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Infinity Ward renews contract, teases 'unique new IP'

Call of Duty 4 cadre reveals "renegotiated deal" with Activision, says super-secret project is in the works.

220 Comments

This time last year, the thought of a wholly owned developer splitting off from its parent company was unthinkable. Then, Bungie Studios stunned the industry by doing just that, amicably parting with owner Microsoft after generating over $1 billion with the Xbox and Xbox 360's flagship Halo franchise.

With the Bungie precedent hanging in the background, it appears another top-tier studio has also sat down at the table with its corporate overlord--and chosen to stay put. Late last week, Infinity Ward director of communications Robert Bowling quietly posted an update on the Iamfourzerotwo.com Web site saying "we have decided to re-up on our contract with Activision publishing" following a "recently renegotiated deal."

Perhaps more excitingly, the community manager also used the post to reveal the new agreement with Activision "has laid the groundwork and kick started our future project, as well as the possibility of a unique new IP by Infinity Ward that we'll have complete control over." (Emphasis added.) Bowling went on to say "We're excited to be working on our next project, but it's going to be quite a while before I can share any details on exactly what that project is."

Indeed, Activision had good reason to hash out a favorable arrangement with Infinity Ward, which won numerous awards for its latest effort, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Besides frequently being the most popular game on Xbox Live, the title was also last year's top cross-platform title, moving over 10 million copies as of last month. According to industry research firm the NPD Group, it is the eighth best-selling video game in US history.

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Dj_Strafer

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Call of Duty 6?

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KaotiK_un_basic

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they make good games.. i just wish they were a little better at making multiplayer maps (or supporting their games with new maps) i look at halo and vegas 2 both getting free new maps to try to keep people interested.. we've got 1 (poor) map pack for cod4. (and no news about the map contest for some time now) hoping they do a better job with the new game their working on.

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Shalafein

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Instead of fighting over what it is going to be..just wait...OMG what a great a idea!

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darkride66

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Infinity Ward? New IP? Show me where to sign up! :) I hope it's a new WW2 game, except with dogs with bees in their mouth and when they bark they shoot bees at you.

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Guts5

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I like to see this happen. When a publisher is smart they are very hands off and open their pocket books wisely. Infinity Ward is a WISE investment. Nothing is a guarantee until you play it, but they are pretty close. I can't wait to see what the next title is. We know it'll most likely be a FPS style game, could add in an over the shoulder view. But the same general style. A new IP doesn't mean they are taking over an existing IP. So, people thinking it's Metal Gear or Halo... sorry to tell ya, but those are established IPS and would not count. Besides they resisted the urge to make COD4 exlusive and I doubt they regrete it after 10 million sales. It will most certainly have to do with guns and fighting though.

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akiwak

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Lego Call of Duty????? Blocks that bleed... YEAH!!!!! lol

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grand17

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world at war is gunna be a major flop. i cant wait for infinity wards next game

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Myzz617

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Ok im not excited 4 anything...

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direkt57

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to baystatethrashr... metal gear has absolutly NOTHING to do with activison or IW... possibly the dumbest thing ive ever heard. nobody but kojima could make such a magnificent game. and before activision decides to think about releasing another game with online access, they really should hire someone to debug their servers...

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johnnyq451

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people are still arguing over halo and call of duty? wow i thought people would have grown up by now....guess i was wrong

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Beastfrog

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Shicka, are you serious? I played Halo 3 at my friends house yesterday and the way headshots work in that game is the most BS I've ever seen. I could kill him just by gliding my crosshair over his general direction. Call of Duty you at least have to aim and it takes skill to get a headshot not just random sprays.

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brianmatthutch

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This post has nothing to do with Halo.

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Darthmatt

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I have no idea what this game is and I'm already more excited for this than COD:WAW. WW2 is old news, time to move onward.

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baystatethrashr

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its gonna be MGS5

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DIMANICUS

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I dont care. So long as "World at War" still happens, which it will, I'll be happy. I love WW2 soooo much more than boring modern warfare.

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zeus_gb

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A new IP sounds interesting, hopefully it'll be good. It's not going to be COD5 or COD6 because a new IP means something new that isn't based on a current game/franchise.

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juicenpancakes

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Do it now! Do it now!

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waheeb2020

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maybe free maps for us

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killzone_gamer

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Hopefully it will be: Call of Duty 5: The Modern Setting that everyone Liked

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Soupflakez

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Spartan-1137: I wouldn't say Halo 4...exactly. There probably will be little 'knock-off' games (Halo Wars), but there wont be a continuing story line. The Master Cheif is done and so is his story (although the ending to Halo 3 could indicate otherwise).

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giyanks22

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Yes thank God Infinity Ward is coming back. That way Treyach will only screw games up every other year. lol

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deactivated-57af49c27f4e8

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awesome. they're probably hoping to make really good games without treyarch coming in and making a bad name for the franchise. this is exciting.

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Spartan-1137

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[This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

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mikewalsh69

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well i don't think they'll change there winning formula too much. it'll be prob just a new shooter, longer, better physics, graphics. at the moment i just want them to implement the trophies for PS3 but i don't think they will. come on IW don't be cruel to your fans who love your game

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madmaxx101

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come to thank of it the next COD dosent have a number...I am sure the next one will be COD5-MW

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madmaxx101

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Halo's done isnt it???

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shickadance33

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How about a Halo 4, anybody can be good at COD4. Why do you think first time players end up in a match with lvl 50s. Halo takes more skill, make another halo get rid of these COD4 donkeys, I could be going 25-2 and still be bored shooting you noobs in the face in Cod4. Id rather have you kill me in Halo, at least you know where your throwing your grenade. Iam not trying to piss people off, iam serious.

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madmaxx101

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hotdork70minus1....were you using 720P or 1080p because I thing the PS3 version is better...I have both... and I am not sure why but the PS3 controller handles better than the Xbox. I am all over the place on the Xbox...

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flackstone

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if it was really "Super secret" wouldnt no one know about it lol.

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dewd4

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Pileof converse: Amen to that:)

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Hoodlym_UK

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Infinity Ward are great developers I've bought all their Call of Duty games, I don't really feel much for treyarch, they're not as exciting as IW.

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Pileofconverse

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CS:S>COD4

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VenomRitual

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@hotdork. i thought the only differences would be that the 360 controller is easier to use. oh well. good for infinity ward, but what do yu think the "emphasis" part meant?

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Nills

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Cool, sounds good.

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hotdork70minus1

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PS3 version was clunky compared to 360, the lighting and textures were not as good as 360 either. I traded in my PS3 version for the 360 version. I initially bought the PS3 version cuz I thought it would be better but it when I tried the 360 version I kicked myself.

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CVM_123

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a COD 6 would be awesome

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The_Ripper

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No it didn't you retard It looked exactly the same.

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hotdork70minus1

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COD4 MP is good but not awesome ...i'm far from a noob, the game is built for noobs. Why would I play it on PC ? A mouse makes it even easier.

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georged_3112

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COD 4 on PC & PS3 was just amazing( a true next gen ) but on XBOX 360 Looked so f***ing bad... I know it best then anyone since i have it on all 3 systems...

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thorsen-ink

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codee117 Funny typo, his website is Iamfourzerotwo.com, not Iamfourtwozero.com. Fourtwozero(420) implies something else. ___ Fixed. An no, I don't partake of that stuff. Just good ol' fashioned fatigue.

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Holopaw

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Hotdork70minus1, did you just get owned really badly or just plain suck at cod4 mp? Its without a doubt the most popular mp fps since cs:s, I really do not think the mp in cod4 could be hyped enough honestly, and I'm sure many others would agree.

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ftjx

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I hope this takes place in the midleeast, sounds stupid but it (sh)could be done right, all it takes is a realistic take on the situation where it is not obvious who the bad guys are and who the good guys are

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codee117

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Funny typo, his website is Iamfourzerotwo.com, not Iamfourtwozero.com. Fourtwozero(420) implies something else.

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rock_solid

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COD4 MP is awesome noob.. play it on PC

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stakex007

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DavidCK, if you read carefully it says "has laid the groundwork and kick-started our future project, AS WELL as the possibility of a unique new IP"............. which would seem to mean IW and Activision are working on one project, and might also start working on a new IP. And since IW and Activision have only done COD, it would only make sense the first project is a Call of Duty of some sort.

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Becent

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Sweet an new IP! Infinity Ward makes only FPS games rite? I cant wait to see wat kind of ideas thy have for this new game

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hotdork70minus1

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COD4 campaign is awsome but I think the multiplayer is waaay over hyped, even more then Halo 3.

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Ton77

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maybe COD 6 because they know 5 wont be so good? haha

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Hvac0120

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Hopefully they will reduce the price for the Holiday so that I can pick it up and find out what all the fuss is about. I bought my Xbox360 and the first game was COD2. I loved the game. Then Treyarch did COD3 and I didn't bother with it. I fear it may be late in the game for me to be trying to get out there and online with it, but better late than never. I'll probably get it for PS3 because that way I don't have to renew my XBL Gold subscription just to play online.

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Yuck_Too

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Teasing a "new IP" results in nothing 3/4 of the time, and even on those occasions when it is a "new title" half the time it's the same thing with a different twist...like in this case they might bring out another FPS but not aligned with the CoD aspects... End result is we have a long time to wait and see...

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