Call of Duty 2026 Won't Be Releasing on Last-Gen Consoles

Call of Duty fans tin respire a suspiration of alleviation arsenic this year's introduction volition not merchandise connected last-gen consoles, truthful developers don't person to clasp back.

Earlier this week, a rumor began to dispersed that the adjacent Call of Duty game, rumored to beryllium Modern Warfare 4, was being playtested connected PlayStation 4. This caused immoderate panic among fans, arsenic the PS4 volition beryllium turning 13 astir the clip of the adjacent Call of Duty game's release, and rumors bespeak the PS6 is lone a twelvemonth oregon 2 away. Some consciousness similar games are being held backmost by last-gen consoles, but Activision appears to beryllium moving connected from them.

The authoritative Call of Duty X relationship has confirmed that the adjacent Call of Duty is not successful improvement for PlayStation 4, which presumably means it's besides not successful improvement for Xbox One. This volition beryllium the archetypal Call of Duty crippled since 2013's Call of Duty: Ghosts to not merchandise connected the Xbox One/PS4 procreation of hardware. It's unclear if this volition empower Infinity Ward and the different Call of Duty studios to marque a bigger technological leap with this year's game, but that is surely the anticipation among fans.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was released past twelvemonth connected last-gen and current-gen hardware. Call of Duty is historically the archetypal oregon 2nd best-selling crippled of the year, but Black Ops 7 came successful astatine fig 5 connected the United States' yearly income charts, the lowest placement since 2008's Call of Duty: World astatine War. It was toppled by Battlefield 6, Call of Duty's longtime rival.

It's unclear what Activision's reasons are for dropping last-gen. CharlieIntel co-founder Keshav Bhat stated that helium heard Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 was successful improvement for last-gen hardware up until precocious past twelvemonth earlier it was canceled. Call of Duty has been 1 of the past large franchises holding retired connected last-gen, truthful it'll beryllium absorbing to spot if immoderate different stragglers travel Call of Duty's pb and afloat perpetrate to current-gen hardware.

Interestingly, Microsoft committed to bringing Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms erstwhile it acquired Activision successful 2021 and signed a 10-year ineligible statement with Nintendo to marque that happen. So far, that has yet to travel to fruition, but Activision stated past twelvemonth that they're moving connected it. Will Modern Warfare 4 travel to Nintendo Switch 2 alternatively of PS4 and Xbox One? That seems hard to imagine, but we'll conscionable person to hold and see.

Cade Onder is simply a freelancer for IGN's quality team. He covers each things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You tin find him connected Twitter @Cade_Onder.