@BabylonBadness Exactly, it has become more of a social thing than an actual gaming thing. It is the same reason why one buys PES or FIFA, it all depends on what game your friends are playing. If they play FIFA, one buys FIFA, if they play Call of Duty, one buys Call of Duty...

He does have a point....No FPS today compares to the greatness Half Life or Duke Nuke or Quake had....Those where games where the player who was better was better because his reflexes and skilled improved, rather than having perks which, to some, is unfair. The problem is, consumers have shifted to FPS lacking some sort of storyline or anything that is actually interesting. Call of Duty's popularity relies much on the fact that people play with others via online. FPS with good storylines continue to be published, they just don't see as much commercial success as Call of Duty or Battlefield. That does not mean, they are commercially unsuccessful. Crysis 2 was actually quite successful, hence the development of the 3rd. Problem is, less budget is provided to the development of this and other games alike because their rent-ability per dollar is much lower than that of Call of Duty (not to mention the fact that Call of Duty games are all very similar)