While Activision Blizzard and its studios have not been immune to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, its biggest game of the year is still on track for its release. The new Call of Duty, which seems to be subtitled Black Ops: Cold War, is still set to release before the end of the year, Activision confirmed as part of its latest earnings report.
During the call, Activision Blizzard president and COO Daniel Alegre shared that employees have adapted to the new changes in society, and that Call of Duty 2020 is still on track for its previously confirmed release this year. Executives at the company explained that the most recent entry in the franchise, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, has exceeded expectations. This is due in part to ongoing events with the seasons and the standalone battle royale game, Warzone–which currently has over 60 million players.
While the details on the next game weren’t shared, including any plans for Xbox Series X or PS5, Alegre stated that the CoD franchise remains a key pillar for the company.
Back in February, the executives spent some time describing the current state of the series, which was shortly before the launch COD: Warzone and before the mass spread of COVID-19. A new Call of Duty was, unsurprisingly, confirmed for release this year, but no details were shared regarding Call of Duty 2020. In the past, they have arrived around May with extended gameplay coming in June during E3, but there will be no E3 this year.
In addition to talking about what’s next for COD, the executives at Activision Blizzard also made time to talk about how the pandemic has affected the company. During this talk, Alegre also assured employees and investors by stating that “with true ingenuity and input from the team, we are managing through this.” During the mass shelter-in-progress, CEO Bobby Kotick even gave employees his personal number, allowing anyone to text or call him at any time. In the presentation to investors, the execs also raised awareness to the needs of mental health for employees, while also reiterating how the company has made donations to charities, including the company’s Call of Duty Endowment program for military veterans.
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