The Call of Duty franchise might still grace the PS4 and Xbox One with its presence this year. As we all know, this series has a history of sticking around on older consoles even after their manufacturers have moved on. Remember when Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 launched on the PS3 and Xbox 360 two years after introducing the PS4 and Xbox One? Well, it appears we might be witnessing a similar scenario again.
A recent report indicates that Activision could potentially release its 2025 installment of Call of Duty on last-generation machines five years after the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S launched. According to sources cited by CharlieIntel, an outlet well-known for its detailed franchise coverage, last-gen versions are in development to launch alongside their next-gen counterparts this winter.
The notion of supporting older consoles in 2025 raises eyebrows. However, considering that many players still enjoy gaming on their trusty PS4s, it’s easy to see why Activision might feel compelled to cater to this audience. After all, last year, Sony reported that over 49 million users were still active on PS4. That’s quite a substantial player base!
At this point in their respective lifecycles, the PS5 is only slightly behind the PS4 in sales. Meanwhile, reports suggest that sales for Microsoft’s consoles have not been as robust as expected. This context makes it all the more interesting that Activision would consider continuing support for last-gen platforms.
This year’s Call of Duty titles are integrated into a single launcher across all platforms. If Activision decides not to release next year’s game on specific systems, it could create complications for that launcher. The interconnected nature of these games means that decisions made about one title can significantly impact others, like how players interact with the ever-popular Warzone.
