A new Call of Duty game has launched every year since 2005's Call of Duty 2, without fail. And considering the massive sales success enjoyed by each game in the Call of Duty series, it's no surprise that Activision is looking to keep its streak going in 2021. Official details on Call of Duty 2021 are scarce at the time of this writing, but a well-known leaker has teased what the game's title could be.
Tom Henderson, a leaker who has accurately leaked Call of Duty news in the past, has suggested that the next game in the long-running series will be named Call of Duty: Guerrilla Warfare. There are numerous armed conflicts where guerrilla warfare tactics were used, so this doesn't really narrow down the Call of Duty 2021 setting, but it does give fans a better idea of what they can expect from the game. That being said, this information should be taken with a grain of salt, and it should be stressed that Henderson did not outright say that this will be the Call of Duty 2021 title.
As it stands, there is very little known about Call of Duty 2021 in an official capacity. The only thing Activision has said about the game is that it's releasing at some point later this year. If past Call of Duty release dates are any indication, it's a virtual guarantee that Call of Duty 2021 will release in October or November, specifically.
While Activision has been mostly quiet about what Call of Duty 2021 will entail, leaks have suggested that the game will be developed by Sledgehammer Games. As some may recall, Sledgehammer Games was originally developing Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War alongside Raven Software, but some behind-the-scenes conflict saw Sledgehammer removed from the project. Treyarch was then brought in to work on Black Ops Cold War's multiplayer and campaign, while Raven Software focused on developing the campaign.
If Sledgehammer Games is the lead developer on Call of Duty 2021 as rumored, it's tough to say exactly how long it's had to develop the new game. Reports of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's troubled development first cropped up in 2019, so it's likely safe to assume that the Sledgehammer Games-developed Call of Duty 2021 game has been in the works for at least two years. This should help get the games' development schedule back on track, if Infinity Ward is developing Call of Duty 2022, that is.
Call of Duty game reveals typically happen in May or June every year, though the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War reveal didn't happen until later in the summer. It remains to be seen if fans will have to wait quite that long to learn more about Call of Duty 2021.
A new Call of Duty game is in development for release later this year.