Call of Duty promises a return to form

Call of Duty promises a return to form – but can it compete with GTA?

Activision

Call of Duty is back – and it’s got a lot to prove.

Last year was a low point for the video game juggernaut, with poor reviews for its single-player campaign mode and multiplayer fans defecting to rival titles.

So for latest instalment, Modern Warfare 4, publisher Activision is pulling out all the stops to bring fans back on board.

But with increasing competition for fans’ time and attention, and the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 just weeks away, can Call of Duty still cut through?

BBC Newsbeat spoke to some of those behind the game to find out, and why they see the upcoming release of GTA 6 as an “opportunity”.

Since 2009, Call of Duty has been at the top – or a close second-place – in the US video game sales charts every year.

But 2025’s edition, Black Ops 7, dropped to seventh place in America, according to data from analytics firm Circana. In the UK, it was the eighth best-selling game.

It’s thought the game’s inclusion on Xbox’s Game Pass subscription service, where it won’t appear on release this year, hit sales.

But competition from long-running rival Battlefield 6 and new release Arc Raiders – a surprise success from Swedish studio Embark – put the behemoth on the back foot.

Fans also complained about the inclusion of novelty skins, which change the appearance of characters during multiplayer games, based on cartoons and other pop culture crossovers.

Call of Duty’s chief marketing officer, Tyler Bahl, admits it was a tough year for the series.

“I think we missed expectations with our community last year,” he says.

“So we took a step back, we listened to them.”

Players now have the ability to switch off controversial cosmetic changes, and Bahl says Modern Warfare 4 is a “return to form”.

It’s a message they’ve been keen to get out.

Activision

Newsbeat meets Bahl in a corner of Shoreditch, London, that’s been turned into a convincing replica of a South Korean street complete with noodle bars and convenience stores.

It’s inspired by Modern Warfare 4’s storyline, which depicts a North Korean invasion – a decision that provoked a mixed reaction in the lead-up to release.

A similar installation to promote the game has been built in downtown LA – but it’s far from the only extravagant promotional attempt to generate buzz around the game.

Back in July, Activision recruited Obsession star Inde Navaratte – who streamed Call of Duty on Twitch before becoming one of Hollywood’s hottest young stars – to publicise the game at sports convention Fanatics Fest.

It’s also struck a sponsorship deal with six-a-side football competition Baller League and worked with world’s biggest YouTuber Mr Beast to showcase the game’s new DMZ multiplayer mode.

Bahl says the events and collabs are designed to demonstrate Call of Duty’s “stature, swagger and scale” – something he admits does not come cheap.

He says he’s always thinking of ways for Call of Duty to leverage its position and “show up in culture in a really big and innovative way” to reach “as many people as possible”.

Call of Duty does have some strong competition in that space, however.

Activision

This year it’s launching just weeks before GTA 6 – arguably the most anticipated video game of the decade.

Despite rising console prices, there’s hope that the massive interest in Rockstar Games’ ultra-blockbuster will convince people to buy a new console or return to the hobby.

Bahl says GTA 6 and Call of Duty are “the two biggest games of the year” but they’re not necessarily in direct competition.

“More people dusting off their Xbox or their PlayStation, starting to play for the first time, it gives an opportunity for more gamers to come in and play both of the games,” says Bahl.

GTA 6 will only be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles at first, and multiplayer modes won’t be available at launch.

“So we feel like this is differentiated enough to really stand out,” says Bahl.

The game itself sells for about £70 in the UK, but Bahl points out it can be a year-round hangout space for many fans.

“The number one reason people come to Call of Duty is not just for the combat or the gunplay, but it’s actually because their friends are there, right?

“And so that social connection is so powerful.”

Activision

One of the biggest criticisms of last year’s Call of Duty was its single-player campaign mode.

The short, cinematic adventures are rarely the main reason players pick up the latest title, but are nevertheless popular.

Alternating titles in the series follow different storylines, and the Modern Warfare strand has produced some of Call of Duty’s most beloved characters.

Activision has said Modern Warfare 4 is the “epic conclusion” to the story of fan favourite Capt John Price, played by British actor Barry Sloane.

“It’s a lot of surprises, a culmination of all those pieces that we’ve been putting together coming together,” he says.

Sloane tells Newsbeat he’s not too intimidated by the weight of expectation.

“I’ve been greeted with love from the fan base since the get-go,” he says.

María Elisa Camargo, who returns to the series as cartel leader Valeria Garza, admits the fanbase is “a tough crowd”.

“They’re very smart, very story-driven, and they’re not just loving anyone,” she says.

Actor Mads Mikkelsen, known for appearances in films such as Casino Royale and TV show Hannibal, plays mysterious enemy The Archer.

He says there’s at least one player who’ll be there to play through the campaign.

“I know for sure my son will try to kill me again and again.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.