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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3was an underwhelming finale from Sledgehammer Games and Activision. Fans and critics alike were upset with the short campaign that came with a hefty price tag. Games likeCoDneed something extra like alternate game modes to keep the player count in check.
Zombies were introduced to the franchise by Treyarch in the Black Ops trilogy, which was then integrated into later entries of the franchise includingModern Warfare 3.
Treyarch Fought For Zombies In Call Of Duty
New informationabout a standalone Zombies game has surfaced that barely made it into development stages before it could see the light of day almost a decade ago, but it didn’t pass beyond design documents. It would have been the first true battle royale game to include microtransactions and other live-service concepts.
OFFICIAL: Standalone Zombies game information:-Developed from 2011-2012 but never passed design documents.-Would be fully supported and updated as a live game-had microtransactions based on cod online with customization-NOT a straight port of old zombies-built off of cod…pic.twitter.com/cwQezOgrA8
— COD: Zombies News (@MargwaNetwork)July 14, 2025
The franchise has been dipping its toes into uncharted waters and has become bold in terms of integrating game modes into the traditional gameplay ofCall of Duty. More recent leaks suggest thatthe developers took inspiration from another video gamecalledGhostrunner,which shares the first-person perspective and encourages players to be quick and competitive.
Call of Duty: Warzone & Modern Warfare 3 Drops Shows the Developers are Only Now Getting Started
Activision is well aware that its formula is not enough to keep the community interested, which is why it was prudent for the franchise to evolve and adapt to the times. Treyarch was onto something when it implemented Zombies and generated more ideas for the franchise to grow and expand, however, behind-the-scenes drama hampered the progression.
Call Of Duty: Online Was The Original Battle Royale Game
Based on the interview, it appearsWarzonewas already in development for the last decade, unofficial, but the idea was there. Years ago, Activision gave free rein to a former developer who was working on an ambitious project that would have been the culmination of all the best parts of the franchise, zombies, multiplayer, and the introduction of the live-service format.
Call of Duty: Warzone Season 3 Trailer Gives Us a Glimpse of the Slickest Skin Everyone is Going to Want
The concept was already laid out, but it seems like Activision was not interested in pivoting towards the direction of fiction, and wants the franchise to stay in a domain where it all seems realistic and relatable. Nevertheless, an open-worldCoD-branded game with the promise of constant updates would have been an eye-catcher to fans of the undead genre and hardcore gamers.
Activision had the option to create a live service zombie-themed game instead of sticking to the traditional. However, taking the experimental route could have either damaged or benefited the brand. The developers at Treyarch were unsure if they wanted to continue working on Zombies, so the opportunity was given to fellow developer, Raven Software.
Unfortunately, the hard work of the developers ended up being wasted and there was a hint of Treyarch wanting the concept back to avoid the division of focus from the community and competition internally.
Would you prefer a live serviceCall of Duty: Zombiesgame, or are you satisfied with what we got withWarzone? Let us know in the comments section below!
Rouvin Josef Quirimit
Content Writer
Articles Published :1209
Piqued by his interest in superheroes during the early days of Marvel movies, Rouvin fell in a rabbit hole of pop culture. His passion for movies led to video games and he fell in love with God of War, The Last of Us, Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption, and more great single-player games that paved the way for his career as a gaming writer.
