Activision's yearly Call of Duty releases have been sequels in established sub-franchises for a few years now, with the 2026 release being a new Modern Warfare 4. But next year's tentpole release will be different, Activision says, admitting the series needs the kind of "tonal shift" it hasn't had since 2021's Call of Duty: Vanguard.
Talking to The Game Business, Call of Duty's marketing lead, Tyler Bahl, confirms next year's Call of Duty will be a "new sub-franchise" like Vanguard. This is in response to feedback from players who want something fresh and new from the prolific FPS series.
"It was not something that our community was looking for," says Bahl, referring to the string of Modern Warfare and Black Ops games. "They wanted something fresh, and even though there were different time settings, and ways to play the game with new features, that tonal shift is something that they were looking for.
"So, we've already stated that a future title is going to be a new sub-franchise and we've already laid the groundwork. But we're really excited about Modern Warfare 4, and that addresses some of that feedback."
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is releasing on PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and – for the first time on a Nintendo platform since Call of Duty: Ghosts in 2013 – Nintendo Switch 2 on October 23. We've yet to see what Bahl means when he says it addresses feedback from players wanting new experiences, but the campaign centers around the Korean Peninsula and the threat of a full-scale invasion that could lead to global destabilization. Other confirmed campaign locations include New York, Paris, and Mumbai.
Previously, multiplayer technical designer Jack Hoppus said Modern Warfare 4 should feel "ripped from the headlines" with a "boots on the ground" lens.
