Call of Duty is going back to Modern Warfare in 2026, and Infinity Ward is not treating it like another routine annual entry. The studio has confirmed it is making what it calls “the definitive Modern Warfare,” with new co-studio heads Mark Grigsby and Jack O’Hara leading the project.
That line carries extra weight after the series spent the last few years dealing with fatigue around back-to-back subseries releases. Activision has already said future Call of Duty games should deliver more meaningful change instead of feeling like small yearly steps, and Infinity Ward now has to prove that with the next Modern Warfare.
Infinity Ward’s public message is built around a reset. The studio says it is focused on “visceral, immersive combat” and describes its next game as the result of passion, precision, and a drive to make top-tier entertainment.
That is a polished studio language, but the timing makes it more interesting. Infinity Ward is now under fresh leadership, and Call of Duty 2026 will be the first major test of how that new setup changes the series’ most recognizable modern branch.
The studio has not revealed the official title yet. Rumors have pointed toward Modern Warfare 4, but Activision and Infinity Ward have only confirmed that the 2026 game is a new Modern Warfare entry.
The Modern Warfare name still sells, but it also comes with pressure. Modern Warfare in 2019 helped refresh Call of Duty with heavier gunplay, a sharper campaign tone, and a new era for multiplayer and Warzone. The follow-ups kept the brand alive, but fans have been more divided over how fresh the later entries felt.
That is why the word “definitive” matters. Players will expect more than familiar operators, military set pieces, and small multiplayer changes. A new Modern Warfare has to show why Infinity Ward is returning to this side of the series now.
Activision has also been clear that it wants future games to avoid the feeling of back-to-back repetition. That puts the 2026 release in a tricky but important spot: it has to feel like Modern Warfare without playing like another yearly refresh.
One major detail remains unclear: platforms. The next Call of Duty may skip PS4 and Xbox One, while other retailer-style listings and rumors have suggested older hardware could still be involved. Activision has not officially confirmed the platform list yet.
A clean break from last-gen consoles could give Infinity Ward more room for visual, technical, and systems-level upgrades. Keeping older hardware would protect a larger player base but could limit how far the game can push forward.
Until Activision gives the full rollout, the safest confirmed information is that Infinity Ward is leading a new Modern Warfare for 2026.
The announcement tells players the direction, but not the game. There is no official campaign reveal, multiplayer breakdown, beta date, release date, or Warzone integration plan yet.
Those details will decide whether Infinity Ward’s “definitive” promise lands with fans. For now, Call of Duty 2026 is officially a new Modern Warfare, and the next reveal has to show how Infinity Ward plans to make the series feel sharper instead of simply familiar.
