Word has slipped that players will be getting a new Call of Duty game this November, probably because Activision just can’t stay out of the news. Call of Duty: Black Ops is being developed by Treyarch, who crafted 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War. That game, while generally well-received, didn’t achieve the same status as COD4: Modern Warfare or Modern Warfare 2, which were developed by Infinity Ward.
Other than a November 9th release date, details are scarce about Call of Duty; Black Ops. Rumors were swirling that a Vietnam-based COD would be hitting shelves this year, but it’s not known if Black Ops is that game. Activision had set up the alternating development schedule for the military FPS franchise, where a different studio would turn out the annual COD game, so 2010 was already due to be a bye year for Infinity Ward. As part of that schedule, Infinity Ward insisted that they be the only studio to develop COD games set in the modern era. But, with the future of that studio now in question, it’s up in the air as to whether Black Ops will be a period piece set in the past or whether it will be the first COD set in modern times that doesn’t come from Infinity Ward.
There will be a peek at Black Ops during GameTrailers TV on Spike at 12:30 am tonight so some of those questions will likely be answered. Any further question marks will probably have to wait until E3.