Call of Duty Finally Drops PS4 and Xbox One as Activision Confirms the Next Entry Is Current Gen Only

Activision has officially stepped in to shut down one of the biggest Call of Duty rumors circulating this week, confirming that the next mainline entry in the franchise is not being developed for PlayStation 4. The clarification came directly from the official Call of Duty account, which posted: “Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.” That wording is narrow on paper, but in practical terms it signals something much bigger for the series. After years of continuing cross generation releases far beyond what many fans expected, Call of Duty is now effectively leaving eighth generation hardware behind.

Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) May 4, 2026

The rumor that sparked the backlash claimed the next Call of Duty, widely believed to be Modern Warfare 4, was being tested on PS4, which immediately reignited long running frustration among players who feel the series has been held back by older hardware. Activision’s response does not mention Xbox One by name, but it would make little sense for the company to skip PS4 while still supporting Microsoft’s equivalent last generation system. That is why most industry coverage has treated the statement as a de facto confirmation that the next Call of Duty is being built for current generation platforms only, even if Activision chose not to spell out every platform in one sentence.

For fans who have been asking Activision to move on, this is a notable milestone. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S launched in November 2020, which means Call of Duty has continued supporting the previous generation for nearly 6 years into the current cycle. That is an unusually long overlap, even for a franchise built around massive yearly reach and broad install base economics. The decision to finally cut PS4 support suggests Activision is now ready to let the next entry target newer hardware more directly, which could have real implications for visual fidelity, scale, performance, and system level design.

That shift also matters because recent cross generation releases have not exactly quieted complaints. Last generation versions of recent Call of Duty entries have often been seen as compromises, and many players have argued that the series’ ambition on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S has been constrained by the need to maintain compatibility with 2013 era machines. While Activision has not framed the move in those terms, ending PS4 development support strongly suggests the publisher is finally aligning the franchise with where the hardware market has already been for years.

There is still one important caveat. Activision has only confirmed that the next game is not being developed for PS4. It has not yet formally announced the title itself, the full platform list, or whether there are any unusual exceptions in development planning. Still, the official statement is clear enough to end the specific rumor that the next Call of Duty would continue on PlayStation 4. For all practical purposes, this looks like the moment Call of Duty finally closes the book on last generation consoles.

From a market perspective, this is overdue but important. Call of Duty is one of the few annual franchises large enough to keep old hardware alive far longer than most series could justify. By finally stepping away from PS4 and, by strong implication, Xbox One, Activision is signaling that the next phase of the franchise will be judged on what it can do for today’s console audience rather than how long it can stretch aging hardware. For a series that defines the commercial center of the shooter market almost every year, that is a meaningful reset.

What do you think, is Activision making this move too late, or is now the right moment for Call of Duty to fully commit to current generation hardware?