Activision has officially denied rumors that the next installment of the Call of Duty franchise will be released on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. The announcement effectively ends the series' decade-long support for last-generation hardware.
On Monday, the franchise's official social media account used X to debunk claims that the upcoming title—rumored by some to be Modern Warfare 4—was being developed for older systems. “Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true,” the account posted. “The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.”
The denial follows weekend reports from leaker HeyImAlaix, who claimed to be hearing that Modern Warfare 4 was currently undergoing playtests on the PlayStation 4, according to Kotaku.
The end of an era
This move marks the conclusion of a 12-year period during which Call of Duty has been available on the PS4 and Xbox One. It also ends a six-year stretch of simultaneous support for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Kotaku reports that this marks the longest period Activision has ever maintained support for an old console generation while transitioning into a new one. The decision leaves millions of players on older hardware unable to access the series' latest multiplayer modes without upgrading their systems.
Upgrading hardware presents a significant financial hurdle for many gamers. Kotaku notes that current prices for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles are over $100 higher than their original launch prices, while PC gaming costs have also risen due to shortages in RAM and GPUs.
While Xbox Game Pass recently implemented a price cut, Kotaku reports that the service will no longer receive new Call of Duty titles on a day-and-date release schedule.
As fans await an official reveal of the next title this summer, speculation remains regarding a potential release on Nintendo's upcoming hardware. While Microsoft previously promised to bring the franchise to Nintendo's next platform, the transition has reportedly taken longer than anticipated, according to Kotaku.
