Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will release globally on October 23, 2026, across Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC (Battle.net, Xbox on PC, Steam), and Nintendo Switch 2. However, it will not be available on Xbox Game Pass on launch day [1, 2, 3].
Microsoft and Activision are explicitly marketing the game with an emphasis that it will not appear on Game Pass in 2026 to inform casual players [1, 2, 3]. This marks a shift from previous Call of Duty releases like Modern Warfare 3 (2024), Black Ops 6 (2024), and Black Ops 7 (2025), which launched on Game Pass at release or shortly after [1, 2, 3]. Under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, the policy changed in early 2026, delaying Call of Duty titles' Game Pass availability to about a year after release [1, 2, 3].
Alongside this change, Microsoft reduced the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription price from $29.99 to $22.99 [1]. Other first-party Xbox games such as Gears of War: E-Day, Clockwork Revolution, and Fable will continue to launch on Game Pass at release, making Call of Duty an exception [3].
Modern Warfare 4 will be priced at $70 for the standard edition and $100 for the Vault Edition [3]. The game will offer campaign early access for digital pre-orders on all major platforms including Nintendo Switch 2 [1, 2].
Set in Korea at the start of a conflict between North and South Korea, Modern Warfare 4 will feature an expanded DMZ extraction mode [1, 2].
The change in Game Pass availability reflects a revenue strategy shift by Xbox leadership to maximize game sales rather than rely on subscription growth [2, 3]. Modern Warfare 4 will launch worldwide on October 23, 2026, without Game Pass day-one access [1, 2, 3].
