Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is launching in stages, and if you want to play the campaign before most people even finish downloading, you need to act now. Campaign Early Access is live today, October 16, for digital pre-orders. DMZ follows on October 20. The full game, including Multiplayer, drops October 23. Here is every date, time, and platform detail you need to avoid missing a single window.
When does MW4 release and what can you play first?
The full launch of Modern Warfare 4 is Friday, October 23, 2026, at midnight local time across all regions. That applies to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Xbox One is not supported natively; your only option on that hardware is Xbox Cloud Gaming with a solid internet connection.
Before that, two early access windows open for digital pre-orders:
- Campaign Early Access starts October 16 at 10am PDT (6pm BST, 7pm CEST)
- DMZ Early Access starts October 20, likely around the same 10am PDT window
Physical copies get neither. If you bought a disc, you are waiting until October 23 regardless.
Modern Warfare 4 Exact Release Times, Preload, & Early Access
Full regional release times
Here is the complete breakdown by region for all three access windows.
Campaign Early Access (October 16)
| Region | Time |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles (PDT) | 10:00 AM |
| New York (EDT) | 1:00 PM |
| London (BST) | 6:00 PM |
| Central Europe (CEST) | 7:00 PM |
| Eastern Europe (EEST) | 8:00 PM |
| Tokyo / Seoul (JST/KST) | 2:00 AM (Oct 17) |
| Sydney (AEDT) | 4:00 AM (Oct 17) |
DMZ Early Access (October 20)
Activision has not confirmed an exact DMZ start time, but the pattern from Campaign Early Access points to 10am PDT as the likely window. Expect the same regional offsets as above.
Full launch (October 23)
Midnight local time, everywhere. No region gets it earlier than another.
How to preload MW4 and how big is the download?
PC preload opened on October 15 at 9am PT via Steam, Battle.net, and Xbox on PC. Console preload timing for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 was not officially confirmed before publication, so check your platform's game library directly.
Storage requirements differ by platform:
| Platform | Required Storage |
|---|---|
| PC | 115 GB (SSD required) |
| Xbox Series X | S |
| PS5 / Switch 2 | Not officially confirmed |
Activision also confirmed that mandatory post-launch updates may require additional storage beyond these figures. Clear some extra headroom now rather than scrambling at launch.
What are the MW4 PC system requirements?
Here is everything you need to run the game on PC, from the minimum spec up to the ray-tracing tier.
Minimum requirements
| Component | Spec |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit (latest update) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5-6600 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| GPU | AMD RX 470, NVIDIA GTX 970/1060, or Intel Arc A580 |
| VRAM | 3 GB |
| Storage | 115 GB SSD |
Recommended requirements (targets 90 fps in multiplayer on High)
| Component | Spec |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit (latest update) |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7-8700 |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| GPU | AMD RX 6600 XT, NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti, or Intel Arc B580 |
| VRAM | 8 GB |
| Storage | 115 GB SSD |
Ray-tracing requirements (upscaled 4K with high-quality RT)
| Component | Spec |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel Core i7-10700K |
| RAM | 32 GB |
| GPU | AMD RX 9070 XT or NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti |
| VRAM | 16 GB |
| Storage | 115 GB SSD |
A few additional PC requirements worth knowing: TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot must be enabled. Intel Arc cards require Resizable BAR. Your CPU needs AVX instruction set support. DirectX 12 and a broadband connection are mandatory. Laptop GPUs may not all be supported.
Which edition should you buy?
There are three options, and the differences matter beyond just price.
| Edition | Price | Early Access | Extra Content | Upgrade Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Standard | $69.99 | Campaign + DMZ | None | Can upgrade to Vault for $30 |
| Digital Vault | $99.99 | Campaign + DMZ | Operator packs, Signature Weapon Collection, one season of BlackCell, DMZ Deployment Bonus | N/A |
| Physical Standard | $69.99 | None | None | Cannot upgrade to Vault |
The Vault Edition upgrade from Digital Standard costs $30. Physical copies cannot be upgraded digitally.
Activision is also offering a 10% loyalty discount on the digital Vault Edition pre-order for players who own and have played a qualifying premium Call of Duty title released in 2019 or later. The discount must appear at checkout before you complete the purchase, and it expires October 23.
Is MW4 on Xbox Game Pass at launch?
No. Modern Warfare 4 will not be on Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass on day one. Activision's current approach puts new Call of Duty titles on Game Pass roughly a year after launch, targeting the following holiday season. For MW4, that points to late 2027 at the earliest.
Xbox Play Anywhere is supported, so a digital purchase through the Xbox Store lets you play on both Xbox Series X|S and PC without buying twice.
For more on what MW4 is actually bringing to the table beyond the launch window, check out the full MW4 release date and features breakdown covering platforms, editions, and gameplay changes. If you are still deciding whether to pre-order and want to know what bonuses are on the table, the MW4 pre-order guide covering every edition and bonus has the full breakdown.
Curious about what you will actually be doing in DMZ before Multiplayer opens? The guide to whether Zombies is coming to MW4 and what DMZ offers instead is worth reading before October 20.
For everything else, the full Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 guide collection covers maps, modes, and more as launch approaches.
