Call of Duty is a multi-billion dollar franchise. Just about anyone you ask is familiar with the name, which could explain why Infinity Ward producer Mark Rubin believes the majority of its fanbase are more likely to play in a "casual game space."
Speaking to OXM, Rubin explained that he doesn't see the arrival of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 having much of an effect on the Call of Duty community. "Regardless of platform — people's gaming habits aren't going to change just because there's a new platform," he said.
"We have an enormous amount of players who are more in the casual game space, but they play a lot."
Now before you all go freaking out over his statements, let me be the first to say that I don't think his statement is entirely inaccurate. I think what he means by the term "casual" is that people who play Call of Duty might not really be interested in any other games — like JRPGs, MMOs, or other gaming genres. Unfortunately, the phrase "casual gamer" has a negative connotation associated with it. Many think to be "casual" is to play nothing but mobile and Facebook games, but as Rubin explains:
"It's kind of a weird, ironic thing to say," he added. "They aren't hardcore gamers, or even gamers, but they play Call of Duty every night. And those guys are going to continue to play regardless of platform. So I think not only will we continue to engage with that existing player base, but we'll take next-gen and see how far we can go with it."
I guess it really comes down to what you consider to be a "hardcore" gamer? Then again, does it really matter? Just play the games you like and who really cares what you "classify" as. If Call of Duty is the one game you enjoy playing, so be it. Get it and play it on whatever console you own at the time and don't worry about what others think.
