Next Call of Duty game skips last-gen consoles

Activision has confirmed that the next Call of Duty game, reportedly titled Modern Warfare 4, will not release on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. The decision marks a major shift for the franchise, as it has been since 2013, with Call of Duty: Ghosts, that no new entries have launched without support for the previous console generation.

Transition to current generation

It was expected that Call of Duty versions on older consoles would increasingly struggle to keep up. Activision confirmed in May 2026 that the upcoming title will not be developed for those platforms. That leaves PS4 and Xbox One players needing to upgrade to current-gen hardware to play the latest releases. The move follows years of rumors about possible new Call of Duty release plans that were supposedly aimed at last-gen consoles, but never seemed to materialize.

With release schedules built around an annual cycle, Call of Duty updates have always taken place across both new and old platforms, but Activision now appears ready to break that pattern. That means future releases will focus entirely on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Impact of the decision

The latest Call of Duty releases, including Black Ops 7, have launched across both console generations. Moving to current hardware only means the franchise can take advantage of new technology, potentially leading to bigger shifts in gameplay, graphics, and overall performance. This follows a recent trend among other game developers who are also leaving older platforms behind. Activision hopes this will benefit both the development team and players through a more innovative approach to gameplay.

New content and charity initiative

Activision also announced that, as part of Military Appreciation Month in May, Call of Duty will honor soldiers in-game with special content. The content, in the form of the Navigator: Tracer Pack, will fully benefit the Call of Duty Endowment and was designed with help from former U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Cassidy, who is also an astronaut. This year, players can purchase in-game content with 100% of net proceeds going to the cause.

By tying these initiatives to the launch of a new Call of Duty, Activision can not only serve its player base but also contribute to worthy causes, reflecting the franchise’s real-world involvement.

Looking ahead

It remains unclear exactly what Modern Warfare 4 will bring, but rumors suggest the story will focus on new conflicts. Activision has previously announced plans to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms, but it is still unclear whether the new titles will also make their way to any upcoming systems such as the Switch 2.

Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how the community responds to these changes, especially given the millions of players still active on outgoing last-gen consoles. Activision’s strategy of focusing on the newest hardware could carry some risk, but it also opens the door to growth and innovation in the Call of Duty franchise.