Call of Duty 2026: No More Last-Gen, Time for a True Next-Gen Leap!
Get ready, Pakistani gamers, because we’ve got some potentially game-changing news for the Call of Duty franchise! If you’ve been feeling like last-gen consoles were holding back the CoD experience, you’re in for a treat. It’s now officially confirmed: the Call of Duty title expected in 2026 will NOT be launching on the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One!
This is a massive relief for many fans who’ve been vocal about their desire for Call of Duty to fully embrace the power of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. For years, developers have had to juggle optimization for both current and older hardware, often leading to compromises that prevented the series from truly pushing graphical and technological boundaries. But it seems Activision is finally ready to cut the cord!
The rumor mill was buzzing earlier this week with whispers that the next CoD, which many are speculating could be Modern Warfare 4, was being playtested on the PS4. This caused a bit of a stir, understandably. With the PS4 turning 13 around the time of the 2026 release, and talk of a PS6 possibly just around the corner, gamers were worried about another entry being held back. Thankfully, the official Call of Duty X (formerly Twitter) account stepped in to clear the air, confirming that the upcoming game is NOT in development for the PS4 – and by extension, we can safely assume, not for the Xbox One either.
This marks a significant moment for the franchise. It will be the first Call of Duty game since 2013’s Call of Duty: Ghosts to completely skip the PS4/Xbox One generation. Think about that for a second! This move opens up so many possibilities for Infinity Ward and the other studios involved. Imagine what they can achieve when they can focus all their efforts on the raw power and features of the current-gen consoles!
Last year’s Call of Duty, Black Ops 7, still launched on both last-gen and current-gen platforms. Interestingly, it didn’t quite hit the usual sales highs we expect from a CoD title, landing at number five on the US yearly sales charts – its lowest placement since 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War, and even getting out-sold by its long-time rival, Battlefield 6. While we can’t say for sure if last-gen support was a factor in its sales performance, it certainly makes Activision’s decision to move on feel more strategic.
While the exact reasons for dropping last-gen aren’t fully detailed, reports from industry insiders like CharlieIntel co-founder Keshav Bhat suggest that Modern Warfare 4 was indeed being developed for older hardware until late last year before the plans changed. Call of Duty has been one of the last major franchises to hold onto last-gen consoles, so it’ll be fascinating to see if other big titles follow suit and make the full leap to current-gen only.
And for those wondering about Nintendo, there’s an interesting side note! When Microsoft acquired Activision in 2021, they signed a 10-year agreement to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms. We haven’t seen that happen yet, but Activision confirmed last year they’re working on it. Could we see Call of Duty 2026 land on a potential Nintendo Switch 2 instead of the PS4 and Xbox One? It’s a wild thought, but in the ever-evolving world of gaming, anything is possible. For now, let’s just be excited about a potentially unchained, truly next-gen Call of Duty experience!