Nothing is extra necessary to Name of Responsibility than its neighborhood – the gamers that assist and (in some instances) reside for the joys of the sport 12 months in, 12 months out. For a number of years, Name of Responsibility’s ecosystem has been the house of an ever-developing content material creation area, whether or not that be throughout COD Cellular, Name of Responsibility’s conventional multiplayer platform, or on Warzone, the collection’ iconic battle royale title that was launched in 2020.
Usually, these content material creators know the whole lot in regards to the franchise, right down to its core fibres. They perceive the mechanics, know what’s coming subsequent, and take the largest hit when the builders make a ‘flawed choice’. Throughout London’s annual EGX occasion, I caught up with one among these creators – Greg ‘Shrubby13’ Shrubb, who has been crafting Name of Responsibility content material for greater than a decade – and who nonetheless loves the sport at this time.
As we spoke, I discovered about his impressions of Trendy Warfare 3, his wishes for the way forward for Name of Responsibility, and his concept of the ‘good’ COD recreation.
‘It’s The whole lot Everybody Liked’
I used to be desirous to get Shrubb’s ideas on the state of Trendy Warfare 3, on condition that he’d spent a number of days wrapped up within the beta that lately went reside.
Shrubby13: ‘Motion is sweet, the weapons are incredible, the maps which have gone again to old-school COD, they’re incredible. Principally, the sport is the whole lot everybody liked however recent and a bit newer. There are new issues that preserve it feeling refreshed however it additionally has that old-school COD really feel, and going into Warzone, it’s going to be nice – they’ve acquired Rebirth coming again, Fortune’s Hold is coming again – and that motion, and the weapons…’
The whole lot that I’ve heard about Trendy Warfare 3 – and seen for myself within the beta – is spectacular. It performs nicely, it seems nice, and revisiting the maps of the best Name of Responsibility recreation of all time is the chef’s kiss on this state of affairs. Nevertheless, I’m of the concept there’s ‘an excessive amount of’ packed into this 12 months’s Name of Responsibility recreation – a marketing campaign, a brand new Warzone occasion, a Zombies mode, and the multiplayer platform. I requested Shrubb about this.
Shrubby13: ‘I believe it’s time to do away with the Name of Responsibility marketing campaign. Regardless that there’s the nostalgia that makes you need to play it, it’s simply not value it. They might put extra time and assets into the sport modes which can be actually, actually common. Like multiplayer – that’s a staple now, that has to remain — and Warzone. It’s like a important focus.’
Controversial feedback, certainly.
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‘I Suppose We Moved Away From Multiplayer’
Shrubby13 was having fun with the gameplay in the course of the EGX showcase.
For the final decade or so, Greg ‘Shrubby13’ Shrubb has cut up his content material creation time between the likes of FIFA and Name of Responsibility, however the latter franchise has at all times remained his greatest draw. Most lately, he has discovered success in crafting content material that’s targeted particularly on Name of Responsibility’s ‘DMZ’ mode, which isn’t going anyplace when Trendy Warfare 3 is launched, however it received’t essentially see a lot assist, both.
On that observe, I requested him about COD’s content material creation scene, attempting to get an inside glimpse on the state of play.
Shrubby13: ‘DMZ made content material creation enjoyable once more as a result of there’s tons you are able to do with a mode like that. Multiplayer – I don’t assume that’s any good for content material creation anymore. I believe we moved away from multiplayer. That’s usually like… The height viewers are within the first month after which all of it drops off. When Warzone drops, that’s going to deliver everybody again. The motion alone will deliver creators again and the way the map seems will deliver everybody else again.’
He continued, concerning the influence that Warzone has had on Name of Responsibility’s ecosystem:
Shrubby13: ‘It was solely multiplayer — that was the main target for Name of Responsibility. When Warzone got here out, multiplayer died a bit, for my part. It nonetheless thrives in its facet however it’s nearly not the principle focus for Name of Responsibility anymore.’
I used to be desirous to be taught what Shrubb wished from the way forward for Name of Responsibility. He revealed that he has been taking part in COD video games for greater than fifteen years, so he is aware of a factor or two about what hits with regards to Name of Responsibility.
Shrubby13: ‘Black Ops 1.’
Is that it, simply that recreation?
Shrubby13: ‘It’s simply the perfect multiplayer recreation ever. I imply, you could possibly most likely introduce at this time’s motion to Black Ops, however peak Name of Responsibility for me was that recreation. I do know Black Ops II was extra for the ‘aggressive folks’ – they liked that – however Black Ops had the perfect multiplayer. I’d desire a handful of recent maps and outdated maps – as a result of why attempt to repair what’s not damaged? The outdated maps have been unreal – everybody performed them.’
I requested if he wished a ‘jetpack COD’ subsequent 12 months, or the 12 months after.
Shrubby13: ‘They tried jetpacks, I believe no one actually preferred it. Regardless that folks say Superior Warfare was good – and I used to be good at it – I simply didn’t prefer it. I consider this — why not simply make all of it one recreation and preserve updating it? I imply, even when you pay a yearly subscription they usually earn cash from skins. Simply get the perfect builders to work on the part that they’ve achieved the perfect with and preserve it going, like Warzone or Fortnite.’
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‘That’s When It Went Downhill’
Shrubby13 prefers the World Sequence of Warzone to the CDL
Edging into the esports aspect of the dialogue, I engaged Shrubb, speaking in regards to the Name of Responsibility League. Particularly, I used to be curious to know if a lifelong Name of Responsibility fan rated the collection’ esports scene, and if not, why.
Shrubby13: ‘It’s simply not the identical anymore. If they might have achieved extra Warzone tournaments — I watched these. Warzone tournaments are nice, enjoyable thrilling – multiplayer will get too repetitive and I don’t know, I assume I’m simply not keen on that mode anymore. I’ve misplaced curiosity in it. Plus, after they modified it to the CDL format, that’s when it went downhill. I’m extra possible going to placed on a professional Warzone participant and watch them or tune into the World Sequence of Warzone, or one thing like that.’
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With all this discuss of finality and issues going downhill, I made my final query to Greg ‘Shrubby13’ Shrubb an necessary one. Put merely, does he consider that Name of Responsibility will ever ‘finish’? Will there ever be that last-ever COD recreation?
Shrubby13: ‘I believe COD goes on without end. However, as this 12 months exhibits, they’ve not likely acquired something left to do. It peaked, it’s on a downward spiral, and in the event that they don’t do what the neighborhood is asking to, then COD is completed, however folks will at all times purchase it. They could attempt to deliver out new modes, new battle royales, extraction shooters, or regardless of the subsequent huge factor is, however I don’t know if it’ll achieve success or not. I don’t assume we’re in a transition interval but the place making completely new stuff goes to work. You have to do away with the outdated and section it out, which is able to most likely be in ten or fifteen years. Then, who is aware of?’
As I wrapped up my dialog with Shrubb, I acquired the sense that he was considerably upset with Activision seemingly ceasing all growth of the DMZ mode going ahead. It has turn out to be his bread and butter, however he has excessive expectations for the subsequent iteration of COD Zombies, which ought to plug that hole fairly properly. Within the meantime, he’ll be sharpening up on Trendy Warfare 3 and preparing for no matter comes subsequent in Warzone.
As will all of us.
You may catch Shrubby13’s content material on his TikTok channel or his YouTube channel.
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