Once upon a time, eight years or so ago to be exact, a team worked on a prototype for a new Call of Duty set in ancient Rome. Activision, happy with the success of their franchise at the time, were willing to branch out, and asked some studios to experiment.
Were they entertained by what they saw in the Roman Wars demo they received from the one? It seems so, but sadly, that project went no further than that one short showcase.
Hang on, let that sink in – we could have had a Call of Duty that featured no pewpew weapons? Yeah, apparently such a project existed. Details on it have now surfaced thanks to a source who actually worked on it. He shared a quick history of Roman Wars over on a GamesRadar.
“You were going to play a lead centurion, you were going to play a grunt and you were going to play all the way up to Julius Caesar himself; so you were going to be a commander. You were going to fight against the Germans and the Germanic Tribes and really stay true to the history of Julius’ conquests during the Gallic Wars.
You were going to jump around from officers to low grunts to Caesar and get a little variety of all of those little battles, so you’d play an archer here, you’d play a cavalry over in this phase. And it was going to stay true to the Call of Duty franchise in that jumping around, playing those different characters and getting a whole feel of the overall battle during those times.”
Roman Wars certainly looks like it could’ve been an interesting addition to the franchise. It made its way all the way to the desk of Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, but sadly, that’s where development ground to a halt.
At least we still have some kind of idea what the game would’ve played like thanks to Ryse: Son of Rome – another game in set in the same era. Interestingly enough, that’s not what became of Roman Wars. That was an entirely different project lead by a completely different team.
The Call of Duty franchise meanwhile, seems headed further into the future with each iteration. I wonder when Activision will decide that it’s time for a drastic change? EA have already taken their first steps with Battlefield 1.
Last Updated: July 6, 2016
The Order of the Banana
July 6, 2016 at 11:08
But it would have still been a Call of Duty game… :/
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
July 6, 2016 at 11:12
We never got a good 300 game come to think about it…
The Order of the Banana
July 6, 2016 at 11:16
But the Spartans are overrated. I want a mongol warrior game, in which I, Banana Khan takes over Asia and Europe!
Admiral Chief Maximum Effort
July 6, 2016 at 11:18
“Of all the enigmas surrounding the Khan’s life, perhaps the most famous concerns how it ended. The traditional narrative says he died in 1227 from injuries sustained in a fall from a horse, but other sources list everything from malaria to an arrow wound in the knee”
LOL ARROW TO THE KNEEEEEEE
Admiral Chief Maximum Effort
July 6, 2016 at 11:18
BWHAHAHAHAHA HE IS THE ORIGINAL!!!
The Order of the Banana
July 6, 2016 at 12:01
Heheheh!
Captain JJ off track
July 6, 2016 at 11:31
Don’t forget to have sex with everyone to make it more accurate. 😛
The Order of the Banana
July 6, 2016 at 12:01
My body … sigh.. is ready! #Pompmasjien2000
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
July 6, 2016 at 11:09
The new one is still kind of a Roman COD, at least we get to visit some of their gods
http://displays.tpet.co.uk/ResourceImages/Previews/464/1.jpg
HairyEwok
July 6, 2016 at 11:49
I see Jupiter, Neptune, Mercury, Pluto, Venus, Mars but not Uranus…..
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
July 6, 2016 at 12:36
That was more of a Greek thing at the time
Andre116
July 6, 2016 at 13:22
You win. I’m just going to drop all my stuff on the ground and go home.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
July 6, 2016 at 13:35
XD
Alien Emperor Trevor
July 6, 2016 at 11:16
HEY COUSIN, DO YOU WANT TO GO SHOOTING?!
HairyEwok
July 6, 2016 at 11:51
Bellic is the Garvey of GTA 4.
AfroSaxon
July 6, 2016 at 11:28
Titus Pulo, what legend from a great series!
Captain JJ off track
July 6, 2016 at 11:30
I still need to install and play Ryse: Son of Rome.
I’m thinking the co-op stuff could be good fun too.
Matthew Holliday
July 6, 2016 at 11:47
i tried playing Ryse, couldnt get into it.
Captain JJ off track
July 6, 2016 at 12:25
Ah. It looks so interesting. Big download too.