No, COD in a nutshell:
Head Developer: Okay people, we need an idea!
Creative Specialist: Oh, how about the Russians... but they are south american instead?
Head Developer: Won't cut it.
Intern: Maybe, like, OH! What if we made some sort of creepy name for the countries that banded together? How about... 'The Federation'?
Head Developer: That's a great idea. Okay guys, how about we like, make different scenes that loosely resemble a plot and strip them together, even sometimes it doesn't seem realistic!
CEO: That's a great selling idea, man.
Developer: Maybe we can set it in the future, with fuel running out?
Head Developer: Yes I like that idea, because it is totally going to happen in the next 30 years or so!
Intern #2: Dude, how about we make it so the Federation, without reason, goes to space that uses a stuff load of fuel that they don't have go up to a US nuclear space silo, that is in space. It's like, totally the US would do that and keep it totally not a secret.
CEO: I like where this is going.
Intern: And maybe, we can make it so guns can fire in space. Oh, and make it so like, the bullet velocity is the same down on this ground. It makes it seem future! Maybe we can also make it so people can swim in space?
Head Developer: Great loving ideas guys.
Creative Specialist: Also we should have a loving dog in the game.
CEO: loving sold.