The first-person shooter "Call of Duty" returns to a more traditional format after last year's psychedelic "Black Ops 7" was met with little enthusiasm from either players or critics. Raven Software and Treyarch were the main developers.
Now Infinity Ward has taken the helm and continued the story in the "Modern Warfare" sub-series.
One part of the game follows Captain Price, who is hunted by his former teammates, while another takes place on the Korean Peninsula, where conscript Park Hyun-Jun becomes a small pawn in a major war.
"We didn't want to tell the same story again, especially with our returning characters. People who haven't changed much end up in similar situations we've already seen them in," says Jeffrey Negus.
Price being on the run after killing a general on his own side at the end of "Modern Warfare 3" is one example.
It fundamentally changes his role, says Negus.
Following a group
Following a South Korean soldier and his comrades in battle is another new approach. Some of the themes deal with individual choices in a context where conscripts are forced into the center of events.
We were inspired by military action films where you follow a whole group of people who all have distinct personalities, as a way to portray the larger conflict around them.
The stories are woven together through flashbacks.
Room for machismo
The “Call of Duty” series largely revolves around macho men who speak in dark voices, something Negus is trying to broaden.
I want to think there's something for everyone in this game. We have some really strong female protagonists. This is also the largest ensemble cast of leads we've had. When it comes to machismo, there's a place for it in a story like this, but it's not something we automatically have to stick to.
Anyone who has played a “Call of Duty” game knows they usually contain some spectacular, lavish set pieces. Jeffrey Negus doesn’t want to reveal too much, but says players can look out for a plane crash.
"A personal favorite is an epic chase through Paris, the best chase scene we've done. I think it's really cool," he says.
Activision's first-person shooter "Call of Duty" is a game series that has been around since 2003. The first games were set during World War II, but since 2007 they have mainly been set in other eras.
To maintain a high release rate of about one game a year, four studios - Sledgehammer, Infinity Ward, Treyarch and Raven Software - take turns leading development.
This year's "Call of Duty" is the 23rd game in the main series and was developed by Infinity Ward.
The game will be released on October 23 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.