Infinity Ward’s last Call of Duty release Infinite Warfare didn’t quite go to plan. The trailer for the game was, at the time, the most disliked gaming video on YouTube ever. Sales didn’t necessarily reflect this dismay, however. The game outsold every other game in 2016. Regardless, an ex-Call of Duty dev has tweeted that an Infinite Warfare 2 will never happen.
Robert Bowling, a former Creative Strategist at Infinity Ward, tweeted:
https://twitter.com/fourzerotwo/status/1092286534986788864
Beyond speculation, the reasons for discontinuing the Infinite Warfare moniker are unclear. Though, the game did additional negative attention for its inclusion of Modern Warfare Remastered, which was exclusively available to those who paid for the higher-priced edition.
Bowling’s tweet is timely as since Call of Duty: Black Ops II in 2012, the choice of which studio develops franchise has operated on a three-year cycle. With Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games producing the two previous titles, it is once again Infinity Ward’s turn in 2019. The release of Call of Duty Black Ops 4 at the end of last year saw the franchise move to a primarily online-only experience. This move, along with the rise of battle royale games, may be what has led to a potential new direction for Infinity Ward.
In another tweet, Bowling provided some indication of what to expect from Infinity Ward’s next title:
https://twitter.com/fourzerotwo/status/1092247702056792064
As well as further reaffirming that the title won’t be a futuristic shooter, the tweet will no doubt please fans who have been hoping for a return to the modern era. It’s also possible that Modern Warfare 4 will be this year’s release, set in modern times.
Bowling’s tweets came in response to users commenting on his excitement about the gaming industry’s current phenomenon and title created by former colleagues of his at Infinity Ward, Apex Legends. Bowling currently works as a Creative Consultant for EA, however, it’s not clear if he had any hand in the development of Apex Legends (published by EA).
