22 Gaming

Call of Duty 2024: Early leaks, Zombies, campaign changes, more

Details surrounding Call of Duty’s 2024 release are beginning to slip through the cracks as we barrel toward this year’s new title. While nothing has yet been confirmed, plenty of early details on developers, campaign changes, and the returning Zombies have already spilled out online. Here’s everything we know about CoD 2024 thus far.

Modern Warfare 2 dropped back on October 28, 2022, with many expecting a two-year life cycle for the first time in the CoD series’ history. That theory was quickly thrown off as Activision doubled down on the notion of delivering a “full annual premium release” in 2023, which turned out to be Modern Warfare 3.

Now in the midst of MW3’s year-long cycle, with seasonal support bringing plenty of new content with each passing update, some fans are already eager to learn what comes next.

Although nothing has yet been made official by Activision, plenty of early details have already emerged on the next release coming later this year. So here’s the rundown on everything we know about CoD 2024 thus far.

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Modern Warfare 3 cinematic
Activision

We still need to get through Modern Warfare 3 before attention shifts to 2024’s release.

Call of Duty 2024: Release window details

Given we’re still a ways off, it’s too early for any specific release date to be locked in. However, the CoD franchise has always released new entries in the final quarter of each calendar year, so it’s safe to assume the 2024 title will drop at some time in the fall; most likely October or November 2024.

15 previous CoD games have landed in November (including this year’s MW3) while the remaining five all dropped in October instead. Thus, the tail end of 2024 is more than likely when we’ll get our hands on the next major game in the series.

What platforms will Call of Duty 2024 release on?

Microsoft’s historic move to purchase Activision Blizzard has cast doubt on the future of the CoD series, especially on PlayStation.

We’ve seen promises from Microsoft’s Phil Spencer that, at least in the short term, Call of Duty installments will remain available on PlayStation consoles. In fact, Microsoft even signed a deal with Nintendo to bring future CoD titles to their hardware as well. Though with the acquisition now complete, the Xbox owners can well and truly do as they please.

There’s even a chance we see the CoD franchise make its way to Xbox Game Pass in the coming years as well.

As a result, we expect Call of Duty 2024 to drop on all the usual platforms including Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Though there’s a chance the next installment is also the first to arrive on Nintendo hardware as part of a new decade-long deal.

Which Activision studio is developing Call of Duty 2024?

Although nothing has yet been made official, early reports from Bloomberg pinpointed Treyarch as the developer behind CoD 2024.

It fits with the expected order of games, with Treyarch’s last release, Black Ops Cold War, dropping back in 2020. It has also been corroborated by leaks that claim a new Treyarch-developed Warzone 2.0 map will drop with CoD 2024.

Reportedly, Treyarch was set to develop CoD 2023 but Activision reshuffled their development plans, moving Sledgehammer Games onto an expansion of MW2, which panned out into its own full annual release as Modern Warfare 3.

Therefore, Treyarch looks to be taking the lead on CoD 2024.

Call of Duty 2024: Possible setting & timeframe

As with every new CoD release, the setting in focus is often one of the biggest talking points. From classic boots-on-the-ground gameplay in a WWII backdrop to futuristic, jet-pack-fuelled gameplay, we’ve seen it all. So where will CoD 2024 take us?

While no exact details have been confirmed, the first batch of leaks referenced the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia.

Late 2023 reports from WindowsCentral doubled down on this early 90s setting, suggesting we’ll see another entry in the Black Ops series, possibly with the full title of Black Ops Gulf War.

As a result of its setting, the game is expected to follow a more traditional boots-on-the-ground style without modern military advancements or futuristic tech.

However, earlier reports from industry insider Tom Henderson went against these leaks, claiming that “Treyarch’s next game is semi-futuristic.” Other rumors have pointed to the Iraq War of the early 2000s.

In short, the conflicting details make an accurate prediction at this stage impossible. But as CoD 2024 draws near, we’re sure to find out plenty more in the coming weeks.

Call of Duty 2024: Open world campaign reports

With CoD 2024 drawing closer, new reports are indicating the series is in store for a colossal shift to its singleplayer offering. Rather than a bog standard linear campaign like players have grown accustomed to, this year’s title could be set to pivot to an open world structure.

News comes by way of trusted source Insider Gaming, who recently reported CoD 2024, codenamed Black Ops Gulf War, will boast a true open world campaign experience.

Akin to the likes of Ubisoft’s Far Cry series, this open setting will allow for fast travel through a vast open map, though with plenty of vehicles on the ground for those who would rather explore the area themselves.

Obviously, it’s worth taking this intel with a grain of salt for the time being. But should these details hold true, it would mark a significant pivot for the CoD series as a whole.

Call of Duty 2024: Round-based Zombies mode returns

While nothing has yet been made official regarding the specific modes CoD 2024 may ship with, various sources have indicated a return to form for Treyarch. WindowsCentral and CharlieIntel both reported Treyarch’s traditional round-based Zombies mode will be back once again for the next installment.

While the Zombies experience has appeared, to some degree, in recent CoD games, these iterations have veered from the fan-favorite round-based structure. Be it Vanguar’s semi-open world undead component with mini-games throughout, or the more open-ended activity in MW3, none have replicated the classic Treyarch formula.

With CoD 2024, fans can reportedly expect the original Zombies mode will return once again. Out with the new, in with the old.

Call of Duty 2024: Early leaks

Years out from its potential launch, CoD 2024 leaks hit the web from as early as July 2022. Dataminers managed to uncover a range of early concept art for the upcoming project, amusingly enough, through files found in Warzone Mobile‘s early test applications.

Two particular pieces of said concept art seemingly revealed new maps in the works for Treyarch’s next title. One by the codename ‘Stealth’ and the other referred to as ‘Pillage.’

The former showed a US military base under siege with what appears to be a Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk stealth bomber emerging from a hangar. The latter showed a ransacked mansion with extravagant chandeliers juxtaposed by fallen debris and shattered furniture.

They have since been deleted and, needless to say, all leaked details are unconfirmed.

A game’s development can change massively and, with two years still to elapse, there’s no telling if what’s being planned now will even make the final game.

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