Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is skipping Xbox One and PS4, which is a bold strategy— even if it's about time

Captain Price Modern Warfare — What we assume will be Modern Warfare 4 will be taking a big step for the franchise at long last. (Image credit: Activision Blizzard)

Activision has only gone and pushed out a fairly significant piece of Call of Duty news in about the most casual fashion imaginable; last-gen consoles are out.

Responding to rumors that surfaced online through the official Call of Duty X account, the Microsoft-owned publisher has provided confirmation of a big change for the game we assume will be Modern Warfare 4.

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Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.May 4, 2026

That both last-gen consoles hung on so long is remarkable enough, but then you have to assume why. Given the cost of making a Call of Duty game, the player base had to be there to make it worthwhile. So on that front, there's probably a whole bunch of folks who simply won't be able to play this year's game.

But I'm happy to hear it. For one, it's just not a good enough experience on the Xbox One and PS4 anymore.

I tried Black Ops 7 on the Xbox One during its beta period, and the difference was night and day. Admittedly I've not gone back since, but given its state then, I can't imagine it was possible to improve it sufficiently. I said then that we need to leave the past behind, and it looks like we're doing just that.

Modern Warfare 4 (if indeed, that's what it's actually called) is already up against it. Xbox recently made the decision to remove future Call of Duty titles from Xbox Game Pass, which is one factor that may affect player counts. Now we know that last-gen console players are out, too.

Then of course, the looming goliath: GTA 6. Call of Duty traditionally launches in Q4 of the year these days, and there's nothing to suggest it'll be any different for 2026. GTA 6 is currently slated to launch on November 19. Call of Duty is big, but GTA is something else.

So it's going to be an interesting year to follow on all fronts. On one hand, not being hamstrung by last-gen consoles should give some breathing room to make a better overall product. But with two self-inflicted decisions that could cut player counts and one nobody can do anything about... I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Is this the right call, or is it a huge mistake? Hit the poll above and let me know why you voted that way in the comments below!

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Richard Devine is the Managing Editor at Windows Central, where he combines a deep love for the open-source community with expert-level technical coverage. Whether he’s hunting for the next big project on GitHub, fine-tuning a WSL workflow, or breaking down the latest meta in Call of Duty, Forza, and The Division 2, Richard focuses on making complex tech accessible to every kind of user. If it’s happening in the world of Windows or PC gaming, he’s probably already knee-deep in the code (or the lobbies). Follow him on X and Mastodon.