Treyarch's Call of Duty: World at War Multiplayer Originally Planned Extensive Vehicle Combat

Dataminers uncovered that the 2008 release of Call of Duty: World at War was set to feature a far larger vehicle component in its multiplayer mode. Players would have been able to call in a tank after achieving a seven‑kill streak, with the vehicle fully customizable – including special perks, different weapons and even flamethrowers – and with control over speed.

To support this, additional maps designed for tank combat were planned, but the features were drastically reduced or removed before launch. Developers cited the rushed two‑year development cycle and concerns that the vehicle gameplay might not have been fun enough as reasons for the cut.

The revelation highlights how early experiments by Treyarch shaped the series' evolution, as later Call of Duty titles incorporated limited vehicle use in modes such as Ground War.