New ‘Call of Duty’ Draws Harsh Reviews After Rushed Development
Game is the first in the series after Microsoft’s big acquisition.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Source: Call of DutyThe latest entry in Activision Blizzard's popular Call of Duty video-game series was made in half the time of previous iterations, a fact that may be contributing to a spate of bad reviews about the game’s storyline, according to people familiar with the development process.
Critics have panned the game, the first big release since Microsoft Corp. closed its $69 billion acquisition of Activision last month, saying the storyline feels rushed. Most Call of Duty games are developed in around three years, but the bulk of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, which comes out Friday, was made in less than a year and a half, said the people, who asked to not be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. The abridged production schedule proved stressful for the development team, they said.