In a significant departure from its established business model, Activision is reportedly developing a major new role-playing game through its recently formed Polish studio Elsewhere Entertainment. This development comes alongside indications that Sledgehammer Games, traditionally focused on the Call of Duty franchise, is also involved in RPG development work.
A Strategic Shift for the Gaming Giant
For years, Activision has maintained an almost exclusive focus on its flagship Call of Duty series, with other studios within its portfolio gradually transitioning to support roles for the annual shooter releases. This hyper-specialisation has left the company vulnerable to market shifts, particularly as competitors like Battlefield 6 have gained ground and player dissatisfaction with recent Call of Duty instalments has reached unprecedented levels.
The Emergence of Elsewhere Entertainment
According to recently discovered job listings on LinkedIn, Elsewhere Entertainment – a studio established under Activision in 2024 – is actively recruiting for a senior cinematic animator to work on what's described as "an open world role-playing game set in a new, epic IP." The studio boasts an impressive roster of talent with credits including Cyberpunk 2077, the Uncharted series, and The Division, with an explicit mission to create "a new narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise."
The Polish-based studio currently employs approximately 130 staff members, representing substantial investment for an unproven development team. This suggests Activision is committing significant resources to this new venture, marking a notable strategic shift for the publisher.
Sledgehammer's Unexpected Role-Playing Venture
Adding further intrigue to Activision's RPG ambitions, evidence suggests that Sledgehammer Games – best known as one of the three primary Call of Duty developers – has been working on role-playing game development. The LinkedIn profile of former senior creative director Ben Wanat reveals that before his departure in August, he served as creative director on an "unannounced action role-playing game" at the studio.
This discovery raises interesting questions about the relationship between Elsewhere Entertainment and Sledgehammer Games. Industry observers speculate that Sledgehammer may be providing support or collaboration on the RPG project, despite having no established track record in the genre.
Historical Context and Development Timeline
This isn't the first indication of Activision exploring role-playing game development. Back in 2022, Infinity Ward was reportedly seeking a narrative director for its Poland office to work on an "open world role-playing game," as highlighted by gaming news outlet CharlieIntel at the time. This suggests the project may have been in development for several years, potentially being transferred between studios before Activision decided to establish Elsewhere Entertainment specifically to shepherd the RPG to completion.
The strategic rationale behind this diversification becomes increasingly clear when examining Activision's recent publishing history. The company's last non-Call of Duty release was the ill-fated Crash Team Rumble in June 2023, which received only nine months of support before developer Toys For Bob became independent. While Activision has published titles like Diablo 4 and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 recently, these were developed by Blizzard and external studio Iron Galaxy respectively, rather than representing internal Activision projects.
Market Pressures Driving Diversification
Several factors appear to be compelling Activision's strategic shift toward role-playing games:
- Declining Call of Duty Performance: The latest instalment, Black Ops 7, has underperformed relative to series expectations, with Activision even issuing an apology for the game's troubled launch.
- Changing Player Sentiment: Widespread complaints from the Call of Duty community have reached historic levels, prompting Activision to reconsider its release strategy for the franchise.
- Successful RPG Precedents: The remarkable success of titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 demonstrates the substantial market potential for well-executed role-playing experiences.
- Portfolio Risk Management: Over-reliance on a single franchise represents significant business risk, particularly as the gaming market continues to evolve and diversify.
Future Implications for Activision
While Activision has confirmed it will no longer release back-to-back Modern Warfare and Black Ops titles, the company maintains its commitment to annual Call of Duty releases. The next instalment is rumoured to be another Modern Warfare sequel, this time set in Korea.
Nevertheless, the emergence of Elsewhere Entertainment's RPG project, combined with Sledgehammer's involvement in role-playing game development, signals a potentially transformative period for Activision. As the company seeks to diversify its portfolio and reduce dependence on its flagship shooter franchise, the gaming industry watches with keen interest to see whether this secretive RPG project can successfully establish a new pillar for the publishing giant.
The success or failure of this venture could have far-reaching implications for Activision's future strategy, potentially opening the door to further genre exploration beyond the military shooter domain that has defined the company's output for over a decade.
