For those who don’t know, Glen Schofield worked at Sledgehammer Games and was a co-director on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2011), as well as game director on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) and Call of Duty: WWII (2017). His experience extends far beyond the franchise, having also served as executive producer on Dead Space (2008). It’s an impressive portfolio regardless of how you feel about the current state of Call of Duty, a series Schofield is now openly worried about under Xbox’s ownership.
At Gamescom Asia in Bangkok, Thailand, Schofield spoke with Video Games Chronicle following a keynote where he shared his ideas for “saving” the games industry. During the interview, he elaborated on his views about the future of Call of Duty and broader industry challenges. Let’s dive into what he said, and whether his concerns hold weight or if it’s simply worry for nothing.
The context: What Schofield actually said about Call of Duty under Xbox
In his interview with Video Game Chronicle, Schofield laments that he worries about Call of Duty. When asked what challenges the franchise might face now that it’s under a mega corporation like Microsoft, he said:
Yeah. Well, I mean, first of all, if they go to not every year, they lose a billion dollars every year, so that’s why Call of Duty never did that.I worry about it immensely, I really do. Because what’s happening to Gears of War, where’s Halo… you know what I mean? And you look at EA, you look at these big companies, and I’m like where’s the Strike games? Where’s this game? And there are so many that just fall by the wayside.Unfortunately, once you’re assimilated by one of these companies, I think you take on some of their traits. The other thing is, I don’t know, but I would imagine that the Call of Duty bonus system is out, and now you have theirs, and people are going to go ‘that isn’t that’.
Glen Schofield
Interestingly, he mentions both Gears and Halo, and a lot can be said about how both of those franchises are no longer what they once were. In Halo’s case, especially, it has admittedly done little but fumble since 343 Industries took over. Still, with the recent restructuring of Halo Studios, the future seems at least somewhat hopeful for now, despite the departure of their art director, who left a cryptic message upon departure.
That said, I don’t think it’s fair to compare Call of Duty to either of those series. While concerns around how Microsoft conducts its business are valid, it often feels like it would sell anything if it meant more money toward AI.
Call of Duty has struggled with a lack of identity for years, from out-of-place cosmetic skins to a constant push toward monetization. Players buy a full-priced game, then face another paywall with a battle pass and an endless stream of microtransactions the moment they load in. The issues with Call of Duty clearly run deeper than anything Microsoft has had a hand in so far.
Call of Duty needs breathing room, not another release cycle
I do agree with Schofield that Call of Duty needs to slow down its release cycle. Right now, none of the games have room to grow, as updates and features are likely pushed to the next title. It’s especially noticeable with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, following directly after last year’s Black Ops 6.
Schofield goes on in the interview to say:
I got lucky. I feel like I was at the heyday of EA during my time there. I mean, it was a who’s who working there. And then when I got to Activision, I made Modern Warfare 3 (2011).
Glen Schofield
If you’re like me, Modern Warfare 3 in 2011 was one of the standout entries in the series. I’ll admit I’ve always leaned more toward Zombies, so Black Ops 3 remains my favorite, but it’s easy to see the contrast between what Call of Duty was then and what it has become now.
We can only hope Activision locks in and rediscovers that spark. It seems like that might happen in Black Ops 7, as they are listening to player feedback. Although it’s hard not to think that renewed effort has something to do with the pressure from Battlefield 6, which just launched to 7 million copies sold within its first three days.
In some ways, it feels more like, instead of Activision becoming Microsoft, it feels more lately like Microsoft has become Activision, with little regard for fans, leaving people like me and you to feel like nothing more than numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s a stark contrast from when Phil Spencer first took on the mantle at Xbox, where community and fans seemed like the focal point, to now, where Satya Nadella and Amy Hood are increasingly more involved.
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