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Rumor: Call of Duty 2021 will be developed solely by Sledgehammer Games

New word claims that Sledgehammer games will be the sole developer on Call of Duty 2021.

Donovan Erskine

February 10, 2021 9:25 AM

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Only three things are certain in life - death, taxes, and a new Call of Duty every Fall. Though we’re very much in the middle of Black Ops Cold War’s lifespan, Activision recently confirmed that a new Call of Duty will release at the end of the calendar year. Now, we might have an idea as to what developer is taking over the reins. New rumors suggest that Sledgehammer Games will be the sole developer on Call of Duty 2021.

This news comes from ModernWarzone, an independent news source within the Call of Duty community, particularly known for leaks. In a recent tweet, ModernWarzone stated “The next #CallOfDuty title is 100% being developed by @SHGames,” seemingly confident in its sources. “While this information isn’t official, it doesn’t need to be taken with a grain of salt,” they continue. What’s interesting, the rumor states that Sledgehammer will be the sole developer on Call of Duty 2021. We’ve seen the studio collaborate with others on past entries in the franchise.

The next #CallOfDuty title is 100% being developed by @SHGames.

While this information isn’t official, it doesn’t need to be taken with a grain of salt. https://t.co/4kHqmbaiAs

— ModernWarzone (@ModernWarzone) February 9, 2021

The last Call of Duty game developed entirely by Sledgehammer Games was Call of Duty WW2. Though it received lukewarm responses, CoD WW2 is best known for returning the series to its “boots on the ground” roots, following a streak of games with futuristic settings. Sledgehammer hasn’t had a role in the CoD series since WW2 so, if the rumors prove to be true, Call of Duty 2021 will likely be a game that’s been in development for years.

It’s tradition that Call of Duty rotates developers every year. In addition to Infinity Ward and Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games also steps in to put its own spin on the franchise. Back in 2019, it was leaked that Raven Software and Sledgehammer were originally going to co-lead development on Call of Duty 2020, but Activision shifted plans, removing them and putting Treyarch on the project, which eventually became Black Ops Cold War.

Nothing official has been stated about the developer behind Call of Duty 2021 as this is all just a rumor. If official word comes, you can expect to read about it right here on Shacknews.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_