MW4 Campaign Early Access: Start Date, Who Gets It and Platforms
You can play the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 campaign a full week early. Activision has confirmed Campaign Early Access starting Friday, October 16, 2026, ahead of the worldwide launch on Friday, October 23, 2026.
When does Campaign Early Access start?
Friday, October 16, 2026. Activision Support lists the start as October 16 (PT). Activision also notes that actual play time is subject to possible outages and time zone differences.
Who gets early access?
Anyone who digitally pre-orders or pre-purchases Modern Warfare 4. According to Activision Support, that covers any digital edition on any platform, including the Standard Digital Edition and the Vault Edition.
Physical editions aren't mentioned in the early access offer, so if early access matters to you, pre-order digitally.
Which platforms get early access?
Campaign Early Access covers:
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC
- PC via Battle.net and Steam
- Nintendo Switch 2 (pre-orders opened August 26, per Activision Support)
There's no version for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. Activision has confirmed the game won't be available on last-gen consoles.
What does the campaign cover?
From Activision's official description: you play as Private Park, a young South Korean soldier facing live combat for the first time after North Korea launches a full-scale invasion. Meanwhile, Captain Price, now an "operator-turned-outlaw", is on a hunt for revenge outside the system he once served.
The campaign moves from trench warfare in Korea to close-quarters combat in New York, chases through Paris and SAS night raids in Mumbai.
Key dates at a glance
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2026 | Campaign Early Access (digital pre-orders) |
| Oct 23, 2026 | Worldwide launch: Campaign, Multiplayer and DMZ |
Want to know what's new in multiplayer? Read MW4 Multiplayer: everything confirmed so far.
