Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is shaping up to be one of the biggest releases of 2026, but two emerging stories are stirring debate among fans. The game marks the franchise’s long-awaited return to a Nintendo platform after a 13-year absence dating back to Ghosts on the Wii U, launching on Switch 2 simultaneously with PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. However, reports now suggest that anyone hoping to buy a true physical copy for Nintendo’s new console will be left disappointed.
According to independent retailer Video Game Plus, as reported by Eurogamer, the Switch 2 edition of Modern Warfare 4 will be a code-in-box release rather than shipping with a Game Key Card. That means buyers will receive a download voucher locked to a single eShop account, effectively eliminating the ability to resell or lend the game. The retailer announced it would refuse to stock the title on principle, stating that “physical games should actually be physical games.” Activision has not yet confirmed the format, and it remains unclear whether the PlayStation and Xbox versions will include traditional discs either.
The decision, if confirmed, would mean Activision bypassed Nintendo’s Game Key Card system — a feature specifically designed to preserve the resale value of physical purchases even when no cartridge is included. Modern Warfare 4 would join a growing list of major titles abandoning true physical media, with Grand Theft Auto 6 and a rumored Diablo 4 Switch 2 port reportedly taking the same approach.
Meanwhile, the game’s first beta weekend has delivered strong but not record-breaking results on PC. Steam data tracked by SteamDB shows the beta peaked at 115,145 concurrent players — a solid showing that surpassed last year’s Black Ops 7 beta peak of 100,000 but fell short of the 168,330-player record set by Infinity Ward’s own Modern Warfare 2 beta in 2022. The first weekend was restricted primarily to players who pre-ordered the game, which likely capped participation numbers.
The Steam figures look considerably more modest when measured against the competition. Battlefield 6’s recent open beta reached a towering 521,079 concurrent players on the platform, dwarfing Modern Warfare 4’s early access numbers. Of course, Steam represents only a slice of the player base, with additional participants spread across Battle.net, the Microsoft Store, and consoles. The second beta weekend, which introduces a Warzone sampler along with new maps and modes and opens to all players for free, could push those numbers significantly higher.
Infinity Ward has been actively refining the experience throughout the beta period, rolling out patches that added a new map, a new mode, and additional playlists. Players on Switch 2 will get their own chance to test performance when the open beta begins later this week, offering a campaign mission, multiplayer content, and a first look at Warzone on Nintendo hardware.