In a notable departure from its traditional linear campaigns, Call of Duty will introduce an open-world campaign in its next release, Black Ops Gulf War.
While the series previously flirted with open-world elements in Modern Warfare 3, sources reveal that Gulf War’s campaign was meticulously built from the ground up, avoiding relying on assets from previous entries, Insider Gaming reported.
Similar to previous major Call of Duty launches, the next installment of Black Ops is expected to release in October or November 2024.
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Gulf War’s open-world experience is compared to the style of exploration seen in Far Cry, allowing players and their squad to navigate the map using vehicles and a fast travel system.
While the exact number of linear missions remains uncertain, sources told Insider Gaming that there will be integration of some linear missions within the larger open-world structure.
Developed by Microsoft Corp.”S MSFT Raven Software, with multiplayer and zombies powered by Treyarch Games, the campaign will feature the return of familiar Black Ops characters, including Adler.
Furthermore, the shift towards open-world campaigns could extend beyond the Gulf War, indicating a potential trend in future Call of Duty titles.
It is said that the next chapter, Call of Duty 2025 (codenamed Saturn), will also embrace an open-world approach, with a map divided into various biomes or locations.
However, the specifics of this project are subject to change as the game is still in early development, approximately 20 months away from its expected release in October 2025.
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