Activision Says GTA 6 and Call of Duty Will Dominate 2026

Activision believes GTA 6 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be the two biggest games of 2026, ahead of Nintendo's upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

According to VGC, Activision Chief Marketing Officer Tyler Bahl shared his opinion during an interview with The Game Business, where he discussed the competition between this year's major releases.

When asked whether GTA 6 and the Zelda remake were attracting the most attention, Bahl responded that he considered Rockstar's upcoming game and Modern Warfare 4 the year's two biggest releases.

Rather than viewing GTA 6 as a direct threat to Call of Duty, Bahl suggested that Rockstar's highly anticipated launch could benefit the entire gaming industry.

He explained that GTA 6 could encourage players who have been inactive for years to return to their PlayStation and Xbox consoles. This renewed activity could also increase interest in Modern Warfare 4 and other multiplayer games.

Bahl also discussed why Call of Duty has remained popular for more than two decades. According to Activision's internal research, players are often motivated by the opportunity to spend time with friends rather than combat mechanics alone.

The executive emphasized that cross-platform multiplayer remains one of the franchise's strengths, allowing friends to play together across PC and consoles.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled for October 23, 2026, followed by The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake on November 5 and GTA 6 on November 19.

Although Bahl considers GTA 6 and Modern Warfare 4 the biggest releases of the year, their commercial performance remains to be seen.