Modern Warfare 4 Korean campaign: ROK Army, 141, and what’s rumored so far

Call of Duty 2026 is widely reported to be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 사, the next mainline entry from Infinity Ward. According to multiple credible leakers, the campaign will be set primarily on the Korean Peninsula, featuring both North and South Korea in major roles. If accurate, this would mark the first time a Call of Duty game has used Korea as its central theater.

Reports indicate three playable factions in the campaign, each offering a different perspective on the conflict:

The title “Modern Warfare 사” uses the Korean character for the number four, tying the game’s identity directly to its reported setting. The story is said to continue from where Modern Warfare III (2023) left off, with Captain Price and the surviving members of Task Force 141 pursuing Vladimir Makarov and the Konni Group across a new, high-stakes conflict zone. Activision has not officially confirmed any of these details, but Infinity Ward did tease fans in December 2025 with a social media post ending in “See you in 2026.”

What Is Modern Warfare 사?

Modern Warfare 사 is the reported title for Call of Duty 2026, developed by Infinity Ward as part of the studio’s turn in Activision’s three-developer rotation. The “사” (pronounced “sa”) is the Korean word for the number four, which doubles as a nod to the game’s setting and its place as the fourth entry in the rebooted Modern Warfare timeline that began with Modern Warfare (2019).

This naming approach is a first for the franchise. Rather than simply stamping a numeral on the box, Infinity Ward appears to be weaving the campaign’s cultural identity into the title itself. This detail comes from TheGhostOfHope, a well-known Call of Duty leaker, who first reported on the title and setting in June 2025.

Where Does the Campaign Take Place?

The campaign reportedly takes place across South Korea and North Korea, with the Korean Peninsula serving as the primary theater of conflict. According to TheGhostOfHope, both nations play a “significant role” in the story, which revolves around Makarov and the Konni Group exploiting tensions along one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders.

A few missions are said to take place immediately after the events of Modern Warfare III (2023), but the bulk of the story is set in 2026 “present day,” aligning with the game’s expected release window. Data miners have also uncovered references to a map called Tumen in game files, which could be tied to the Tumen River region near the China–North Korea border, further supporting the Korean setting.​

What Is the Story About?

The plot reportedly picks up directly from Modern Warfare III’s ending. Following the deaths of Soap MacTavish (killed by Makarov) and General Shepherd (killed by Price), the remaining members of Task Force 141 are regrouping to stop Makarov’s next move.

According to the leaks, Makarov and his Konni Group are conducting false flag operations designed to trigger a third World War, using the volatile Korean Peninsula as the flashpoint. The story reportedly does not draw significant plot threads from Modern Warfare (2019) or Modern Warfare II (2022), focusing instead on the direct fallout of MW3’s conclusion.

There are also reports of an attack on New York City in the campaign, described as being inspired by the original Modern Warfare 3’s Manhattan invasion sequence — though this time it’s framed as a targeted attack by Makarov posing as a Russian operation rather than a full-scale invasion.​

Will There Be Futuristic Weapons?

The game is described as “mostly modern” in its weapon and tech aesthetic, but with some futuristic elements mixed in. Think near-future, grounded tech rather than jetpacks or energy weapons. This approach is similar to what Black Ops 2 did back in 2012, blending recognizable modern hardware with experimental near-future prototypes.​

Data miners have uncovered a large list of weapon codenames in the game’s files, and many point to returning fan favorites from across the Modern Warfare series:​

• Kilo 141 (from MW 2019)

• M4A1 (from MW 2019)

• CR-56 AMAX / Galil ACE (from MW 2019)

• MP7

• Signal 50 (from MW2 2022)

• Javelin launcher

• Riot Shield

The weapon roster appears to be one of the largest in recent Call of Duty history, though many codenames could represent placeholder entries or post-launch DLC content.​

Is DMZ Coming Back?

Yes, according to multiple reports. TheGhostOfHope and other leakers have indicated that DMZ will return as the third major game mode alongside the standard multiplayer and Warzone. The extraction-based mode was first introduced in Modern Warfare II (2022) but was dropped when MW3 launched in 2023.

Reports suggest the new version of DMZ may feature its own dedicated maps rather than sharing the Warzone map, which was a common complaint during its first iteration. The previously mentioned Tumen map reference found in game files could be connected to this mode.​

When Is Call of Duty 2026 Expected to Release?

Activision has not announced a release date, but based on the franchise’s consistent annual cycle, the expected timeline looks like this:​

1. Spring 2026 — Official title reveal and first teaser

2. Summer 2026 — Full gameplay showcase (likely at a major event or dedicated CoD presentation)

3. August–September 2026 — Multiplayer beta weekends

4. October–November 2026 — Full launch

The game is expected to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard ​. There is speculation that this could be the first Call of Duty title to drop last-gen console support entirely, which would allow Infinity Ward to push visual fidelity and map scale beyond current limitations ​.

One thing worth remembering: Infinity Ward itself cautioned fans in December 2025, posting on X, “Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet.” Until an official reveal happens, every detail here should be treated as unconfirmed, even if the sources involved have been reliable in the past.