According to a blog entry by Infinity Ward director of communications/community manager Robert Bowling, the creators of the Call of Duty franchise have decided to “reup” the group's contract with publisher and owner Activision. Although no formal announcement has been made, the developer has apparently renegotiated a deal that has “laid the groundwork and kick started our future project, as well as the possibility of a unique new IP [intellectual property] by Infinity Ward, that we’ll have complete control over.” Infinity Ward was acquired by Activision in 2003, and remains a fully-owned subsidiary of the publisher. The nature of the group's renegotiation is unclear. According to Bowling it will be some time before any public information is shared on the new project, although rumors have existed for sometime suggesting a new science fiction themed title that may or may not be part of the Call of Duty franchise. Apart from noting the company is currently hiring across a wide range of professions, Bowling gave no further clues as to the company’s future plans or when further revelations might be made. Analysts are already comparing the renegotiation of the contract with the return last year of Halo developer Bungie to third party status – while maintaining its close relationship with Microsoft.