Activision called the game an "epic conclusion" to the Modern Warfare saga in a publication accompanying the new trailer. However, the company has not yet clarified whether this means the end of the entire modern Modern Warfare universe or just the conclusion of the storyline that began with the series' reboot in 2019.
The wording may turn out to be a mere marketing ploy, but it appeared amidst talks of possible changes in the Call of Duty structure. Earlier this week, Treyarch Design Director Kevin Drew stated that the studio is ready to "create something new and something no one has experienced before." This came after two consecutive Black Ops games, and the developer's words sparked speculation among fans about a possible hiatus for this sub-series or even Treyarch moving to an entirely new franchise.
If Modern Warfare and Black Ops indeed conclude their current story cycles, Call of Duty might be without one of its established sub-series for the first time since 2010. What Sledgehammer Games is currently doing is officially unknown. The studio previously worked on Advanced Warfare and then returned to the World War II theme with WWII and Vanguard.
The Modern Warfare story has already concluded once with a trilogy. The original series ended in 2011 with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Developers then discussed the possibility of a fourth installment, but did not make much progress on it and ultimately decided to create a new sub-series — Call of Duty: Ghosts.
After Ghosts and the subsequent Infinite Warfare, which received mixed reactions from players, Infinity Ward returned to Modern Warfare. The 2019 reboot became a new starting point for the series and at the same time laid the foundation for Warzone — a battle royale that subsequently became one of the key parts of the Call of Duty ecosystem.