Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on Friday, October 23, and it does not unlock at one single moment around the world. Activision is rolling the game out at midnight local time in each region, and this year PC follows the same schedule as consoles. Here is when you can play, where to buy it, what it costs and what your PC needs to run it.
Infinity Ward’s new entry sends Captain Price into a war on the Korean Peninsula, with Mads Mikkelsen as the antagonist, and it launches with Campaign, Multiplayer and the return of DMZ all on day one. For a full look at the three modes, read our Modern Warfare 4 campaign, multiplayer and DMZ overview.
When does Modern Warfare 4 unlock?
Modern Warfare 4 unlocks at 12:00 AM local time on Friday, October 23. In the United States that means midnight Eastern on the East Coast, and the West Coast follows three hours later at midnight Pacific. Europe also gets the game at midnight local time, so players in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Greece can start on the night between Thursday and Friday.
The big change is on PC. In past years PC players usually got Call of Duty at one global time, while consoles rolled out by region. This time PC unlocks at local midnight too, on Steam, Battle.net and the Xbox app.
| Region | Local unlock | Same moment in UTC |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 12:00 AM NZDT | Oct 22, 11:00 AM |
| Japan | 12:00 AM JST | Oct 22, 3:00 PM |
| Greece | 12:00 AM EEST | Oct 22, 9:00 PM |
| Germany, France, Italy, Spain | 12:00 AM CEST | Oct 22, 10:00 PM |
| United Kingdom | 12:00 AM BST | Oct 22, 11:00 PM |
| Brazil (Brasília) | 12:00 AM BRT | Oct 23, 3:00 AM |
| US Eastern | 12:00 AM EDT | Oct 23, 4:00 AM |
| US Central | 12:00 AM CDT | Oct 23, 5:00 AM |
| US Mountain | 12:00 AM MDT | Oct 23, 6:00 AM |
| US Pacific | 12:00 AM PDT | Oct 23, 7:00 AM |
Do not be thrown by the Steam store page, which lists October 22 as the release date. When the first regions such as New Zealand reach midnight on October 23, it is still October 22 in the United States. Preloads are already live, so you can download the game now and play the moment your region unlocks.
Platforms and where to buy
Modern Warfare 4 is a current generation release only. It launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC, with no version for PS4 or Xbox One. On PC you can buy it on Steam, Battle.net or the Xbox app.
The Switch 2 version is a native port developed by Infinity Ward with Digital Legends, and it is the first Call of Duty on a Nintendo console since Call of Duty: Ghosts in 2013. If you played the Switch 2 open beta, our Modern Warfare 4 open beta coverage has the details.
Price, editions and Game Pass
| Edition | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard Edition | 69.99 US dollars |
| Vault Edition | 99.99 US dollars |
| Vault Edition Upgrade | 30 US dollars |
Digital preorders of the Standard or Vault Edition include early access, with the campaign available from October 16 and DMZ from October 20. Physical copies do not include early access. Our DMZ early access guide explains what to expect before you drop in.
If you were waiting for Game Pass, you will have to wait a long time. Modern Warfare 4 is a separate purchase at launch, and Activision says it will not join Game Pass until holiday 2027.
Modern Warfare 4 PC requirements
Activision targets 90 FPS in Multiplayer on High settings at the recommended specs, and the minimum bar is low enough for older cards such as the GTX 1060.
| Part | Minimum | Recommended (90 FPS, High) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5 6600 | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7 8700K |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 970 or GTX 1060, AMD RX 470, Intel Arc A580 | NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti, AMD RX 6600 XT, Intel Arc B580 |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| VRAM | 3 GB | 8 GB |
For ray tracing at 4K with upscaling, Activision lists an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel Core i7 10700K, 32 GB of RAM and an NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti or AMD RX 9070 XT with 16 GB of VRAM. Every tier needs Windows 10 64 bit and an SSD with 115 GB of free space at launch.
Two settings matter before launch day: TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are both required on PC, and a failed security check can block online play. Our guide on Modern Warfare 4 TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot covers how to check both. NVIDIA owners should also grab the latest GeForce Game Ready Driver for Modern Warfare 4, which adds DLSS 4.5 support.
Watch the official PC trailer for Modern Warfare 4 below.
What you get on day one
- Campaign: a North Korean invasion of the Korean Peninsula, with missions that also move to New York, Paris and Mumbai.
- Multiplayer: 12 core 6v6 maps, dedicated Gunfight maps, large Big War maps and the new Kill Block mode.
- DMZ: the extraction mode returns, playable solo or with a squad.
Release date, platforms and price
- Release date: Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at midnight local time (12:00 AM ET in the US East, 12:00 AM PT in the US West)
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC (Steam, Battle.net and Xbox on PC)
- Price: 69.99 US dollars Standard Edition, 99.99 US dollars Vault Edition, 30 US dollars Vault Edition Upgrade
- Game Pass: not included until holiday 2027
- Developer and publisher: Infinity Ward, published by Activision
- View on Steam
- Official Call of Duty website
Read next on GamingBroject
- Modern Warfare 4 DMZ: what to know before you drop in
- Modern Warfare 4 requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on PC
- Modern Warfare 4 PC trailer and tech updates
- Modern Warfare 4 campaign, multiplayer and DMZ overview
- NVIDIA driver adds DLSS 4.5 for Modern Warfare 4
This article is based on official information from Activision and Call of Duty, the official PC requirements and the Steam store page.
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