Call of Duty series reportedly set for more remasters & Nintendo Switch debut
ActivisionMultiple Call of Duty remasters are reportedly in the works as Activision looks to bridge gaps between new mainline titles. In a franchise-first too, the FPS titan is reportedly set to make its debut on the Nintendo Switch.
With 18 standalone titles spanning as many years, the CoD franchise has become known for its annualized release schedule.
Although the trend is continuing through 2022, with the expected launch of a Modern Warfare follow-up, reports have indicated that 2023 could mark the first real break for the series.
For the first time in almost two decades, the FPS juggernaut is seemingly leaving a gap in the schedule. While Activision has since denied these claims, stating that both “premium and free-to-play experiences” are still on the way in 2023, we may now have a clearer understanding of what that means.
Rather than a full-fledged premium release, 2023 could serve as a year for newly remastered experiences instead.
More Call of Duty remasters in the works?
With ample titles to pick from, Activision is reportedly looking back through its CoD catalog to help “fill out empty space between premium titles,” according to insider ‘RalphsValve.’
Multiple classics are supposedly being considered for the remaster treatment, akin to the 2016 rerelease of the original Modern Warfare.
World at War, Call of Duty 1 & 2 – backwards combatability for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Remastered are currently what’s in conversation.
Everything else was described by an associate as “complicated”
— Ralph (@RalphsValve) March 24, 2022
Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty 1 & 2 along with Treyarch’s World at War are allegedly the leading candidates. All appear to be “in the conversation” for remasters purpose build with “newer consoles” in focus.
The full extent of the remasters remains unclear. There’s no telling how far the purported upgrades will go with new PS5 & Xbox Series X | S hardware in mind.
Call of Duty franchise reportedly making Switch debut
Beyond the aforementioned remasters, the CoD franchise could also be set to break out on entirely new hardware. For the first time in series history, Activision’s hit FPS may soon be playable on the Nintendo Switch.
“Modern Warfare Remastered is supposedly coming to Nintendo Switch,” the insider claimed. “Its first [introduction] into the franchise.”
While a range of earlier CoD titles were ported to Nintendo hardware like the Wii, Wii U, and even some on the Nintendo DS handheld, the series is yet to appear on the Switch. Though that could soon be changing, if these reports hold true.
There’s currently no telling which studio would lead development on this first-of-its-kind CoD port. However, it’s certainly something Microsoft has shown interest in, should its $70B acquisition of Activision Blizzard go through.
“We’d like to bring [Call of Duty] to Nintendo devices,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said in early February.
“We’d like to bring the other popular titles that Activision Blizzard has, and ensure that they continue to be available on PlayStation, and that they become available on Nintendo.”