Activision Drops PS4, Xbox One for Next Call of Duty

Call of Duty players have long awaited the franchise's exit from last-gen consoles. Activision now confirms the next title skips PS4 and Xbox One support. Versions on the older hardware run poorly, fueling perceptions that it holds back the annual blockbuster shooter.

The announcement dismisses recent rumors. The series' social media account posted on X Monday that the next Call of Duty is not in development for PS4. The claim stemmed from leaker HeyImAlaix, who said over the weekend that the game—rumored as Modern Warfare 4—is undergoing PS4 playtests.

This marks the end of Activision's longest support period for prior-gen hardware. The franchise debuted on PS4 and Xbox One 12 years ago; PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions arrived six years ago. Activision has never extended old-console support this far into a new generation.

Older-system players now face exclusion from fresh content. Millions still play on PS4 and will miss the series' latest multiplayer without upgrading.

The timing stings amid rising costs. PS5 and Xbox Series X/S prices exceed launch figures by over $100, while gaming PC costs have surged due to RAM and GPU shortages.

Xbox Game Pass recently cut prices, but it will no longer receive new Call of Duty games day-and-date on last-gen. As fans await an official reveal this summer, questions linger about a Switch 2 port—Microsoft previously pledged a return to Nintendo's platform, though delays persist.