The Forgotten Future: An Unfinished Journey in Call of Duty

by Annabelle Stephenson
in *DE, *ES, *IT, *TR, News, Release, xDA, xFA, xHE, xLT, xNN, xRO, xSI
on 28 January 2024

In a Twitter post, a two-minute gameplay clip from an early version of a canceled Call of Duty game titled “Future Warfare” surfaced, offering a glimpse into what could have been. Created by the now largely forgotten Neversoft, which merged with Infinity Ward in 2014, this game showcased a thrilling lunar attack scenario and a subtle hint at its storyline through a task list.

Developer Brian Bright revealed additional information about the game, codenamed “NX1,” which Neversoft began developing after their experience with Guitar Hero. Unfortunately, Activision ultimately canceled the project. However, Neversoft managed to complete a few campaign missions and work on the multiplayer mode, some of which found their way into the 2013 release, COD Ghosts. The Twitter video clip showcasing Future Warfare dates back to 2011.

Contrary to its fate, Future Warfare did leave a lasting impact on the Call of Duty franchise. In a fascinating twist, Infinity Ward, the same studio that absorbed Neversoft, released a game with a strikingly similar theme in 2016: Infinite Warfare. The irony lies in the fact that Future Warfare, although far into development, was shelved by Activision, only to witness its ideas resurface in Infinite Warfare.

In the comments section of the Twitter post, developer Brian Bright disclosed that Future Warfare was intended to be the first game in the series to feature an “Escort” mode. However, this mode was ultimately replaced in Call of Duty Ghosts, despite the significant progress made in Future Warfare’s development. Other users chimed in, sharing a list of multiplayer maps, including remakes of classic maps, such as Afghan, Crash, Outpost, Overgrown, Terminal, Whiteout, Apartment, Budynek Bin Laden (Bin Laden Building), and Gladiator Assault.

Neversoft’s shift from games like Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater to the development of a futuristic Call of Duty title proved unsuccessful. Since 2011, the studio contributed to the development of three Call of Duty games before fading into obscurity upon their merger with Infinity Ward in 2014.

Had Future Warfare seen the light of day, it would have paved the way for a series of futuristic Call of Duty games, starting with Black Ops II in 2012, followed by Future Warfare (2013), Advanced Warfare (2014), Black Ops III (2015), Infinite Warfare (2016), culminating in WWII in 2017.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Future Warfare?
Future Warfare refers to the canceled Call of Duty game developed by Neversoft. It was intended to be the first game in the series to incorporate an “Escort” mode, which was later replaced in Call of Duty Ghosts.

2. What does the two-minute gameplay clip from Future Warfare depict?
The gameplay clip showcases an attack on the Moon, where the player must evade unknown enemies. It also provides a glimpse of the game’s storyline through a task list.

3. What happened to Future Warfare?
Activision canceled Future Warfare, but some of the assets created for the game were repurposed in Call of Duty Ghosts. Neversoft, the studio behind Future Warfare, was later absorbed by Infinity Ward.

4. Which campaign missions were developed for Future Warfare?
Several campaign missions were created for Future Warfare, despite the game never being released. Some of these assets were later utilized in other Call of Duty games.

5. What other planned features did Future Warfare have?
Future Warfare was set to include an “Escort” mode, making it the first game in the series with such a feature. However, the mode was replaced in Call of Duty Ghosts.

6. What impact did Future Warfare have on other titles in the Call of Duty series?
Despite the cancellation of Future Warfare, Infinity Ward released Infinite Warfare in 2016, which shared similar themes. The series of futuristic Call of Duty games began with Black Ops II in 2012 and concluded with WWII in 2017.

7. What happened to Neversoft?
Neversoft shifted focus away from games like Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater after their unsuccessful attempt to develop a futuristic Call of Duty title. They were eventually absorbed by Infinity Ward in 2014.