Infinity Ward reveals that the 'all new next-gen engine' is just an upgraded version of the current engine.Call Of Duty: Ghosts was announced as a brand new next-gen Call Of Duty and - alongside that - a new next-gen engine to go with it.
But when Call Of Duty: Ghosts gameplay was revealed during Microsoft's Xbox One reveal event many gamers were underwhelmed by its 'next-gen' visuals.
Most developers create new engines alongside new hardware, but it seems Infinity Ward has - instead - simply updated the current-gen engine for the next Call Of Duty.
It might sound like we're undoing Infinity Ward's hard work, but the Call Of Duty franchise has become notorious for its minimal graphical improvements over the years.
"As we develop and we add features at what point does it become a new engine?," said Infinity Ward's lead animator Zach Volker in an interview with OPM.
"Because it’s impossible to develop a new engine from the ground up in a two year cycle. You would need an army of 200 engineers."
So it's still the same Call Of Duty engine, then?
"So what we do is we say ‘okay what are the things that are significant and that we would say that are encompassing of the engine or its visual quality? Are those being upgraded in a significant way? Alright then, I think that warrants that we’ve got a new engine on our hands."
Sensing there might be some concerns over the definition between 'new engine' and an upgrade, Volker then discussed what is important about its new engine.
"When we’re talking about a new engine," said Volker, "we’re talking about upgrading significant systems within in that engine. We’re not talking about throwing it all away and saying we’re starting from the ground up."
So, not a new engine then?
"It comes down to the systems we’re augmenting and upgrading, and trying to decide what is the significance of this upgrade."
Volker even admits that the next-gen Call Of Duty engine will include a number of elements from the last engine.
"So there is certainly going to be remnants here and there of our pieces of our last engine, where it was appropriate when, you know what, this doesn’t need any changing. It’s good the way it is."
Volker added that Infinity Ward's approach to each 'new' Call Of Duty engine is to "make sure we only upgrade the things that are necessary" for each project.