Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4: campaign early access on 16 October and release on 23 October
IGN says Activision is rolling out Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 in three phases, with campaign early access on 16 October 2026.
- In the same report, IGN says the PC version will unlock at 00:00 local time on launch day; platforms mentioned include PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles and Nintendo Switch 2.
- Game Rant reports, based on a leak, that the PS5 version may not include a Platinum Trophy, but that has not been officially confirmed.
What happened
IGN says Activision is planning a multi-stage release for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The campaign is said to become available early on 16 October 2026, with DMZ following on 20 October 2026 and the full game launching on 23 October 2026.
In the same coverage, IGN says the PC version will unlock at 00:00 local time on the day of the full release. The article also mentions PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles and Nintendo Switch 2 as platforms referenced in the reporting, although it is not clear from the available excerpt whether that is the full list.
Separately, Game Rant reports that a leaked PS5 trophy list would not include a Platinum Trophy. According to the leak, the list would contain 18 trophies, all tied to the campaign, with 8 Gold and 10 Silver trophies. Activision and PlayStation have not officially confirmed that information.
Timeline
14 October 2026: IGN publishes reporting on the phased release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
16 October 2026: campaign early access begins, according to IGN.
20 October 2026: DMZ becomes available, according to IGN.
23 October 2026: the full release of Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled, according to IGN.
23 October 2026, 00:00 local time: PC unlock time, according to IGN.
14 October 2026: Game Rant publishes a report on a leaked PS5 trophy list.
Background
The reporting points to a staggered launch rather than a single shared release date for all parts of the game. That means the campaign gets its own early access window, followed by DMZ and then the full release.
The trophy information is separate from the release dates and applies specifically to the PS5 version. The leak claims there are 18 trophies, split between 8 Gold and 10 Silver trophies, but those details have not been officially confirmed by Activision or Sony.
For platform information, IGN mentions PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles and Nintendo Switch 2. Based on the available excerpt, it is not clear whether this is the complete platform list or only the systems named in the article.
Related GAME-scanner articles
- Activision confirms new Call of Duty subseries alongside Black Ops and Modern Warfare
- Activision QA testers vote to strike as first contract remains out of reach
Sources
- IGN: release and preload information for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
- Game Rant: report on a leaked PS5 trophy list for Modern Warfare 4.