User blog comment:Crazy sam10/Infinity Ward explains leaving Modern Warfare series/@comment-81.99.27.82-20130531122846/@comment-3967954-20130601221508

Why does CoD require an open setting? It really doesn't. People play CoD's campaigns for the thrills of shooting people in the face and a nice story to go with it. There's no need for any backtracking, alternate routes (although they are nice) or any kind of openness. Yes, it's incredibly linear and predictable, and the gameplay is very basic, but most people find it fun. And where are all these cutscenes you're referring to? There are little to none mid-level cutscenes in most CoD missions - a few QTEs here and there don't really count. Cutscenes are only ever used in CoD between levels. And I don't really see the problem with a few scripted events, they're there to vary the gameplay. If you took away the scripted events, it would literally just be relentless shooting, and I somehow doubt you'd prefer that.

Also, Halo is kind of open due to the fact it has to facilicate vehicles, but essentially it still forces you down one single route with no alternate options. GoW is about as linear as CoD as well - there are only a few choices to be made in GoW, and they don't have any impact on the result of the missions. Other than that, it's essentially a corridor shooter with a few planks of cover thrown in.