Just when you think Call of Duty might finally move on, a new rumour pulls it right back.

A fresh claim from a known leaker suggests Modern Warfare 4 is currently being playtested on PlayStation 4. There’s no official confirmation, but that hasn’t stopped the reaction, and it’s not exactly positive.

The concern is simple: if a 2026 shooter is still being built with last-gen hardware in mind, what’s it holding back? Players are already pointing to slower innovation, smaller technical jumps, and another year of “safe” design choices.

And this isn’t happening in a vacuum. Call of Duty has spent years straddling console generations, often prioritising scale and player count over pushing hardware limits. If this rumour holds any weight, it suggests that strategy isn’t changing anytime soon.

There’s also frustration around progression resets and ecosystem changes, especially when tied to a game that might not feel truly “next-gen” anyway. For some fans, that trade-off just doesn’t land.

Of course, leaks are leaks. Plans change, builds evolve, and testing doesn’t always reflect final targets. But the bigger picture is clear, players are starting to expect more than just incremental upgrades.

And if Modern Warfare 4 can’t deliver that, the backlash may already be loading.

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