As the release date for Modern Warfare 2 creeps ever closer, gamers and game journalists (mostly the latter) are starting to wonder what Infinity Ward’s next game will be. The developer has made a killing out of killing in the Call of Duty franchise, and it doesn’t look like it’s ready to change.

When we feel like we can’t innovate any further in the Call of Duty franchise, then we’ll do something else. A lot of that mentality went into Modern Warfare 2. That’s why it’s Modern Warfare 2. It is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but you’ll never see that in game. We never call it that. It’s because we think of this as a new IP. This is our Modern Warfare 2 game. So we are constantly doing new stuff.

That’s according to community manager Robert Bowling. I find the company’s stance pretty disappointing, especially considering the quality products it has turned out so far. Yes, Call of Duty is a lot of fun, but why not some new IP? Obviously the answer is in the numbers; as long as people keep buying the product, why change?

Loyalty to the consumer, that’s why. Consumers obviously buy franchise material, but the industry is mature enough to support growth for new IPs. The real reason behind these perpetual franchises is loyalty to the investor, a business model I wish someone in the industry were willing to abandon. I’m not saying developers shouldn’t make money, but that they should be willing to take more risks to make that money because the risk is actually fairly small.

And yes, I realize this is all very unrealistic. It doesn’t hurt to dream, though.