Tyler Bahl, Activision's chief marketing officer, stated that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and Grand Theft Auto VI are the two biggest launches of 2026. The comment came during an interview with The Game Business and positions both titles above The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which releases on November 5, two weeks before GTA VI.
According to Bahl, GTA VI will have the greater impact on the industry and will drive players toward Modern Warfare 4. The executive acknowledged that the community sought something fresh from the franchise, and the new game delivers on that request with new mechanics and a tone distinct from recent consecutive Black Ops and Modern Warfare entries.
Activision also confirmed that the next Call of Duty sub-franchise will be entirely new, moving away from recent iterations. This marks a strategic shift after five consecutive years of Black Ops or Modern Warfare releases, responding to community calls for innovation.
Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23 with early campaign access starting October 16. The game will not be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch and starts at 70 dollars for the base edition.
