Activision executive calls GTA 6 and Modern Warfare 4 the year's biggest games

Activision marketing director Tyler Bahl has identified GTA 6 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 as the two biggest games of the year. He was asked whether the new The Legend of Zelda could draw attention away from Call of Duty.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 October 23, while GTA 6 is not announced for the console. GTA 6 and the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time are expected in November.

Activision points to cross-platform play

Bahl said increased attention to games could bring more people back to their consoles and expand the audience for Modern Warfare 4 and GTA 6. He presented Call of Duty’s social experience as a particular advantage, with play available across Switch 2, PC, Xbox and PlayStation.

Circana data favors Call of Duty

Mat Piscatella, Circana’s senior director and a video game industry analyst, said purchase intent among US console and PC players stood at 15% for Modern Warfare 4 in August, compared with 10% for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Piscatella noted that the figures cover the entire US console and PC gaming audience. Zelda’s lower percentage could therefore be more significant because fewer Americans own a Switch 2 than a PS5, Xbox Series X|S or gaming PC.