The Future of Call of Duty, By a COD Creator

Nothing is extra necessary to Name of Obligation than its neighborhood – the gamers that assist and (in some circumstances) stay for the joys of the sport 12 months in, 12 months out. For a number of years, Name of Obligation’s ecosystem has been the house of an ever-developing content material creation area, whether or not that be throughout COD Cell, Name of Obligation’s conventional multiplayer platform, or on Warzone, the collection’ iconic battle royale title that was launched in 2020.

Sometimes, these content material creators know every part concerning the franchise, right down to its core fibres. They perceive the mechanics, know what’s coming subsequent, and take the largest hit when the builders make a ‘improper determination’. Throughout London’s annual EGX occasion, I caught up with one in all these creators – Greg ‘Shrubby13’ Shrubb, who has been crafting Name of Obligation content material for greater than a decade – and who nonetheless loves the sport right now.

As we spoke, I realized about his impressions of Fashionable Warfare 3, his wishes for the way forward for Name of Obligation, and his concept of the ‘good’ COD recreation.

‘It’s All the pieces Everybody Cherished’

I used to be desirous to get Shrubb’s ideas on the state of Fashionable Warfare 3, on condition that he’d spent just a few days wrapped up within the beta that just lately went stay.

Shrubby13: ‘Motion is sweet, the weapons are implausible, the maps which have gone again to old-school COD, they’re implausible. Principally, the sport is every part everybody beloved however contemporary and a bit newer. There are new issues that preserve it feeling refreshed however it additionally has that old-school COD really feel, and going into Warzone, it’s going to be nice – they’ve bought Rebirth coming again, Fortune’s Maintain is coming again – and that motion, and the weapons…’

All the pieces that I’ve heard about Fashionable Warfare 3 – and seen for myself within the beta – is spectacular. It performs properly, it seems to be nice, and revisiting the maps of the best Name of Obligation recreation of all time is the chef’s kiss on this situation. Nevertheless, I’m of the concept there’s ‘an excessive amount of’ packed into this 12 months’s Name of Obligation recreation – a marketing campaign, a brand new Warzone occasion, a Zombies mode, and the multiplayer platform. I requested Shrubb about this.

Shrubby13: ‘I feel it’s time to eliminate the Name of Obligation marketing campaign. Although there’s the nostalgia that makes you need to play it, it’s simply not value it. They may put extra time and assets into the sport modes which might be actually, actually common. Like multiplayer – that’s a staple now, that has to remain — and Warzone. It’s like a essential focus.’

Controversial feedback, certainly.

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‘I Suppose We Moved Away From Multiplayer’

Shrubby13 was having fun with the gameplay in the course of the EGX showcase.

For the final decade or so, Greg ‘Shrubby13’ Shrubb has cut up his content material creation time between the likes of FIFA and Name of Obligation, however the latter franchise has all the time remained his greatest draw. Most just lately, he has discovered success in crafting content material that’s centered particularly on Name of Obligation’s ‘DMZ’ mode, which isn’t going wherever when Fashionable Warfare 3 is launched, however it gained’t essentially see a lot assist, both.

On that word, I requested him about COD’s content material creation scene, attempting to get an inside glimpse on the state of play.

Shrubby13: ‘DMZ made content material creation enjoyable once more as a result of there’s heaps you are able to do with a mode like that. Multiplayer – I don’t suppose that’s any good for content material creation anymore. I feel we moved away from multiplayer. That’s usually like… The height viewers are within the first month after which all of it drops off. When Warzone drops, that’s going to carry everybody again. The motion alone will carry creators again and the way the map seems to be will carry everybody else again.’

He continued, relating the influence that Warzone has had on Name of Obligation’s ecosystem:

Shrubby13: ‘It was solely multiplayer — that was the main target for Name of Obligation. When Warzone got here out, multiplayer died a bit, in my view. It nonetheless thrives in its side however it’s virtually not the primary focus for Name of Obligation anymore.’

I used to be desirous to study what Shrubb wished from the way forward for Name of Obligation. He revealed that he has been taking part in COD video games for greater than fifteen years, so he is aware of a factor or two about what hits on the subject of Name of Obligation.

Shrubby13: ‘Black Ops 1.’

Is that it, simply that recreation?

Shrubby13: ‘It’s simply the most effective multiplayer recreation ever. I imply, you could possibly most likely introduce right now’s motion to Black Ops, however peak Name of Obligation for me was that recreation. I do know Black Ops II was extra for the ‘aggressive folks’ – they beloved that – however Black Ops had the most effective multiplayer. I’d desire a handful of latest maps and outdated maps – as a result of why attempt to repair what’s not damaged? The outdated maps have been unreal – everybody performed them.’

I requested if he wished a ‘jetpack COD’ subsequent 12 months, or the 12 months after.

Shrubby13: ‘They tried jetpacks, I feel no person actually preferred it. Although folks say Superior Warfare was good – and I used to be good at it – I simply didn’t prefer it. I consider this — why not simply make all of it one recreation and preserve updating it? I imply, even should you pay a yearly subscription they usually earn a living from skins. Simply get the most effective builders to work on the part that they’ve executed the most effective with and preserve it going, like Warzone or Fortnite.’

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‘That’s When It Went Downhill’

Shrubby13 prefers the World Collection of Warzone to the CDL

Edging into the esports facet of the dialogue, I engaged Shrubb, speaking concerning the Name of Obligation League. Specifically, I used to be curious to know if a lifelong Name of Obligation fan rated the collection’ esports scene, and if not, why.

Shrubby13: ‘It’s simply not the identical anymore. If they might have executed extra Warzone tournaments — I watched these. Warzone tournaments are nice, enjoyable thrilling – multiplayer will get too repetitive and I don’t know, I suppose I’m simply not serious about that mode anymore. I’ve misplaced curiosity in it. Plus, after they modified it to the CDL format, that’s when it went downhill. I’m extra probably going to placed on a professional Warzone participant and watch them or tune into the World Collection of Warzone, or one thing like that.’

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With all this speak of finality and issues going downhill, I made my final query to Greg ‘Shrubby13’ Shrubb an necessary one. Put merely, does he imagine that Name of Obligation will ever ‘finish’? Will there ever be that last-ever COD recreation?

Shrubby13: ‘I feel COD goes on endlessly. However, as this 12 months exhibits, they’ve probably not bought something left to do. It peaked, it’s on a downward spiral, and in the event that they don’t do what the neighborhood is asking to, then COD is completed, however folks will all the time purchase it. They may attempt to carry out new modes, new battle royales, extraction shooters, or regardless of the subsequent huge factor is, however I don’t know if it’ll achieve success or not. I don’t suppose we’re in a transition interval but the place making completely new stuff goes to work. You might want to eliminate the outdated and section it out, which is able to most likely be in ten or fifteen years. Then, who is aware of?’

As I wrapped up my dialog with Shrubb, I bought the sense that he was considerably upset with Activision seemingly ceasing all growth of the DMZ mode going ahead. It has turn out to be his bread and butter, however he has excessive expectations for the subsequent iteration of COD Zombies, which ought to plug that hole fairly properly. Within the meantime, he’ll be sharpening up on Fashionable Warfare 3 and preparing for no matter comes subsequent in Warzone.

As will all of us.

You may catch Shrubby13’s content material on his TikTok channel or his YouTube channel.

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