After detailing its successes thus far in 2020, Activision Blizzard gave details on what’s to come the rest of this year, including the next Call of Duty game, during its first-quarter earnings report on Tuesday.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic shifting development to home, Activision Blizzard is on track to deliver “compelling content” this year, including Call of Duty 2020 and the World of Warcraft Shadowlands expansion. Both are set to release in the second half of the year, though no specific release date was given for either, other than a general fourth-quarter window for Shadowlands.
Shadowlands is but one part of what Blizzard has in store for its fans. Though Overwatch 2 wasn’t mentioned, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick stated that Blizzard has the “strongest” lineup of games in its lengthy history, led by the new WoW expansion.
On Activision’s side, Call of Duty 2020 is “still on track” for release this year, though no new details, including who is developing it or if it will release on the next generation of consoles, were given. Activision also has two unannounced titles for consoles and PC based on existing intellectual property, as well as new mobile games, coming later this year.
Details on the new console or PC titles are scarce at this time. However, we do know that the mobile releases will be extensions of existing console and PC franchises. Given the successful release of Call of Duty Mobile last year, it’s not surprising that Activision would want to release more mobile games based on current titles. That includes the controversial Diablo Immortal, the announcement of which was derided by fans who wanted Diablo 4 instead. The spinoff title will start playtesting in certain regions later this year.
Activision Blizzard’s existing library gets updates as well. Two new seasons for Warzone and Modern Warfare are expected soon, with new content, game modes, and battle passes on the way for both seasons.
Activision Blizzard reported that Warzone has become a “really important part” of the Call of Duty franchise. Modern Warfare was “amplified” by the release of the battle royale-centric game, with a “large number of users” upgrading from the free version to the full version of Modern Warfare.
These upgrades were well above the initial expectations, though no specific numbers were revealed. Activision Blizzard teased that Warzone could positively impact future premium Call of Duty games as well, hinting at a similar connection with the Call of Duty 2020 title. It is presumed that Warzone will act as the battle royale mode for that title alongside the traditional multiplayer component, much like its current relationship with Modern Warfare.
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