GTA 6 Helps Modern Warfare 4, Actually, Activision Says
Activision’s chief marketing officer Tyler Bahl has claimed that Grand Theft Auto VI and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be the two biggest games of 2026, dismissing comparisons to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake in an interview with The Game Business.
Rather than viewing GTA 6’s November launch as competition, Bahl argued the game will benefit Modern Warfare 4 and the gaming industry broadly. He believes GTA 6 will drive increased overall interest in gaming, bringing players back to their consoles and creating what he described as a “rising tide that lifts all ships” effect.
“More people coming in to the dashboards, more people taking the dust off their Xbox or PlayStation and playing again, is going to be more eyeballs for us overall,” Bahl stated, positioning GTA 6 and Modern Warfare 4 as the year’s dominant titles with less confidence in Zelda’s competitive standing.
The timing of these November releases has drawn significant industry attention, with comparisons made to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon from 2023. GTA 6 launches November 22, while Nintendo releases Zelda: Ocarina of Time on November 5. Rather than fleeing the busy release window, Nintendo is betting on the Zelda franchise to compete, though Bahl’s remarks suggest Activision views the market differently.
His comments reflect broader confidence at Activision that Modern Warfare 4 will maintain strong commercial performance despite major competition. The suggestion that rising console engagement from GTA 6 could benefit Call of Duty represents a shift in how publishers view simultaneous blockbuster releases—as potential drivers of market expansion rather than zero-sum competition.
Sources
- GTA 6 Helps Modern Warfare 4, Actually, Activision Says
- Activision Thinks GTA 6 Will Actually Help Modern Warfare 4: ‘No Offense to Zelda, but [GTA and COD] Are the 2 Biggest Games of the Year’
- GTA 6 and Modern Warfare 4 Are the ‘Biggest Games of the Year’, Says Activision CMO
- “No Offense To Zelda” - Activision Exec Says Call Of Duty: MW4 And GTA 6 Are The Two Biggest Games Of The Year
- ‘No offense to Zelda’ but GTA 6 and COD Modern Warfare 4 are ‘the two biggest games of the year’, Activision exec says