Activision is giving "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4" its first-ever headline video game slot at Fanatics Fest, a major sports fan convention, as part of a new marketing push ahead of the game's October release. The move reflects a deliberate strategy by Activision's marketing team to reach crossover fans, betting on the strong overlap between "Call of Duty" players and sports audiences after noticing athletes and fans repeatedly referencing the game in interviews and podcasts.

Fanatics Fest 2026 runs from Thursday to Sunday at New York's Javits Center and is expected to draw around 150,000 attendees, alongside major sports brands including Formula One, FIFA and the NBA. Activision chief marketing officer Tyler Bahl said the aim this year was to let fans physically demo "Modern Warfare 4" before its 23 October launch, a shift from prior years' reliance on online betas, with the "Obsession" actress Inde Navarrette also involved in the campaign.