Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches with a staggered release across its modes, and multiplayer is the last to open. If you're not in New Zealand, that means waiting while players in earlier time zones are already grinding levels and learning the meta. There's a fix, and it works on every platform.
How does the MW4 staggered launch work?
Infinity Ward structured the launch so that the campaign and DMZ become available before multiplayer. The full game, multiplayer included, goes live at midnight local time on October 23. Because that rollout follows local midnight rather than a single global timestamp, players in New Zealand get access roughly a full day ahead of players in the United States.
Progress earned in DMZ carries over to your multiplayer level, so the time before multiplayer opens isn't wasted. Still, if you want to be in multiplayer lobbies the moment they're live, the region trick below is your fastest path.
How to play MW4 multiplayer early
The method works by changing the region on your Activision account rather than adjusting any system-level settings. This is different from the old Xbox time zone trick and applies to players on all platforms.
Here's how to do it:
- Log into your Activision account through the official Activision website.
- Navigate to your account settings and change your location to New Zealand.
- Save the change and launch Modern Warfare 4.
- The game should recognize the New Zealand region unlock and grant you multiplayer access.
Activision account region settings
What time does MW4 multiplayer unlock in each region?
The table below shows when New Zealand's midnight hits in every major time zone. These are the times you can access multiplayer using the account region method described above.
| Region / Time Zone | MW4 Multiplayer Early Access Start |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) | 6:00 AM – Oct. 21 |
| Australian Eastern Time (AET) | 10:00 PM – Oct. 22 |
| Japan Standard Time (JST) | 8:00 PM – Oct. 22 |
| Korean Standard Time (KST) | 8:00 PM – Oct. 22 |
| China Standard Time (CST) | 7:00 PM – Oct. 22 |
| India Standard Time (IST) | 4:30 PM – Oct. 22 |
| Central European Summer Time (CEST) | 1:00 PM – Oct. 22 |
| British Summer Time (BST) | 12:00 PM – Oct. 22 |
| Brasilia Time (BRT) | 8:00 AM – Oct. 22 |
| Eastern Time (ET) | 7:00 AM – Oct. 22 |
| Central Time (CT) | 6:00 AM – Oct. 22 |
| Pacific Time (PT) | 4:00 AM – Oct. 22 |
For US players on Pacific Time, that's 4:00 AM on October 22, which is nearly a full day before your local midnight unlock on October 23.
Regional unlock times at a glance
Is the early access trick worth it?
That depends on how much the latency bothers you. Playing on New Zealand servers from North America or Europe means your ping will be noticeably higher than normal, which matters more in a fast-paced shooter like MW4 than it would in most other genres. If getting a head start on weapon unlocks and learning map layouts matters more to you than a smooth connection, go for it. If you'd rather wait a few hours for a clean experience on local servers, the standard unlock isn't far behind.
For players in the UK, Europe, and Australia, the time difference is far less painful. BST players are only waiting until noon on October 22, and AET players unlock at 10:00 PM the same night, so the latency penalty is much smaller relative to the time saved.
What to do before multiplayer opens
While you're waiting, there are a few things worth doing to make the most of launch day:
- Play DMZ to bank XP that carries into multiplayer levels.
- Check the exact MW4 release times and preload details so you're not caught off guard by any regional quirks.
- If you're on PC, make sure your system is ready. Enabling TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot is required for RICOCHET Anti-Cheat. The full TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot setup guide walks you through it step by step.
- If you haven't locked in your copy yet, the MW4 pre-order guide covers every edition and bonus available before launch.
For more on everything surrounding the launch, the full Modern Warfare 4 guide collection has you covered from beta prep through day-one strategy.
