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We’re still months away from the next big Call of Duty release cycle wrapping up, but the leaks machine has already moved onto 2026, and it sounds like Infinity Ward is learning to polish their rifle again, just like Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket.

According to several well-known Call of Duty leakers, the 2026 game is set to continue the rebooted Modern Warfare series that started back in 2019. Nothing has been officially announced by Activision yet, but if the reports are accurate, this will effectively be Modern Warfare 4, even if that’s not the final name on the box.

Infinity Ward has been alternating with Treyarch and Sledgehammer for years now, and Modern Warfare remains the biggest sub-brand Call of Duty has. Activision tends to go where the money is, and Modern Warfare still pulls huge numbers despite the series catching plenty of criticism lately.

The current rumours suggest Infinity Ward is dialling things back a bit compared to the more arcade-style movement seen in recent Black Ops games. Some leaks claim the studio wants a more grounded feel again, although apparently there are still plans for near-future gadgets and tech rather than a completely realistic military shooter. And you can still probably shoot people dressed as Nicki Minaj.

There’s also comms chatter that the game could still release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That might sound wild for a 2026 release, but Call of Duty has stuck with older hardware longer than most major franchises, mostly because the install base is still massive.

Another point doing the rounds is Game Pass. We know 2026 Call of Duty won’t launch day one on Microsoft’s subscription service, despite Xbox now owning Activision. That’ll probably disappoint some players who assumed every future COD would instantly hit Game Pass at launch, but hey, that was then, this is now..

At this stage, it’s all still unofficial, so take the details with the usual Call of Duty leak caution.