Operators boarding a helicopter at an airport terminal, rotors turning over a wet apron

Launch dates and times

MW4 release date: when Modern Warfare 4 comes out, in every time zone

Modern Warfare 4 launches on Friday, October 23, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. Activision published the date but no launch hour, so this page gives you the one clock time it did publish, the full time zone table, the date in other languages, and the single store listing that disagrees.

One global moment — the rest is just your clock

Facts checked against official sources onOctober 22, 2026. See oureditorial policyfor how each claim is graded.

The one number to remember

Friday, October 23, 2026 — the full Modern Warfare 4 launch, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Battle.net, Xbox on PC, Steam) and Nintendo Switch 2. Official

October 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM Pacific Time (17:00 UTC) — DMZ Early Access, for qualifying digital pre-orders. That is the only clock time Activision published in this run-up. Official (via repost)

The run-up

Oct 16
Campaign early access
Digital pre-orders
Oct 19 · 9 AM PT
Required update live
All platforms
Oct 20 · 10 AM PT
DMZ early access
Global
Oct 23
Full launch
Early access ends

The October 23 launch date

Activision’s official Modern Warfare 4 site states October 23, 2026, and the launch blog repeats that the game “will be available globally on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC via Battle.net, Xbox on PC, Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2 on Friday, October 23, 2026.” Official

The date also appears in Activision’s own pre-order terms on the same page, which run to October 23, 2026 — a second official source that does not depend on a store listing. Official

What Activision has not published is an hour. We opened every official page in this run-up and found a date, a platform list and a launch-day content description, but no launch time. Rather than fill the gap with the customary midnight-local rollout that most store pages imply, we are leaving it blank and telling you where to check on the day.

Platforms and day-one content

On October 23 the full game arrives with all three of its pillars. Official

Campaign — 16 missions. Campaign Early Access has been open since October 16 for digital pre-orders, and the full campaign unlocks on launch day.
Multiplayer — day-one content on 12 Core 6v6 maps, plus Kill Block and Ground War. It was never part of the early access window.
DMZ — the extraction mode on Hajin, live since October 20 for pre-orders.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC on Battle.net, Xbox on PC and Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-orders also carry a Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 or Warzone playable item and a Warzone weapon blueprint usable at launch. Official

Two answers that get asked alongside the date are on their own pages: whetherMW4 is on Game Pass (it is not, at launch) and whatthe campaign contains.

The official start time

DMZ Early Access: the one clock time Activision published

There is no regional rollout for DMZ Early Access. Activision published the date on the official DMZ page and confirmed the launch itself through the Call of Duty community channel on the day.

The hour comes from the official Call of Duty Updates account, which said DMZ Early Access goes live globally at 10 AM PT on Tuesday, October 20. We could not open that post directly, so it is graded as official-but-relayed rather than official-and-read.Official (via repost)

The official Hajin tactical map, with every named point of interest marked — The window does not roll out region by region — it opens everywhere at once.

DMZ Early Access start time in every time zone

Daylight saving is still in effect across North America and Europe on this date, while Australia is on standard time — which is why Sydney and Melbourne start three hours behind Auckland.

Time zone	Local time	Local date	Offset
Pacific (US & Canada)	10:00 AM	October 20	PDT (UTC−7)
Mountain (US & Canada)	11:00 AM	October 20	MDT (UTC−6)
Central (US & Canada)	12:00 PM	October 20	CDT (UTC−5)
Eastern (US & Canada)	1:00 PM	October 20	EDT (UTC−4)
United Kingdom	6:00 PM	October 20	BST (UTC+1)
Central Europe	7:00 PM	October 20	CEST (UTC+2)
Moscow	8:00 PM	October 20	MSK (UTC+3)
India	10:30 PM	October 20	IST (UTC+5:30)
Thailand & Indonesia	12:00 AM	October 21	UTC+7
China, Hong Kong, Singapore	1:00 AM	October 21	UTC+8
Japan & South Korea	2:00 AM	October 21	UTC+9
Sydney & Melbourne	3:00 AM	October 21	AEST (UTC+10)
New Zealand	6:00 AM	October 21	NZDT (UTC+13)

Why some guides show different dates

At least one guide published in Chinese gives October 21 while its English version gives October 20 — both describe the same launch, converted to UTC+8 local time. Check the time zone before you assume a guide is wrong.

The date in other languages

Searching for the release date in your own language should land on the same date. These are the local forms Activision and the store listings use.

Language	Date	As written
German	23. Oktober 2026	Erscheinungsdatum / Release
French	23 octobre 2026	Date de sortie
Spanish	23 de octubre de 2026	Fecha de lanzamiento
Portuguese	23 de outubro de 2026	Data de lançamento
Italian	23 ottobre 2026	Data di rilascio
Japanese	2026年10月23日	発売日
Korean	2026년 10월 23일	출시일
Simplified Chinese	2026年10月23日	发售日

The update you need first

The mode will not open if the required update has not landed. Activision said it would be live on all platforms by 9 AM PT on Monday, October 19 — about a day before the window. If you are reading this on October 19 or 20 and DMZ is missing, check that your client actually pulled that update instead of quietly sitting on an old build.

October 22 vs October 23

The Steam store page currently lists the game as "Coming 22 Oct, 2026". The official DMZ page and the official launch announcement both give October 23. We found no official explanation for the one-day difference, and we are not going to invent one.

The early access window is unaffected — it opens October 20 per the official DMZ page.
Every other official channel, including Activision’s own pre-order terms on the MW4 site, saysOctober 23.
If you are waiting for the full launch, treat the store page as a possible listing artefact and confirm on the day.

Campaign early access is separate

Campaign Early Access opened October 16, four days before DMZ, and the official footnote is explicit that the two start dates differ. If you played the campaign in those four days you may need an extra update — reported at around 30–35 GB.Media report Nothing in the campaign window unlocks DMZ early access; they are separate entitlements, both of which a qualifying digital pre-order gives you.

Official Modern Warfare 4 Campaign Early Access key art, an operator in combat under harsh light — Campaign early access opened on October 16 — a different window with a different entitlement.

Release date FAQ

When does MW4 come out?

Modern Warfare 4 comes out on Friday, October 23, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC through Battle.net, Xbox on PC and Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Activision published the date on its official site and in the launch blog.

What time does MW4 release on October 23?

We could not find an official launch hour. Activision published the date of the full launch but not a time for it. The only clock time it published in this run-up is 10 AM Pacific on October 20 for DMZ Early Access. Store listings usually roll out at local midnight, but that is not an Activision statement and we are not presenting it as one.

Is MW4 out yet?

No. Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23, 2026. As of October 22, the only Modern Warfare 4 content live is the campaign early access that opened on October 16 and DMZ Early Access, which opened on October 20 at 10 AM PT for qualifying digital pre-orders. Multiplayer is day-one content and was never part of the early access window.

What time does DMZ early access start in my time zone?

Globally it is October 20, 2026, 10:00 AM Pacific Time (17:00 UTC) — the afternoon of October 20 across North America and Europe, and the early hours of October 21 across most of Asia and Oceania.

Is the Steam date of October 22 the release date?

No. The Steam store page lists the game as "Coming 22 Oct, 2026" while Activision’s own site and its launch blog say October 23. We found no official explanation for the one-day difference. Every other official channel, including the pre-order terms on the MW4 site, says October 23 — so that is the date we use.

Do I need the campaign early access first?

No. DMZ Early Access is a separate window from the campaign early access that opened October 16, and DMZ levels do not require campaign completion. Both windows come with a qualifying digital pre-order.

Why do some guides say October 21?

Because the start is one moment and every region converts it locally. At UTC+8 it is 1 AM on October 21. Check the time zone before assuming a guide is wrong.

Sources for this page

↗Modern Warfare 4 official site — Activision / Infinity WardSource for the October 23, 2026 release date, the platform list, the day-one Multiplayer description and the pre-order terms.Checked October 22, 2026.
↗Modern Warfare 4 Multiplayer: Gameplay Systems Deep Dive — Activision / Infinity WardStates the global launch date and platform list for the full game.Checked October 22, 2026.
↗Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 — DMZ — Activision / Infinity WardOfficial DMZ Early Access date and the qualifying edition list.Checked October 22, 2026.
↗Steam community — DMZ Early Access deployment to Hajin is live — Call of Duty community teamConfirms the October 20 launch and carries the official start-date footnote.Checked October 21, 2026.
↗Modern Warfare 4 on Steam — Steam store listingStore headline reads "Coming 22 Oct, 2026".Checked October 22, 2026.
↗Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4: How to Get DMZ Early Access — howtovideogame.comRelays the 10 AM PT announcement and the October 19 update deadline.Checked October 21, 2026.

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Next step

The MW4 campaign16 missions, the early access window and every completion reward.MW4 MultiplayerWhat arrives on October 23, and how your early access levels carry in.Is MW4 on Game Pass?The official answer, and when it actually arrives.Requirements and preloadHave the build ready before the window opens.DMZ still locked after the start timeWhat to check when the clock has passed and DMZ has not opened.