Less than a month after the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Activision announced a change to the franchise’s release rhythm: the studio will stop issuing back-to-back entries in the Black Ops and Modern Warfare subseries. That decision comes after consecutive yearly releases — Black Ops 7 follows Black Ops 6, and prior to those, Modern Warfare III (2023) followed Modern Warfare II (2022).
In a message posted to the official blog, the Call of Duty team acknowledged player feedback and admitted the franchise hasn’t always matched community expectations. The post promises a renewed focus on meeting — and exceeding — those expectations going forward. Read the full statement on the Call of Duty blog here.
The blog also outlines near-term plans for Black Ops 7: a complimentary week of multiplayer and Zombies access, a Double XP weekend, and what the team calls “unprecedented seasonal support.” More importantly, the post confirms the franchise will no longer alternate Modern Warfare and Black Ops titles in consecutive years.
According to the announcement, the decision’s primary objective is to guarantee each annual release feels distinct rather than a slight iteration of its predecessor. The studio says it intends to prioritize meaningful innovation over incremental changes, and that further details about those plans will be shared at a later date.
The team closed the message optimistic about the franchise’s direction, expressing confidence that better days lie ahead. Time will tell how this revised cadence affects development quality and player experience in the coming years. For a deeper look at the new entry, see Game Informer’s review of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
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