Call of Duty is finally cutting loose from the PS4 and Xbox One era, and bro, this one hits a lot of budget-conscious players right in the wallet.
After years of annual Call of Duty releases still landing on last-gen machines, Activision has pushed back against rumours that the next entry — widely rumoured to be Modern Warfare 4 — is being tested for PS4. The official Call of Duty account posted on X that the claim was not true, adding that “the next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.”
That rumour originally came from Call of Duty leaker HeyImAlaix, who claimed over the weekend that Modern Warfare 4 was being playtested on PS4. Activision’s response basically shuts that down, and it strongly signals the franchise is finally leaving PS4 and Xbox One players behind after an unusually long cross-gen run.
Twelve years is a long time, honestly
Call of Duty first arrived on PS4 and Xbox One around 12 years ago. The series then moved into the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S generation about six years ago, but Activision kept supporting older machines far longer than usual.
For hardcore COD players, this move has been expected for ages. The PS4 and Xbox One versions have often felt rough, especially when newer entries try to push big maps, fast loading, high player counts, better lighting, and more detailed assets. Every year, the same complaint comes back: old hardware is holding the series back.
So from a tech perspective, this is probably healthy. If the next Call of Duty is built only around modern console hardware and PC, developers should have more room to improve performance, visuals, responsiveness, and multiplayer systems without designing around 2013-era boxes.
But from a Malaysia and SEA perspective? This is where it gets painful.
Bad timing for Malaysian players
A lot of players here are still on PS4. Not because they don’t want a PS5, but because console pricing has been brutal. Used PS4 units are still common in Malaysia, and plenty of casual COD squads are built around older hardware, shared family consoles, or second-hand setups.
The problem is that upgrading now is not cheap. According to the report, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S pricing is now over US$100 higher than launch pricing in some markets. Even if local Malaysian pricing moves differently depending on retailer, stock, bundles, and promos, the general reality is the same: current-gen gaming is expensive.
PC is not exactly the easy escape route either. Gaming PC parts have also been hit by rising RAM and GPU costs, which means building a COD-ready rig can still makan budget gila. For students, part-time workers, or anyone just trying to play multiplayer with friends after work, this transition could force an uncomfortable decision: upgrade, switch platforms, or drop out of the yearly COD cycle.
What about Game Pass and Switch 2?
There is one small bright spot: Xbox Game Pass recently received a price cut. But there is a catch — new Call of Duty games will no longer arrive on the service day-and-date. That makes Game Pass less of an instant solution for players hoping to avoid paying full price for the next entry.
Another big question is Nintendo. Microsoft previously promised to bring Call of Duty back to Nintendo platforms, but that plan has taken longer than expected. With Switch 2 now part of the conversation, fans will be watching closely to see whether the next COD finally appears there.
For now, the message is clear: if you are still playing Call of Duty on PS4 or Xbox One, the yearly upgrade train may finally be leaving the station without you. It is good news for the future of the series, but rough news for players in Malaysia and SEA who stretched their old consoles as long as possible.
Source: Kotaku