What I’d like to see in Treyarch’s upcoming 2024 Call of Duty game

So, we all know Treyarch is the next team making the next Call of Duty. In fact, a lot of rumors hint to it being another Black Ops title set during the Gulf War. However, for this exercise, I’m not going to talk about things I want regarding the setting or for Treyarch to do something beyond Black Ops. Instead, I want to focus on what I want to see in this new game, specifically in the feature set.

1. Co-op campaign

It’s been a good while since Call of Duty: Black Ops 3’s weird and memorable journey, but what I remember most is that I played it with a friend. Since then, not a single Call of Duty game has attempted to do it. I get it, campaigns aren’t a huge deal (after all, Black Ops 4 completely scrapped it), but after some really stellar moments in Modern Warfare 2019, Black Ops Cold War, and Modern Warfare II, I could see a lot of merit in revisiting the concept.

2. Pick 10 system returns

Although it might be a bit of a drastic turn, Pick 10 needs to come back. Making players agonize over loadouts, rather than being able to assemble a Frankenstein’s Monster of a weapon, raises the skill gap. There will certainly be loadouts that will be the absolute meta still, but it’ll change the way players adapt. This is something I doubt comes through given Warzone, as I don’t know how it would work alongside that system, but for 6v6 it would be welcomed.

3. Slimming down the attachments, perks, and more

If Modern Warfare III has taught us anything, it’s that a lot of useless attachments and such exist. Bring Forward is still a good concept, but like what happened in the original Warzone, the water was muddied with a ton of extra incoming weapons and attachments. It’s hard to scroll through some of the list – looking at you, optics – and getting rid of a large portion of available options is for the better. This works hand in hand with Pick 10, as less to choose should lead to less to choose from.

4. Bring back Aftermarket Parts

A stellar choice from Sledgehammer Games was the introduction of Aftermarket Parts: gun attachments that change a weapon’s design. You can make a shotgun into a battle rifle, a pistol into an SMG, and it’s a fun idea that makes an impact without having to create an entire new weapon. These have been available as weekly challenges, and it’s something that needs to continue into Treyarch’s Call of Duty.

5. Continuation of the live service model

The previous Aftermarket Parts request leads into what Sledgehammer has absolutely nailed: live service. It’d be very easy to call Modern Warfare III an expansion, and it could have been abandoned early, but the way Sledgehammer has approached MWIII has led to player numbers being up. Not only have the weekly/bi-weekly events been great, every season has had special limited-timed modes, map variants, and worthwhile rewards. I haven’t always gotten everything, but I’ve almost always wanted to invest the time to try. This has been backed up by their communication with the community, which is why the live service has worked so well. We know what’s coming and we know our complaints are being heard, and that things are being adjusted. Keep this going.

6. Modern Warfare Zombies, but Black Ops styled

I know a lot of people want round-based Zombies back, and I’m not opposed to it at all. In fact, those should be shipped anytime a Zombie mode exists. That said, Modern Warfare Zombies was a revelation. The DMZ design and open-world worked immensely, and Treyarch has already experimented with this idea when Outbreak arrived in Black Ops Cold War. While simply importing Zombies into DMZ is how MWZ became what it is, Treyarch having a lot of time to let a bigger and badder version of Outbreak cook – along with their experimentation in MWZ – could allow for the definitive Zombies experience… but with some round-based thrown in as well.

7. Raid

These next two are very specific and more personal. Raid is arguably the greatest map in Call of Duty history. It’s fantastic in design, in flow, and in ambience. Not to mention, it’s the perfect competitive map for the CDL. This is a Black Ops staple, and as such should be in the game. I’ll go a step further and say it should be in on day one. Everyone might love Nuketown, but Raid is the GOAT.

8. AK-74u as an SMG again

Yes, the AK-74u assault rifle is in Modern Warfare II and III, but we need this gun to go back to what it was in Black Ops Cold War. It was the premiere SMG, perfectly balanced and a ton of fun to use. Sprinting around and challenging opposing players with it was a blast, and if you were good it even could work at range with some stellar iron sights. Even though I love the sound of the Krig-6’s gunfire, there’s nothing like the punch you could audibly feel when the AK-74u was humming.

We’re almost to the time of year where all of the Call of Duty news starts making its round, whether through leaks or official announcements. Whatever may come of Treyarch’s upcoming game, you know I’ll be there with bells on. Stay tuned to GamingTrend for all things Call of Duty 2024.

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