With seasonal updates still rolling out, and big future plans in the works, Warzone isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.