Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

The Call of Duty franchise has experienced turmoil in recent years. Following the well-received Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II in 2022, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III was released just one year later in 2023. It felt more like an overblown expansion than a proper sequel. But this was no isolated incident. After Modern Warfare III came the comparatively strong release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024), followed by the underwhelming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (2025). Black Ops 7 had a disappointing campaign and lacked a clear identity in its multiplayer mode. At least the Zombies mode was convincing. However, the game faced tough competition from Battlefield 6. Ultimately, the shooter only reached No. 5 in the annual US charts (Circana), behind Battlefield 6 at No. 1. Infinity Ward is attempting to return the Call of Duty series to its former glory with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The new game features three modes: Campaign, Multiplayer and DMZ.

The single-player campaign comprises 16 missions and tells a story spanning two interwoven plotlines, lasting approximately seven to eight hours. Players experience a large-scale surprise invasion of the fictional South Korean metropolis of Hajin by North Korea from the perspective of South Korean Marine Park Hyun Jun. The campaign also follows Captain Price, who is driven by a thirst for revenge following the death of 'Soap' MacTavish. Price goes off the books to hunt down his arch-enemy Makarov, as well as a new, mysterious mastermind played by actor Mads Mikkelsen. With one exception, the campaign is largely linear, moving away from the unpopular 'final' experiment in Blops 7.

Players get exactly what they would expect: blockbuster action entertainment packed with explosions and a fast pace. However, it also offers plenty of variety, including building-to-building firefights in a photorealistic supermarket, car chases, somewhat clunky hand-to-hand combat sequences, night raids in Mumbai, stealth sections, assault missions and beach landings, as well as shifts in perspective. The open-world chapter feels more integrated and doesn't seem like an artificial way of extending the playing time. Surprisingly, the story has genuinely serious undertones and character developments, even if Mads Mikkelsen’s strong character is unfortunately seen far too little. However, the enemy AI does have the tendency to glitch occasionally, and spotting enemies can sometimes be a bit tricky.

The regular multiplayer mode stands out thanks to its exceptional gunplay. The concept is straightforward: there is no random weapon spread (weapon bloom), no guesswork and no uncertainty about hits. Movement in Modern Warfare 4 focuses on fluid sequences, direct control, and freedom of play. While Black Ops 6 and 7 relied on the often frantic Omnimovement system, this game introduces more tactical, grounded manoeuvres. These include Mantle Slide and Mantle Steering (seamless sliding and aiming while vaulting over obstacles), Supine Slide (sliding on one's back) and Pipe Climb.

Alongside twelve classic 6v6 maps, three expansive Ground War battlegrounds (32v32) and four 2v2 Gunfight arenas, the game introduces new variants. These include the dynamically changing Kill Block map (set in a training facility) and the new turn-based Collateral mode (with no respawns and inspired by Counter-Strike, similar to Search & Destroy). There is plenty of variety on offer here, in terms of both the maps and the battles, whether involving a few or many players. However, the game once again relies on strict skill-based matchmaking (SBMM), which cannot be disabled.

Unlocking attachments in the Armoury and hunting for camo help to maintain long-term motivation. In the Armoury, new 'Apex attachments' can profoundly alter weapon behaviour. From level 55 onwards, the new Dual Prestige system allows players to freely choose between Classic Prestige, which resets everything for bonus XP, and Regular Prestige, which allows players to continue playing without losing unlocks. Progress is fully shared across both multiplayer and DMZ modes, including level XP, weapon XP and Battle Pass progress. The first season will also kick off on 6 November, when Call of Duty: Warzone will also be included in the progression system.

Unlike a tacked-on co-op mode or the Zombies mode from Black Ops, Modern Warfare 4 relies entirely on an extensively revamped version of the DMZ extraction mode as its third game mode. While DMZ was a free mode attached to Warzone in Modern Warfare II (2022), it is now a core feature of the full-price game, which explains why Infinity Ward invested so much of its budget and development effort in it this time around. On the expansive Hajin map, up to 60 players (in 20 squads of three) compete against AI combatants and other human squads in a PvPvE environment. The aim is to complete missions, collect rare materials for the 3D printer, and escape before the radiation spreads, either in story missions, dynamic operations, or free roam.

Battles are intense and thrilling. If a player's Operator dies and is not revived during the mission, any collected equipment and unsecured loot is lost, although valuable items can be saved via special 'Secure Slots' in the backpack. Furthermore, the fallen character is considered Missing in Action (MIA) and must first be bought back using in-game currency, the cost of which depends on the player’s progress. Fortunately, collected resources and loot apply across all the player's operators. The whole system is linked to a progression system featuring three specialised skill trees, a prestige system and base expansion. The Forward Operating Base (FOB) serves as a command centre complete with a 3D printer, an armourer, traders, a bounty leaderboard, and more. Players can manage their progress here, prepare their equipment and plan their next mission. The FOB develops further with every completed operation in Hajin. Although the gameplay has been slightly enhanced for solo players, DMZ remains primarily a group game at its core. But players who kill many others are marked as 'Wanted' with a bounty on their heads.

Infinity Ward led the development of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, working alongside Beenox, Digital Legends, Activision Shanghai, Raven Software, Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games and High Moon Studios.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 was released on 23 October 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S. Unlike the previous instalments, it is not included in the Xbox Game Pass immediately; this change is due to a new pricing and release strategy for the Game Pass from Xbox. The shooter is not being released for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, but for Switch 2. The last Call of Duty game released on a Nintendo console was Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Wii U in 2013. The game costs €69.99 on PC and €79.99 on consoles. For €30 more, players can purchase the Vault Edition, which includes the Hunter Killer Operator Skin, Hostile Alliance Operator Pack (4 Operator Skins: Price, Valeria, Ghost, Blix), Special Forces Operator Pack (4 Operator Skins representing the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and South Korea, each with voice packs in their local languages), Signature Weapon Collection (5 Signature Weapons), additional bonus content in DMZ, and BlackCell (One Season; Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more).

Conclusion

After Black Ops 7, Infinity Ward is returning the Call of Duty series to its former glory with Modern Warfare 4. The campaign is one of the best in the series, and the expanded DMZ mode is more than just a side feature, whilst the multiplayer battles rely on proven strengths such as gunplay and movement.

Features

• One of the best single-player campaigns in the series
• Strong gunplay and movement
• Expanded and enhanced DMZ mode