Call of Duty was the game of my childhood. So when Modern Warfare 4 gameplay started showing up from Campaign Early Access last week, I watched it, and I loved what I saw. The full game launches on October 23, 2026.
This post is spoiler-free. It covers what the Modern Warfare 4 gameplay shows, what the story is about, what critics and players are saying so far, and the basics you need before launch.
The official Modern Warfare 4 reveal trailer, from the Call of Duty YouTube channel.
Why Modern Warfare 4 gameplay hits different for a childhood COD player
If you grew up on Call of Duty, you remember the campaigns more than anything: the tight missions, the squad you followed, the moments that felt like a war film you were steering yourself. Recent entries drifted from that; GameSpot singles out Modern Warfare III’s weak story and open-world missions that “missed the mark”.
From everything shown so far, Modern Warfare 4 goes back to the old shape. GameSpot’s review describes a campaign that is “traditional and mostly linear”, with only one open-world mission this year. For anyone who played COD as a kid, that is the headline.
The story, without spoilers
Infinity Ward’s campaign runs two stories side by side, according to the official Call of Duty blog:
- Captain Price on the run. After General Shepherd’s assassination in Modern Warfare III, Task Force 141 is disbanded and Price becomes an outlaw. Ghost and Gaz are sent to capture or kill their former captain. Kate Laswell is still in touch with him, and Price ends up working with Valeria Garza, the Las Almas Cartel leader from earlier games.
- The invasion of South Korea. North Korea launches a full-scale invasion, and you play as Private Park Hyun Jun, a young South Korean soldier fighting back with his squad alongside US marines.
Tying the two together is a weapon being delivered to a villain known only as “The Archer”, played by Mads Mikkelsen per GameSpot. The campaign moves between New York, Paris, Mumbai and several parts of Korea.
Gaz sums up the tension in one line from the campaign trailer: “There is a line… and it’s one we don’t cross.” Price’s reply is the whole game in miniature: “We draw the line wherever we need it, don’t we?”
What the Modern Warfare 4 gameplay shows
Going by GameSpot’s campaign review, these are the parts that stand out:
- Classic COD set pieces. Stealth missions, chases on foot and in vehicles, slow-motion breach-and-clear rooms and a chopper gunner section.
- A night-vision house-clearing mission in the style of Modern Warfare 2019’s “Clean House”, where you have to hold fire around civilians.
- One open-world mission, “Stranded”. Park scavenges supplies in the snowy Korean mountains, and you can explore for better gear or fast travel straight to the objectives.
- Close-quarters fights with only fists or a knife, where timing your blocks lets you parry and counter.
- A mission called “Gone Dark” where you play as Gaz hunting Price inside a dark hotel, which GameSpot singles out as a standout.
GameSpot’s reviewer finished the campaign in about eight hours.
Beyond the campaign, DMZ, the extraction mode, returns with a new map called Hajin. It is no longer free to play.
What critics and players are saying
Early reception is strong:
- GameSpot gives it an 8 (review in progress), praising the visuals and how the two stories come together, while noting the final boss fights feel brief and the campaign “doesn’t do much new”.
- Steam players rate it Very Positive: 92% of 2,691 English-language user reviews were positive as of October 22. For a fun comparison, that is the same 92% that the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare from 2007 holds on Steam today.
Modern Warfare 4 launch basics
- Release date: October 23, 2026. Campaign Early Access has been live since October 16 for players who pre-ordered the Standard Digital or Vault Edition.
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Battle.net, Steam and Xbox on PC) and Nintendo Switch 2. There is no PS4 or Xbox One version.
- Game Pass: not available on Game Pass at launch.
- Editions: Digital Standard, Digital Vault and Physical Standard (consoles only). The Vault Edition adds two Operator packs (including Price, Valeria and Ghost), a five-weapon Signature Weapon Collection, one season of BlackCell and a DMZ deployment bonus.
It is a big few weeks for games. Modern Warfare 4 lands now, GTA 6 follows on November 19 (see our GTA 6 Trailer 3 breakdown), and God of War Laufey is already up for pre-order (our Laufey pre-order guide).
Our take
Call of Duty was the game I played as a kid, and I loved the Modern Warfare 4 gameplay I have been watching. Based on what critics and players are saying, it looks like a return to the kind of campaign that made the series special in the first place.
Image credits: featured image and trailer (c) Activision Publishing, Inc. / Infinity Ward, from the official Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 reveal trailer on the Call of Duty YouTube channel, used for editorial commentary. Call of Duty and Modern Warfare are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.
Sources: Call of Duty blog: campaign trailer, Call of Duty blog: editions and platforms, GameSpot review, Steam.
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