Activision’s name and logo missing from the Call of Duty: Vanguard reveal trailer is definitely not a simple omission.
This year’s Call of Duty entry was first shown off earlier this week. It acts as the first major reveal from Activision since the recent lawsuit in which the company was being sued for its mistreatment of women within the firm. Considering how the franchise is Activision’s flagship series, it was more than just odd not to see its logo anywhere on the trailer.
Twitter user Neoxon619 was one of the first individuals to make the point on social media. While the logos of developing studios Sledgehammer Games, Beenox, and Treyarch are shown at the end, Activision’s own is nowhere in sight. The video only ever mentions the company’s logo in very fine print, in the section related to copyright information. It’s also worth pointing out that Activision’s logo doesn’t appear on Call of Duty: Vanguard‘s Battle.net page either, while older titles on the storefront did sport the Activision name.
There’s a fair amount of bad will attached to Activision’s logo these days, mainly because of the lawsuit and its repercussions. It also doesn’t help that many perceive them to be responsible for Blizzard’s own mishandling of its biggest IP, World of Warcraft. Needless to say, Activision is in hot waters, which likely led to them not wanting to put their name on the reveal trailer.
No Activision Logo: Will it Really Make a Difference?
According to Kotaku’s research, Activision’s logo has appeared on the reveal trailer of every single Call of Duty since Modern Warfare 3 (which came out ten years ago). Kotaku also ended up contacting Activision regarding the logo’s commission, to which the publisher responded: “Call of Duty has continued to expand into an incredible universe of experiences. This was a creative choice that reflects how Vanguard represents the next major installment in the franchise.”
Needless to say, the statement rings a little hollow. Activision is likely trying to distance its name from the game’s marketing. The company is more than aware that pushing their name forward and associating it with Call of Duty: Vanguard, will only serve in reminding players of the controversies surrounding the publisher. Even so, folks have caught on to the act now, with many poking fun at the company for its attempt at making players forget.
With a couple of prominent figures and leads having already left Activision-Blizzard during the wake of the lawsuit, the company’s future seems unsteadier than ever. We’ll have to see whether a competent Call of Duty game will be enough to recover some of that lost goodwill.
