It's only been a matter of hours since analyst firm Cowen & Company predicted that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 would be releasing in fall of 2018 and already we might have confirmation from one of the game's leading actors that the rumors are true. James Burns, who plays Sgt. Frank Woods in the Black Ops franchise, recently posted on his official Twitter, claiming that he will tell fans what he knows very soon.

After an initial cryptic post, one user asked Burns directly if he was talking about the rumored release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, which the actor then confirms. It's not quite the announcement fans have been looking for, but it seems more and more likely that a fourth installment in the popular franchise is on its way, after the release of the upcoming COD: WW2.

What's interesting is that the Black Ops series shifted to futuristic warfare in its third iteration, making it a big jump forward in time from the return to the Second World War. After numerous complaints about the Call of Duty series getting too futuristic and not focussing enough on past wars, it's hard to see just how fans will respond to a new Black Ops game coming in 2018.

It's entirely possible however, that Black Ops 4 won't stick to the series' timeline and may not take place where Frank Wood's epilogue left off in 2025. In fact, should Burns be involved in this new addition to the franchise, it seems likely that his character wouldn't be 95 years of age, but we'll have to wait and see exactly which direction the game goes in when an official announcement - if indeed there is one - is made.

In other recent Call of Duty news, those fans who are looking forward to the release of the newest World War 2 shooter will soon be making a trip to London as the latest map for the upcoming game is revealed. The London Docks map will take players back to the Blitz, where soldiers can do battle in and around buses, air raid shelters, and pubs as they attempt to defeat the enemy team.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is speculated to be in development for release in 2018.