We all know that there’s going to be another Call of Duty game coming out from Infinity Ward, the remaining developer to iterate a game in Activision’s three-year cycle of Call of Duty games. However, the fact that a new Call of Duty game is coming out is all that we know for certain. That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from doing plenty of speculation on the new Call of Duty, though. Plenty of signs point to the new game being titled Modern Warfare 4, although not even that is a certainty.

Just keep in mind that nothing on this rumor list is certain or confirmed yet. Feel free to do your own digging on what is or isn’t true about the next game, but keep an open mind.

Modern Warfare 4 Will Not Have a Battle Royale Mode

This is both a surprising and not surprising move coming from Infinity Ward and Activision. The Battle Royale format of shooters is undoubtedly popular right now, with plenty of competition. Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment are the latest to enter this crowded arena with the hugely popular Apex Legends. But maybe that’s the reason there won’t be a Battle Royale with the next Call of Duty. There are so many Battle Royale games out there, and a new one may be overlooked, whether it has the Call of Duty brand or not.

Modern Warfare 4 Will Have a Single Player Campaign

This rumor has some official backing behind it. According to an earnings call by Activision president Rob Kostich, the next Call of Duty will feature “an entirely new campaign.” This heavily implies that the next Call of Duty will have a single player campaign, but what it’s about (or even if it takes place in the Modern Warfare setting) is still a mystery. Also implied during this earnings call was that there is going to be “some fun co-op gameplay”. What that means right now is anyone’s guess.

Modern Warfare 4 Will Not Have Zombies

This is perhaps the biggest surprise to come out of the rumor mill concerning the next Call of Duty game, considering the popularity of the Zombies mode in games past. According to Gaming Intel, instead of Zombies, Modern Warfare 4 will feature “something more reminiscent of Modern Warfare 3’s Survival mode.” Maybe this is the “co-op gameplay” hinted at previously, but again, at this point, who knows.

Modern Warfare 4 Multiplayer Will Not Have Specialists

Perhaps the one rumor that’s been buzzing the most is the apparent exclusion of Specialists. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the controversial Specialists have been a part of Call of Duty since Black Ops 3. Even WWII, the Sledgehammer Games iteration of Call of Duty that came out before Black Ops 4, had something similar (but certainly not identical) with its Divisions system. If this rumor is indeed true, it will represent a considerable change coming into Modern Warfare 4, and indeed a return to the franchise roots. We’ll have to wait and see if this is a good thing.

Competitive Scene Thoughts

Many pros in the competitive Call of Duty scene have strong opinions on Specialists. Some pros have made names for themselves with their use of Specialist abilities. Most recently Brandon “Dashy” Otell’s skills with the Tempest at CWL Las Vegas in 2018. Meanwhile, others decry the inclusion of the Specialists’ gameplay-altering powers, with one example being Seraph banned through a “gentleman’s agreement” among pros. We’ll have to wait and see if this exclusion of Specialist abilities is a good thing.

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