How to Play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Early

Update 08/14/26: The beta gets a campaign mission and Warzone map

Activision not only provided additional details on which multiplayer maps and modes we can play in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta, but for the first time in the series history, the story campaign will be included, as well as a new Warzone map.

However, before we get carried away, it is only one mission, but it’s still an exciting moment for fans nonetheless. The Modern Warfare 4 campaign mission in question is called ‘Entrenched’. We’ll find out further details on that mission and the beta as a whole during Call of Duty NEXT on August 21, 2026.

What maps and modes are included in the beta?

We now know that the maps in the Modern Warfare 4 beta include: Rooftops, Silkworm, Transit 213, Cachette, Lotus and Kill Block.

As for the modes, we can play: Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Inflation, Search & Destroy, Kill Block - 3v3 and 10v10 Gunfight, and Mobility Course.

Finally, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta will also include the new Warzone Resurgence map, Zodiac. All in all, it looks to be two very eventful beta weekends.

Original Story 07/15/26: The next Call of Duty game is fast approaching, and players eager to get early access to Modern Warfare 4 will be able to jump in before the worldwide launch.

No matter what the naysayers declare- that it's the end of the series or they won’t play this year's entry- pretty much all Call of Duty games since its inception in 2003 have been among the year's best sellers, and we’d imagine that the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be no exception.

How Can You Play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Early?

Multiplayer Beta

There will be at least two ways that you can play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 early. The first is the returning multiplayer beta.

Typically, as with previous instalments of the Call of Duty franchise, there will be a closed multiplayer for those who pre-order Modern Warfare 4. This exclusive window is often available for its opening multiplayer beta weekend, and the following weekend, it becomes open to all across platforms.

If you pre-order Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 digitally, you’ll automatically be granted access to the multiplayer beta when it goes live. As for physical pre-orders, the participating retailer of your choosing should provide a code granting access to the beta before its launch.

Story Campaign Early Access

The second method is playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 with early access to its story campaign.

Just like the multiplayer beta early access, you get early access to the story campaign by pre-ordering the game. However, there is a caveat, and that’s that the early access to the story campaign is exclusively for pre-ordering Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 digitally. It does not apply to physical pre-orders.

As a bonus, however, early access to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 story campaign is not exclusive to the most expensive ‘Vault Edition’; it also applies to pre-orders of the standard edition, across all available platforms.

How Early Is the Story Campaign Access?

By pre-ordering any digital version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, you’ll gain early access to the story campaign starting on Friday, 16 October 2026. That’s a whole week before its full launch. Which going by series standards, this will be more than enough time to finish your first playthrough and be prepped for the multiplayer offering.

Pre-order PlayStation: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Walmart

Pre-order PC/Steam: Loaded

Pre-order XBox: Amazon UK | GAME | Amazon US | Walmart

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be released on Friday, 23 October 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2.

READ MORE: How to Buy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Cheaper