Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23, but players can already jump into its single-player campaign through early access. Here is the M4W release date, launch time breakdown, and when Modern Warfare 4 is coming to Game Pass.

When Is the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Release Date?

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 release date is Friday, October 23, 2026. The shooter is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. However, if you have seen players already making their way through the campaign, there is a reason for that.

Activision is splitting the launch into several stages, with digital preorder customers getting access to certain modes before the full release. The MW4 campaign is already available today as it went live on October 16, while DMZ early access begins on October 20. The full game follows on October 23.

That means you can finish the single-player story before jumping into multiplayer at launch! To make it easier to track, we’ve created an easy-to-read table below that shows when the Modern Warfare 4 release date is in every region:

MW4 Release Date and Time by Region

Region	Local date	Release time
United States / Canada (Pacific)	October 22	9:00 PM PDT
Mexico City	October 22	10:00 PM CST
United States / Canada (Eastern)	October 23	12:00 AM EDT
Brazil (São Paulo)	October 23	1:00 AM BRT
United Kingdom	October 23	5:00 AM BST
Central Europe (Germany / France)	October 23	6:00 AM CEST
South Africa	October 23	6:00 AM SAST
Finland	October 23	7:00 AM EEST
Saudi Arabia	October 23	7:00 AM AST
United Arab Emirates	October 23	8:00 AM GST
India	October 23	9:30 AM IST
China / Singapore	October 23	12:00 PM CST / SGT
Japan / South Korea	October 23	1:00 PM JST / KST
Australia (Perth)	October 23	12:00 PM AWST
Australia (Brisbane)	October 23	2:00 PM AEST
Australia (Adelaide)	October 23	2:30 PM ACDT
Australia (Sydney / Melbourne)	October 23	3:00 PM AEDT
New Zealand (Auckland)	October 23	5:00 PM NZDT

Will Modern Warfare 4 Be on Game Pass?

Yes, Modern Warfare 4 is coming to Game Pass, but it will not be available on the subscription service at launch. Activision has confirmed that MW4 will join Game Pass in Holiday 2027, although an exact release date has not been announced.

So, if you were hoping to play this year’s Call of Duty through your subscription, you will have to wait almost an entire year before it arrives on the Xbox service. Players who want to jump in at launch must purchase the game separately.

How to Get Modern Warfare 4 Campaign Early Access

To play the Modern Warfare 4 campaign early, you need to preorder or prepurchase any digital edition of the game. Campaign early access began on Friday, October 16, 2026, giving eligible players a week to experience the story before the official release date.

You do not need to purchase the more expensive Vault Edition to get the campaign head start. The Digital Standard Edition also includes early access. However, Activision lists this benefit specifically for digital purchases, so a physical preorder does not qualify.

There are two early access dates to keep track of:

Mode	Early access date	Requirement
Single-player campaign	October 16, 2026	Any digital preorder or prepurchase
DMZ	October 20, 2026	Any digital preorder or prepurchase

Both benefits are included with eligible digital editions. However, campaign early access does not unlock the entire game ahead of schedule, so you will still need to wait for the full launch to jump into standard multiplayer.

If you mainly want to experience the story, you can already start playing through a qualifying digital purchase. For everyone waiting on Modern Warfare 4’s Game Pass launch, the confirmed release window is Holiday 2027.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s DMZ mode brings a brand-new extraction shooter experience to the franchise and players will need to wrap their heads around some new systems to prepare for the battle.

DMZ Mode Forwarding Operating Base Overview and Stations

Extraction shooters have grown in popularity over the last few years and there are now multiple high-quality games fully dedicated to the extraction gameplay loop. Although it’s a competitive landscape, Call of Duty plans to put its own spin on the genre with the upcoming DMZ mode in Modern Warfare 4.

The Forward Operating Base (FOB) is each player’s command center for the DMZ extraction shooter mode. Gamers will manage progression, prepare their gear, and plan the next deployment from the FOB.

As players complete Operations across Hajin, the FOB evolves with them, transforming from a foothold to a fully operational base with over a dozen different Stations. Here’s a look at the stations users can immediately access:

• Operators: Manage and select your Active Duty Operator, check their status, and select one for deployment.
• DMZ Orders: Where you review your current set of Missions downloaded to your Orders Tablet. Earn rewards for completing these structured objectives during deployments.
• Stash/Loadout: Stow looted items you’ve extracted with in your Stash. Equip weapons and gear in your Loadout, ready for the next infil.
• Firing Range: Test your equipped weapons at the FOB Firing Range against a variety of targets.
• Deploy: A threshold of razor wire leads to a heavy-lift military transport waiting for your orders to deploy.

As players successfully complete deployments, they’ll be able to expand and upgrade their Forward Operation Base (FOB) with these additional stations:

• 3D Printer: Use Resources and 3D Printer Ingredients to craft a variety of gear. This is also used to upgrade various stations in the FOB.
• Gunsmith: Loot weapons and return with them, then use DMZ Cash to purchase attachments, or build brand new weapons by extracting from Hajin with a Weapon Manual.
• Vendor: Check the vendor’s wares and spend DMZ Cash on a selection of weapons and other helpful gear. The items on sale rotate from day to day, so buy something when you see it.
• Bounty Leaderboard: Gain intel on the most dangerous PvP Bounty hunters and killers active across Hajin.
• Boss Board: Need to track down a high-value target? Seek intel on Lieutenants, then drop into Hajin, search them out, and face down the exclusion zone’s most dangerous foes.
• Dog Tag Case: Display your trophies from defeated Operators.
• DMZ Progression: Ensure you’re leveling up in DMZ with this dedicated Progression Track, from 1-70. Unlock FOB stations and gain rewards every step of the way.

It should be very interesting to see how well the DMZ mode is received by the playerbase and if it manages to pull any of the existing extraction shooter audience away from games like ARC Raiders or Marathon when it arrives later this month.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 news and updates as the game’s launch date approaches.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 releases October 23 for PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles.

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