Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Release Date and Times: When DMZ Opens on Xbox and PC

October 15, 2026 NOWLIVO

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches Friday, October 23, 2026. Players who digitally pre-order the Standard or Vault Edition can start the campaign on October 16 and play the full DMZ mode from October 20. Activision says the full PC game unlocks at midnight local time on October 23; it has not published an exact clock time for either early-access opening.

Modern Warfare 4 release dates and times

Thursday, October 15, at 9 a.m. Pacific / noon Eastern: PC preloading begins for digital pre-purchasers.
Friday, October 16: Campaign early access begins for eligible digital pre-orders.
Tuesday, October 20: Early access to all of DMZ begins for eligible digital pre-orders.
Friday, October 23, at midnight local time: The full game launches on PC, including multiplayer and DMZ for players without early access.

The midnight-local-time confirmation appears in Activision’s PC launch information. Activision lists the campaign and DMZ early-access dates in Pacific Time but does not give a specific hour for either one, so do not assume they will unlock at midnight. Start times and availability can also be affected by time zones, outages, or changes to platform schedules.

How to play Modern Warfare 4 DMZ early

Pre-order or pre-purchase Modern Warfare 4 digitally before launch. Both the Standard Digital Edition and Vault Edition qualify for campaign early access on October 16 and DMZ early access on October 20. The offer covers Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, Battle.net, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Buying the more expensive Vault Edition is not necessary to enter DMZ early. It includes a separate DMZ Deployment Bonus and other extras, but the early-access dates are the same for both digital editions. Activision specifies digital purchases for these early-access benefits; a physical pre-order should not be assumed to qualify.

DMZ is part of Modern Warfare 4, not a separately announced free-to-play launch. Players who do not pre-order digitally can play it when the game launches on October 23.

Which Xbox and PC platforms support the game?

On console, Modern Warfare 4 is coming to Xbox Series X and Series S, but not Xbox One. PC players can buy it through the Xbox app, Steam, or Battle.net. It is also launching on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2; PlayStation 4 is not supported.

The Xbox version supports Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing a qualifying Xbox digital purchase to be played on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC without buying a second copy through the Xbox store. That does not mean a Steam or Battle.net purchase becomes an Xbox console copy.

Is Modern Warfare 4 on Xbox Game Pass?

No. The Xbox store says Modern Warfare 4 is not on Xbox Game Pass this year. Buying the game and having a Game Pass subscription are separate matters: the Xbox store also states that online multiplayer on console requires a Game Pass Essential subscription, sold separately.

In the US Xbox store, the Standard Edition starts at $69.99 and the Vault Edition at $99.99. Prices may vary by region, retailer, and applicable taxes.

What is the new DMZ mode?

DMZ returns as an extraction mode set in Hajin, an exclusion zone connected to the campaign’s events. Players can enter alone or with a squad, take on AI enemies and other players, gather supplies, complete objectives, and try to extract with what they have collected.

There are three broad ways to deploy: narrative Story Missions, Dynamic Operations, and Free Roam. Between deployments, the Forward Operating Base lets players manage operators and equipment, store items, and craft gear. It is a larger, more persistent take on the DMZ experience that first appeared in beta alongside Modern Warfare II in 2022.

The October 16 early access is campaign only. Players mainly interested in extraction runs should mark October 20 for DMZ, or October 23 if they are waiting for the standard launch.

PC preload and system requirements

Digital PC pre-purchasers can begin preloading on October 15 at 9 a.m. Pacific, which is noon Eastern. Preloading downloads game files ahead of access; it does not let players enter the campaign, DMZ, or multiplayer before their respective opening dates.

Activision lists 115 GB of SSD space and a broadband internet connection in its minimum PC requirements. The minimum specification includes 8 GB of RAM and an AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5-6600 processor. Activision also requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on PC. Extra storage may be needed for updates, so checking those requirements before preloading could save a last-minute delay.