MW4 DMZ GuideUnofficial fan guide

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MW4 DMZ Release Date and Early Access

  • Early access: Tuesday, October 20, 10 AM PT (17:00 UTC), for anyone who digitally pre-ordered or pre-purchased[1].
  • Full release: Friday, October 23, at midnight local time[2].

Last verified: 2026-10-19 · Based on: official pre-release intel

DMZ early access starts Oct 20, 10 AM PT

That's 17:00 UTC. Digital pre-orders and pre-purchases only. Full launch Oct 23 at midnight local time.

MW4 DMZ release date

DMZ launches with the rest of Modern Warfare 4 on Friday, October 23, 2026, alongside Campaign and Multiplayer[3][4]. Activision says the full game unlocks at midnight local time[2]. PC Gamer reports the same[5].

DMZ early access: date, time and who gets it

  • When: DMZ early access goes live worldwide at the same moment: 10 AM PT on Tuesday, October 20[1]. That's 1 PM ET, 6 PM BST and 17:00 UTC. In East Asia it's already early Wednesday (1 AM in Beijing, 2 AM in Tokyo). Conversions are ours. A small script shows your local time.
  • Update first: Activision said a required update would reach every platform by Monday, October 19, at 9 AM PT[1].
  • Who gets it: anyone who pre-orders or pre-purchases any digital edition, Standard or Vault, on any platform[6][7].
  • What's included: all of DMZ[7][6].
  • Progress carries over: the XP and Weapon XP you earn during DMZ early access go toward your Modern Warfare 4 progression and unlocks, camos included[1].
  • Disc copies: Activision lists early access as a bonus for digital editions only[6]. AllThingsHow states that disc copies don't qualify and start on October 23 Reported[8]. On Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Life says the retail box contains a download code Reported[9].
  • Activision notes that start times can be hit by outages or time-zone differences, and that platforms and dates may still change[6][10].
Timeline of Modern Warfare 4 DMZ dates from the May reveal to the October 23 launch.

Is MW4 DMZ free?

No. DMZ comes with Modern Warfare 4, and no free standalone version has been announced[10][8]. Activision says Modern Warfare 4 launches as a standalone release that players must buy to play at launch[10]. That's different from the old DMZ Beta, which charlieINTEL notes was free to play through Warzone Reported[11].

Is MW4 DMZ on Game Pass?

Not at launch. Activision says Modern Warfare 4 won't be on Game Pass until Holiday 2027[10].

Platforms

  • Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Battle.net, Xbox on PC and Steam[12][3].
  • Not on PS4 or Xbox One. Activision says the game isn't coming to PlayStation 4 or Xbox One[3].
  • Always online: Modern Warfare 4 streams textures, so DMZ and Multiplayer need a continuous internet connection[6].
  • Console online subscription: PlayStation Plus, Game Pass Essential or Nintendo Switch Online is needed for online modes[6].
  • PC: you need TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot[13][6]. Steam lists 115 GB of storage[14][5].

Price and editions

  • Standard Edition: $69.99 on Steam in the US, checked 2026-10-19[14][8].
  • Vault Edition: $99.99 on Steam in the US, checked 2026-10-19[14].
  • Upgrade Standard → Vault: $30 suggested retail price for owners of the Digital Standard Edition[6][14]. Physical copies can't be upgraded[6].
  • Loyalty discount: 10% off a Vault Edition pre-order until October 23, 2026. To get it, the platform account you pre-order on must own a Call of Duty from 2019 or later that you've played (free-to-play and mobile games don't count). It doesn't apply to upgrades. See Activision's page for full eligibility[6][13].
  • Prices may differ by platform, store and region. The Steam prices above were checked on 2026-10-19.

What Vault Edition adds in DMZ

  • One extra Active Duty Operator slot, so you start with three instead of two[7][6].
  • A Deployment Kit with two each of Weapon Insurance Contracts, Operator Rescue Beacons, Fulton Drop Markers, Medium Backpacks and 2-Plate Carriers[6][7].

Both digital editions, Standard and Vault, get early access to all of DMZ[6][7].

MW4 DMZ timeline

DateWhat happenedSource
May 28Modern Warfare 4 announced for October 23[3]
Jun 6First DMZ deep dive[12]
Aug 28 – Sep 1Multiplayer Open Beta (open to everyone)[15]
Oct 5DMZ Deep Dive Part 1: Hajin[16]
Oct 9DMZ Deep Dive Part 2: FOB[7]
Oct 15Activision confirms no Game Pass at launch[10]
Oct 16Campaign early access for digital pre-orders[6][7]
Oct 19Required DMZ early access update, by 9 AM PT[1]
Oct 20DMZ early access, 10 AM PT[1]
Oct 23Full launch, midnight local time[2]

We haven't confirmed whether DMZ was in the Open Beta, so we don't claim it was.

FAQ

Is MW4 DMZ free?

No. It comes with Modern Warfare 4, which you have to buy[10][8].

Is DMZ on Game Pass?

Not at launch. Activision says Holiday 2027[10].

What time does DMZ early access start?

10 AM PT on Tuesday, October 20, which is 17:00 UTC[1].

Do physical copies get early access?

Activision lists early access for digital pre-orders and pre-purchases[6]. AllThingsHow says disc copies start on October 23 Reported[8].

Is DMZ on PS4 or Xbox One?

No. Activision says Modern Warfare 4 won't be on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One[3].

Where to next

Sources

  1. Call of Duty Updates (@CODUpdates) on X · Activision · 2026-10-17 (00:40 UTC)
  2. Call of Duty Blog – Modern Warfare 4 PC Trailer, Tech Updates, and More · Activision · 2026-09-29
  3. Call of Duty Blog – Announcing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 · Activision · 2026-05-28
  4. PlayStation Blog – Everything you need to know about DMZ mode · PlayStation Blog · 2026-10-05
  5. PC Gamer – Modern Warfare 4 release times and early access explained · PC Gamer · 2026-10-16
  6. Activision Support – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Editions · Activision Support · 2026-10-13
  7. Call of Duty Blog – DMZ Deep Dive, Part 2: Forward Operating Base · Activision · 2026-10-09
  8. AllThingsHow – Is DMZ Free in Modern Warfare 4? · AllThingsHow · updated 2026-10-17
  9. Nintendo Life – MW4 Campaign and DMZ Early Access release date and times · Nintendo Life · 2026-10-14
  10. Call of Duty Blog – Modern Warfare 4 Launches October 23 as a Standalone Release · Activision · 2026-10-15
  11. charlieINTEL on X · charlieINTEL · 2026-06-06
  12. Call of Duty Blog – Modern Warfare 4 DMZ: Explore the Hajin Exclusion Zone · Activision · 2026-06-06
  13. Activision – Official DMZ page · Activision · read 2026-10-19
  14. Steam store listing (US) · Valve (Steam) · read 2026-10-19
  15. Activision – Modern Warfare 4 Beta page · Activision · read 2026-10-19
  16. Call of Duty Blog – DMZ Deep Dive, Part 1: Hajin · Activision · 2026-10-05