The story of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare took more than two years to write

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, the third science-fiction entry in Activision's military shooter series, has been in the works for some time, according to the co-founder of the developing studio.

Glen Schofield of Sledgehammer Games said over Twitter that the game's story took 2 1/2 years to hash out. He was replying to a fan who said Advanced Warfare would be the first Call of Duty with a single-player campaign he is looking forward to.

Call of Duty and the entire military shooter genre, of late, have been notable more for their storyless competitive multiplayer offerings than any single-player narrative. Set in the year 2054, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare involves the story of "private military contractors" — mercenaries, basically — one of whom has gone rogue. Two-time Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey plays a lead role as the head of one of these PMCs, the Atlas Corporation.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is due for release Nov. 4 "on next-gen consoles and PC." Polygon's Chris Plante and Chris Grant recently pondered whether Call of Duty's futuristic bend indicates a series struggling to stay relevant.