Call of Duty
News, coverage and analysis tracking Call of Duty across the outlets.
HUKE Dominates CDL Competition, Earns Scuf Gaming Play of the GameProfessional Call of Duty player HUKE has been recognized with the Scuf Gaming Play of the Game award for his exceptional performance in the Call of Duty League. The veteran player's consistent skill and clutch plays under pressure have earned him significant community and league recognition, highlighting his enduring impact on the esports scene.
Introducing the TAG Community Safety Score: Rating Games on What Actually MattersThe TAG Community Safety Score has been introduced to evaluate multiplayer games based on their community safety infrastructure, including moderation, transparency, and player controls, rather than just traditional game quality metrics. The article details the scoring methodology across eight dimensions and provides initial scores for eight major titles, highlighting strengths and weaknesses in their approaches to online safety and player well-being.
Call of Duty Hits Historic 90% Discount on Steam, Fans StunnedActivision has implemented an unprecedented 90% discount on Call of Duty titles on Steam, stunning long-time fans and the gaming community. This significant price drop, far deeper than any previous sale for the franchise, raises questions about Activision's strategy, with speculation ranging from declining player counts to a deliberate move to attract new players before future announcements.
Crimson Desert Players Think They've Found AI-Generated Art In-Game - IGNPlayers of the newly released Crimson Desert have raised concerns about potential AI-generated art assets within the game, pointing to several in-game paintings with unusual details. Developer Pearl Abyss has not yet commented on the accusations, which could violate Steam's AI Content policy if true. This follows similar controversies involving other major game titles and the use of generative AI in development.
This mobile game has been made using AI for a year now – and no one noticedInnoGames has been using AI to generate all content for its mobile game Sunrise Village for the past year without players noticing. This shift, driven by financial underperformance, reduced the development team from 25 to 2-4 people, allowing the game to remain profitable. While employees like senior lead artist Lémuel Wuibout express admiration for the tools and see efficiency gains, concerns about job security and the future of creative roles persist across the industry.
How to solve the Halssius Conflux statue puzzle in Crimson DesertThis guide explains how to solve the Halssius Conflux statue puzzle located in the Serkis Estate of Crimson Desert. Players must manipulate a rotatable grid to match symbols on statues with those on the floor, using a stab attack on a central post to move and lock the grid into place.
'We're playing game designs from 2005 still': Caves of Qud's co-creator wants to build new kinds of sicko gameplay systems that'll use all the processing potential being left untappedCaves of Qud co-creator Brian Bucklew believes current game development, particularly in the AAA space, is not fully utilizing the processing and networking capabilities of modern hardware. He suggests future games could explore more complex systems and simulations by leveraging untapped CPU potential, potentially leading to experiences that are initially demanding but will become more accessible over time, similar to Caves of Qud's own development trajectory.- For Science: It turns out The Youths really aren’t chasing video game graphicsA NewZoo analysis presented at GDC suggests that younger players are increasingly prioritizing game 'vibes,' social interaction, and in-game autonomy over graphical fidelity. Games like Roblox and Minecraft, which are not graphically intensive, remain highly popular among this demographic, while many AAA titles are less appealing.
Why Esports Professional Teams Are Investing in Content Creation and StreamingEsports professional teams are increasingly investing in content creation and streaming as core business pillars, moving beyond a sole focus on tournament wins. This strategy helps maintain fan engagement between events, builds personality-driven loyalty, and creates new revenue streams through ads, merchandise, and sponsorships. By developing media brands rather than just rosters, teams aim for greater stability and reach, attracting a broader audience beyond hardcore competitive viewers.
Game Pass for Busy Adults: Is It Worth It? (A Time-Value Analysis)This analysis examines the value proposition of Microsoft's Game Pass for busy adults, considering its tiered pricing and the time constraints of players. It suggests a 'rotation strategy' of subscribing only during months with stacked releases and canceling during slower periods, rather than maintaining a year-round subscription. The article also highlights the ownership problem, where games can leave the service, and advises users to honestly assess their gaming habits and budget before committing.
Serafim S3 Mobile Controller Launches with MFi Support, Hall Effect Sticks and Console-Level Gaming |Serafim has launched the S3 mobile controller, featuring Apple MFi certification, Hall Effect sticks, and ultra-low latency via USB-C. The controller supports multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and PlayStation, and includes features for content creation and streaming. A limited-time offer includes a free copy of Fallout 76.
Pragmata Final Hands-On Preview | The OuterhavenA preview of the upcoming game Pragmata highlights its unique visual style and gameplay mechanics. While some speculate about connections to the Mega Man series due to shared themes, the game appears to be a distinct experience. Players are expressing interest in remasters of older titles like Viewtiful Joe and Breath of Fire, alongside a desire for less frequent installments in established franchises like Resident Evil.
How to Report Toxic Players in Every Major GameThis guide details how to effectively report toxic players across major multiplayer games like Call of Duty, Valorant, Apex Legends, and others. It emphasizes providing specific details, timestamps, and clips to ensure reports are actionable by moderation systems, whether AI or human-reviewed. The article also covers platform-level reporting and when to escalate issues beyond in-game tools.- DEMO LIVE NOW: AAA Artist’s Debut Indie Horror 'FEAR OF SLEEP'The demo for FEAR OF SLEEP, the debut sci-fi survival horror game from Signal Decay Games, is now available on Steam. Led by AAA artist Konrad Honey, known for his work on Call of Duty and Aliens, the game emphasizes a no-hand-holding experience with physics manipulation and player-investigated narrative.
Pope Leo Urges Media To Show The Real Horrors Of War And Not Video Game PropagandaPope Leo has urged media outlets to portray the true horrors of war rather than using video game propaganda. He criticized the use of video game footage in war reporting, citing examples from the White House that spliced real-world conflict with game clips. The Pope emphasized that information during wartime must avoid becoming propaganda, especially when it trivializes the suffering of victims.- GGWP: AI Moderation Platform Backed by Riot & SonyToxMod, an AI system developed by Modulate, analyzes over 160 million hours of gaming voice chat to flag potential violations for human review, aiming to reduce toxicity in multiplayer games. The system, used in titles like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto Online, analyzes speech patterns, tone, and context rather than relying on keyword filters, with a human moderator making the final enforcement decision. Recent updates include improved intent detection and easier integration for developers via Discord's Social SDK.
OpTic Texas Eliminated from CDL as League Drops Brutal ‘NOT TODAY’The Call of Duty League publicly announced the elimination of OpTic Texas with a blunt "NOT TODAY" message on social media, sparking widespread discussion. While some criticized the league's approach as unprofessional, others praised it for generating engagement and drama within the esports community.
Asset reuse in videogames is essential, and we need to embrace it, says Assassin's Creed and Far Cry director:…Alex Hutchinson, director of Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, argues that asset reuse in video games is essential and should be embraced. He points to successful examples from Japanese developers like FromSoftware and Sega's Yakuza series, contrasting them with past controversies and the current industry need for efficiency due to funding challenges.
The best narrative designers – from Call of Duty writers to BioWare vets – are being inspired by the "excellent" design of your uncontrollable horniness: "I've been reading a lot of fanfiction"Narrative designers from companies like Gearbox Software and BioWare shared their sources of inspiration at the Game Developers Conference 2026. Alexa Ray Corriea, a writer for Call of Duty, mentioned reading fanfiction and watching shows like Love is Blind as unique methods for finding narrative ideas.
Arc Raiders' devs didn't expect such a passionate PvE-only crowdEmbark production director Caio Braga discussed how Arc Raiders players have shown a more cooperative PvE-focused behavior than anticipated, contrasting with internal playtests that leaned towards more violent player interactions. The developers noted the surprise of this 'friendly lobby' phenomenon within the extraction genre, where players often prefer to team up against AI enemies.