Microsoft's recent layoffs in its gaming division, including at Raven Software in Wisconsin, reflect ongoing industry turmoil despite strong game sales, with broader industry layoffs and restructuring influenced by factors like AI integration and market saturation. Meanwhile, Wisconsin aims to capitalize on the industry with new legislation and local development efforts.
Raven Software has addressed the audio issues in Call of Duty Warzone with a recent update, improving the ability to hear enemy movements and parachute deployments. This update, part of the November 16 patch notes, aims to enhance the gaming experience by fixing problems with occlusion and footstep sounds. The developer plans further audio improvements, signaling a commitment to community feedback. Additionally, the update nerfed the Stim Shot's speed boost, impacting gameplay strategies.
Following the PlayStation 5 and PC exclusivity of Helldivers 2, Microsoft is gearing up to introduce a slew of new games to Xbox, including the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops: Gulf War, reportedly the franchise's first open-world title developed by Raven Software. The upcoming Xbox Showcase event is expected to feature announcements about the back catalog of Activision Blizzard, as well as other upcoming games such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, Avowed, and State of Decay 3.
The upcoming Call of Duty 2024 game, "Black Ops Gulf War," is reported to feature an open world campaign developed by Raven Software, with Treyarch handling Multiplayer and Zombies. The game is said to offer a Far Cry-like open world experience with vehicle usage and a fast travel system. The release is targeted for October 2024, and while the information is not confirmed, it has sparked excitement among fans awaiting the official announcement.
A leak about Call of Duty 2024 suggests that the game, reportedly titled Black Ops Gulf War and developed by Treyarch, will feature an open-world campaign developed by Raven Software, with the return of Outbreak Zombies and the inclusion of vehicles and a fast travel system. The game is rumored to involve Russel Adler from Black Ops Cold War and is expected to be released in October, although these details are based on leaks and should be taken with caution.
Call of Duty is set to introduce open-world campaigns in the upcoming Black Ops Gulf War, with the player and their squad navigating the map similar to Far Cry, utilizing vehicles and a fast travel system. The campaign, developed by Raven Software, will feature the return of Black Ops characters like Adler. Additionally, future entries in the series, such as Call of Duty 2025 (codenamed Saturn), are also expected to have open-world campaigns, with the shift primarily aimed at streamlining development.
Raven Software apologizes for the disruption caused by Warzone's Season 1 Reloaded launch, citing a conflict between live player data and servers as the cause of bugs and glitches. The developer reassures players of their commitment to resolving issues swiftly and explains the preemptive setup for upcoming features. Additionally, the team advises affected players to swap out their Perk Packages and recently reduced lobby sizes from 150 to 100 players to ensure a better gameplay balance.
Raven Software has finally nerfed the powerful MTZ Interceptor and WSP Swarm in Warzone with the Season 1 Reloaded update, addressing their dominance in the game by reducing their damage values across all ranges, aiming to reshape the meta and provide a more balanced gameplay experience for players.
The developer of Call of Duty Warzone has apologized for the intense visual and gameplay glitches that occurred after the Season 1 Reloaded update, which led to the removal of the Champion's Quest feature. Raven Software explained that an upcoming, in-development feature accidentally went live, causing the bugs, and worked swiftly to resolve the issues. The Champion's Quest has now returned, and the developer teased the introduction of the fan-favorite Specialist Perk. Additionally, Season 1 Reloaded refreshed Modern Warfare 3 with Ranked Play and updated the anti-cheat tech, while hinting at an upcoming Warhammer 40,000 collaboration.
The latest update for Call of Duty: Warzone has caused significant issues for players, including difficulty getting into games, gameplay glitches, and visual problems. Developer Raven Software has issued an apology and temporarily disabled the Champion's Quest feature while they work to resolve the issues. Players are advised to hold off on jumping into the Season 1 Reloaded update until the bugs are fixed.
The latest update for Call of Duty: Warzone's Season 1 Reloaded has caused significant gameplay and visual glitches, making the game nearly unplayable for many players. Issues include bugs with the "Create a Class" menu, strange map distortions, and malfunctioning notifications for in-game features. Developer Raven Software has acknowledged the problems and removed a specific feature while working to address the issues promptly.
Activision and Raven Software are delaying the introduction of the controversial Covert Exfil feature in Call of Duty: Warzone Season 1 Reloaded after facing community backlash. The decision to rework the gameplay tweak came after strong fan feedback, with the team now planning to launch both Covert Exfil and the Weapons Case in an upcoming dedicated mode. The feature, which allows players to leave a game early by purchasing exfil opportunities, raised concerns about the game's direction, prompting the developers to listen to fan input and adjust their plans.
Developer Raven Software has explained that the decision to have a lower player count of 100 in Call of Duty: Warzone's new Urzikstan map is to ensure a balanced and enjoyable gameplay experience. The smaller map size, new circle timings, and various mechanics were taken into consideration to create fair infil & looting, mid-game engagements, and an exciting end game climax. The studio will continue to monitor feedback and data to make any necessary adjustments.