Call of Duty players are divided over reports that the 2025 instalment will still support PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Call of Duty has been a consistent annual release since 2005, achieving the most successful video game franchise created in the US and the second best-selling video game franchise of all time.
But as hardware advances, fans have long called for a shift in focus from quantity to quality.
Most major franchises have moved on from last-gen consoles, prioritising next-gen features and performance.
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For example, Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI will not be available on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, likely pushing millions of players to upgrade.
However, it looks like Call of Duty isn’t ready to cut ties with older hardware just yet. According to CharlieIntel, a trusted source for COD news, the upcoming 2025 release is in development for last-gen consoles.
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“Call of Duty 2025 could still release on PS4 and Xbox One, per sources," he posted on X.
"Supporting last-gen in 2025 is a wild decision, but the game is in development for the old consoles, from what we’ve heard."
Considering we are now five years into the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S era, this news has left many next-gen players disappointed.
CharlieIntel added that there 'still remains many players on last-gen consoles, which could be the driving factor behind the decision.'
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Some players support the move, understanding that many gamers still use last-gen consoles and may not be able to afford an upgrade.
"There are many players in the previous generation, correct decision, whether you like it or not," one fan wrote.
Others are outraged, believing last-gen support is holding back the franchise.
"they gotta let Warzone go on PS4 and Xbox One it’s so buns it’s not even worth playing," one player complained.
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"Why are we still supporting consoles from 12 years ago?!" exclaimed another whilst someone else remarked: "Still releasing games on last gen consoles is insane."
The problem is that keeping PS4 and Xbox One in the mix affects everyone, regardless of which console they use.
Those on Sony's PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or PC get a game that is limited by last-gen hardware, meaning it can’t push graphics, map size or performance as far as it could.
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At the moment, Warzone isn't capable of handling two large maps at one time due to last-gen spec constraints, CharlieIntel explained.
Not to mention, the multiplayer game doesn’t run or look particularly great on older hardware, so it's basically a lose/lose for everyone.
Meanwhile, Xbox has also promised to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms going forward, meaning future games in the franchise will still have to support lower-powered devices.
As for the Call of Duty 2025 itself, rumours suggest it will be a sequel to 2012’s Black Ops 2, set in the 2030s.
No official details have been confirmed, but if the game does stick with last-gen hardware, frustrated fans can only hope the series finally moves on with Call of Duty 2026.