Despite neither game being officially confirmed, Call of Duty fans have a fairly good idea of what the next two entries in the series will be. Call of Duty 2022 is all but confirmed to be a sequel to the 2019 reboot of the Modern Warfare series, pitting Task Force 141 against drug cartels. As for 2023’s game, it will supposedly be a semi-futuristic title that is part of the Black Ops series.
Considering that Treyarch has been releasing Black Ops games exclusively since 2010, it is not too surprising that its next release will continue to expand upon the beloved subseries. However, its leaked setting tells fans a lot about where it could end up on the franchise timeline, as a Cold War era game seems very unlikely. Based on the leaks thus far, here are the potential time periods that the next Black Ops game could focus on.
The Potential For A Game Set After Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 joins the original Black Ops and the first two Modern Warfare games as one of the most popular Call of Duty titles of all time. Widely regarded as the peak of the franchise’s golden age, the game featured the best League Play approach in the series thus far alongside well-balanced weapons and memorable maps. Considering how many Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 maps were remastered for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the nostalgia for the title is strong.
With the earliest rumors about Call of Duty 2023 claiming it will be semi futuristic, a follow-up to Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 makes sense. The game was set in a fictional version of 2025, boasting advanced technology but not going far enough to add exosuits and laser guns. As such, it was the right amount of fresh for the Call of Duty community to feel like the series was evolving without going too far away from what it once was. If a sequel came that featured Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 weaponry and character models, it would undoubtedly do well.
An added bonus could come in the form of the campaign. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 shined due to its focus on Alex and David Mason, as it allowed the game to feature missions in two very different time periods. A sequel could take the same approach, having David take on a new threat while explaining where Alex was during all the years where he was missing. The classic guns from Alex’s campaign could then be included in multiplayer and Zombies, providing a mix of futuristic and old school gear for gamers to wield in their matches.
While a game set in the late 2020s or 2030s makes sense, there is a small chance that the strange Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 storyline could be continued. Set in 2045, the plot focused on clones called archetypes and the granddaughters of Alex Mason. It ended on a cliffhanger where the two daughters were about to go to war over the ethics of the archetypes, and while the story was meant to continue in Blackout, it never really did. A sequel could provide answers and a near futuristic setting, though with how strange this plot was, it is more likely for something to come that builds off Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 instead.
The Potential For A Game Set After Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
Another possibility would see this supposedly futuristic Call of Duty game taking place after Call of Duty: Black Ops 3. Undoubtedly the most popular of the games that utilized advanced movement, the game’s traversal was buttery smooth and praised by many fans. A game set after 2065 could feature exosuits once again, telling a story with brand-new characters to further flesh out the Black Ops timeline. With the leaked images for Call of Duty 2023 showing that Perks are now Chips, and that Treyarch is reusing specialist abilities for a new take on field upgrades, this does seem like a genuine possibility.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’s campaign was misunderstood, as it told a surprisingly complex story for those who were looking for it. A follow-up would likely ease up on all the twists and hidden lore, though other features from the game could come back. Cybercores that gave players over-the-top abilities could return, with campaign co-op and the customizable safe houses also having potential. Despite its weirdness, returning to the Black Ops 3 setting would likely go over well enough due to the interesting gameplay systems that were present in the time period. Call of Duty 2023 being set around the time of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 still seems like the safest bet, but those that appreciated the 2015 game would likely be on board with a follow-up or spiritual successor.
The Potential For A Call of Duty: Black Ops Reboot
While Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s status as both a sequel and prequel shows that Treyarch is willing to fill in gaps in the series’ timeline by returning to old settings, there is no guarantee that next year’s game will do this. While the game could be set in the same universe, telling stories that reference past events or include old characters, it could just as easily follow in Modern Warfare 2019’s footsteps and serve as a reboot.
The Call of Duty 2023 leak shows that the working title for the game is simply Black Ops, and while a subtitle or number will likely be added during development, there is a chance that this does not happen. A soft reboot of the Black Ops series could see new versions of iconic characters returning, similar to how a fresh version of Captain Price features in Infinity Ward’s new Modern Warfare universe. Eventual sequels could also follow the rumored title plan for Call of Duty 2022, using roman numerals instead of basic numbers.
With the Call of Duty 2023 image leak also suggesting that the game will bridge the gap between the newer Modern Warfare gameplay systems and the old Black Ops style, Treyarch and Activision are clearly keeping the 2019 game’s success in mind. A fresh start could be a similarly huge commercial success, and from a narrative standpoint, Treyarch would be free to tell new stories about characters like Frank Woods without complicating the timeline. While it would make more sense to reboot the Black Ops series through a Cold War era game, seeing as that is where it got its start, fans should not rule out the idea that Call of Duty 2023 could kickstart a new Black Ops universe.