Activision on Wednesday announced that Call of Duty: Ghosts, the next version in its widely popular Call of Duty series, will be available on 5 November. Activision is still light on details for the title, but says it will bring an all-new gameplay experience built on an entirely new story, setting, cast of characters and next-generation Call of Duty engine. 

"Everyone was expecting us to make Modern Warfare 4, which would have been the safe thing to do. But we're not resting on our laurels," said Mark Rubin, executive producer of developer Infinity Ward. "We saw the console transition as the perfect opportunity to start a new chapter for Call of Duty. So we're building a new sub-brand, a new engine, and a lot of new ideas and experiences for our players. We can't wait to share them with our community."

Activision has released a  90-minute trailer teasing a mask theme for the new title. Don't be expecting loads of gameplay or storyline just yet, but you'll see the cast of new characters, with a riveting line: "There are those who wear masks to protect themselves. And there are those who wear masks to protect us all." The thinking is Call of Duty: Ghosts will focus on the more secretive and covert side of soldiering in the modern day.

The game will be coming to the PC, PS3, Xbox 360 and "next-generation platforms". Activision says it will be providing more details and a "first look" at the game during Microsoft's 21 May Xbox event where it is believed the console giant plans to unveil its next-generation console. 

Pre-orders for Call of Duty: Ghosts have begun at retail outlets worldwide.