Activision confirms the next Call of Duty will be a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare

Both a new game and Warzone experience will be designed together

Today, Activision Blizzard unveiled some changes coming for Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone. Alongside that, the publisher also confirms some details about what’s in store for the next year of CoD.

In today’s Warzone , Activision confirms that Infinity Ward is taking the lead on both the new Call of Duty and the next Warzone experience. The two will be designed in tandem, with a new engine, from the ground up. And this year’s Call of Duty will be a sequel to Modern Warfare 2019.

The return to the Modern Warfare series will also bring a new shift in the Warzone battle royale space. Activision says it is building an “all-new playspace,” and also .

Yes, that sounds vaguely metaverse-y. In the wake of Microsoft’s announced acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella . A at the time said the acquisition will accelerate growth in Microsoft’s gaming business and “provide building blocks” for the metaverse. Whether it goes for that, more potential for user-created content, or just a new play mode for the Warzone experience, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Amid the acquisition news, Activision Blizzard has remained under scrutiny due to reports of a toxic internal culture. Microsoft president Brad Smith told in a recent interview that the company would commit to putting “the right people in the right position” at Activision Blizzard.

Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warzone are trucking along for now. I’m curious to see when this franchise ever moves away from the annual launch schedule. With concepts for a new “sandbox” and “playspace” floating around, it seems inevitable. But we’ll see more of what Infinity Ward and Activision has in store as the year progresses.