

Call of Duty
One united front
Gaming
2023
With millions of concurrent players and over two decades of cultural influence, Call of Duty® had grown into one of the world’s most dominant gaming franchises. But success brought fragmentation: countless sub-brands, record-breaking annual releases, and a wordmark unchanged since 2003. Activision set out to unify the franchise under a single identity—one that could modernize its visual language, scale across new content, and sustain continued growth.
Call of Duty
One united front
Gaming
2023
Challenge
With millions of concurrent players and over two decades of cultural influence, Call of Duty® had grown into one of the world’s most dominant gaming franchises. But success brought fragmentation: countless sub-brands, record-breaking annual releases, and a wordmark unchanged since 2003. Activision set out to unify the franchise under a single identity—one that could modernize its visual language, scale across new content, and sustain continued growth.
Strategy
Our task was to build a masterbrand that could rally every title, platform, and partnership as part of one united front. We created a comprehensive design system that consolidated the franchise into a cohesive ecosystem—moving away from a fragmented yearly cycle toward a unified identity spanning gaming, esports, partnerships, and philanthropy.
Identity
In collaboration with typographic foundry NaN, we designed Hitmarker—a custom variable typeface “fit for the frontlines,” with bespoke weights adaptable to any application. The refreshed wordmark replaced Impact, a decades-old typeface that had become meme-famous, while motion principles captured the franchise’s trademark intensity: rapid-fire thinking, sprinting towards objectives, and harsh recoil. The system ensures every expression—whether subtle or explosive—stays authentically Call of Duty®.
Application
The framework scales seamlessly across every touchpoint: in-game UI, packaging, merchandise, and seasonal campaigns, as well as esports, philanthropy, and global partnerships. From Snoop Dogg to Skeletor, collaborators could plug into the same system without losing individuality. Whether appearing in a thumbnail or on the world’s biggest stages, the brand now adapts fluidly while holding a consistent center.
Outcome
The result is the first truly unified Call of Duty® identity—consolidating two decades of fragmented growth into a single, scalable system. The franchise now has the infrastructure to stay culturally relevant while expanding across content, partnerships, and platforms. More than a gaming brand, Call of Duty® has become a cohesive cultural phenomenon that continues to shape and define generations of gamers.






































