Call of Duty 2026 Skips PS4 and Xbox One Release
▼ Summary
– The next Call of Duty game will not be released on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, marking the first title in the series since 2013 to skip that console generation.
– A rumor that the game was being playtested on PS4 caused fan concern about technological limitations, but Activision confirmed it is not in development for last-gen hardware.
– Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, released on both last-gen and current-gen consoles, had its lowest U.S. sales placement since 2008, being outperformed by Battlefield 6.
– Development of the next Call of Duty for last-gen consoles was reportedly canceled late last year, according to a co-founder of CharlieIntel.
– Microsoft committed to bringing Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms after acquiring Activision, though that has not yet happened, and it remains unclear if the next game will launch on Nintendo Switch 2.
The next installment in the Call of Duty franchise is officially skipping PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, putting an end to concerns that the series would remain tethered to aging hardware. This marks a significant shift for one of gaming’s most enduring blockbusters.
Rumors surfaced earlier this week suggesting that the upcoming title, widely believed to be Modern Warfare 4, was being playtested on PS4. That news sparked alarm among fans, given that the PS4 will be roughly 13 years old by the time this game launches, and whispers of a PS6 debut are already circulating. Many players have argued that supporting older consoles stifles innovation, and Activision now appears ready to move forward.
The official Call of Duty X account confirmed that the next game is not in development for PS4, which logically extends to the Xbox One as well. This will be the first mainline Call of Duty title since 2013’s Call of Duty: Ghosts to skip that generation of hardware entirely. Whether this decision allows developer Infinity Ward and its partner studios to make a major technological leap remains to be seen, but the community is hopeful.
Last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 still launched on both last-gen and current-gen systems. Despite Call of Duty historically ranking as the year’s top or second-best seller, Black Ops 7 slipped to fifth place on U. S. sales charts, its lowest position since 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War. It was outperformed by Battlefield 6, its longtime rival.
The exact reasoning behind dropping last-gen support is unclear. CharlieIntel co-founder Keshav Bhat noted that he heard Modern Warfare 4 was still being developed for older consoles until late last year, when those plans were scrapped. Call of Duty has been one of the last major franchises clinging to the PS4 and Xbox One, so it will be interesting to see if other holdouts follow suit and fully commit to current-gen hardware.
Meanwhile, when Microsoft acquired Activision in 2021, it pledged to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms through a 10-year legal agreement. That promise has yet to materialize, though Activision stated last year that work is underway. Could Modern Warfare 4 land on the Nintendo Switch 2 instead of the PS4 and Xbox One? It seems improbable, but only time will tell.
(Source: IGN)
