Activision Announces Franchise Updates

By Geoff Duncan December 4, 2008

Activision Announces Franchise Updates

In recent months, game publisher Activision has been all about building its franchise juggernauts, announcing it would be killing off games series it didn’t think had to the potential to become long-running franchises in favor of long-running titles it can iterate (and sell) over and over again. At the same event where the company announced its Blizzard unit would start running ads from Microsoft subsidiary Massive, Activision also announced it plans additional sequels in its Guitar Hero,Call of Duty, and Tony Hawk franchises, even as it kills off formerly-touted titles like Ghostbusters and Chronicles of Riddick.

Activision’s next installment in the Call of Duty franchise will be Modern Warfare 2, a sign that the company is looking to split the title into two branches: one dealing with contemporary combat and another sticking closer to the game’s World War II roots. Meanwhile, Activision also plans to bring back skate king Tony Hawk for a tenth title, currently in development at Neversoft. Activision declined to give many details, saying only that players would not be using a hand-held controller to play it, implying that the game may be aiming at a foot-based device like Nintendo’s Balance Board or another motion-based controller. And, of course, Activision is spinning out more Guitar Hero content and games, announcing The Eagles, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and other artists are lined up as downloadable content in December, and hinting that the next installment of Guitar Hero is likely to be rife with in-game advertising.

Activision also announced it’s developing an original cart racing titles, as well as a new installment in the James Bond franchise, independent from any movie or novel tie-ins. Activision won the Bond franchise from EA back in 2006.

Editors' Recommendations

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

Activision teases Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III’s biggest improvements

Activision has just teased lots of new details about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, which launches this November. That includes the fact that the game will contain a Zombies mode, more open-ended campaign missions, and introduce a new "Call of Duty HQ" that will serve as a hub for all future Call of Duty games.

These details were all revealed in a new blog post posted on the series' website ahead of the in-game event that will give us our first in-depth look at Modern Warfare II. In it, Activision clears up a lot of rumors about the game to try and show that Modern Warfare III is still an "incredible, premium annual game experience across Campaign, Multiplayer and Co-operative modes" despite reportedly starting development as a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II expansion.
Some of the features listed we already knew about, like the fact that this year's campaign features Makarov as a villain and that players can carry over their progression and inventory from Modern Warfare II. Others are new, though, like the fact that the campaign will feature new "Open Combat" missions. That seems to imply that Modern Warfare III's campaign levels will offer more freedom than is typical in a Call of Duty level. When it comes to multiplayer, the post states that players can expect new combat vest, perk, tac-stance movement, and after-market parts systems in addition to some Riochet Anti-Cheat Improvements.
More importantly, it's finally officially confirmed that this year's game will feature a Zombies mode. Titled Modern Warfare Zombies, Activision calls it the "largest Zombies offering to date." Finally, Activision made it clear that it plans on keeping all Call of Duty content closely bundled together going forward. After Modern Warfare III launches, Call of Duty HQ will be introduced and serve as "one access point for your future Call of Duty content."
While there aren't many specifics on all of these things, we at least now have a broader picture of what to expect from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III when it launches on November 10.

Gaming

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition is going to take even longer

inarius diablo 4

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have agreed to extend the deadline for its impending merger. The companies now have until October 18 to close the deal, extending their original deadline by months.

The original cutoff for Microsoft's Activision Blizzard buyout was July 18, however, that finish line wasn't an easy one to cross. Just before that date, Microsoft had to face off against the FTC in a court case to decide the deal's fate. A San Francisco judge ruled in Microsoft's favor with only days to go before the July date. With a few other loose ends to tie up, Microsoft now has until mid-October to get it done.

Gaming

Microsoft wins FTC case, removing Xbox’s biggest Activision Blizzard acquisition hurdle

Characters shooting in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Following a multi-week court case, Microsoft has won its battle with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition. The ruling is a major win for Microsoft's troubled deal, clearing the biggest hurdle it faced.

Last January, Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. The blockbuster announcement immediately raised antitrust concerns, which resulted in the FTC filing a legal challenge in December 2022. Microsoft has not been able to proceed with the acquisition since then, as its faced similar scrutiny in the U.K.