In decline? For sure. Dying? Not at all. Call of Duty is just one of those franchises that comes once every generation or so. Like how GTA was a stellar selling hit during the 6th gen., Call of Duty became that very same franchise the next gen. After Black Ops 2, it became apparent that the series had peaked in terms of sales and quality, hence why Ghosts didn't do so well among the community but did sell well.
However, now armed with a three year development cycle, the Call Of Duty series has the capacity to recapture some of its lost steam. Maybe not towards Black Ops 2 levels, but hopefully begin an upward trend. In addition, even though this still could be a 'WildCard' for some, eSports has helped further increase interest. How much of said interest remains to be seen, but now riding on that, the future Call of Duty games should be more balanced than their predecessors. That being said, after a successful start with Advanced Warfare, Black Ops 3 should be an greater in terms of scale, design, and mechanics. Much more will most likely be revealed at E3 for sure, and, should the community and newcomers continue to or obtain interest, expect sales to be even better. If not, then the decline will continue.
" It has never been about acknowledgement when you achieve something. When you are acknowledged, then and only then can you achieve something. Always have your friends first to achieve your goals later." - OnlyForDisplay
