Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

Presentation

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a first-person shooter developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The fourth installment in the rebooted Modern Warfare continuity, which began in 2019, continues the events of this series through an international military conflict. The game retains the franchise's foundations, featuring modern combat, customizable weapons and cinematic presentation, while developing three complementary experiences: a single-player story campaign, competitive multiplayer battles and a DMZ extraction mode. This structure combines scripted missions with tactical confrontations and operations in which risk management plays an important role.

The campaign takes place against the backdrop of a North Korean invasion of South Korea, whose consequences gradually spread to several regions of the world. Players notably follow Park Hyun Jun, a young South Korean soldier facing his first combat experiences, and Captain John Price, now engaged in a covert mission outside traditional military structures. Operations take the characters from the trenches of the Korean Peninsula to the streets of New York, through pursuits in Paris and nighttime missions conducted by British special forces in Mumbai. The campaign therefore alternates between infantry combat, close-quarters engagements and large-scale military operations, with a narrative centered on the escalation of the conflict and the personal journeys of its protagonists.

Multiplayer returns to the fast-paced confrontations of the Modern Warfare series, emphasizing shooting accuracy, movement control and map knowledge. Battles take place across maps of different sizes, ranging from traditional 6v6 matches to 32v32 Ground War battles, combining infantry and vehicles. Combat environments alternate between confined urban areas, favoring close-range engagements, and more open terrain where positioning becomes decisive. Several competitive modes complement these environments, including team-based battles, objectives to defend or capture, and tactical encounters without immediate respawns.

Fighter customization revolves around the Create-a-Class system, allowing players to organize their equipment according to the situations they encounter. Players can select weapons, modify attachments and choose different perks, tactical equipment and killstreaks. Progression gradually unlocks additional configuration options, while regular use of a weapon increases its level and provides access to more attachments. Modern Warfare 4 also introduces two Prestige paths: one follows the traditional principle of resetting unlocks, while the other allows players to continue progressing without losing previously acquired equipment. These systems complement competitive battles by placing considerable emphasis on adapting loadouts to different playstyles.

The third major component is DMZ mode, dedicated to extraction operations in hostile territory. Players take on the role of covert operatives deployed in the Hajin region to complete objectives, recover equipment and leave the area with their collected resources. Deployments can be undertaken solo or with a squad, in environments where enemy forces, weather conditions and objectives evolve. Unlike traditional multiplayer matches, success does not depend solely on eliminating opponents: players must also assess acceptable risks, choose when to extract and preserve the resources they have gathered. A Forward Operating Base allows players to prepare missions and develop their capabilities between deployments. Modern Warfare 4 therefore builds its formula around three approaches to modern combat: military storytelling, competition and tactical extraction.

Key points

• A modern military FPS, continuing the rebooted Modern Warfare series that began in 2019.
• A 16-mission story campaign, centered on the invasion of South Korea and Captain Price's covert operations.
• Battles set across several regions of the world, notably Korea, New York, Paris and Mumbai.
• Competitive multiplayer featuring traditional 6v6 matches, Gunfight encounters and 32v32 Ground War battles.
• A weapon and loadout customization system, accompanied by equipment progression and two Prestige paths.
• A DMZ extraction mode, in which players complete missions, recover resources and attempt to escape a hostile area.
• Solo and cooperative operations, alongside cross-platform multiplayer features between compatible systems.

Conclusion

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 continues the rebooted Modern Warfare continuity through a military conflict whose consequences extend beyond the Korean Peninsula. The campaign combines the experiences of young soldiers facing a large-scale invasion with Captain Price's secret operations, through a succession of missions featuring varied environments and objectives.

Multiplayer develops competitive combat around mobility, weapon customization and character progression, while DMZ introduces an approach based on exploring hostile territories and securing resources. The game therefore brings together a cinematic campaign, competitive military combat and extraction operations, three distinct experiences built upon the franchise's shooting and movement mechanics.

Good to know

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 was released on October 23, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, with contributions from several partner studios, including Beenox and Digital Legends for technical adaptations. The game uses an evolution of the IW Engine and does not have PlayStation 4 or Xbox One versions.

It is the fourth installment in the Modern Warfare continuity rebooted in 2019, following Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022) and Modern Warfare III (2023). The campaign features 16 missions and notably follows Park Hyun Jun and John Price. Events unfold on the Korean Peninsula and in several major international cities. Early access to the campaign was offered from October 16, 2026, to eligible digital edition purchasers.

At launch, multiplayer features 20 maps: 12 traditional 6v6 maps, four 2v2 Gunfight maps, three 32v32 Ground War maps and the modular training center Kill Sector, designed for several combat formats. Game modes notably include Search and Destroy, Gunfight, Ground War and Inflation, a new mode in which teams must collect money from their opponents while protecting players who have become high-priority targets.

Multiplayer progression includes 55 initial levels, followed by 10 Prestige levels and a Prestige Master progression path extending to level 1,000. Players can choose between Classic Prestige, which resets certain unlocks in exchange for additional rewards, and Standard Prestige, which preserves acquired equipment. Weapons also have their own progression systems, featuring attachments, camouflage patterns and mastery challenges.

DMZ mode takes place in the Hajin region, where players can deploy alone or in groups to recover resources, complete contracts and reach extraction points. A Forward Operating Base (FOB) serves as the preparation center between missions. It notably allows players to manage operators, equipment and different progression objectives. Deployments combine encounters with hostile forces, equipment collection and potential confrontations with other players.

The game is available on PC through Steam, Battle.net and Xbox on PC, with advanced graphics settings and support for upscaling technologies and ray tracing on compatible hardware. The Nintendo Switch 2 version was developed with contributions from Digital Legends. Multiplayer features include cross-play, allowing players on different compatible platforms to compete online. An Activision account and a network connection are required to access the relevant services.

Modern Warfare 4 is available in Standard Edition and Vault Edition. The latter notably adds operator skins, weapon blueprints, DMZ-related bonuses and content associated with a season of the BlackCell Battle Pass. These items mainly concern customization and additional rewards, without changing the structure of the three main modes.

The game features voice acting, text and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese and several other languages, with differences depending on the edition and platform. The campaign is designed for single-player gameplay, while multiplayer and DMZ rely on online services. Modern Warfare 4 is rated PEGI 18 in Europe.