It has been nearly three years since Microsoft famously signed a binding 10-year agreement to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms—a promise made in the heat of its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. For a long time, that promise felt abstract, a legal maneuver to appease regulators. But according to a new report surfacing this week, the waiting game is effectively over. The first native Call of Duty title for the Nintendo Switch 2 is reportedly "nearly done" and targeting a release in the first half of 2026.
The fresh intel comes from Windows Central’s Jez Corden, a source with a strong track record regarding Microsoft’s internal roadmap. Responding to speculation on social media, Corden revealed that the project is "hitting milestones" and, while not launching tomorrow, is on track for 2026.
Initially, Corden teased that the game was launching in "a few months," which sent the community into a frenzy. He later clarified the timeline, suggesting that while the build is nearing completion, the actual release is likely slated for early to mid-2026. This aligns with the broader release cadence we’ve seen for the Switch 2, allowing the console to build an install base before dropping a juggernaut franchise like Call of Duty into the ecosystem.
For players, the takeaway is clear: The game exists, it is playable, and it is no longer a hypothetical scenario on a legal document.
Bringing a current-gen title like Black Ops 7 to a portable device would be the ultimate stress test for the Switch 2. We know the new console has significantly more horsepower than its predecessor—insiders have already compared its capabilities to the Steam Deck or Xbox Series S in certain profiles—but optimizing a game known for its photorealistic assets and 120Hz targets is a different beast.
Alternatively, this could be a dedicated version of Warzone. A free-to-play battle royale makes incredible business sense for the Switch demographic, which skews younger and favors high-engagement multiplayer experiences. However, the Microsoft deal explicitly mentioned "feature parity," which implies a premium, full-fat experience. A watered-down mobile port wouldn't just disappoint fans; it would technically violate the spirit of the agreement that allowed the Activision buyout to pass.
One of the most fascinating nuggets from the new report is the explanation for the silence. Corden noted that development was likely hamstrung by a lack of access to Switch 2 development kits. Nintendo is notoriously secretive, often withholding hardware specs from third-party partners until the eleventh hour to prevent leaks.
This suggests that Activision’s teams may have been working in the dark for months, simulating Switch 2 performance targets on PC hardware before finally getting their hands on the real silicon. This "blind" development cycle explains why we didn't see a launch title alongside the console's debut. Now that the hardware is in the wild and dev kits are distributed, the "milestones" Corden refers to likely involve finalizing performance optimizations—ensuring the framerate is stable in both docked and handheld modes.
The arrival of Call of Duty on a Nintendo platform signals a massive shift in the shooter landscape. For a generation of gamers, "Nintendo" and "FPS" have been antonyms. By bringing the biggest shooter in the world to the Switch 2, Microsoft isn't just fulfilling a contract; they are tapping into a market that has been starved of military shooters.
If this port lands in early 2026 with cross-play intact and performance that holds up, it proves the Switch 2 can hang with the big dogs. If it stumbles, it will be a high-profile reminder of the gap between portable and home console power. Either way, the silence is broken. Call of Duty is coming home to Nintendo.
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