Modern Warfare 4 Must Do Price Vs. Ghost Justice, but can it do it?

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has long been expected to be the franchise's 2026 entry, and the game's reveal trailer has confirmed as much. Developed by Infinity Ward for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch 2, MW4 campaign will include Modern warfares brand of globetrotting. Half of Activision's latest FPS will explore South Korean soldiers surviving behind enemy lines in North Korea, while the other half will take place in places like New York, Paris and Mumbai. It is the latter half that will take a long time Cod fans are particularly interested, as that installment will focus on the “vengeful” Captain Price's story – a story that puts him directly in conflict with former Task Force 141 ally Ghost.

For those who either skipped or forgot Modern Warfare 3s campaign, a brief recap can explain why Ghost and Price fight against each other instead of together. Under General Shepherd's orders, Task Force 141 was told to keep Makarov alive after he was captured. This decision eventually allowed Makarov to escape, spreading terror and killing Price's beloved friend, Soap. Embracing Makarov's philosophy of leaving no loose ends, and due to Shepherd's choice to leave Makarov alive cost Soap his life (not to mention Shepherd orchestrating the Shadow Company's betrayal in MW2), Price executed Shepherd. While this prevented Shepherd from wreaking as much havoc as he did in the classic trilogy, Price is of course being hunted by the US military and – seemingly – Task Force 141. But given Cods history, it's hard to imagine that Price vs. Ghost is in Modern Warfare 4 will have the effect it should.

Modern Warfare 4 goes all-in on Ghost vs. Captain Price

Instead of ending the reveal trailer for MW4 with a huge backdrop, Infinity Ward opts for a completely different kind of wow moment: a face-off between Price and Ghost. While this is an end point for a trailer would be one thing, as it could just be engagement bait to create hype, the key art for the next Modern warfare doubles this conflict. The image, shown above, represents this head-to-head encounter between Ghost and Price, highlighting just how important this fight will be. Or at least how important it is bark be.

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Call of Duty fans are likely to lose their minds over the possibilities of a breakout from Task Force 141. Maybe MW4 could allow players to choose sides before Ghost and Price's big showdown, choosing the winner and changing the climax of the story. Maybe there will be an emotional boss fight where Price and Ghost beat each other down and talk back and forth about how close they once were. Gaz may have to play peacemaker or decide who to support, betray or work with his mentor. All of these scenarios sound promising, but there's also a very real concern: Ghost vs. Price may just be a disappointing marketing ploy.

Modern Warfare 4 needs to be more like Resident Evil Requiem, Less like Halo 5

Halo 5: Guardians is practically the poster child for misleading video game marketing, as the two, despite teasing a massive war between Locke and Master Chief, mostly stay out of each other's way throughout the campaign. Yes, they have a brief scuffle, but things end before they get serious, and it doesn't take long for the two to realize they're not enemies. Even worse, said “fight” takes place in a movie, which blows up the possibility of having players fight against the almighty Master Chief. It's no secret Halo 5The campaign was disappointing, and a major reason is that it presents itself as something it's not.

The key art for MW4 evocative Halo 5: Guardians So vibes will obviously be a red flag. Pitting two Call of Duty icons against each other is an exciting idea on paper, but the execution is what really matters, and there are good reasons to worry. Believing that Infinity Ward will get the narrative weight of this moment right is hard to do after the mess MW3 the story it had a part in, and it is even harder to imagine Call of Duty nail a boss battle between two of its biggest action heroes. The series has a history of lacking boss fights – we've only really seen mediocre stealth and tank battles in the reboot Modern warfare subseries, and absolutely nothing fitting about Ghost and Captain Price going at it. A long-range shootout with one of the characters having a lot of health wouldn't feel right either, but it's easy to imagine that or a fully choreographed fight scene like Halo 5 to be all the fans get.

Obviously, the fight being just a shootout or cutscene would be a shame, but it's hard not to see that as a real possibility. Call of Duty has historically struggled with big encounters, especially in grounded settings, often using QTEs or on-rail sequences to eliminate big bads. It could easily happen again MW4but to keep the glass half full, it's worth highlighting a good example that Infinity Ward can follow: Resident Evil Requiem. The latest entry in Capcom's famous horror franchise finally features a meeting between Leon and HUNK, and while brief, it certainly lives up to expectations. Proper melee with parries, close-range gunfights, and strategy are all present in this hard-hitting fight, and that's exactly what Ghost vs. Price should offer. All of their skills should be put to the test, with multiple battles perhaps even occurring over the course of the campaign. Still, it's hard to imagine Infinity Ward designing a worthwhile melee system for this fight, as opposed to just relying on QTEs. Making said system feel fluid in first person would be no easy task either.

Image via Capcom

For now, everyone Call of Duty all fans can do is hope for the best, as the first images for the game only show the lead-up to the fight. Still, by going all in on Price vs. Ghost with the marketing, Infinity Ward and Activision essentially promise big things from the meeting. If it's too short, doesn't involve the player, or is too predictable (a moment where the two join forces would be extremely cliched), fans may come away from the campaign disappointed. Fixed MW4The setup is promising, and Ghost's new arc as a government lapdog will be fun to watch unfold, there's good reason to be worried about this main event.

Released

23 October 2026

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op