Outside a few instances here and there, particularly in early entries, Call of Duty has not been a series many have come to love for its nuanced storytelling and moral outlook on the world. Well, it seems Infinity Ward really wants to change that with the next installment in the franchise, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. They say they not only want to tell grittier story, they also want to tell one that makes players question what they’re doing.
In the latest issue of the Official PlayStation Magazine (Issue 164), Narrative Director Taylor Kurosaki and Campaign Gameplay Director Jacob Minkoff talked about the new direction of the game, and how they want players to actively be questioning, and being uncomfortable with, some of the things they will confront.
“What does Modern Warfare mean in 2019? It means the battlefield is blurrier than ever. It means enemies don’t wear uniforms, it means that collateral damage is a real part of the equation. People having to make split-second life-or-death decisions,” Kurosaki said.
“If we’re going to tell a story about characters finding their line and being pushed past [it], feeling like things are morally grey and they’re uncomfortable with it, then we need to make the player, in gameplay, feel uncomfortable. We’re going to make you question your own morality as a player,” Minkoff said.
It’s interesting and very much in line with how storytelling is changing in all media- but can they pull it off ? Ad will probably the single biggest gaming franchise currently be allowed to truly explore the depths of these themes? We’ll have to wait and see when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on October 25th.