Early Access for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 starts this week. Here’s an overview of all the key information on known launch times, preload, and content.
Call of Duty returns in October with Modern Warfare 4. As usual, pre-order customers will once again get early access to the shooter’s campaign, and the new DMZ mode will also be playable before the official launch on October 23.
We’ve summarized here how to secure access to MW4’s Early Access and when the preload begins:
CoD: MW4 Early Access – All Dates & Times
The regular release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is on October 23, 2026. On the official launch date, you’ll be able to play the new installment in the shooter series without restrictions and with all available modes. But thanks to Early Access, pre-order customers can get started even earlier. Here’s an overview of all the important MW4 dates:
- PC Preload Start: Starting October 15 2026 (6:00 p.m.)
- Campaign Early Access: Starting October 16 2026
- DMZ Early Access: Starting October 20 2026
- MW4 Full Release: On October 23 2026 (starting at midnight)
Note: Early Access is exclusive to digital pre-orders. Players who pre-ordered a physical disc version from a retailer will not receive early access.
All players who have pre-ordered a digital version of MW4 will receive Early Access. It doesn’t matter whether you pre-ordered the Standard Edition or the more expensive Vault Edition. Both versions grant you early access to the story campaign and and later for DMZ mode.
Supported platforms are PC (Steam + Battle.net), PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. So if you want to play MW4 before the official launch, pre-ordering ensures you’ll be able to play on your preferred platform.
Start the Modern Warfare 4 Preload – Time & Download Size
The PC preload for MW4 begins on October 15 at 6:00 p.m. German time. So if you want to dive into the story campaign right when Early Access starts, you can preload the game via the start the download the day before—provided you’ve pre-ordered the game.
Activision has not yet provided a separate breakdown of the exact preload times for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. However, console preloads typically follow the same or similar timeframes as the PC version.
For CoD: MW4, you’ll need to free up 115 GB of SSD storage space by default. Based on past experience, the preload will be around 80 to 100 GB.
- Allow for extra storage: If in doubt, make sure to set aside a little more free storage space, as the installer requires additional temporary storage to unpack the compressed files. It’s best to free up 130 to 140 GB.
- Call of Duty HQ: MW4 is part of the central HQ installation. If you already have recent CoD content on your hard drive, the download should be slightly smaller thanks to shared textures.
- Check manually: After starting the preload, check the in-game menu under the installation settings to see if the specific data packages for the story campaign or DMZ mode are actively selected for download.
Here’s what to expect in Early Access
The entire Story Campaign (starting October 16)
All pre-order customers can play the MW4 campaign a week before release. You’ll receive early access to the full story with no level or chapter restrictions. This means you can play through the single-player campaign even before the official launch.
The campaign picks up directly where the rather dramatic events of Modern Warfare 3 left off and continues the story of Task Force 141 as they face a new global conflict.
Early Access to DMZ Mode (Starting October 20)
In addition to the campaign, pre-order customers can also get an early look at part of the multiplayer. The new DMZ mode will be available to play starting October 20—three days before the official launch. You can also seamlessly carry over all your progress from Early Access to the final release on October 23.
DMZ is based on MW4’s Extraction mode, which lets you drop in on the new Hajin map and face off against other players as well as NPCs. The classic, regular multiplayer mode does not have early access and won’t be available until the global launch on October 23.
By splitting the release phases via Early Access, Activision is significantly extending the launch window for MW4. As early as one week after release, fans will have the opportunity to first complete the single-player campaign and, a few days later, try out the new features in DMZ mode before the game goes live for everyone on October 23.
If you want to take advantage of Early Access, keep an eye on the respective start dates for the campaign and DMZ, and make sure you free up the necessary disk space on your hard drive.
