Modern Warfare 4 Is Expected to Unlock at 9 p.m. PT on Oct. 22
The listed timetable reaches midnight ET on Oct. 23, while eligible digital buyers can start the campaign on Oct. 16.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is expected to begin unlocking at 9:00 p.m. PT on Oct. 22, 2026, with the listed schedule reaching 12:00 a.m. ET on Oct. 23. The game’s release date is Oct. 23, but these regional times are presented as an expected schedule rather than a confirmed platform-by-platform unlock notice.
Expected release times by region
| Region or time zone | Expected unlock |
|---|---|
| Pacific Time (PT) | 9:00 p.m. on Oct. 22 |
| Central Time (CT) | 11:00 p.m. on Oct. 22 |
| Eastern Time (ET) | 12:00 a.m. on Oct. 23 |
| Brasilia Time (BRT) | 1:00 a.m. on Oct. 23 |
| British Summer Time (BST) | 5:00 a.m. on Oct. 23 |
| Central European Summer Time (CEST) | 6:00 a.m. on Oct. 23 |
| India Standard Time (IST) | 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 23 |
| China Standard Time (CST) | 12:00 p.m. on Oct. 23 |
| Korean Standard Time (KST) | 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 23 |
| Japan Standard Time (JST) | 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 23 |
| Australian Eastern Time (AET) | 3:00 p.m. on Oct. 23 |
| New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) | 5:00 p.m. on Oct. 23 |
Game Pass and campaign access
Modern Warfare 4 will not be available on Xbox Game Pass on launch day. A later addition is planned, but no post-launch date has been provided.
Campaign Early Access begins Oct. 16, one week before the full release. Digital preorders or pre-purchases of the Standard Digital Edition or Vault Edition qualify. The early campaign access period will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Battle.net, Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Platforms and modes
The game is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. The PC release includes Battle.net, Steam, and Xbox on PC. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are not on the announced platform list.
Modern Warfare 4 includes a single-player campaign, online multiplayer, a refreshed DMZ mode, and Warzone integration. Multiplayer will also have 12 main Mastery Camos to earn across the game’s core modes.
Matchmaking and development
The game’s matchmaking is described as moving away from a definitive SBMM setup, with different playlist options expected. That does not mean skill has been removed from matchmaking. The beta’s revised system still considered skill alongside connection quality, location, playlist, party composition, and other factors, and tested Open Matchmaking as an alternative to the standard system, as the beta matchmaking plans outlined.
Infinity Ward leads development, its first Call of Duty game since 2022’s Modern Warfare II. The game is also described as the planned finale to the rebooted Modern Warfare storyline.
What remaining release detail would you most like Activision to confirm before Oct. 23? Stay connected for more on the launch countdown and campaign access through X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Developed by Infinity Ward
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a first-person shooter and the follow-up to Modern Warfare III (2023), continuing the rebooted Modern Warfare storyline. The campaign is set during a North Korean invasion of South Korea and features dual perspectives: a young South Korean soldier named Private Park facing his first combat deployment, and Captain Price operating outside official channels on a personal mission. The game also includes multiplayer with 6v6 core maps, large-scale vehicle combat maps, and a dynamic map system called Kill Block that reshapes layouts between rounds. A DMZ extraction mode is also featured. The game is released exclusively on current-generation platforms and PC.
- Genre Shooter
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Perspective First person
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release October 23, 2026
- Publisher Activision
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Age Rating
