Call of Duty is closing the book on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One era. The franchise's next installment will not launch on either console, marking a major shift for a series that has clung to last-generation hardware longer than almost any other major franchise.
Activision confirmed the move this week through the official Call of Duty X account, responding to rumors that the upcoming title, believed to be Modern Warfare 4, was being tested on PS4. The announcement put to rest concerns that aging hardware would constrain the game's design. The last Call of Duty to skip this console generation entirely was 2013's Ghosts, meaning the franchise has spent over a decade supporting eight-year-old tech.
The decision comes after a tumultuous year for the franchise. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 landed in fifth place on the United States' 2024 sales charts, the series' weakest showing since 2008. Battlefield 6 edged it out, a particularly stinging blow given the two franchises' long rivalry. That underperformance may have accelerated Activision's thinking about the need for a technological refresh.
Industry insiders suggest the transition was not instantaneous. CharlieIntel co-founder Keshav Bhat reported that Modern Warfare 4 was initially planned for last-gen hardware but development for those versions was scrapped in late 2024. The shift signals confidence that the current-gen install base is large enough to support a major franchise release, even as a new PlayStation generation may arrive within the next couple of years.
What remains unclear is whether dropping last-gen support will unlock meaningful creative possibilities. Developers have long argued that supporting older consoles restricts their ability to push graphical fidelity and technical ambition. Whether Infinity Ward and other studios working on the title will seize the chance to make a substantial leap forward depends largely on how aggressively they redesign the engine and core systems.
One wild card hangs over the announcement. Microsoft committed to bringing Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms when it acquired Activision in 2023, cementing the promise with a 10-year legal agreement. Nintendo Switch 2 could theoretically become the surprise platform for Modern Warfare 4, though the technical gulf between current-gen consoles and a portable device makes that possibility feel remote. Activision signaled last year it was working on a Nintendo version, but details remain scarce.
The move may embolden other publishers to pull the plug on last-gen entirely. Call of Duty has been one of the final holdouts, with most major studios already transitioning to current-gen exclusive development. As the franchise pivots forward, the industry's last major tether to the PS4 and Xbox One era appears to be snapping.
Author Emily Chen: "This was overdue. A franchise as influential as Call of Duty staying shackled to 2013 hardware was always going to drag down the entire industry's momentum."
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