A leaker has claimed the multiplayer in next year’s Call Of Duty is a ‘copy’ of a prior entry, as a former veteran reflects on the current state of Activision.
Between lower than expected sales and increased competition from Battlefield 6, Call Of Duty’s future has never looked more shaky than after Black Ops 7.
As such, there’s more pressure on next year’s entry to restore the series’ position as the world’s biggest shooter. Based on leaks so far, all we know is that Call Of Duty 2026 will be a sequel to Modern Warfare 3 from Infinity Ward, with South Korea and North Korea rumoured to play a significant role in the campaign.
A new leak, however, suggests the multiplayer portion of the next Call Of Duty will be a repeat of what we’ve seen before – specifically 2022’s Modern Warfare 2 reboot.
According to prominent Call Of Duty leaker TheGhostOfHope, the multiplayer in Modern Warfare 4 ‘in its current state’ is a ‘complete copy of Modern Warfare 2 except for no perk charging system and less [aim down sights]/slide penalties…’
In a separate post on X, he added: ‘There is A TON of visual recoil on weapons in Modern Warfare 4, just like Modern Warfare 2. Like I said in my last tweet it’s pretty much a complete copy outside of a few little things.’
This suggests the next instalment will abandon the omnimovement mechanics introduced in last year’s Black Ops 6, which were further expanded in Black Ops 7. It doesn’t sound like a bad idea to give each subfranchise its own identity, but it does raise the question of how Modern Warfare 4 will differentiate itself from what we’ve seen already.
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It’s worth noting that the multiplayer could evolve from this alleged current state, before it launches next year, but it isn’t exactly an enticing prospect for Call Of Duty’s next swing.
The rumours follow comments from Glen Schofield, a co-founder of Call Of Duty studio Sledgehammer Games, posted on LinkedIn about the current state of Activision and EA, following their respective acquisitions, which according to him has seen them ‘fade from their roles as dominant publishers’.
‘When the news broke that Electronic Arts was being bought and likely scaled down, my mind immediately went to Activision and their acquisition by Microsoft. In the span of just a few years, the two publishing giants who shaped the last 20+ years of our industry have both entered new eras,’ Schofield wrote.
‘For me, it’s a bittersweet moment. I spent roughly a decade at each company, right in their primes. Watching them fade from their roles as dominant publishers and powerhouse training grounds hits harder than I expected.’
Schofield went onto describe his time at both EA and Activision, calling the latter a ‘storm of A-type personalities, but in the best way’.
‘They had Call of Duty experts who showed me the ropes and then tossed me straight into the fire,’ he added. ‘I loved my time there. Modern Warfare 3 was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, and Activision’s marketing team… they were on another planet. Their ideas and execution set a standard most companies still chase today.
‘So yes it’s tough to watch these companies step back from what they once were: major publishers, major developers, and incredible places to grow, learn, and sharpen your craft. They trained generations of us. They made careers. Mine included.
‘But there’s a bright side: it’s time for others to step up. New leaders. New studios. New publishers. Someone will take that mantle, we always do as an industry. And when they do, I hope they lead, teach, and invest in talent the way EA and Activision did. They set a bar that pushed all of us to be better.
‘They’re both still around, and I sincerely wish them success in whatever comes next.’
Along with 2011’s Modern Warfare 3, Schofield worked as a co-director on Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare and 2017’s WW2. During his stint at EA, he produced Dead Space and the 2005 James Bond game From Russia With Love, amongst others.
His latest game was 2022’s The Callisto Protocol under Krafton, which failed to meet sales expectations. He left developer Striking Distance, which he co-founded, earlier this year.
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