Modern Warfare 4: Why CoD fans remain deeply skeptical

It’s official: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is coming after Black Ops 7 (PS5 version currently available for around $35 on Amazon). We have already reported separately on the specific details. Here, we take a look at how the reveal has been received by the community so far. In short: generally well. On Reddit, however, many fans remain deeply skeptical.

Instead of a generic terrorist threat, the focus this time is on a large-scale invasion by North Korea, trench warfare, urban battles and a parallel Price storyline unfolding in the shadows. On paper, that sounds more like a classic war experience than the most recent installments, which fans seem to appreciate. The return of DMZ is also being received positively. For some, the extraction mode even appears to be more exciting than the campaign or multiplayer.

Activision also promises reworked gunplay, better visibility, no bloom, new maps, Big War battles and a strong PC focus with DLSS 4.5, ray tracing and frame generation. However, fans no longer take such big promises at face value. In the Reddit thread for the reveal trailer, the prevailing sentiment is: “Looks good, but CoD trailers have always looked good.” Most users want to wait for gameplay previews and reviews before buying. Pre-orders appear to be of little interest to many.

What worries fans the most

The announced content of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 would clearly appeal to fans, provided it is actually implemented as promised – and does not fall victim to the live-service spiral shortly after launch. The community’s biggest concern right now seems to be that the serious military tone could once again be undermined by colorful crossover skins after just a few seasons. There is also skepticism toward monetization and pre-order packages. BlackCell, operator bundles, the Vault Edition and possible microtransactions are repeatedly mentioned critically in the discussion. Many fans fear that Modern Warfare 4 will start with a gritty campaign and grounded gunplay, only to eventually feel like a giant store with a shooter tacked on.