While we’re expecting details from this year’s Call of Duty game to be leaked like how it is every year, it seems something else about the franchise has leaked, and this time, it’s a cancelled Call of Duty game titled “NX1” which was in development at Neversoft.
Check the two videos out, with one featuring the menus, what seems to be single-player and another video featuring multiplayer. It seems the footage originated from someone who posted an Xbox 360 on craigslist with the game code installed in its HDD.
Fuck it, NX1. pic.twitter.com/KDPh6pwHxn
— Josh H. (@mangafigurines) January 27, 2024
fuck it, NX1 multiplayer. https://t.co/wGRQlQjSMl pic.twitter.com/OSjycBusDl
— Internet Crush (@catgurlfriend) January 28, 2024
It’s said that NX1 was in development back in 2010, which is why it resembles the original Modern Warfare 2 and MW3. The game was canned in favor of Call of Duty: Ghosts, and some of the devs even weighed in on the footage, thus confirming that this is indeed legit.
We played Escort on this map, I think it was called "Sandstorm"?…any chance you have footage of that? The Galleria map had the best Escort gameplay, with the UGV dropping in and the elevator to raise it up a level.👀
— Brian Bright (@BrianBright) January 28, 2024
In addition to that, leaked footage of Black Ops 4’s “War” mode has surfaced as well.
oh it's time to post cut cod content again? bet.
Here's some prototype Black Ops 4 "WAR" gameplay by DJ Vahn himself from Oct 31 2016 https://t.co/YLVwUPYK7v pic.twitter.com/EdLN31yhHN
— Yuno (@mysticaIfrog) January 28, 2024
Call of Duty: Ghosts was released in 2013 to mixed reception, and didn’t have a proper sequel. Black Ops 4 was released in 2018, and was originally planned to be a hero shooter. While that ideas was scrapped in favor of a more traditional Call of Duty multiplayer experience, the game did lack a full-fledged single-player campaign, and the franchise’s first battle royale mode, Blackout.
While Treyarch is still actively making Call of Duty games, and is rumored to be developing this year’s entry with a title of “Black Ops Gulf War” and is set in the 90’s. As for Neversoft, the studio was officially shutdown in 2014 by Activision, and was merged with Infinity Ward.
Where Are the Leaks Coming From?
There’s no definite answer to this question, but Microsoft did recently layoff nearly 2,000 employees from Activision Blizzard and Xbox. The layoffs impacted several studios, including those working on Call of Duty.
Understandably, many of those laid off have taken to social media to express their disappointment in the company’s decision.
It’s not uncommon for massive layoffs to also bring to light some cancelled projects, though that depends on NDA signage and such.
These leaks do come at a rather suspicious time though, so take that as you will.