The key facts

  • Modern Warfare 4 launches on Friday; last year's Black Ops 7 placed seventh in the US charts and eighth in the UK according to Circana
  • Activision invested in promotion: installations in London and Los Angeles, Mr Beast, Baller League, Ind Navarrette
  • Tyler Bahl calls GTA 6 and Call of Duty 'the two biggest games of the year', but not direct competitors

Last year's failure and Activision's response

The Call of Duty series had held first or second place in the US sales charts since 2009, but last year's Black Ops 7 dropped to seventh position in America and eighth in the UK, according to the analytics firm Circana. It is believed that sales were hurt by the game's inclusion in the Xbox Game Pass subscription — this year's new title will not appear in the service at launch. Additional pressure came from the long-time rival Battlefield 6 and the unexpected hit Arc Raiders from the Swedish studio Embark. Players also complained about novelty skins based on cartoons and pop-culture collaborations. Activision's chief marketing officer Tyler Bahl admitted: 'I think last year we did not meet the expectations of our community. So we took a step back and we listened.' Players can now disable controversial cosmetic items, and Bahl calls Modern Warfare 4 a 'return to form'.

A large-scale advertising campaign

To promote the game, Activision built a replica of a South Korean street with noodle shops and shops in London's Shoreditch, and a similar installation was constructed in central Los Angeles. In July, the star of the series Obsession, Ind Navarrette, joined the promotion at the Fanatics Fest convention, a sponsorship deal was signed with the futsal championship Baller League, and the most popular YouTuber Mr Beast showcased the new multiplayer mode DMZ. Bahl says the collaborations are meant to show the series' 'status, reach and scale' and to 'show up in culture in a truly big and innovative way', although he admits it is not cheap.

Competition with GTA 6

The release comes just weeks before Grand Theft Auto 6 — possibly the most anticipated game of the decade. Despite rising console prices, there is hope that the buzz around the Rockstar Games blockbuster will push people to buy a new console or return to gaming. Bahl calls GTA 6 and Call of Duty 'the two biggest games of the year', but not direct competitors: 'More people dusting off their Xbox or PlayStation gives an opportunity for new gamers to come and play both games.' GTA 6 will launch only on PlayStation 5 and Xbox, and there will be no multiplayer modes at launch — 'so we feel that is enough to stand out', says Bahl. The game costs around £70 in the UK, but, according to him, for many fans it is a year-round social hub: 'The number one reason people come to Call of Duty is not the combat or the shooting, but the fact that their friends are there.'

Story and actors

One of the main criticisms of the previous game was the single-player campaign. Activision positions Modern Warfare 4 as an 'epic conclusion' to the story of Captain John Price, played by British actor Barry Sloane. 'Lots of surprises, a culmination of all those pieces we have been putting together,' he says, adding that he feels no pressure: 'The fans have met me with love from the very beginning, I only feel excitement.' Maria Elisa Camargo, once again playing cartel boss Valeria Garza, calls the fans 'a tough audience': 'They are very smart, very invested in the story, and they don't love just anyone.' Mads Mikkelsen, known for Casino Royale and the series Hannibal, plays a mysterious enemy named The Archer: 'I know for sure that my son will try to kill me again and again. It is very exciting.' The game is set in a war between North and South Korea.

A character from Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4. The soldier has short dark hair and a beard with scars above his left eye. He has a serious expression as snow falls behind him in a darkened backdrop.Image source, Activision
Image caption,

Modern Warfare 4 is released on Friday after its predecessor

A still from Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 showing a soldier leaping over a car on a South Korean street. He wears a helmet and protective gear and is armed with a large gun.Image source, Activision
Image caption,

The game locates players in a war between North and South Korea

A still from Modern Warfare 4 showing a greying male character wearing a dark zip-up jacket. He's pictured looking solemn in a tent.Image source, Activision
Image caption,

The game's makers have splashed out promoting the new release

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Gears of War character Marcus Fenix wears a bandanna and heavy futuristic armour. The CGI character has a cropped beard and blood-spattered face and looks seriously at another of the game's characters, seen from behind.Screenshot from GTA 6 shows Lucia resting her elbows on the corner of a swimming pool next to what appears to be a rooftop hotel bar. A cocktail glass is on her right and a mobile phone on top of a folded towel is on her left.A fantasy landscape showing a female warrior stood on a hill on the left. She is wearing full body silver armour and holding a sword, she has long blond hair. In front of her is a misty view of mountains and castlesA woman with long dark hair smiles broadly