Video games had a brief obsession with World War 2 shooters: And it all started with Medal of Honor. It was released in November 1999, made by Dramworks Interactive: a joint venture between Dramworks and Microsoft, with creative input from Steven Spielberg. 'The resulting game is one of the best of the year, the perfect blend of Hollywood and videogames'.
[1] EA acquired Dramworks Interactive in February 2000 [2], intent on exploiting the Medal of Honor IP. Medal of Honor: Underground followed in October 2000, and while the games were very popular on the PlayStation, EA wanted to crack the PC market as well. Steven Spielberg called id Software, enquiring about their availability - and while they were too busy to take on any new projects they did have a recommendation: a promising new developer called 2015, Inc.
[3] 2015 were founded in 1997 by Tom Kudirka - with a team assembled from the PC modding community. After impressing Activision with one of their Quake mods, they were offered the chance to work on an expansion pack for SiN, called Wages of SiN. After this, they were working on a Half-Life expansion - titled 'Hostile Takeover' - until they received the call from Spielberg.
The chance to work on a mainline entry for the Medal of Honor series was compelling, so 2015 were signed up to develop Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. It released in January 2002 to near universal acclaim: GameInformer declared: 'Any of the standards set in the FPS genre have been simply obliterated by this game. To put it a little bit into perspective, I’d have to say Allied Assault is hands-down the best first-person shooter ever coded.
' [4] GamePro implored: 'Please, for crying out loud, if you like PC shooters, play this game. '[5] So Allied Assault was a spectacular game, and 2015 had cemented their reputation as top tier PC developers. But it was here that EA made a critical mistake.
Intent on developing Medal of Honor with their in-house studios, they ended their contract with 2015 and cut them loose. 'The company was potentially going to disband. In a last ditch effort our then president, Grant Collier sent out a signal to all the major publishers in the industry letting them know that the majority of the Medal of Honor: Allied Assault team was available.
Within days of closing the doors on the studio, Activision responded immediately with an offer. ”'[6] With Activision's help, In May 2002, 22 former members of the 2015 team founded a new studio, called Infinity Ward. Activision had a 30% stake, with the option to purchase the remainder at a later date - and they signed a long-term exclusive publishing deal.
[7] With their future secure, Infinity Ward started their first project, which was initially known as 'Medal of Honor Killer'[6]. They had the luxury of a full development cycle and creative control. With Allied Assault, they had already raised the bar for cinematic first person shooters.
All they had to do was to do it again. The cinematic 'feel' of Allied Assault was dialled up further: cutting-edge graphics, immersive sound, and an endeavour to make the virtual battlefield feel as real as possible. Much work went into the artificial intelligence, with your squadmates serving an more active role in the fight: locations and weapons were diligently researched, and you could now aim down your sights; The game was split into three campaigns, each focusing on a different facet of the war - emphasising the global scale of the conflict.
[8] This was Call of Duty. Activision's answer to the Medal of Honor series, and Infinity Ward's chance to establish themselves as a leading independent studio. In reviews, it earned very favourable comparison to its competition: 'Call of Duty is an all-around excellent game that confidently challenges, head-on, all the other WWII-themed shooters out there and comes out on top.
' [9] 'Just when I thought the World War II genre was getting tired on the PC, this game has made me forget all about any that have come before. ' [10] But despite the praise, the glut of World War 2 games was becoming apparent: 'World War II first-person shooters were starting to wear out their welcome, but the electrifying Call of Duty shows how revitalizing an infusion of fresh blood can be. ' [11] 'WWII shooters are a dime a dozen these days, but the truth is that Call of Duty could be reskinned for the Middle East or a sci-fi epic and it would still be a great game' [12] Call of Duty was the 8th best selling computer game of 2003 [13], going on to sell 4.
5 million copies worldwide. [14] Naturally, Activision wanted a sequel. Infinity Ward had wanted to break away from World War 2 since Allied Assault, but Activision had persuaded them to stick to what they did best.
[15] When it came to Call of Duty's sequel, Infinity Ward once again made an argument to switch to a modern setting. Grant Collier recalls Activision's counter-offer: "OK, how about we give you COD2 for next generation? Microsoft doesn't have a Halo for launch, and they want a really strong first person shooter, and they want it to be COD2".
[15] The chance to make an Xbox 360 launch title would be a great opportunity for Infinity Ward to break into the (much larger) console market. If done right, it could take Call of Duty into the mainstream. So Infinity Ward agreed.
Call of Duty 2 released on the 25th of October 2005 for the PC - and it was released with the Xbox 360 a month later, on the 22nd of November. In reviews, there was widespread acknowledgement that 'the WWII FPS genre is starting to wear thin'[16], and that it was 'outplayed, overplayed, and beyond'[17]. GameSpy's review stated 'I'm just as sick of WWII first-person shooters as the next guy.
Over the years, I've played so many of them that I feel like I could walk blindfolded from the beaches of Normandy all the way into downtown Berlin. '[18] So 'The World War II well seemed to have been running dry for some time'[19], but that said Call of Duty 2's reviews were still generally positive. Video Game Talk's review read 'Quality trumps originality every time, and Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 2 isn't just some of the best that the first-person shooter genre has to offer; it may even be the best of the Xbox 360's launch titles.
'[20] Game Chronicles said 'War might be hell but Call of Duty 2 is pure heaven to play. '[21] So while it was recognised that it didn't 'revolutionize the genre'[22] the game was still widely praised for its exciting gameplay and impressive atmosphere. Some reviewers tempered their acclaim on lack of originality, such as EuroGamer: 'Despite the crushing familiarity of the subject matter, and the game-by-numbers formulaic approach, Call of Duty 2 succeeds in just about enough areas, and moves things forward enough of an increment to make it appeal to even those of us that are completely exasperated with the ongoing WW2 obsession.
'[23] EDGE were more critical, stating 'Infinity Ward has seen the coming of the 360 more as an excuse for amplification than as an opportunity for innovation'. [24] Nevertheless, Infinity Ward had racked up another great game, and crucially they had tapped into the console market. COD2 sold 250,000 copies on the Xbox 360 within its first week, making it the best-selling launch title for the new platform.
[25] It was increasingly clear, however, that they couldn't keep milking World War 2. The fatigue with the setting was near universal in the game's criticism, and Infinity Ward were keen to try something new. [26] 'We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves any more than we have to, and many members of the team came off CALL OF DUTY 2 promising never to work on another WWII game.
' Activision were more cautious in their approach: From their perspective, World War 2 games were reliable sellers - and changing things up presented an unknown risk. Infinity Ward, armed with the criticism of COD2, made their case to Activision. 'They wanted another WWII sequel!
We said we would not do another one; this Modern Warfare is what we want to do, and what we've always wanted to do. '[15] Swayed by the rising tide of criticism, Activision gave them the green light. Infinity Ward were granted permission to start work on Modern Warfare, while Treyarch worked on a World War 2 themed Call of Duty 3.
In fact, Infinity Ward embarked on two new projects: along with Modern Warfare, part of the team started work on a new sci-fi concept known internally as 'Halo Killer'. [27] One of the first hints of the new Call of Duty's development were some job postings listed in February 2006[28]. They were 'in search of programmers and animators to help with a multi-SKU title to be released on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360' 'Whether or not this new console project is an extension of the Call of Duty series or an original IP, however, remains to be seen.
' Of course, in the games industry, people talk. In March 2006, the first rumours about Call of Duty's new direction started to percolate through unofficial channels. A Joystiq article[29], citing a 'reliable source', claimed that a future COD 'moves into the modern age, taking the fight to Middle Eastern terrorists'.
'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare' is revealed as the title, with some details of the factions and missions to be featured. Most interesting are the mentioned aspects absent from the final game: missions in London, and the 'urban streets of Eastern Europe'; tear gas; destructible environments. As ever, comments are surprisingly negative: 'Mandark' posted 'Wow!
EA decides to add variety to its tired WW2 franchise by changing the enemy to. . .
(drumroll please) midlle eastern terrorists, A backdrop even more tired and used up than WW2! ' 'Squirrels' states: 'Modern combat has been done, and been done to a very good level of production, and I don't see the COD title bringing anything new to the table'. NeoGAF's response was a little more positive[30]: OP 'Funky Papa' comments: 'COD goin' Battlefield 2?
Not a bad thing if you ask me. ' 'Snatches' responds, 'A modern Call of Duty would be awesome if done by IW', and user Borys exhibits a sharp prescience: 'I fear the CoD franchise will go the Tony Hawk route - too often, too many. ' By May 2006, Infinity Ward's two concurrent projects were causing problems.
Both Modern Warfare and the 'Halo Killer' were competing for 'ideas and people'[26], and hiring new people hadn't alleviated the issue. Worse still, the split teams and leadership was having a harmful effect on Modern Warfare's development: 'The area hit hardest was the game design. Our design leadership was distracted by the second project and put a lot of their creative energy into it.
' A decision was made to cancel the 'Halo Killer' and have the entire team focus on Call of Duty instead. 'Ultimately it came down to the realization that what made our previous games so strong was the chemistry of our team. Splitting the team into two parts broke that chemistry and both projects suffered because of it.
' In September, a new Call of Duty game was mentioned in a presentation for Activision's 2008 fiscal year[31], but otherwise Activision and Infinity Ward maintained radio silence on the matter of COD4 throughout 2006. NeoGAF user 'Busty' makes a surprisingly accurate prediction: 'Actvision seem intent on milking/running into the ground the Call of Duty franchise. No doubt the Call of Duty game they have planned for next year will be the 'modern day' COD from Infinity Ward.
'; 'Then wait another 9/12 months and we'll get another WW2 set Call of Duty game from Treyarch. Great Activision, just great. '[32] Further leaks emerged in November, with Amped IGO running an article titled 'Call of Duty 4 In The Works'[33], leaning on 'a reliable source close to the Call of Duty development teams'.
It reiterates the setting revealed in the first leak, but adds a couple of details: A PC version is confirmed, multiplayer is to support up to 54 players, and that there are 16 critical points on opponent's heads, meaning you can 'shoot the side of a helmet to make it spin', or even 'shoot an enemy’s ear off'. Activision representatives were unavailable to confirm or deny these reports. Aside from a few rumours spreading on gaming forums, the public at large were generally unaware of what laid in store.
2007 rolled around, and the marketing behemoth of Activision was poised to unfurl its plan. On the 27th of March, the Community Relations Manager at Infinity Ward, fourzerotwo, posted an update: an 'Announcement of the Announcement of our next title's Announcement'[34] 'We've been having a lot of meetings discussing the announcement of our next title. Its going to be big.
Really big. I'm excited; we're all excited, and once you're in on it, you'll be excited too. ' On the 20th of April, fourzerotwo posts another update, stating that something exciting is coming on the 28th of April.
[35] Ahead of the reveal, an email went out to the press on the 25th[36] confirming that Infinity Ward's new game - Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - would be unveiled on the 28th, during the NFL Drft on ESPN at noon Central. And so it was. The world got their first glimpse of COD4 in a 1 minute 40 second trailer, with rapid cuts between some of the missions in the game.
[37] The response was generally positive. The Infinity Ward forums were filled with excited praise, although many clamoured for more detail about the games' multiplayer. [38] Even NeoGAF were impressed, amidst the infighting[39]: 'Awesome, first Call of Duty game I'm excited for.
This > WWII crap. ' 'Looks like quite a big departure from the normal Call of Duty. But looks good.
' 'it's a good thing they moved from the WW2 setting. . .
that was getting very monotonous and boring. this looks interesting. it might be the first COD I've gotten since the 1st one.
this looks REALLY good. ' In the wake of the reveal, the gaming press kicked into action with their analysis of the trailer. [40] The Activision marketing machine embarked on a global press tour, promoting the game.
New screenshots and details drip fed via previews[41]. The first details of the multiplayer started to emerge in June. We learned about create-a-class, and the new perk system, and the way you level up to unlock things.
Some of these perks were shown in short trailers[42], demonstrating the way in which these options could affect gameplay: options like Last Stand; Deep Impact; Double Tap; Sleight of Hand; Dead Silence. On the 11th of July, it was time for E3 2007. Call of Duty 4 was shown as part of the Microsoft conference, held at Santa Monica High School.
'Hot off the heels of Call of Duty 2. The Infinity Ward team has been developing Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. We're making a more sophisticated, deeper Call of Duty experience.
Variety is the next big thing for us. We're going deep, and we're going hard. '[43] The game 'continues to wow everyone that sees it'.
Infinity Ward also announced that they'll be releasing an Xbox 360-exclusive multiplayer beta to the public. '[44] We got our first look at the 'All Ghillied Up' mission, and a new trailer as well[45] - one that should be immensely familiar to anyone who has played COD4, as it was reused as the game intro. You know - '50,000 people used to live here.
. . Now it's a ghost town.
' Another wave of press events followed E3, and the hype for the game's release started to build. COD4 was awarded 'Best First Person Shooter at E3 2007' by IGN, and even managed to pip Crysis to the 'Best Graphics Technology' award. [46] 'Based on what we've seen thus far, and Infinity Ward's development history, we're quite confident Call of Duty 4 will turn out well.
' On the 22nd of August it was the Leipzig Games Conference. The game was shaping up for release at this point, and attendees were given a chance to get hands-on with both parts of the campaign and the multiplayer[47]. The game's release date was also announced - the 5th of November[48].
Anticipation was sky high, and signs were that the 360 multiplayer beta was imminent[49]. In fact, the beta launched to the public on the 27th of August[50]. It featured 3 maps: Overgrown, Vacant, and Crash; And four game modes; Free-for-all, Team Deathmatch, Team Objective, and Team Tactical.
Progression was capped to level 11, giving just a taste of the weapons and challenges available, although the cap was raised to 16 on the 7th of September[51], and eventually reached level 25 by the conclusion of the beta, at the end of September. The response was very positive, aside from overwhelmed servers inhibiting early sign ups, which led to some frustration. Those who were able to get on seemed to like it quite a lot.
[52] 'Man I'm just loving this and I'm completely addicted. I love just trying to upgrade all my gear. ' 'COD4 is amazing!
The best MP game I have played yet. ' 'I don't think I've ever instantly fell in love with a MP shooter before. This is the greatest anything in the history of the universe.
' So the Xbox 360 got a brief taste of multiplayer during September, but PS3 and PC users would have to wait a little longer. However, on the 11th of October, a PC singleplayer demo was released - with one level from the campaign, 'The Bog'. A small sample showing some of the new weapons, night vision goggles, bullet penetration - and a chance for PC players to test performance.
Unfortunately, the response was surprisingly lukewarm[53]. After the success of the 360 beta, many were more keen on getting their hands on the multiplayer - so a short section of scripted set-pieces didn't grip folk quite the same way. 'A bit disappointed, feels like CoD2 set in modern times, and with some new additional graphical effects.
:(' 'Gameplay seems to be the same stuff these guys have been doing since MOH:AA. An explosive game of whac-a-mole where enemies keep respawning until the player progresses further. Except now with Arabs.
' 'wow. . .
the single player feels so. . .
average compared to the multiplayer. It's definitely COD, but man has the style worn thin over the years. ' I suppose the backlash was inevitable.
From the highest highs of the summer hype, the only way was down. The rest of October was uneventful. As Activision and Infinity Ward focused on preparing for launch, there was a quiet period of anticipation.
For many, November couldn't come quickly enough. But roll around it did, and onto the shelves it went. Critical reception was, unsurprisingly, very positive.
The game was praised on all fronts, with the only common criticism being the short length of the campaign. 'Until now, it hasn't been clear exactly how Infinity Ward would engineer Call Of Duty's relocation from World War II to 'the near future'. The answer is with confidence.
Modern Warfare comfortably exceeds expectations and propels this hugely successful series to a new high without undermining any of the core principles that made the historically set COD games such accomplished firstperson shooters. '[54] 'Call of Duty 4 embraces Modern Warfare with a passion that suggests this new love affair will burn for a long time yet. [.
. ] It has moved on, tapped a rich new vein (for Call of Duty at least) and in doing so it has breathed fresh life into the contemporary shooter as a genre. ' [55] 'It's a rarity to play a game as highly polished and as well-crafted as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
We cannot recommend it enough and fans of the series are getting just what they've been wishing for since CoD2 released over two years ago. It's official: the World War II shooter genre has been well and truly buried, and we're of the opinion that it's about bloody time. '[56] Again, it goes without saying, but Call of Duty 4's sales were spectacular.
In November 2007 alone, it sold 1. 57 million copies on the Xbox 360, and 444,000 on the PS3. [57] The retail PC version sold 383,000 by the end of the year.
[58] By June 2008, the game had passed 10 million total sales across all platforms. [59] And by 2018, sales had reached over 17 million. [60] It's fair to say the risk paid off.
It was absolutely the right call to abandon the World War 2 setting, and COD4 is a testament to what a passionate studio is capable of when circumstances align. With COD4, Infinity Ward revolutionised the first person shooter and dominated the seventh generation landscape. In one fell swoop, they effectively killed off World War 2 as a setting and installed the modern military shooter as the new default.
Now, every shooter had to have create-a-class, perks, and a levelling mechanic for unlocks. EA even dragged the Medal of Honor series out of its grave and tried to emulate Call of Duty's success. And while Battlefield always tried to distance itself from the cinematic set-pieces of COD with its large scale vehicle and squad combat, it's clear Infinity Ward's games have had an influence.
Of course, Activision would have been pleased. They had uncovered a rich new vein, ripe for exploitation. And so: sequel after sequel after sequel followed.
In 2009, Modern Warfare 2 had the 'biggest entertainment launch in history', selling nearly 5 million copies on its first day of release. [61] Treyarch's first foray into the modern-ish era, Black Ops, broke that record in 2010, selling 5. 6 million.
[62] Modern Warfare III in 2011 sold 6. 5 million on its first day. [63] Black Ops II grossed $500 million in 24 hours.
[64] COD was big business. But if there's one thing we learned from our brief obsession with World War 2, it's that you can't milk the same cow forever. As Gen 7 came to a close, the modern military shooter was looking pretty threadbare, and much of the original Infinity Ward team had left in 2010 after a contract dispute.
Activision, of course, still had the multi-billion dollar franchise - and the means to exploit it. Call of Duty may have passed its peak, but it had an awfully long way to fall. As the series progressed, there were attempts to innovate: Black Ops 2 and Ghosts first flirted with near-future settings, and Advanced Warfare, Black Ops 3 and Infinite Warfare embraced a fully sci-fi aesthetic, complete with jet packs.
Call of Duty: WW2 and Vanguard took the series to back its historical roots, with only limited success. It's telling that Activision didn't release sales figures for some of these titles, only later conceding to shareholders that sales 'didn’t meet our expectations'[65]. But still Call of Duty marches on, buoyed slightly by the recent reboot of 'Modern Warfare' and over 2 decades of brand recognition.
Quite how much longer it will continue remains to be seen - presumably a function of revenue over risk conducted by a board of Activision executives. It's easy to criticise now, of course - each annual Call of Duty is a by-the-numbers, perfunctory affair. But the game that ignited it all - Call of Duty 4 - was anything but.
Truly lightning in a bottle: A labour of love from a talented team with great chemistry that decided to take a chance - on Modern Warfare. Thank you very much for watching, and until next time - farewell.
