Modern Warfare 4 DMZ Early Access Starts October 20, With Campaign Early Access on October 16
Activision has confirmed Modern Warfare 4 DMZ early access for Tuesday, October 20, three days before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23. Anyone who pre-orders or pre-purchases a digital copy also gets the campaign four days earlier, on Friday, October 16.
Both perks cover the Standard Digital Edition and the Vault Edition on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PS5, Battle.net, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. A disc copy does not qualify, because the offer is tied to a digital pre-order.
When does Modern Warfare 4 DMZ early access start?
The schedule now has three dates, and they are easy to mix up:
- October 16 (Friday): campaign early access for digital pre-orders.
- October 20 (Tuesday): all of DMZ opens for the same players.
- October 23 (Friday): full launch, including multiplayer, for everyone.
Activision has not published unlock times for either early access window. Its small print says start dates can differ by time zone and are subject to outages, so expect a staggered start rather than one global switch. On Xbox the Standard Edition is listed at $69.99 for pre-order. If you want the wider picture of what the game includes, our Modern Warfare 4 release date, beta and campaign recap covers the edition details from the reveal.
What can you do in DMZ on day one?
DMZ is the extraction mode. You drop into Hajin, a new open map tied to the campaign's story, loot, fight AI forces and other squads, and keep what you carry out. The new guide confirms several stations at the Forward Operating Base, your hub between runs, are open straight away, while others unlock with the separate 1–70 DMZ level track:
- Open immediately: Operators, DMZ Orders, Stash and Loadout, Firing Range, Survival Kits and the Bounty Leaderboard.
- DMZ level 2: the 3D Printer, which crafts gear such as bandages, medkits, armor vests and backpacks from looted resources.
- After your second DMZ Order: the Boss Board, for tracking down Lieutenants.
- Level 5: a Vendor whose stock rotates daily. Level 10: the Gunsmith. Level 20: the Dog Tag Case.
DMZ XP also feeds the main 1–55 player level, but multiplayer and Warzone XP do not count toward DMZ. XP earned on a failed run still counts. That matters if you plan to grind during the early window: three days of DMZ before launch is three days of head start on the level track.
What does the Vault Edition add in DMZ?
Two things are confirmed. Vault owners start with three Active Duty Operator slots instead of two, and they get a Vault Edition Deployment Kit containing two each of Weapon Insurance Contracts, Operator Rescue Beacons, Fulton Drop Markers, Medium Backpacks and 2-Plate Carriers.
The extra slot is more useful than it sounds. Each Operator levels separately, earns up to 18 Trait Points across the Warfighter, Scout and Survivalist trees, and goes MIA when killed. Bringing one back costs DMZ Cash, and the price climbs with every Trait you have unlocked. A spare Operator lets you keep deploying while a high-level one waits to be recovered.
How much do the paid DMZ spawns cost?
Paid insertion has been the most argued-over detail in the community, and the guide now puts numbers on it. In Dynamic Operations and Free Roam you can deploy on foot for free, or spend in-game DMZ Cash on a better start:
- Polaris Dagor A1 light vehicle: 5,000 DMZ Cash
- LTV armored vehicle: 25,000 DMZ Cash
- Helicopter: 50,000 DMZ Cash
- Cargo plane, the only option that lets you pick your drop point: 100,000 DMZ Cash
All four are priced in DMZ Cash, the currency you earn and bank by playing the mode. Squads that bank cash early will drop into Hajin with vehicles while new players start on foot. Activision has not said whether matchmaking accounts for that gap.
Is this different from ARC Raiders and other extraction shooters?
The loop is familiar: what you extract you keep, and what you die with you lose. DMZ softens it with a free loadout that you keep if you extract, Medium Backpacks with secure slots, and persistent Operator Traits that survive a death if you pay for recovery. If you have been playing the ARC Raiders free weekend, the stash and crafting side will feel close. The Bounty system is new to this genre in Call of Duty: kill four rival Operators across deployments and you become Wanted, visible to nearby players and worth a DMZ Cash reward to whoever extracts your Dog Tag.
For earlier coverage of this release, see our report on the Modern Warfare 4 beta preload and its Switch 2 gap and the Inner Circuit blueprint that only looks green on Xbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I play DMZ in Modern Warfare 4?
DMZ early access starts on Tuesday, October 20, for players who digitally pre-ordered or pre-purchased Modern Warfare 4. Everyone else can play it from the full launch on Friday, October 23. Activision says start times may vary by time zone.
Does a disc pre-order get Modern Warfare 4 early access?
No. Activision ties both the October 16 campaign early access and the October 20 DMZ early access to digital pre-orders or pre-purchases of the Standard Digital Edition or the Vault Edition. A physical copy unlocks at the October 23 launch.
Is Modern Warfare 4 DMZ early access on Switch 2?
Yes. The early access benefit covers Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PS5, Battle.net, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. All of those platforms get campaign early access on October 16 and DMZ on October 20.
What does the Vault Edition give you in DMZ?
Vault Edition owners start with three Active Duty Operator slots instead of two. They also get a Vault Edition Deployment Kit with two Weapon Insurance Contracts, two Operator Rescue Beacons, two Fulton Drop Markers, two Medium Backpacks and two 2-Plate Carriers.
Do you need real money for vehicle spawns in DMZ?
Activision's guide prices vehicle and aircraft insertions in DMZ Cash, the in-game currency earned by playing DMZ, not in COD Points. A ground spawn is free, a light vehicle costs 5,000 DMZ Cash and the cargo plane, which lets you choose where to land, costs 100,000.
