Microsoft appears to be making significant progress toward fulfilling its longstanding promise to bring the Call Of Duty franchise to Nintendo platforms, according to a newly discovered job listing from one of the series' key development studios.
The Background: Microsoft's Nintendo Promise
Back when Microsoft was navigating regulatory approval for its massive Activision Blizzard acquisition, the company made a strategic commitment to bring Call Of Duty to Nintendo's gaming systems. This formed part of Microsoft's broader effort to demonstrate that the merger wouldn't harm competition in the gaming industry.
Microsoft signed a formal 10-year agreement with Nintendo guaranteeing that Call Of Duty titles would launch for Nintendo players simultaneously with other platforms, featuring complete content and feature parity. This deal was particularly notable given that Call Of Duty had previously appeared on Nintendo consoles before Activision determined demand wasn't sufficient to continue support.
The Evidence: Sledgehammer Games Job Listing
This week, compelling evidence emerged suggesting Microsoft is finally acting on its commitment. Sledgehammer Games, the lead studio behind titles including Call Of Duty: Vanguard and the Modern Warfare 3 reboot, posted a senior technical artist position on LinkedIn.
The most telling detail in the job description specifies that ideal candidates should possess experience working with Nintendo Switch hardware. This strongly indicates that Sledgehammer is actively developing its next Call Of Duty project with Nintendo's platform in mind.
Industry experts suggest the focus will likely be on the more powerful Switch 2, given that the original Switch would struggle to handle the graphical demands of modern Call Of Duty titles. The technological limitations of the ageing hardware have previously been a barrier to bringing such demanding games to Nintendo's ecosystem.
Timeline and Development Plans
While the job listing confirms development is underway, players shouldn't expect immediate results. Rumours circulating within gaming circles point to Sledgehammer's next project launching in 2027, with speculation suggesting it might introduce a new martial arts-themed sub-franchise.
Next year's anticipated Call Of Duty release is rumoured to be Modern Warfare 4 from Infinity Ward, though there's no indication yet whether that studio plans Switch 2 support.
Microsoft has never clarified when its 10-year Nintendo agreement officially begins, leaving room for potential earlier releases. There remains a possibility that Microsoft and Activision could port Black Ops 7 to Switch 2 before Sledgehammer's project arrives, though such late ports often struggle to gain traction as players typically migrate to the newest instalment.
The situation reflects Xbox boss Phil Spencer's repeated emphasis on supporting Switch 2 with Xbox game ports, though concrete results have been limited so far. Beyond July's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 release, no other Microsoft-published titles are scheduled for Switch 2 this year.
Looking ahead to 2026, the pipeline appears more promising with planned ports of Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition and Indiana Jones And The Great Circle expected to bolster Nintendo's third-party offerings.
