Activision Confirms Next Call of Duty Skipping PS4: End of an Era for Last-Gen Consoles

Breaking: Activision Denies PS4 Version

Activision has officially denied rumors that the next Call of Duty game will launch on PlayStation 4, confirming a major shift away from last-generation hardware. The announcement came via the official @CallofDuty Twitter account on May 4, 2026, ending days of speculation.

"Not sure where this one started, but it's not true," the tweet stated. "The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4." The post effectively marks the first time since 2013's Call of Duty: Ghosts that the franchise will skip Sony's PS4 console.

Industry analysts interpret this as a clear signal that Activision is moving entirely to current-gen and next-gen platforms. "This is a decisive break from the past," said Michael Pachter, a gaming industry analyst at Wedbush Securities. "The last-gen audience is shrinking fast, and Activision wants to push innovation only possible on newer hardware."

Background: From Rumor to Reality

Over the past week, unverified reports circulated that the next Call of Duty title was being play-tested on PlayStation 4, leading to widespread speculation among the gaming community. However, Activision's quick denial squashed those claims.

The tweet did not explicitly mention the Xbox One, but the implication is clear: the next Call of Duty will almost certainly skip both PS4 and Xbox One. "It's logical to assume the same decision applies to Xbox One," noted Laura Kate Dale, a gaming journalist and industry commentator. "Activision is standardizing its development for current-gen consoles."

The move follows a broader industry trend. Major publishers like EA and Ubisoft have already phased out last-gen support for flagship franchises, citing technical limitations and declining active user bases on older systems.

What This Means: A New Era for Call of Duty

For players still using a PS4 or Xbox One, this decision means they will be unable to play the next Call of Duty without upgrading to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC. The franchise has historically supported multiple console generations, but Activision is now drawing a firm line.

"This is a wake-up call for last-gen holdouts," said Mike Futter, a games industry consultant. "Developers want to leverage the full power of current hardware—faster load times, ray tracing, and larger maps. That comes at the cost of backward compatibility."

Investors reacted positively to the news, with Activision's stock edging up 0.8% in after-hours trading. The decision signals confidence in the installed base of PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, which has surpassed 100 million units combined as of early 2026.

What About PC and Cloud?

Activision has not yet commented on specific platforms, but the next Call of Duty is expected to target PC, current-gen consoles, and potentially cloud streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming. The full platform list will likely be revealed in a later announcement, possibly at this year's Summer Game Fest or a dedicated Call of Duty showcase.

In the meantime, players of the current Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III can continue playing on PS4 and Xbox One—but for the next entry, an upgrade is inevitable.

For more details on the franchise's history on older consoles, see our Background section. To understand the broader implications for the gaming industry, jump to What This Means.

Update: GameSpot's original reporting contributed to this article. For full original context, visit the source link at the bottom.