Call of Duty switches to three-year development cycle

The development cycle for Call of Duty games has been extended from two to three years, Activision has announced.

Sledgehammer Games, which has previously worked on Modern Warfare 3, has now been given the reigns to fully develop a new entry in the Call of Duty IP.

Its first title will be released in 2014, but no details have yet been revealed about the game’s setting.

Despite moving to a three year development cycle, Call of Duty will still remain on an annual release schedule, with Treyarch and Infinity Ward also developing titles for 2015 and 2016.

Sledgehammer Games was formed in 2009 in California by former Visceral GM and COO Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey, and has focused on the development of the Call of Duty franchise since its inception.

"Having the honour of developing the new, next generation of Call of Duty is a developer’s dream come true," read a statement from the founders.

"All of us here at Sledgehammer Games have a shared vision to create the best work of our lives. The next Call of Duty represents a new era for this amazing franchise, and we look forward to sharing what we have been working on."