The gaming community hasn’t been shy about their disappointment with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Even Activision acknowledged the lukewarm reception, promising significant changes for future installments. But Matt Booty, Microsoft’s President of Content and Studios, isn’t backing down. He’s defending the development team’s work and doubling down on the franchise’s potential.
“Right now, it’s one of the most-played games on Xbox”, Booty told Variety. “And I’m very proud of what the team did in terms of feature innovation, driving the franchise forward. Launching a major franchise with clockwork precision every year is a really difficult task, and I’m very proud of what the team did to drive it forward in that way”.
Black Ops 7’s performance tells a different story
While critics and players voiced their concerns, the numbers paint an interesting picture. The game has dominated Xbox Game Pass throughout 2025, both in player count and total hours played. Booty emphasizes that Call of Duty’s seasonal content model gives it staying power beyond just launch week buzz.
“What’s interesting about Call of Duty is that, as an IP, I think it’s very well positioned to continue delivering content to players going forward, with the seasonal system”, he explained. The franchise’s ability to evolve and deliver fresh content throughout the year remains one of its strongest assets, even when individual releases stumble out of the gate.
Taylor Sheridan takes Call of Duty to the big screen
Here’s where things get really exciting. In September, Activision and Paramount confirmed a live-action Call of Duty film directed by Taylor Sheridan, the creative force behind Yellowstone. According to Booty, this wasn’t just another Hollywood cash grab, it happened because the right people connected over a genuine passion for the franchise.
David Ellison, Paramount’s CEO, is apparently a massive Call of Duty fan who’d been chasing this project for years. When Activision’s team recognized that enthusiasm and shared vision, the pieces finally fell into place.
“If you think about his storytelling, think about the other things he’s written, I think the team feels like he’s got a good approach to characters and a good approach to story that fits with their vision of what a Call of Duty movie is”, Booty said. With two decades of Call of Duty lore to pull from, choosing the right characters and storyline is no small feat. But the team believes Sheridan’s character-driven approach is exactly what the franchise needs for its cinematic debut.
The stakes are high, but if anyone can translate the intensity of Call of Duty to film, it’s the guy who made us all obsessed with ranch drama.
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