Modern Warfare 4 Launches October 23: Editions, Early Access and What to Know

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 arrives Friday, October 23, and the early signals are good. Players who got in through campaign early access have pushed Steam user reviews to "Very Positive," with some calling the campaign one of the best in years, according to Push Square. Professional review scores were not published when we wrote this, so treat the praise as early user opinion and not a verdict.

Platforms and Price

Infinity Ward's game is on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. There is no PS4 or Xbox One version. A Switch 2 version has been announced as well, but we could not confirm its release date, so check Nintendo's store before you plan around it. At announcement, the Standard Edition was listed at $69.99 and the Vault Edition at $99.99, a $30 gap. The campaign is set on the Korean Peninsula, and the game ships with 12 multiplayer maps alongside the DMZ mode.

Early Access and Preloading

Digital buyers on consoles get campaign early access, and DMZ early access began rolling out this week. The catch is that it is for digital purchases, so a disc copy does not get you in early. If you bought digitally, start the download now, because the game is big. Guides disagree on the PS5 size: the most common figure is about 117GB, one source says closer to 160GB, and a third says more once updates and the DMZ pack are added. Nobody has an official number yet, so check your console's storage before launch day. If you are short on space, our PS5 storage guide explains what actually fits the slot.

Who Should Buy on Day One

If you play Call of Duty every year for the campaign, the early reaction makes a day-one purchase easy to justify, and early access means you can be done with it by the weekend. If you mostly play multiplayer, there is no rush. Seasonal launches often settle in the first week, and you can read reviews and wait for a sale. The Vault Edition costs $30 more, so decide whether the extras matter to you before you pay the premium. Do not buy a console just for this game: our console guide covers what to buy for the big November release instead.

Other Launches This Week

Two other games land the same week. Final Fantasy Resonance arrives October 22 and earned an 8 out of 10 from Push Square, which praised its turn-based combat and old-school feel while knocking a predictable story. The co-op breakout Peak reaches the PS5 on October 22 through the PlayStation Store, with a physical version planned later and no date yet.

Console Prices This Week

Prices did not move this week. The PS5 Digital Edition is $599.00, the disc model is $649.00, the PS5 Pro is $899.00 and still scarce, the Xbox Series X is $799.99, and the Switch 2 is $499.99. See the Weekly Drop for the full board.

The Bottom Line

Modern Warfare 4 looks like a strong launch, especially for campaign fans. Buy digitally if you want early access, make room for a very large download, and wait for critic scores if you mainly care about multiplayer.

→ Shop Call of Duty on Amazon, or see this week's sales on the Weekly Drop.

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