The Call of Duty franchise is known for its consistent annual releases, with this rapid pace of released content being a huge factor to the series' longstanding success within the FPS genre. This is why it surprised so many fans when it was announced that the recent Modern Warfare 2 would be receiving an unprecedented two-year life cycle in which it would remain the most recent release for the IP.
Of course, this does not mean that fans will not receive any Call of Duty content in 2023, with it being reported that longtime CoD studio Sledgehammer Games will be spearheading a full, premium release for this year, widely believe to be connected in some way to Modern Warfare 2. This leaves the studio in a tumultuous position in which it could easily fall victim to vocal criticism regardless of the approach it takes.
Sledgehammer Games' Original Modern Warfare Content
Given how large-scale the initial release of Modern Warfare 2 was, combined with the usual annual deluge of content that the series otherwise receives, many fans are sensibly assuming that Sledgehammer Games' reported 2023 addition will have to be one that is brimming with new experiences. With the multiplayer of Modern Warfare 2 receiving new content via seasonal updates, it is safe to assume that a lot of Sledgehammer's attention would be placed on a release that extends Modern Warfare 2's campaign.
Herein lies the problem that Sledgehammer Games could potentially face should it take a more hands-on and truly transformative approach. If the release were to include something like a new Modern Warfare campaign, it would mark the first bout of dedicated MW content that was entirely within the hands of a studio that is not Infinity Ward. Given the relative tribalism that exists within the CoD fan base among enclaves of Infinity Ward, Treyarch, and Sledgehammer fans, the level of scrutiny that would be placed on SG would be undoubtedly massive should it create expansive brand-new MW content.
The Risk of Sledgehammer Games Doing Too Little
Of course, if Sledgehammer Games was to pay heed to this potential criticism, the easiest way to avoid it would be to simply take a much more reserved and less intrusive approach to its reported 2023 project. In this scenario, as opposed to things like new Modern Warfare campaigns, the next batch of content coming to MW2 could simply include the likes of multiplayer map packs and less bombastic new content such as new Spec Ops missions.
If Sledgehammer Games was to take this approach, however, then it is obvious that the company would face a similar level of criticism regarding the release not doing enough to carry the title for another year content-wise. It is reported that MW2's 2023 expansion will be a full-priced release, further increasing the potential backlash of a premium release that is deemed too barebones and lackluster.
In this way, it is clear that Sledgehammer Games has an arduous task ahead of balancing the potential criticism that it may face, whether it stems from the studio not putting out enough or from the fact that Call of Duty is often synonymous with Infinity Ward. It is likely that Sledgehammer Games will go the route of producing a dedicated level of brand-new content for the title, but it must maintain a confident ethos through the inexorable critiques that this will bring about.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.