Summary
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 may be released on the next Xbox console.
- A new leak claims that the game will be released in 2026 and that devs are working on it using development kits for the next-gen Xbox.
- It’s unclear whether it will be a launch title for the new system or if it will be released for Xbox Series X first.
Microsoft’s next Xbox console may be the home of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 when it launches, according to a prominent leaker. While Xbox has made no official announcement about its next-gen system, the current console generation is quickly coming to an end as the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 enter their fifth year on the market. When the new Xbox console is revealed, Call of Duty could help bring players to the platform.
The Call of Duty franchise has been a huge economic boon for Microsoft since the company acquired Activision Blizzard. Sales of Black Ops 6 helped Microsoft become the world’s top game publisher in late 2024, with more than half of that spending coming from Microsoft titles like CoD on other platforms. Given how successful the franchise has been for the company, it makes sense that it may want to use it to bolster the launch of its next-gen hardware.
Related
Rumor: Call of Duty 2026 Report Could Be Bad News for Warzone Fans
A new Call of Duty 2026 report brings bad news for Warzone fans, potentially affecting the future of the franchise’s free-to-play game.
Notable leaker TheGhostOfHope shared news regarding Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on Twitter, saying it will be released sometime in 2026. Beyond that, they say devs are working on it using development kits for the next-gen Xbox. Reportedly, Call of Duty 2026 will skip the last gen, but if this rumor is true, it will appear on whatever follows the Series X and S to make up for the lack of Xbox One support. TheGhostOfHope did not specify if it would be a launch title for the next-gen Xbox or if it would come out on Series X first and come to the newer platform once it releases, but either way, it could be a way for Microsoft to promote its latest system.
Leaker Claims Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Is Being Developed on Next-Gen Xbox Hardware
It’s worth noting that this report seemingly conflicts with some earlier rumors. One insider has claimed that the next-gen Xbox just received approval, so Microsoft would only be starting to make the first dev kits for the system if that’s true. As a Microsoft-owned franchise, Call of Duty may be able to get access to this hardware before other studios can use it, or teams could be using earlier prototypes, but the two rumors suggest slightly differing timelines. If the next Modern Warfare title is only in its planning stages, that may match up with the next-gen console not being as far along yet, but that would make a 2026 release difficult to accomplish.
Of course, both reports are unconfirmed so far, so it’s unclear if either is true or if they each only have pieces of correct information. What the new Xbox could do for the Call of Duty franchise is also uncertain, but some possibilities look promising. There are rumors that the next Xbox lineup will include a handheld, and if so, fans may be able to play Modern Warfare 4 on the go without the limitations of a mobile version of the game. For now, though, players will have to wait for official information from Activision or Microsoft to learn more.
