Infinity Ward officially confirms Call of Duty's 2026 release will be a new Modern Warfare title

Infinity Ward used a May 22 studio statement to confirm that Call of Duty’s 2026 installment will be a new Modern Warfare game, ending months of speculation over which Activision team would handle the next mainline release. (infinityward.com) The Los Angeles-based studio said it is building “the definitive Modern Warfare,” language that immediately framed the project as a core-series entry rather than a spinoff or side release. Infinity Ward’s website now carries a front-page message about its “next game,” describing it as a “visceral, immersive combat” experience without giving a formal title, release date or platform list. (thesixthaxis.com) The confirmation matters because Activision’s annual Call of Duty cadence has long rotated among internal studios, and Infinity Ward is the developer most closely tied to the Modern Warfare subseries. The company has not yet published a full reveal page for the 2026 game, but multiple outlets on May 22 reported that the announcement came through official Infinity Ward messaging and related franchise channels. ### Where did Infinity Ward actually confirm it? Infinity Ward’s own website is the clearest primary source now publicly visible. The site says the studio’s “next game” is being built with “passion, precision, obsession” and describes it as a project pushing “every detail, every system, every moment to its limit.” While that page does not spell out “Modern Warfare” in the excerpt surfaced by search, TheSixthAxis and Dexerto both reported on May 22 that Infinity Ward separately confirmed the 2026 game is a new Modern Warfare title. (infinityward.com) TheSixthAxis reported that Infinity Ward co-studio head Brian Bloom said the team is making “the definitive Modern Warfare.” Pure Xbox, citing the same official messaging, also reported Infinity Ward described the game as a “visceral, immersive” Modern Warfare project. (thesixthaxis.com) ### What do we know about the game itself? The phrase “the definitive Modern Warfare” is the most specific official description available so far. Infinity Ward has not disclosed a subtitle, campaign setting, multiplayer features, supported modes or a release window beyond 2026 in the material surfaced on May 22 and May 23. (infinityward.com) Dexerto reported the studio’s confirmation followed months of leaks and rumors about a Modern Warfare follow-up. NME, citing the May 22 reporting, said Infinity Ward also promised “meaningful, not incremental” innovation, though a full official product breakdown has not yet been published on Infinity Ward’s news archive. (thesixthaxis.com) ### Are the PS4 and Game Pass details official too? Gagadget reported that the 2026 Modern Warfare will not launch on PlayStation 4 and will not be available on Game Pass at release. That report also said the game could arrive on Game Pass roughly a year later, after Microsoft changed Game Pass policy in April 2026. (infinityward.com) Those platform and subscription details have not been confirmed on Infinity Ward’s website in the material currently visible, and they should be treated as reported details rather than fully corroborated official specifications. (dexerto.com) NME separately echoed the Game Pass-at-launch point in its own coverage, but did not change the fact that Infinity Ward has not yet posted a public platform matrix or storefront page. ### Why is Infinity Ward’s wording getting attention? Infinity Ward’s use of “definitive” stands out because the Modern Warfare name is one of Call of Duty’s most commercially important labels. (gagadget.com) The studio is the original creator of the subseries and led the 2019 reboot as well as later entries tied to that continuity. Its website now says a “new chapter begins for this studio,” pairing the franchise confirmation with broader recruiting-style language about the team’s direction. Pure Xbox reported that official messaging emphasized ambition, while outside coverage framed the announcement as a formal end to rumor-driven reporting about the 2026 slot. (nme.com) That leaves the current picture narrow but clear: Infinity Ward has confirmed the series direction, but not yet the full package around it. ### What comes next, and what is still missing? As of May 23, Infinity Ward has not published a full reveal trailer, release date, or complete platform list on its website. A separate report from Tbreak said a fuller reveal is scheduled for June 4, 2026, during the NBA Finals, but that timing has not been confirmed in the primary studio materials reviewed here. (infinityward.com) The next concrete milestone will be an official Activision or Infinity Ward reveal page that names the game, lists supported platforms, and sets preorders or a release window. Until then, the confirmed facts are limited to the May 22 studio acknowledgment, Infinity Ward’s leadership role, and the studio’s description of the project as “the definitive Modern Warfare.” (infinityward.com) (tbreak.com) (purexbox.com)