When does Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launch? Infinity Ward and Activision locked October 23, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Switch 2 — campaign early access October 16; not day-one Game Pass.
Current target date: Friday, October 23, 2026 (Global launch). We update this page when studios or publishers move the window.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches October 23, 2026 (reboot MW line, after MWIII 2023). Campaign early access for digital pre-orders starts October 16. Current-gen + Switch 2 only. Warzone on PS4/Xbox One ends with Season 1 after launch.
Global launch
Friday, October 23, 2026
October 23, 2026 is the Infinity Ward annual — four platforms, current-gen only
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 locks Friday, October 23, 2026 after Activision’s May 28 announcement. Pre-orders are live on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC; Switch 2 pre-orders follow later. Last-gen consoles are out of the SKU list on purpose.
October 16 is campaign early access — not the full multiplayer flip
Digital pre-purchasers get the campaign a week early (October 16). The October 23 stamp is still the global launch for the complete package and the live-service handoff into Season 1 / Warzone integration. Set two reminders if you only care about MP, or one if you are here for Private Park and Price’s campaign first.
What actually launches with Modern Warfare 4
Current-gen + Switch 2 — Game Pass is delayed, not day one.
- PlayStation 5
- Yes — Oct 23, 2026
- Xbox Series X|S
- Yes — Oct 23, 2026
- PC
- Battle.net / Steam / Xbox PC
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Yes — Oct 23 (native; Digital Legends)
- Campaign early access
- Oct 16 (digital pre-order)
- Game Pass day one
- No — ~1 year later planned
How the reboot Modern Warfare line reached “4”
- 2019 — Modern Warfare reboot (Infinity Ward).
- 2022 — Modern Warfare II.
- 2023 — Modern Warfare III.
- May 28, 2026 — Modern Warfare 4 announced for Oct 23; Switch 2 confirmed.
- Oct 16, 2026 — Campaign early access for qualifying digital pre-orders.
- Oct 23, 2026 — Full launch; Season 1 / Warzone integration follows.
Season 1 also ends Warzone on PS4 and Xbox One — the Oct 23 year has a platform funeral
Modern Warfare 4’s live year folds Warzone into MW4 seasonal progression after launch. Activision’s own support path: last-gen Warzone stops being newly downloadable in June 2026, loses its store later that month, and goes fully dark when Season 1 hits after the October 23 launch.
That is why “when does MW4 drop” and “when does my old console lose Warzone” share one planning sheet. Current-gen players plan preload night; last-gen Warzone holdouts are on a countdown of their own.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about this release date.
1When does Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launch?
October 23, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Battle.net, Steam, Xbox on PC), and Nintendo Switch 2. No PS4 or Xbox One SKU. Infinity Ward leads; Activision publishes.
2When does campaign early access start?
Digital pre-order / Vault-tier benefits include campaign early access beginning October 16, 2026 — one week before the full multiplayer/Warzone-connected launch day. Confirm the exact edition on Activision’s MW4 editions page.
3Is this the same as the old Modern Warfare 2 / 3 numbering?
No. This is the fourth entry in the 2019-reboot Modern Warfare line (after Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare II, and Modern Warfare III 2023). Do not merge it with the 2009–2011 original trilogy’s sequel math.
4Will it be on Game Pass day one like recent Black Ops titles?
No. Reporting around the announcement says Modern Warfare 4 joins Xbox Game Pass at least a year after launch — unlike Black Ops 6 / 7’s day-one pattern. Buy-to-own is the Oct 23 plan unless Microsoft reprints otherwise.
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