Modern Warfare 4 Release Date & Early Access Times

October 14, 2026

The wait is almost over. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 rolls out starting this week, with campaign early access going live October 16 for digital pre-orders, DMZ early access on October 20, and the full launch — multiplayer included — on October 23, 2026.

Activision and Infinity Ward have now confirmed global release times, preload details, and the post-launch roadmap. Whether you're jumping in early or waiting for day one, here's every Modern Warfare 4 release date and time you need.

Modern Warfare 4 Release Dates: The Full Rollout

MW4 isn't launching all at once — it's arriving in waves:

October 16 — Campaign early access (digital pre-orders only)
October 20 — DMZ early access (digital pre-orders only)
October 23 — Full release: campaign, multiplayer, and everything else for everyone
October 27 — Shipment map added to multiplayer

The full game launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Notably, this is a current-gen-only release — PS4 and Xbox One are left behind this time.

Campaign Early Access: October 16

Anyone who digitally pre-ordered the Standard or Vault Edition can start the campaign on Friday, October 16, a full week before launch. Activision confirmed the campaign unlocks at midnight local time, so wherever you are, it goes live when your clock strikes twelve.

Pre-order players also score the Hunter Killer Operator Skin and the Inner Circuit M4 Weapon Blueprint for multiplayer. Physical pre-orders, unfortunately, don't get early access — it's digital only.

DMZ Early Access: October 20

Four days later, on Tuesday, October 20, digital pre-order owners get first crack at the revamped DMZ extraction mode. Set in the Hajin Exclusion Zone — a region sealed off after a nuclear reactor meltdown during the campaign — DMZ is Infinity Ward's big second swing at the extraction shooter, with persistent progression, Trait Trees for each Operator, and upgrades for your Forward Operating Base.

DMZ early access begins at 9 PM PT on October 19 (midnight ET on October 20), so West Coast players can sneak in a few hours early on Monday night.

Preload Details and Download Size

Preloading is live now — it began rolling out on October 14 — so pre-order players can have everything downloaded before the unlock times hit. Fair warning: this is a big one. The download weighs in at roughly 163GB on Xbox Series X|S and 115GB on PC. During setup you can choose which content packs to install, including whether to grab Warzone alongside the main game.

Shipment Returns October 27 — Plus the Season 1 Roadmap

In true Call of Duty fashion, the chaos-map Shipment joins the multiplayer rotation just four days after launch, on October 27 — reportedly the earliest it's ever been added to a COD title. Around Halloween, expect a Possession Mode and an Infected Mode, and then Season 1 kicks off on November 6, bringing the new Warzone integration with it.

Is Modern Warfare 4 on Xbox Game Pass?

No — and don't hold your breath. Activision confirmed MW4 will not launch on Xbox Game Pass, breaking the day-one tradition of recent Black Ops titles. The new policy: Call of Duty games arrive on Game Pass roughly a year after launch, targeting the following holiday season — so expect MW4 on the service around late 2027.

When does Modern Warfare 4 fully release?

October 23, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Campaign early access starts October 16 and DMZ early access starts October 20 for digital pre-orders.

What time does the MW4 campaign unlock?

Midnight local time on October 16 for digital pre-order owners. The full game unlocks at midnight local time on October 23.

How big is the Modern Warfare 4 download?

About 163GB on Xbox Series X|S and 115GB on PC. Preload is available now for digital pre-order players.

Will Modern Warfare 4 come to Game Pass?

Not at launch. Activision says new Call of Duty titles will join Game Pass about a year after release — likely late 2027 for MW4.

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