NetEase Games revealed ECC: Redline, a free-to-play extreme-sports tactical shooter for PC and mobile, on October 9, 2026. The game immediately sparked heated debate as players and content creators noted striking similarities to Call of Duty: Warzone, from gunplay and UI to sound effects and camera blur mechanics. While many accuse NetEase of blatant copying, frustrated Warzone veterans say a polished alternative could finally pressure Activision to improve its battle royale experience.
Activision and Infinity Ward have unveiled Server Culling, a new anti-cheat system for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 that withholds hidden opponent location data from player hardware. The technology launches across every multiplayer map, Combat Outpost mode, and Warzone on October 23, 2026, aiming to make wallhacks functionally impossible by denying cheat software the information it needs to operate.
Activision has confirmed that double XP tokens in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will only count down during active matches instead of real-time, a change players have requested for years. Existing tokens from previous Call of Duty titles will also carry over to the new game launching 23rd October across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2.
Infinity Ward has announced that double XP tokens in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will only deplete while players are actively in a match, eliminating the long-standing frustration of tokens wasting away in pre-game lobbies. The studio also confirmed a new toggle to hide other players' cosmetic skins, with both changes arriving ahead of the game's fall 2026 launch window.
Microsoft has confirmed Activision will develop the next mainline Halo game as part of a sweeping Xbox Studios restructure that includes 268 layoffs. The move effectively guts Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, while folding Rare and World's Edge under the Call of Duty publisher's umbrella.
PlayStation's new popularity feature reveals Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 as the ninth most-played game on PS5 in the United States, surpassing the Call of Duty HQ app that bundles Black Ops 6, Black Ops 7, and Warzone. The 2012 title's resurgence follows Activision's summer ports of the first two Black Ops games, which dominated sales charts and suggest players are gravitating toward classic entries while awaiting Modern Warfare 4.
Activision and Infinity Ward have confirmed a fix is coming for Captain Price's missing hair in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 after screenshots from the closed beta showed the character looking unrecognizable at ultra-low graphics settings. The issue only appears at the lowest level of detail, but viral social media posts comparing the iconic operator to "Lieutenant Cost" forced a public response from the developers.
Modern Warfare 4's early access beta on Steam peaked at 115,145 concurrent players before plummeting to roughly 46,000 within a day, a near 50 percent drop that signals trouble for the shooter's PC launch. Steam reviews have settled at Mixed with 45 percent negative ratings, citing aim assist, time-to-kill, spawn logic, and map design as core problems. The truly open beta launches next week, but the early numbers paint a worrying picture for Activision's latest Call of Duty entry.
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Early Access Beta is now available on PlayStation 5, offering players their first hands-on look at the game's new movement mechanics, six multiplayer maps, and a playable Campaign mission. Weekend One runs through August 25, followed by an Open Beta weekend starting August 28 that adds Warzone Resurgence on the new Zodiac map. Progression carries over between weekends and rewards earned up to Level 30 will transfer to the full launch on October 23.
The gaming community is eagerly awaiting news on Call of Duty: NEXT and Modern Warfare 4, but official sources have not released any concrete details. Current coverage from major outlets focuses on other upcoming titles like NBA 2K27 and The Sinking City 2 instead.
