Call of Duty followers can breathe a sigh of reduction as this yr’s entry won’t launch on last-gen consoles, so builders do not have to carry again.
Earlier this week, a rumor began to spread that the following Call of Duty recreation, rumored to be Fashionable Warfare 4, was being playtested on PlayStation 4. This prompted some panic amongst followers, because the PS4 will likely be turning 13 across the time of the following Call of Duty recreation’s launch, and rumors point out the PS6 is just a yr or two away. Some really feel like video games are being held again by last-gen consoles, however Activision seems to be shifting on from them.
The official Call of Duty X account has confirmed that the following Call of Duty shouldn’t be in growth for PlayStation 4, which presumably means it is also not in growth for Xbox One. This would be the first Call of Duty recreation since 2013’s Call of Duty: Ghosts to not launch on the Xbox One/PS4 era of {hardware}. It is unclear if this may empower Infinity Ward and the opposite Call of Duty studios to make an even bigger technological leap with this yr’s recreation, however that’s actually the hope amongst followers.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was launched final yr on last-gen and current-gen {hardware}. Call of Duty is traditionally the primary or second best-selling recreation of the yr, however Black Ops 7 got here in at quantity 5 on america’ yearly gross sales charts, the bottom placement since 2008’s Call of Duty: World at Warfare. It was toppled by Battlefield 6, Call of Duty’s longtime rival.
It is unclear what Activision’s causes are for dropping last-gen. CharlieIntel co-founder Keshav Bhat stated that he heard Call of Duty: Fashionable Warfare 4 was in growth for last-gen {hardware} up till late final yr earlier than it was canceled. Call of Duty has been one of the final main franchises holding out on last-gen, so it will be fascinating to see if some other stragglers observe Call of Duty’s lead and totally decide to current-gen {hardware}.
Curiously, Microsoft dedicated to bringing Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms when it acquired Activision in 2021 and signed a 10-year authorized settlement with Nintendo to make that occur. Thus far, that has but to come back to fruition, however Activision said final yr that they are working on it. Will Fashionable Warfare 4 come to Nintendo Swap 2 as an alternative of PS4 and Xbox One? That appears onerous to think about, however we’ll simply have to attend and see.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s information group. He covers all issues leisure, together with gaming, movie, and extra. You could find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.