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MW4 release time: Modern Warfare 4 unlocks at midnight local time on Oct. 23
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 unlocks at midnight local time on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, Activision says, so it goes live as the clock turns to Oct. 23 in your time zone. In the US, that's midnight Eastern in New York and midnight Pacific in Los Angeles. You don't have to wait for everything, though: Campaign Early Access has been live since Oct. 16 for digital pre-orders, DMZ Early Access starts Oct. 20, and PC preloading opened on Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. PT.
- PS5
- Xbox Series X|S
- PC
- Switch 2
Modern Warfare 4 launch night is Thursday into Friday. Here’s exactly when it unlocks and what you can play before that.
What time does Modern Warfare 4 come out?
Activision says the full game releases on Oct. 23 at midnight local time. That means it unlocks as the clock turns to Friday, Oct. 23, wherever you are: midnight ET in New York, midnight CT in Chicago, midnight PT in Los Angeles. Activision adds that actual play time can vary because of outages and time zone differences.
On Steam, the US store page lists Oct. 22 for the PC version. Activision hasn’t published a separate unlock hour for PC, and its own date is Oct. 23. Our full Modern Warfare 4 page has the price, editions and Switch 2 details.
What you can play before launch
You don’t have to wait for midnight. Campaign Early Access went live on Oct. 16 for everyone who digitally pre-ordered or bought the Standard Digital or Vault Edition, on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PS5, Battle.net, Steam and Switch 2. That’s the whole campaign, all 16 missions, and it stays open right up to launch.
DMZ Early Access follows on Tuesday, Oct. 20 (who gets in and what you’ll do). Physical pre-orders don’t include either early access window.
Preload and file size
On PC, preloading opened on Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. PT for anyone who pre-purchased digitally. Activision lists 115 GB of storage and says an SSD is required. The minimum PC is a Ryzen 5 1400 or Core i5-6600, 8GB of RAM and a GTX 970/1060, RX 470 or Arc A580.
Modern Warfare 4 costs $69.99, and it won’t come to Game Pass until holiday 2027.
This page is updated as soon as Activision publishes exact unlock times by region or platform.
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FAQ
What time does Modern Warfare 4 come out?
At midnight local time on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, Activision says. It unlocks as the date changes in your time zone.
What time does MW4 come out in EST?
Midnight Eastern time on Friday, Oct. 23, if you’re in the Eastern time zone, since Activision uses midnight local time.
Can I preload Modern Warfare 4?
On PC, yes. Preloading opened on Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. PT for anyone who pre-purchased digitally. Digital pre-orders on every platform can also already play the campaign through Campaign Early Access.
How big is Modern Warfare 4 on PC?
Activision and Steam list 115 GB of free space, and an SSD is required.
Why does Steam say Oct. 22?
The US Steam page lists Oct. 22, 2026, for the PC version. Activision’s own date is Oct. 23 at midnight local time, and it hasn’t published a separate PC unlock hour.
Is Modern Warfare 4 on Game Pass at launch?
No. Activision says it launches as a standalone release and won’t come to Game Pass until holiday 2027.
Pop quiz
1 questions from this story.
When does Modern Warfare 4 unlock?
Activision says the full game releases on Oct. 23 at midnight local time.
Your call
When will you start Modern Warfare 4?
