A standalone Call of Duty Zombies title by Raven Software was in the cards for players until its cancellation. Now, details about it are emerging.
The Call of Duty Zombies aspect of the series has been an integral part of it for many years now. The recent Modern Warfare 3 had its own Zombies mode, which brought some new innovations to the table, some good and some very bad. However, fans of the mode have been calling for it to have its own game, and there were even rumors of one happening a few years ago. Unfortunately, the game’s development by fan-favorite COD studio Raven Software was canceled. While few details were known back then, plenty of new information has come to light on the potential project.
Canceled Call of Duty Zombies Game Format Details
During an interview with Zombies YouTuber Glitching Queen, ex-Raven Software employee Michael Gummelt spoke about the canceled Call of Duty Zombies game. Gummelt states that it was being developed around 2011-2012 and was meant to be a live service title. Furthermore, it was meant to have seasons similar to other live service games, such as Destiny 2, as well as microtransactions.
Raven Software was looking to jump into the live service model while it was still fresh. However, unlike other live service games at the time, the canceled Call of Duty Zombies title would have been free-to-play. Furthermore, due to some issues behind the scenes on Black Ops 2, Raven Software was given the go-ahead to helm the COD Zombies standalone game.
Gameplay Details for Raven Software’s Canceled COD Zombies Game
The Call of Duty Zombies game was to run on the same engine as Call of Duty Online. Like other Zombies entries, it would allow for 1-4 players to play and attempt to fend off the undead. When players started the game, they would be a gladiator in a Mad-Max-esque arena. Interestingly enough, one of the launch maps for Black Ops 4 Zombies was a gladiatorial arena called “IX.” Afterwards, players would transition to an open-world style Zombies map. Of course, this idea would come to life years later with Outbreak, the open-world experience in Black Ops Cold War.
Unlike other Call of Duty Zombies modes, players would have been able to completely customize their character. As previously mentioned, the game would have had seasonal progression and content like live service games today. New content would have been dropped each season and would have likely included various cosmetics.
It seems like we would have had a completely different Call of Duty Zombies experience with this project. Many live service features were still fresh in the games industry, and players would have had a single game dedicated to their favorite mode.
Why Was the Raven Software COD Zombies Canceled?
In the interview, Gummelt stated that the project had never passed design before it was canceled. There are a couple of reasons, according to the ex-Raven developer. First and foremost, Treyarch, the makers behind Call of Duty Zombies, didn’t want competition for their mode. The Zombies mode in full-priced Call of Duty titles wouldn’t have seemed as compelling if the free-to-play Raven Software version was readily available. Naturally, players would have favored the fully dedicated and free Zombies game.
Another reason Gummelt states is that Treyarch wanted to work on Zombies again. The Call of Duty Zombies mode was their experiment, and they wanted to keep tinkering with it and see what they could bring to fans. Therefore, the title was scrapped before Raven Software even had a chance to get it off the ground. Gummelt goes on to say that no more standalone Zombies titles are planned to be made. The mode is a staple, and it seems Activision and its studios would like to include it in the Campaign and Multiplayer modes.
It is tragic, however, as it would have been interesting to see the ideas that Raven Software had for the mode. If this had progressed, though, we may never have seen Black Ops 3 Zombies. Additionally, without that game, we would not have significant development on beloved characters like Tank, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen. Would you have played this canceled Call of Duty Zombies? Let us know in the comment below. If you want to learn more about the recent Modern Warfare 3, be sure to check out our Guide Hub.