MW4 campaign early access opened on October 16, 2026. A qualifying digital preorder unlocks the full single-player campaign before the October 23 release; it is separate from DMZ early access.
Reviewed: October 20, 2026
The October 16 official announcement says the entire 16-mission campaign is available. It also lists completion rewards for use in Multiplayer and DMZ at full launch. Early access is an opportunity to play the story first, rather than a separate campaign purchase.
Dates and platforms
| Platform | Campaign access | DMZ access |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S | ||
| Xbox on PC | ||
| PlayStation 5 | ||
| Battle.net | ||
| Steam | ||
| Nintendo Switch 2 |
The official sources confirm the dates shown but do not give a separate unlock hour for each platform. Nintendo Life reports campaign access at 10:00 PDT / 13:00 EDT / 17:00 UTC on October 16 (18:00 BST / 19:00 CEST; October 17 at 01:00 in Beijing and 02:00 in Tokyo/Seoul). Its DMZ hour is explicitly a prediction, the countdown uses that prediction and does not confirm an official unlock hour.
Call of Duty ↗ · Nintendo Life ↗
How to get early access
- Open the official preorder selector and choose your platform and region. Check that the listing includes early access, then select the digital Standard Edition or Vault Edition.
- Use the purchasing account in the matching platform library. Install the game and required mode content offered there; check available updates before launch. Preloading downloads files but does not by itself unlock a mode.
- Open Campaign for the story, or DMZ when that access window opens. If access is locked, check the purchase account, edition, installed content and official service notices before buying anything again.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Vault Edition?
No. The official eligibility list includes both the digital Standard Edition and Vault Edition. Verify the offer on your platform before purchase.
Does a physical preorder qualify?
The announcements specify digital preorders or prepurchases. Do not assume a retail box or a subscription grants the same entitlement; check the exact product listing.
Can I still preorder after October 16?
The official campaign announcement says eligible access remains available until the October 23 launch. Platform availability and outages can affect play time.
Are campaign and DMZ unlocked together?
No. Campaign starts October 16; DMZ starts October 20. The full release is October 23.
Sources and video
WhosImmortal, “MODERN WARFARE 4 EARLY ACCESS Fully Explained…”, October 12, 2026: campaign discussion at 2:00; DMZ at 3:21. The transcript says exact hours were unconfirmed when recorded. The 2:00 sample shows beta multiplayer gameplay; the 3:21 sample shows a “Dynamic OP” title. Neither establishes a Stranded puzzle location. Use this as an explanation of the access windows, with official announcements taking priority.
WhosImmortal · YouTube · 2026-10-12 ↗