Call of Duty 2026 Is Skipping PS4, Activision Confirms
Call of Duty fans can relax a bit: the next entry is not being developed for PS4.
That clarification came directly from Activision after a rumour started spreading over the weekend. Leaker Alaix claimed on May 3 that the upcoming Call of Duty was being tested for Sony’s last-gen console, which immediately triggered the usual community reaction: bro, are we still doing PS4 in 2026?
Activision moved fast to kill the rumour through the official Call of Duty Twitter/X account, saying the claim was not true and that the next Call of Duty is not in development for PS4.
For long-time players, that is a pretty big line in the sand. Call of Duty has been dragging last-gen hardware along for years, partly because the PS4 and Xbox One install base was massive. Even 2025’s Black Ops 7 still launched on PS4, keeping the series tied to older tech while newer consoles were already standard for many players.
If Activision sticks to this direction, the 2026 Call of Duty will be the first relevant modern entry to properly leave that generation behind. The game is currently expected to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Why does this matter for Malaysian and SEA players? Simple: CoD is one of those franchises where performance, crossplay, storage size, and online stability all matter gila. When a game has to support decade-old hardware, developers usually need to compromise somewhere — whether that means map complexity, texture quality, loading behaviour, or how ambitious certain modes can be.
Leaving PS4 and Xbox One behind does not automatically mean the next CoD will be amazing. Let’s not pretend newer hardware magically fixes matchmaking, servers, or sweaty meta abuse. But it does give the developers more room to build around SSDs, stronger CPUs, and modern GPU targets instead of designing with old console limits in mind.
For SEA players still on PS4, though, this is the painful part. A lot of gamers in Malaysia do not upgrade consoles every cycle, especially when PS5 pricing and game prices can still feel heavy. If the next CoD skips PS4, some players will have to move to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC to keep up with the yearly release.
There is also the esports angle. Even if the casual player base is massive, Call of Duty’s competitive ecosystem benefits when the main game is built around stronger and more consistent hardware. Better visual clarity, smoother performance, and fewer legacy compromises can help make the game cleaner to watch and play — assuming Activision and the studios execute properly.
As for the reveal, nothing has been officially announced yet. But June is the likely window to watch, especially with the Xbox showcase coming up. Last year, Black Ops 7 made its first appearance through Xbox’s showcase, so it would not be surprising if Activision uses a similar stage again.
The next Call of Duty is rumoured to be another Modern Warfare entry, but until Activision shows it properly, treat that part as unconfirmed.
For now, the main takeaway is clear: PS4 is finally being left out of the next Call of Duty. For current-gen and PC players, that is good news. For everyone still holding onto last-gen, this might be the moment where the upgrade pressure really starts.
Source: Destructoid
