After two delays, Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to finally release on November 19 — right in the middle of the lucrative October to December holiday period. Normally, you'd get a barrage of triple-A games releasing around this time as everyone grapples for a slice of this market.
However, with analysts predicting that GTA 6 will be one of the largest media releases ever, no publisher is eager to try to directly compete with Rockstar's behemoth. As a result, the holiday period is surprisingly light on major releases, with many targeting the post-January period after some of Grand Theft Auto's hype cycle has died down.
One of the certainties in life, however, is the release of an annual Call of Duty game, and Activision doesn't back down for anyone. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is set to release a couple of weeks before GTA 6, on October 23.
Infinity Ward Doesn't Fear GTA 6 Competition
In an interview with Destructoid, Infinity Ward co-studio head Mark Grigsby said there's always pressure releasing a massive game, and Modern Warfare 4 is no different.
"I always feel pressure; I've been in this industry for 28 years, and every product that I have put out, I have the weight of the world, even not as a studio head, as a developer," he began. "It's a lot of pressure to make sure that you're creative enough to entertain the masses."
However, he isn't worried specifically about Grand Theft Auto 6. After all, Call of Duty is one of the few series that will sell well regardless of whatever else is coming out around the same time.
"I've been a fan of GTA since the top-down [games] back in the day. And I'm looking forward to playing it. Afraid of it? No... I think it's healthy for the industry to have juggernauts like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty and Fortnite, and whatever other major studio or product that comes out, to uplift... And you know, a little head-to-head, that's great," he said.
Modern Warfare 4 won't be day one on Game Pass, so we'll be able to properly gauge the commercial power of the series once more. There's little chance the game reaches the heights of Grand Theft Auto 6, but Infinity Ward will be reasonably confident that its core player base isn't going to have their heads turned by Rockstar.
Like Follow FollowedCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
First-Person Shooter Action Systems Released October 23, 2026 Developer(s) Infinity Ward Publisher(s) Activision Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op Prequel(s) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022), Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare III Franchise Call of DutyWHERE TO PLAY
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