The modern identity of the Call of Duty franchise is very different to what fans have seen in the past. Perhaps inevitably, the longstanding franchise has followed in the lucrative footsteps of other giant gaming entities like Fortnite, with the FPS series leaning heavily into more live-service elements. This live-service approach has had a massive impact in terms of how Call of Duty content is delivered, with things like in-game seasons and battle passes now being the vehicle for post-launch additions to any active title.
As expected, Call of Duty‘s affair with live-service approaches has been extremely divisive. The modern abundance of wackier and outlandish in-game skins is just one example of the controversy that this can bring. One of the most unavoidable elements of CoD‘s new identity is Call of Duty HQ, a live-service single-stop hub for many more recent entries to the franchise. The overbearing and bloated nature of CoD HQ has been the source of a lot of criticism, yet leaks suggest that MW2 and MW3 may soon leave the launcher. There are a few explanations as to why this might be happening, with some fans hoping that this marks a serious change in how future CoD content is delivered.
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The Call of Duty HQ Leaks Are a Double-Edged Sword
Call of Duty HQ launched in 2023 as a way for Activision to consolidate the rapid annual release schedule of the franchise. At launch, CoD HQ combined the rebooted MW2, MW3, and Warzone, with subsequent annual titles then also being added to the service. Fans have always been divided over the benefits of this approach, with many criticizing CoD HQ for its massive file sizes, poor UI, and how it waters down the identity of different CoD projects.
Call of Duty HQ has also been criticized over how it makes tracking player counts for individual games much more difficult, with CoD‘s player numbers likely taking a hit once MW2 and MW3 leave the hub.
While the CoD HQ experiment is in its relative infancy, some leaked changes to the hub have already been welcomed by many players. According to prominent leaker Reality, string text within some Call of Duty game files suggest that both Modern Warfare 2 and MW3 will soon leave CoD HQ. Reactions to this news have largely come in the form of players hoping this marks the end of Call of Duty HQ, with individual CoD releases instead offering things like individual achievement/trophy lists and more distinct identities.
Of course, it seems more likely that this is simply a way for Activision to phase out older titles from CoD HQ, making room for the likes of Black Ops 7 and beyond. As per the leaks, it seems as if players will have to redownload MW2 and MW3 away from CoD HQ to continue playing the titles. It seems logical that this process will be repeated every two years, with outdated titles continuously being cycled away once they fall out of the spotlight.
For Better or Worse, It Feels Like Call of Duty HQ is Likely Here to Stay
CoD‘s at-times predatory live-service nature has been a constant source of criticism for the franchise in recent years, with more critiques of Call of Duty‘s intense in-game advertising recently surfacing. Call of Duty HQ has grown to become the ultimate symbol of all these live-service criticisms, yet it seems that the franchise’s non-stop content across mainline games and Warzone is too perfect of a match for the hub to be completely shut down.
There is an outside chance that Activision may limit the overall content of CoD HQ going forward, allowing players to more easily navigate between more relevant games with fewer file size issues. Even if Activision simply ends up replacing MW2 and MW3 with other titles, the Modern Warfare reboot played a huge role in creating and consolidating Call of Duty HQ, with these recent leaks marking the biggest shake-up that the hub has seen to date. Still, if fans were hoping this was a sign that the HQ was being retired, they should be prepared for disappointment.