Treyarch: Call of Duty isn't going 'back' to WWII

by James Ransom-Wiley { Jun 23rd 2008 at 3:45PM }

Call of Duty: World at War began life right after Call of Duty 3, before Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was released. So, following this logic, "there was no modern warfare" when World at War was conceived, Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia told Joystiq, responding to skeptics who fear that the series' return to World War II will be a return to mediocrity. In fact, Call of Duty's ~~"B Team"~~ alternate developer doesn't consider its next entry a rehash at all. "We don't really look at it like we're going back to World War II," said Lamia. "For [Treyarch], it's totally new."

COD: WAW CODE 7: JWGTP-9FCDW-WVRXM-7XX3M-W76PM

Lamia pointed to World at War's two-year development cycle as a key factor; a full 12 months more than the team had to complete Call of Duty 3, which, while by no means a commercial or critical failure, stands as a definitive low point for the franchise. "When you got one year, you do what you know, and get it done well -- don't mess around. When you got two years, you have a chance to introduce new gameplay, new elements."

Check out our full interview with Treyarch right here.

Tags: activision, breakingnews, call-of-duty, call-of-duty-3, call-of-duty-world-at-war, cod3, cod5, codwaw, treyarch

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jakka @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:51PM

Before any "smartarse" feels like pointing this out - It's Metaphorical. We all know that Pacific War is still WW2.Beat it.

Fanboy @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:51PM

but it is going back to the bargain bin...

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:55PM

burndiggity

Limezor @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:53PM

Wow its sad how they keep trying to make their game more exciting. How about just stfu and make a GOOD GAME?

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:56PM

No kidding, I'm so sick of people trying to make exciting games. I would take Mario Teaches Typing over an exciting game anyday.

Sora267 @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:33PM

Mamma mia! Oh-a no! Don't-a hit Ctrl+Alt+Del!

Mario Teaches Typing would be kinda fun..

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:40PM

Would be fun? Believe it or not it does exist, and "fun" should not be used in the same sentence unless the word "not" is in front.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Teaches_Typing

Martez @ Jun 23rd 2008 5:01PM

Typing of the Dead, on the other hand...

Intentless @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:56PM

Basically this game started development as a WW2 game before anyone knew that 4 would be a Modern Warfare game.. So theoretically speaking you can not return to something if you were still there... That is what they are saying... And honestly I am really looking forward to this game...

jl_Mafia @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:00PM

"We don't really look at it like we're going back to World War II," said Lamia. "For [Treyarch], it's totally new."

Well for us it's OLD!

NATO_Duke @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:58PM

OK, seriously, can we talk about a different game today?

Fanboy @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:01PM

exactly, I swear the internet is boring today..Joystiq is all about this crappy new COD game and Digg is all about McCain and Obama...I HATE IT

Mr.ESC @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:14PM

If you are bored check 4star, Berserk abridged or Yu-gi-oh the abridged series or better yet read a book.

I agree is a slow day but I'm interested in COD5 tho'

trotskylite @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:01PM

amen @ duke
talk about anything besides this game for chrissakes

NvM @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:01PM

Well I saw a flamethrower, that's something different.

nytestalker @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:14PM

Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Had flamethrowers, like 5 years ago.

ViagraFiend @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:09PM

I just don't think I will be able to go from Modern Warfare to old school rifles and shit again.

I'm spoiled now.

TheOverlord#2 can has Mario Karts?(MK:2578-3517-9859) @ Jun 23rd 2008 5:51PM

No, I think shit was around during WW2.

ViagraFiend @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:23PM

Yes, but that was old school shit. Now our shit is enriched with all kinds of tofurkey and stuff.

Dirty @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:16PM

They are on the defensive, not a good sign.

Sora267 @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:34PM

Then again, is ANYTHING Treyarch does a good sign?

Eh @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:34PM

I very, very much doubt they will introduce anything new. Its WW2, for the millionth time, everything has been done that you can do in an army squad game. This game is going to sell well but its going to be another boring WW2 shooter where you do exactly the same thing you did in all the other WW2 games. The most they could possibly do is create an interesting story where you play a special agent type of character, but Medal of Honor already did that, and Call of Duty simply doesnt have that kind of creativity anyways.

Sunny @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:35PM

Call of Duty 4's development started before Call of Duty 2's development had even started. So by their logic... ah screw it. My head hurts.

Cal @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:50PM

CoD4 started development before World At War and therefore did exist when they started working on World At War, yet somehow Treyarch are saying they didn't know about it...

So not only are they bad game developers, they don't even know when other games in the series are being made...

bigpuerto @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:48PM

rofl "Call of Duty's B team" rofl

PSN & GAMERTAG: jorojoserojas - Wii FC: 0749-8609-3752-6926 @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:43PM

But wait...if this was started before CoD 4, why is it using the CoD 4 engine?

(This is a combination skeptical remark/real question, since I know next to nothing about how games are actually made and what really entails an engine. I'm the worst geek ever.)

Dan CiTi @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:47PM

CoD3 should have still never existed. CoD4 should have been 3. Whatever. This game has a lot to live up to.

Bellerophon @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:48PM

I think us gamers need to band together and just not buy this bloody game.

Nothing sends the message clearer to Treyarch then crap sales. If anything, that's an incentive to stop making WWII games FOREVER!

Martez @ Jun 23rd 2008 5:13PM

That's worked out well in the past.

Vcize @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:43PM

Sorry, I'm a sucker for online co-op.

modified @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:30PM

This game is so doomed. I feel sorry for the people working on it.

Matthew @ Jun 23rd 2008 7:00PM

Let's be glad that they are alternating years like this instead of forcing Infinity Ward to push a new COD out every single year. More time in development typically leads to better games. That is the bottom line. Just because COD3 wasn't up to par doesn't indicate an unbreakable trend. Why don't we give a game a chance before we condemn it?

Robobagins @ Jun 23rd 2008 7:13PM

Because of massive Hate-on the internet seems to have for it, I hope COD:WaW will be the best COD game ever. Really. I hope it's the game that everyone owns and that people will begin bragging that they knew all along it would be awesome and a success.

Though honestly I really don't care. No one's made my ideal WW2 game, where the Japanese inject themselves with a virus that turns them into undead super solders and you have to fight them off with a '40s era powered armor, and then you take on the Nazi's who have conquered Russia with their fishmen soldiers at the orders of great Cthulu and you have to rescue Tesla and I don't know, BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOOOM!

Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 23rd 2008 8:07PM

Simpsons already did it.

Eyce @ Jun 24th 2008 3:29AM

Treyarch: Nobody cares, you still suck.

Top Wii Games @ Jun 24th 2008 12:52PM

It's the multiplayer that makes COD 4 so badass. Forget story lines. if they get co-op and online right they will have a winner on their hands.

ranova @ Jun 24th 2008 1:16PM

SCRAPE this game. No one believes your spoon fed BS, Treyarch. WW2 games are boring and will be complete failures. Have fun wasting money on marketing and development, I seriously hope you guys fail and have to close shop.

Dont release junk just because you have been "working" on it for awhile or for the hell of it. Take blizzard for example, they have been working on Starcraft Ghost for a long time but will eventually scrape it because the game does not live up to the company standards. They have done this with many games in the past (warcraft adventures), and look at them now.

The only people that will play this game are pirates, sad to say.

Solidsnake73 @ Jun 25th 2008 8:27AM

Horrible just god awful World War 2 was more then 60 years ago leave it behind already! I want to see a Vietnam style game with the same elements that COD-4 had but without the damn cheaters and Juggernauts! damn you Activision for not doing anything about the stupid hackers and horrible lagging and crappy servers that you gave us God man charge to play to get rid of these little punks1 I HATE CHEATERS AND THE STUPID LAG SWITCHES THEY USE IS RIDICULOUS!!..But if there is a Vietnam game if ever first person to 3rd person hell yes and instead of Claymores Trip wires!.Just think for a moment Activision..We want Wars based on now or in the past that haven't been made yet. VIETNAM!!