Call of Duty: Again...and again...

I'm probably going to make some people angry with this post, but what I have to say needs to be said, even if it only serves to satisfy my own sense of justice. Do you know why Activision decided to downplay the "Call of Duty" portion of "Modern Warfare" and "Black Ops"? Obviously, Activision has employed two separate design studios in the making of its CoD games (Infinity Ward & Treyarch), so maybe that's one reason. Also, while they may appear to be similar on the surface, the Black Ops franchise is different from the Modern Warfare franchise in various ways, so maybe that's the reason. You know what I think? I think Activision knew they were going to milk this goldmine for all that it was worth, and they didn't think that you, the fans, would be pleased when "Call of Duty X" hit the shelves in November, 2013. That would basically be the same thing as telling you, "Hey! It's the same game, but we can't sell the other ones for $59.99 any more because everyone already owns them!"

But, before I start bashing on what is obviously a successful, enjoyable, and immersive franchise, let's take a look at the perks that these games have to offer the gaming community.

• Call of Duty is easy. Point and shoot. Turn up that sensitivity. Play for a few hours online, and you're good to go. This is the reason that so many casual gamers who will tell you they don't play video games will still spend several hours a week playing Black Ops II. They're not lying, it's just the only game they play.
• Call of Duty is fun. There. I said it.
• Call of Duty is realistic. Gone are the days of pumping an entire clip into your nemesis and watching him run away to later shoot you in the back when you're busy pumping another clip into his buddy. It only takes a couple of shots, really. Don't bother with that full-auto. Three-round burst is the way to go. 

Okay, I'm done digging for reasons to defend this game. To be fair, these are not the only games that follow the FPS formula for fun. Kudos to all of you gamers who take time out of your busy day to give Battlefield a chance. I admire you. EA Dice really has done well for themselves. But what is in store for the future of gaming? New Intellectual Property is a huge risk nowadays when you consider the fact that most gamers are simply biding their time until the next CoD release. If you're planning on releasing a brand-spanking new shooter, you might want to think twice (*cough*Respawn*cough*). Can West and Zampella hold their upcoming mystery game up to their brain child without it perishing under the scrutiny of the teabagging horde? They're like modern day Frankensteins, with Call of Duty being the monster.

Whatever Respawn plans on unleashing, I hope it can put a scare into Activision. Get them to shift gears and try something else for a change. That's karma, and I like karma. Am I the only person who is aching to see if those poor developers at Infinity Ward and Treyarch will ever have the opportunity to give birth to the next big thing? Do they even want to? What would happen if they decided not to release "Modern Warfare 4" this year? Would it be so bad?