As we enter 2021, the developers of this year’s Call of Duty title remain shrouded in mystery, although a prominent leak appears to have tipped Sledgehammer Games for the next release.
One thing is a constant when it comes to Call of Duty: we can always expect a new release at the end of each calendar year. While it was originally Treyarch and Infinity Ward spinning on a two-year development cycle, Sledgehammer Games was added to the mix for a brief period.
From approximately 2012 to 2017, Sledgehammer Games worked on its own titles. Both Advanced Warfare and WWII were released over this period. Shortly after, the studio returned to acting as an assistant, assisting in the development of Modern Warfare of 2019 and Black Ops of the Cold War of 2020.
There are still a few months to go until the 2021 title is revealed. However, we could be prepared for another full-fledged launch led by Sledgehammer Games, according to a prominent leaker Tom Henderson.
– Tom Henderson (@_TomHenderson_) January 3, 2021
With a history of credible leaks in the CoD community, Henderson, formerly known as YouTuber Long Sensation, shared an image on January 3. This tweet featured a timeline of the past two years and how all three major studios fit together.
Infinity Ward continued with the development of Warzone long after its release, according to Henderson. The studio only delivered things in September 2020, giving them only 14 months of development time on a new release, assuming the next title arrives in November 2021 as expected.
“Infinity Ward is not working on the next title,” he followed on a QnA stream the same day.
With Warzone’s huge success, it seems that Infinity Ward developed post-launch content until September 2020.
“The post-launch content of the war zone has ended [for Infinity Ward] In September. Many Infinity Ward resources have been placed on Warzone. “
Obviously, launching a whole new CoD in just 14 months would be an extreme turnaround. Therefore, Sledgehammer Games has reportedly been working hard on the next release since August 2019.
With a November 12 release date apparently in effect, it could mean that the studio is focused on the 2021 title for two years and three months, according to Henderson.
In terms of what this title might actually be, little is known. “Advanced Warfare 2 and a WWII sequel are plausible,” he said during the broadcast. Henderson also pointed to a direct sequel to Modern Warfare 2019 just a few months ago.
Clearly, there is a wide range of possibilities for the next title. Anything from mobile exoskeletons to more ground-based combat from the Second World War era We will keep you updated as version 2021 comes into focus.