Activision CMO Says Call of Duty Faces a 'Tax' in Gaming Media Coverage

Activision's chief marketing officer says the Call of Duty franchise faces a "Call of Duty tax" in how gaming media covers its releases.

Tyler Bahl said the series' popularity and the work behind each game can get taken for granted, making its achievements feel routine compared to newer releases.

"The effect as a 'Call of Duty tax,'" Bahl said, describing the phenomenon in an interview with The Game Business.

He pointed to the enthusiasm often generated by indie games and new Steam releases as a contrast to the coverage of the established military shooter.

Bahl highlighted the franchise's scale, citing 100 million free-to-play players, 500 million units sold and a billion mobile downloads.

He argued that such a large audience can become an accepted part of the gaming landscape, which Activision is trying to counter by showing the people behind the games.

The publisher wants its marketing to give players a closer look at the 4,500 employees working on the series, with Bahl saying the teams' dedication deserves more visibility.

For the upcoming Modern Warfare 4, that approach includes Infinity Ward's From the Ward video series, alongside more hands-on appearances and direct community engagement to rebuild trust.

Bahl's comments came alongside admissions about player dissatisfaction with aspects of the recent Black Ops 7, where he said players wanted a greater change in tone between releases.

He said Modern Warfare 4 responds with a more grounded military focus, and that sales alone would fall short of the publisher's goal if players disliked the game.

Redington Cybersport reported in October that pre-ordering Modern Warfare 4 will grant players an ICR-1 Shattered Relay blueprint in Call of Duty: Mobile.

Showing the effort behind Call of Duty may help its messaging, but rebuilding enthusiasm depends on how players feel about the finished game.