Activision Is Applying Black Ops Port Lessons to Modern Warfare 4
Activision CMO Tyler Bahl told The Game Business that Modern Warfare 4 is "leaning into the nostalgia" of playing with friends as the team applies lessons from the Black Ops ports.
Activision chief marketing officer Tyler Bahl said the company is applying the lessons it learned from the Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 ports to PS4 and PS5 to Modern Warfare 4 and future Call of Duty games. Bahl made the comments in an interview with The Game Business.
Bahl said the ports were huge successes that performed better than the company expected, and that the results pointed to pent-up demand for nostalgia among Call of Duty players.
"For Modern Warfare 4, I think there's a lot there," Bahl said, describing how the game leans into the nostalgia of playing with friends. The claim comes as Activision prepares to reveal more about the shooter.
Background
Earlier in 2026, the Black Ops 1 and 2 ports were released and, according to analysts, were regular chart toppers with positive buzz. Around the same time, the developers shifted Black Ops 7's matchmaking to more closely resemble that of its successful predecessors.
Call of Duty sales have steadily dipped over the years, and Battlefield reigned supreme as the best-selling shooter of 2026. An Activision exec also said the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake does not rate against GTA 6 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 as the biggest games of the year.
Quick answers
What did Activision say about the Black Ops 1 and 2 ports?
CMO Tyler Bahl said the ports were huge successes that performed better than the company expected, and showed pent-up demand for nostalgia.
How are the Black Ops port lessons being applied to Modern Warfare 4?
Bahl said Activision is applying what it learned from the ports to Modern Warfare 4 and future Call of Duty games, with Modern Warfare 4 leaning into the nostalgia of playing with friends.
Where did Tyler Bahl make these comments?
In an interview with The Game Business.