Call of Duty Online being shut down in push for CoD Mobile

Call of Duty Online will be shutting down in China by the end of August 2021, following declining interest in the game and an upsurge in CoD: Mobile users.

Call of Duty Online was brought to China in 2015, a free-to-play PC game that introduced the market to Call of Duty after its beta launched in 2012.

The franchise historically struggled in China due to the cost and the region’s distribution laws, but offering a F2P version of the game that brought together the very best of the franchise saw decent success.

Now, after six years, that is set to come to an end, with an official statement made by Tencent on May 31 confirming the news.

In their official statement, it is confirmed that game registration will be closed from Tuesday, June 1, 2021 before the game’s servers officially close in August.

To make up for the loss of the title, they are offering players a ‘compensation activity’ in CoD: Mobile, pushing players to the game. CoD: Mobile is similar to CoD Online, with regular updates adding in the most popular weapons, maps, modes and more in Call of Duty.

• Read More: Everything in CoD Mobile Season 4 update

With the rise of mobile gaming — particularly in Asian territories such as China — this move could prove hugely influential on the future of the game, including a big influx of players throughout the Summer months.

This also means that there will no longer be a free-to-play Call of Duty multiplayer game on PC in China, though Warzone is still available in the region for those wanting a battle royale experience.