Call of Duty 2026 confirmed Modern Warfare

Activision’s next Call of Duty has moved out of rumor territory and into official messaging. Dexerto reported on May 22 that Infinity Ward confirmed 2026’s installment is a new Modern Warfare game, citing the May 21 episode of COD POD and follow-up comments from studio leadership. The confirmation gives the franchise its next developer and subseries before Activision has announced a full reveal, release date or platform slate. It also lands two weeks before Microsoft’s June 7 Xbox Games Showcase, where Xbox has said it will present news on upcoming titles from its own studios and third-party partners. ### Where did the confirmation actually come from? May 21’s COD POD episode carried the clearest official signal yet that Infinity Ward is leading the 2026 game. Dexerto said the episode identified Infinity Ward as the studio behind this year’s Call of Duty and described the project as “the definitive Modern Warfare.” (dexerto.com) Mark Grigsby and Jack O’Hara, identified by Dexerto as Infinity Ward studio heads, also posted a statement saying the studio was beginning “a new chapter” and was ready to start sharing what it had been building. Dexerto quoted the pair saying the next game was built with “passion, precision, obsession” and an “unrelenting drive” to make the best entertainment in the industry. (dexerto.com) ### Why does “Modern Warfare” matter here? Infinity Ward’s last mainline release was 2022’s Modern Warfare 2, according to Dexerto. The outlet noted that while Modern Warfare 3 arrived in 2023, that title was led by Sledgehammer Games rather than Infinity Ward. (dexerto.com) The wording matters because it ties the 2026 game back to one of Call of Duty’s most commercially important branches. Dexerto said the title has been heavily rumored as “Modern Warfare 4,” though no official name was announced in the report. ### What has not been announced yet? (dexerto.com) Activision has not publicly detailed gameplay, a release date or a formal title in the material Dexerto cited. The report said only that the game is officially a new Modern Warfare entry from Infinity Ward. (dexerto.com) Dexerto also reported two negative confirmations: the game will not release on PlayStation 4, and it will not be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one. The outlet presented other details about setting and mechanics as leaks rather than confirmed facts. (dexerto.com) ### Could Xbox’s June showcase be the next place to watch? June 7 is the next fixed date on the calendar. Xbox Wire said on March 30 that Xbox Games Showcase 2026 will air that Sunday at 10 a.m. Pacific, followed immediately by a Gears of War: E-Day Direct. Xbox said the presentation would include first gameplay looks and “huge news” on upcoming titles from first-party studios and third-party partners around the world. (dexerto.com) Dexerto did not say Call of Duty would appear at the event, but it said more news was expected in the coming weeks, “especially with the Xbox Games Showcase in June.” That leaves the showcase as the most obvious near-term public milestone for any broader Activision marketing beat. (news.xbox.com) ### What should readers watch for next? June 7 is the next concrete checkpoint because Xbox has already published the showcase date, start times and format. Xbox said the event begins at 1 p.m. Eastern in the United States and will be followed by a week of additional coverage on Xbox Wire, the Official Xbox Podcast and Xbox’s YouTube channel. (dexerto.com) Activision and Infinity Ward have not yet posted a separate full reveal schedule in the material reviewed here. Until that changes, the next verifiable step is whether either company uses the June 7 Xbox showcase window — or the days around it — to put a title, trailer or release timing on the new Modern Warfare. (dexerto.com) (news.xbox.com)