- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be launched on October 23, 2026
- The game skips last generation and launches exclusively on current generation systems including the Nintendo Switch 2
- It comes with a full campaign, multiplayer and DMZ extraction mode
Activision has officially announced the next mainline entry in the Call of Duty series, Modern Warfare 4and it is slated to be released later this year on October 23rd.
Developed by Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 4 will skip last-gen consoles, including PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, to launch exclusively on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC. The game will also be the first Call of Duty entrance to launch built-in on Nintendo Switch 2.
Modern Warfare 4 will “mark a new chapter for the studio with the grounded, authentic, high-stakes military” the games are known for, set against an escalating global conflict centered around the Korean Peninsula that “pushes the series into darker and more dangerous territory as a full-scale invasion of South Korea threatens to destabilize the world.”
Although developed with the PC community in mind, the studio confirmed that the game is also built exclusively for the latest consoles and “sets a new technical benchmark for the franchise” by delivering “greater scale, fidelity, density, responsiveness and immersion throughout the game.”
A full campaign that returns to the gritty roots of the series, multiplayer and DMZ mode will be available at launch. DMZ is a separate sandbox extraction mode set in a large-scale conflict zone where players can either deploy solo or with a team.
“DMZ returns transformed from its Beta, building on that foundation to deliver a deeper, more complete mining experience shaped by player feedback and new system,” said Infinity Ward.
The multiplayer mode will feature 12 all-new core 6v6 maps set in a wide variety of locations around the world on day one, as well as offering dedicated Gunfight maps and Kill Block, which is described as a “dynamic battlefield with more than 500 configurations that reshape routes, sightlines and cover to keep players adapting round after round.”
An expanded, streamlined customization system has also been created with a unified loadout system for players to experiment with. Apex Attachments will also unlock at maximum weapon progression, and each weapon upgrade brings new behaviors that open up additional tactical playstyles.
There are also two Prestige paths: Classic Prestige and Regular Prestige. Classic Prestige delivers the traditional reset experience players are familiar with, re-locking Create-a-Class progression in exchange for increased XP earning rates and access to exclusive Prestige rewards.
“I’m thinking about the combination of changes to core multiplayer, with Kill Block and the dynamic multiplayer map experience, and the combination of that with DMZ being a game within a game,” said the studio’s multiplayer creative director Joe Cecot in a recent interview with our games editor Dashiell Wood.
“It’s the biggest, and I think it’s even the most impressive Call of Duty that we’ve ever had a chance to work on. I think I could be honest and say it’s my favorite.”
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