It appears that the Call of Duty 2018 release will be Black Ops 4, at least according to Eurogamer‘s “multiple sources,” and industry insider Marcus Sellars.
Eurogamer is claiming that Black Ops 4 “will dial back to better fit the series’ recent desire for a more grounded feeling.” Apparently, this is in response to “the negative feedback surrounding 2016’s space-set Infinite Warfare.”
Sellars has bigger claims, stating that Black Ops 4 will release on the Nintendo Switch as well as the PS4, Xbox One and PC. This would mark the FPS franchise’s debut on the Switch.
COD 2018 is Black Ops 4 and is coming to PS4/Xbox/PC/Switch. It is set in the modern times and is boots on the ground. The Switch version will support DLC, HD Rumble and motion controls. The Switch version is also being ported by a company which is familar with COD games.
— Marcus Sellars (@Marcus_Sellars) February 4, 2018
Sellars has a notable track record, having previously correctly predicted the Dark Souls Switch port and Nintendo Labo before both were announced. In addition, by observing Activision’s formula of cycling its three Call of Duty developers (Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer Games) in that particular order since 2012, it’s logical to deduce that the next CoD will be Treyarch’s and hence makes it more likely that there might be some truth to the rumor.
Treyarch’s most recent Call of Duty game was Black Ops 3 back in 2015. Since then, we have had Infinity Ward’s Infinite Warfare in 2016 and Sledgehammer Games’ WWII in 2017, with the latter proving to be a roaring success for Activision, as well as breaking a few records in the process.
As far as the Switch version of Black Ops 4 goes, Sellars has claimed that a separate company will be handling the port, allowing Treyarch to focus on the PS4, Xbox One and PC versions of the game. Additionally, he claims that the game will support the Switch’s HD Rumble and motion controls, with it also set to receive additional DLC further down the road.
Though both Eurogamer and Sellars have garnered reputations as a result of previous leaks, it remains to be seen whether or not these claims are true. With no official statement from Activision, we’ll have to wait further into the year to see if these rumors hold any weight. Though, considering the success of the Black Ops series, many CoD fans will inevitably be hoping that Eurogamer and Sellars know something we don’t.
