Catching up with leaks on the Internet, Activision is releasing more details on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, the next installment in the modern-combat first-person shooter video game series.
Under the tagline “Power Changes Everything,” the title will arrive on Nov. 4 on a variety of console and PC platforms. It stars Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and features new, near-future capabilities like exoskeletons, which enable soldiers to jump long distances. Activision Blizzard clearly hopes this title will continue the blockbuster franchise, which usually sells $1 billion worth in the first few weeks on the market. Details of the game leaked over the past 24 hours, and Activision released the official video and now the press release in reaction.
The game is the first Call of Duty created under a new three-year development cycle as it is the first from Sledgehammer Games, which joins Infinity Ward and Treyarch as a Call of Duty gamemaker. That means that Sledgehammer will have the advantage of having an extra year to polish the game in contrast to earlier titles.
Above: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
“We’ve made several key decisions with an eye toward creative excellence on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. We’ve really approached this game differently,” said Eric Hirshberg, the CEO of Activision Publishing, in a statement. “We’re shaking up the formula in several ways. New core gameplay mechanics with the exoskeleton suit. A riveting new story. An iconic new character played by one of the world’s best actors in Kevin Spacey. We’re having a lot of fun making this game, and we think the world is going to have even more fun playing it.”
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare will deliver “a groundbreaking experience that’s ripped from the headlines of tomorrow, envisioning a future where both technology and tactics have evolved to usher in a new era of combat for the franchise,” Activision said.
The games is set in the year 2054, after a private military corporation (PMC) has emerged with the power to rescue humanity from a devastated world struggling to rebuild after a global attack on its military and infrastructure.
In the game, you play as an advanced soldier with an exoskeleton and a lot of high-tech gear.
“It’s been a lot of fun working with the team to bring Jonathan Irons to life,” said Spacey, in a statement, referring to the head of the corporation and the apparent bad guy in the game. “The technology is truly remarkable and unlike anything I’ve done before. I’m excited to see where this goes.”
Sledgehammer promises a “photorealistic world unlike any Call of Duty before.”
“This is an opportunity of a lifetime and an honor for Sledgehammer Games. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the most ambitious and creative project we have ever worked on. From the endless research and thousands of production designs to our incredible focus on the narrative and amazing attention to detail — we’re taking nothing for granted,” said Glen Schofield, the co-founder and game director of Sledgehammer Games, in a statement. “Call of Duty connects with the fans on such a deep level, and crafting a new vision for the next generation has been so inspiring for us.”
Michael Condrey, the co-founder and studio head of Sledgehammer Games, added, “Glen and I created this team with the singular vision of delivering the best work of our lives. We know we’re stepping into some pretty big shoes, but every day I’m amazed at the talent and focus at work here, touching everything from the story experience to multiplayer. We’re excited to lead the next chapter in this great franchise, and we can’t wait for Nov. 4.”
Above: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare