It’s no secret that Activision Blizzard has gained something of a fondness for milking its core franchises for every cent they’re worth -- yearly iterations have become the name of the game. That makes it somewhat surprising, then, that they’ve decided to give the Call of Duty series a year off.

Speaking at a recent analyst day in Santa Monica, Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith dropped the news that we won’t be seeing Call of Duty 6: Moderner World Warfare until “calendar year 2010.” Griffith confirmed that Infinity Ward is currently working on the title, and, when questioned if the 6th installment would be set in a future filled with aliens and blazing lasers, responded only that they were considering “new theaters,” “new plotlines,” and “new gametypes.” What a tease.

Griffith also revealed how Activsion Blizzard is planning to make up for a 2009 lacking in Call of Duty 6 sales: more multiplayer DLC! Call of Duty: World at War will begin what he calls the “monetization of this opportunity,” by offering both regular and “Day 1 Advantage” DLC. Day 1 Advantage is essentially a way to increase your online experience points -- either through an expedited gain or a specified amount -- by paying rather than playing.

I guess that means that Prestige Mode won’t be all that prestigious anymore, eh?