Activision is letting players jump into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's campaign starting October 16, giving pre-order customers a full week head start before the game hits shelves on October 23.
The early access window marks a return to a feature that has been largely absent from the franchise. Modern Warfare 3 in 2023 was the last Call of Duty title to offer campaign preview access to pre-ordering players, though that game's story mode drew criticism from reviewers. Both Black Ops 6 last year and Black Ops 7 coming soon bypassed the early access option entirely, so the decision to bring it back suggests Activision feels confident about this year's campaign.
To unlock early access, players need to pre-order either the Standard Digital Edition or Vault Edition across multiple platforms. The game will be available to purchase on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC through both Battle.net and Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Activision notes that Switch 2 pre-orders will become available later in 2025.
Unlike previous years, Modern Warfare 4 will not launch on Xbox Game Pass. The shift came after Asha Sharma took over as Xbox's new CEO and decided to remove Call of Duty titles from the subscription service at launch. Players wanting to access the game will need to purchase it outright rather than relying on Game Pass.
The campaign stars Private Park, a young South Korean soldier experiencing combat for the first time. What starts as a standard military operation spirals into chaos when North Korea launches a full-scale invasion, pushing Park's squad through urban warfare and desperate counteroffensives. The story also follows Captain Price, a former operator operating outside official channels and hunting for a weapon capable of reshaping global power dynamics. Activision promises large-scale battles, covert operations, and cinematic moments across the full campaign experience.
Infinity Ward is handling development on Modern Warfare 4, with the full release scheduled for October 23.
Author Emily Chen: "Early access for pre-orders is a smart play if Activision believes this campaign actually delivers after Modern Warfare 3's rough reception."
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