Sledgehammer Games is developing this year’s Call of Duty

Modern Warfare 3 co-creator Sledgehammer Games is developing this year’s Call of Duty title, Activision has announced.

Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg discussed the game’s development during the publisher’s Q4 calender 13 results call this evening, revealing that future Call of Duty titles had also been given expanded three-year development cycles.

Call of Duty titles have previously worked to two-year development cycles.

In an open letter on Sledgehammer’s website, co-founders Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey explained that “having the honor of developing the new, next generation of Call of Duty is a developer’s dream come true. All of us here at Sledgehammer Games have a shared vision to create the best work of our lives.

“The next Call of Duty represents a new era for this amazing franchise, and we look forward to sharing what we have been working on.”

While Sledgehammer’s game has yet to be formally revealed it is strongly believed to be a new title in the Modern Warfare series.

Sledgehammer’s note, however, suggests that it could be something new altogether, possibly marking the second new sub-franchise in as many years for Call of Duty.

The extended development cycle also means that Treyarch’s next Call of Duty, believed to be Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, likely won’t release until 2015, and suggests that Infinity Ward could return with a sequel to Call of Duty: Ghosts in 2016.

The latest Call of Duty, Call of Duty: Ghosts, launched in November last year.

Source: Activision Blizzard Fourth Quarter Calendar 2013 Results Conference Call