TheCall of Dutyfranchise has always been the subject of some of the most high-profile leaks in gaming, and while that’s only grown more true with each new entry, things have now gone to the extreme. For well over a year, it was leaked that this year’sCall of Dutywould be thesixth installment in theBlack Opsseriesand that it would be set during the Gulf War. But those are far from the only rumors circulating about theCall of Dutyfranchise right now.
Just a few weeks ago, leakers Visceral and VondyisPog claimed that the next 3-4 years ofCall of Dutyhad already been mapped out and that Infinity Ward would be handling 2026’sCall of Dutyentry. According to these leaks, this Infinity Ward entry could be some kind ofCall of Duty Ghostsremake or reboot, which has led some fans to believe that it could finally be the long-awaited origin story of fan-favoriteModern Warfarecharacter Ghost. While it’s all hearsay at this point, aCall of DutyGhost-focused prequel does sound like a fun idea, though it wouldn’t be without its downsides.
Infinity Ward’s Rumored Ghost Prequel Could Be a Double-Edged Sword
Call of Duty 2026 Could Deliver Something Fans Have Wanted for Years
First introduced in the original 2009Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,Simon “Ghost” Rileyquickly became one of the most iconic characters in the entire franchise. Despite appearing for only a few hours in total, Ghost made a sizable impression on fans, due in no small part to his skull-adorned mask and gruff voice acting. In a series that was often criticized for its archetypal, indistinguishable characters, Ghost stood out in the best way and became somewhat of a mascot for the franchise, despite meeting a grizzly end in his debut title.
When theCall of Duty: Modern Warfareseries was rebooted in 2019, many fans were quick to vocalize their desire to see Ghost in the game, but they’d have to wait a little longer to see him again. After being teased briefly inModern Warfare’s post-credits scene, Ghost made his rebooted debut inCall of Duty: Warzone, and then appeared as a primary character inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. But some fans still want to see more of Ghost, and in particular, more of the character’s mysterious origin, and the rumored 2026 Infinity WardCall of Dutycould finally give players exactly that.
Some Fan-Favorite Characters Can’t Show Up
An origin story revolving around Ghost wouldn’t come without its drawbacks. A Ghost origin story would presumably have to be set at least a few years beforeCall of Duty: Modern Warfare, and that would mean that the vast majority of theModern Warfarecast couldn’t appear in the game. Belovedcharacters like Soap, Gaz, and Pharahdon’t meet Ghost until around the time ofModern Warfare 2, so Infinity Ward wouldn’t be able to put them in the game. And though Captain Price could technically appear, he might not tie in too directly with Ghost’s origin. Ghost is a charming character, but a good portion of that charm only comes through when he’s bouncing off those around him.
Modern Warfare’s Future Might Be Put on Standby
Making Infinity Ward’s nextCall of Dutybe a Ghost origin story would also have a pretty sizable impact on the rest of theModern Warfareseries. Without spoiling too much,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3ended on some major cliffhangers, and if Infinity Ward’s next project is a Ghost prequel, then fans might not be given the conclusion to these events for years, asthe annualCall of Dutycyclewould likely see Sledgehammer and Treyarch produce the following yearly entries.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
WHERE TO PLAY
The war has changed. Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world. In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet
