Reports point to Activision considering new additions to its mobile gaming portfolio, with two new Call of Duty titles reportedly in the works.
Although there has been no official word, several sources indicate that Call of Duty: Sniper and Call of Duty: Zombie Defender are getting some test runs to see how players feel about them.
Compared to the flagship mobile titles like CoD: Mobile and Warzone Mobile, these spin-offs look more relaxed, likely drawing in a whole different type of gamer. CoD has historically dominated PC and consoles, but Activision's expansion into mobile gaming has turned out to be a remarkably successful move.
When CoD: Mobile dropped in 2019, it quickly became one of the company's biggest money-makers, taking that fast-paced shooter action to players everywhere. Riding the wave of success, Activision launched CoD: Warzone Mobile in March 2024, featuring expansive battle royale matches with cross-progression tied to Modern Warfare II and III.
Even though Warzone Mobile didn't quite top CoD Mobile in popularity, it still made it clear that Activision is committed to mobile gaming and that fans are hungry for handheld CoD. With the franchise doing so well on mobile, it makes sense that Activision's now thinking about spin-offs that mix things up from the usual FPS style.
Although there's been no official confirmation of either game, Activision has been using AI-generated ads to display concept art for Sniper and Zombie Defender. When you click on the ads, it leads to a page that looks like a mobile store download, but instead of a download, users are redirected to a survey.
This suggests that Activision is gathering player input to see if there's enough demand before diving into full-scale development. The available details suggest that CoD: Sniper centers around long-range precision shooting. If it takes after other sniper games, expect a lot of sneaking around, picking your spots, and nailing those shots, which is quite different from the usual rush of fast-paced action in the franchise.
CoD: Zombie Defender appears to adopt a top-down tactical style, where players command a group of survivors, each with their own special abilities, to fend off zombie hordes. The promo shows off places like ruined cities, military camps, and thick forests, hinting at different spots to plan your moves.
Unlike the traditional first-person CoD Zombies mode, this game will likely focus more on defense, resource management, and upgrading weapons and barricades. Players will need to withstand increasingly difficult waves of enemies as they improve their defenses.
Activision's strategy for these titles isn't anything like what they usually do with mainline CoD releases. Instead of waiting for a huge marketing push, the company is using targeted ads and surveys to see if there's any buzz before they even start development.
While it's not official yet, it's obvious that Activision has a calculated strategy for its next move in mobile gaming.