The next major Call of Duty game appears to be drawing a clear line between old and new hardware. After several days of speculation online, Activision has confirmed that the upcoming entry in the franchise is not being developed for PlayStation 4.
The discussion started after claims spread across social media suggesting that the next Call of Duty title was being tested for PS4. That quickly led fans to believe the game could still arrive on Sony’s last-generation console. Activision, however, has now made it clear that this is not the case.
Responding through the official Call of Duty account on May 4, 2026, the company said it was unsure where the rumor began, but stressed that it was not accurate. The message confirmed that the next Call of Duty is not in development for PS4.
This would represent an important shift for the long-running shooter series. For years, Call of Duty continued to support older platforms even after newer consoles became the main focus. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, released last year, was still available on both PS4 and Xbox One, giving last-gen players one more mainline release.
Now, that approach seems to be changing.
Although Activision’s statement only directly mentions PlayStation 4, the move raises obvious questions about Xbox One as well. The company has not yet confirmed whether Microsoft’s last-gen console will also be excluded, but if PS4 is being dropped, Xbox One is likely facing the same outcome.
The decision is not especially surprising. As modern shooters become larger and more technically demanding, older consoles have increasingly struggled to keep pace with current-generation expectations. Differences in graphics, loading speed, performance, and overall scale have become more visible between last-gen and current-gen versions of major games.
Other major shooter franchises have already taken a similar path. Battlefield Studios, for example, left previous-generation consoles behind with Battlefield 6, explaining that the game’s intended scope could not be achieved on older hardware.
Activision has not officially revealed the name of this year’s Call of Duty yet. Some reports have pointed to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 as a possibility, but that title remains unconfirmed for now.
There is also an important Game Pass detail for players to know. According to Microsoft, the next Call of Duty will not be added to Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass on release day. Instead, new Call of Duty games are expected to arrive on the service roughly a year after launch.
While players wait for the official reveal, Black Ops 7 and Warzone continue to receive new content. Recent midseason updates added more weapons, maps, modes, and a limited-time RoboCop crossover event.
For PS4 players, though, the message is becoming clear: Call of Duty is preparing to move forward without last-generation hardware.