Sledgehammer brings speed and strength to the tested template. The news cycle for the Call Of Duty franchise has settled into such a steady rhythm over the last few years, you could almost set your watch to it. Activision's PR machine trundles at a clip, belting out trailers, punching up content and rolling out reveal events with machine-like precision. Its patterns have become so familiar that hacks now know exactly when to expect their first hands-on with each new COD entry; it's usually at Gamescom and it's usually the multiplayer.