If Call of Duty Is Really a Dead Franchise Right Now, Why Are People Still Playing It?

If one has to pick the two most popular action-packed FPS franchises in gaming history, one need not look beyond Call of Duty and Battlefield. These two IPs have impressed millions of players across the globe for years now. But it’s Activision’s series that has kept itself running successfully.

That’s despite the fact that most of the recent entries in the Call of Duty universe have received mixed reactions. Gone are the days when the games in this franchise used to be nothing less than phenomenal. The time has really changed now and so have the newer installments arriving under this iconic saga.

Without a doubt, the perspective of fans has changed as well towards the games Activision has been churning out. To be precise, they have failed to mesmerize the players. So much so that the ongoing titles like Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2 have ended up making the users so frustrated that many of them have declared this action series dead already. But is that really the case right now?

Why are people still playing Call of Duty despite the growing hate?

The simple answer to this tricky question is the lack of a solid rival. Currently, Activision’s franchise has got no real competition whatsoever. Despite all the odds, it has succeeded in staying on top when it comes to the biggest AAA FPS IPs in the world. Although recent entries like Vanguard didn’t meet expectations, Activision quickly regained the lost ground, with 2022’s blockbuster in Modern Warfare II and its extension in the form of Warzone 2.

But despite the mind-boggling earnings and sales, these two games haven’t really made a lasting impression in the community. Because both of them have been plagued with issues relating to gameplay, bugs, and most importantly, the transitions. Compared to previous installments, the devs have made some drastic changes for ‘the new era’ of Call of Duty going forward. For the loyal fans, such changes have done nothing more than degrade the overall quality.

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However, because there’s no real alternative available to Call of Duty, FPS lovers don’t have much of a choice right now. Even if they don’t like the present Call of Duty offerings, they end up playing them because they like the realistic experience this series offers. Battlefield, as of now, is not really a threat to CoD’s unmatched reign. Hence, it is nowhere near the level of popularity that Call of Duty has amassed.

The ‘brand power’ is too strong

Another reason for this situation is the brand of Call of Duty itself. Without a doubt, its name has now become synonymous with first-person-shooter genre. Simply put, the franchise is now a benchmark to compare any other IP from any company that wants to release similar games on a larger scale. In other words, the series is too big to fail. Although it might not be true in the case of some other IPs, for this one, it is surely true.

Probably that’s why the brand’s name is enough to attract the players to engage in its titles. And also to keep them stuck in its universe also, for an extended duration. Unless there’s any real competition, Call of Duty will continue to rule despite all the unfavorable fan reactions and criticism.

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What are your thoughts on this entire situation? Do you also think this series is dying? Let us know in the comments down below.