Readers like you help support this site. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. All opinions remain our own.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a first-person shooter for PC from Infinity Ward, available on Steam, Battle.net and the Xbox app. You play a story campaign set during a North Korean invasion of South Korea, fight other players in Multiplayer, and loot and extract in DMZ. All three modes come in one purchase.
The campaign splits between two heroes. You fight as Private Park, a young South Korean soldier, and as Captain Price, now working outside the system he once served. The story moves from trenches in Korea to New York, Paris and Mumbai.
Its release date is October 23, 2026, on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo, published by Activision. Beenox built the PC version. It is a separate purchase: Activision said it is not on Game Pass at launch. On PC it needs TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot turned on, plus an SSD.
Already playing? Tell us your favorite map or your best DMZ extraction. Got questions before buying? Reach out to us directly.
What You Need to Know
- On PC it is sold on Steam, Battle.net and in the Xbox app. It is not on the Epic Games Store.
- It is not part of Game Pass at launch. Activision said it joins Game Pass in Holiday 2027.
- TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are required to play on PC.
- Two editions: Standard and Vault Edition, with a paid upgrade from one to the other.
- It has a paid Battle Pass, BlackCell and a store for COD Points (the in-game currency).
Quick Facts
How to Download Modern Warfare 4 on Windows
You can buy it on Steam, Battle.net or in the Xbox app. These steps use Steam.
- Step 1. Install Steam. Download it from the Steam website and sign in.
- Step 2. Open the store page. Go to Modern Warfare 4 on Steam.
- Step 3. Pick an edition. Add Standard or Vault Edition to your cart and finish checkout.
- Step 4. Install it. Find it in your Library and click Install. Pick a drive on an SSD.
- Step 5. Launch it and sign in. Link or create your Activision account when the game asks.
Prefer another store? In the Xbox app on PC, search for Modern Warfare 4 and buy it there. For Battle.net, install the Battle.net app, open the Call of Duty tab and buy it there. Steam, Battle.net and Xbox copies are separate purchases, so pick one store and stick with it.
Before you install: TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot
Activision requires both on PC as part of its RICOCHET anti-cheat. TPM 2.0 is a security chip, usually built into the processor on newer PCs. Secure Boot is a startup check that blocks untrusted software from loading before Windows. Windows 11 needs TPM 2.0 to install, so most Windows 11 PCs already have it. To check TPM, press Windows + R, type tpm.msc and press Enter. To check Secure Boot, open System Information and look for Secure Boot State. If either is off, you turn it on in your PC's BIOS or UEFI settings. Activision's TPM page has the full steps.
Modern Warfare 4 Editions and Price
There are two editions on every PC store. Both include the full game: the campaign, Multiplayer and DMZ. The Vault Edition adds cosmetics and one season of BlackCell (a premium upgrade to the Battle Pass).
Prices are the US launch prices on Steam. Digital pre-orders also came with Campaign Early Access from October 16, 2026, DMZ Early Access from October 20, 2026, the Hunter Killer Operator Skin, the Gilded Pearl Camo Pack and the Inner Circuit Weapon Blueprint. Every edition sells optional extras each season, such as the Battle Pass and COD Points, and you never need them to play. On Game Pass, Activision said Modern Warfare 4 arrives in Holiday 2027. Until then, Game Pass Ultimate keeps the older games, including Black Ops 7.
What Is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4?
Modern Warfare 4 is the next main game in Infinity Ward's rebooted Modern Warfare series. North Korea launches a full invasion of South Korea, and a young squad of South Korean soldiers tries to hold the collapsing front line.
Street fighting in Korea, from the Modern Warfare 4 campaign.
You play as Private Park, facing combat for the first time, and as Captain Price, who now runs his own off-book war while people hunt him. The missions cover trench warfare in Korea, close-quarters fights in New York, chases through Paris, SAS night raids in Mumbai, and assaults to take back occupied cities.
A car chase through Paris.
Multiplayer starts with 12 new 6v6 maps, plus large maps that mix vehicles and infantry. A new system Infinity Ward calls Ballistic Authority removes weapon bloom (random bullet spread), so shots go where your barrel points. DMZ is the extraction mode: you drop into the war zone of Hajin, solo or with a squad, grab loot and gear, fight AI enemies and other players, and try to get out alive.
A squad heads out. DMZ deployments start from a transport helicopter.
Coming from the last game? Our Black Ops 7 guide covers the one before this, and Call of Duty: Warzone is the free battle royale that runs alongside it.
Official Trailer
Watch the official Modern Warfare 4 reveal trailer from Call of Duty to see the invasion of South Korea, Private Park's squad on the front line and Captain Price on the run.
Key Features
A story told through Private Park on the front line and Captain Price in the shadows.
Fresh maps at launch, plus large maps with vehicles.
Loot, fight and extract, solo or in a squad, with a base you upgrade.
Bullets follow your barrel, so aim matters more than luck.
A new round-based bomb mode where you buy gear with cash between rounds.
More than 800 settings, DLSS 4.5, FSR Redstone, XeSS 3 and a benchmark tool.
Is This Game for You?
Our Take
🎮 Our Take
Modern Warfare 4 makes two big bets, and both are good ones. Moving the story to a war in Korea gives the campaign a setting the series has not used, and splitting it between a raw recruit and an outlaw Price gives it two very different moods. Removing weapon bloom is the more important change for Multiplayer, because it rewards good aim instead of luck. DMZ is the part with the most to prove. Extraction shooters live or die by how fair and rewarding each run feels over months, not on day one.
If you play Call of Duty every year for Multiplayer, this is the game the player base moves to, so buy Standard. Only pick Vault Edition if you will actually use the season of BlackCell. If you mainly play through Game Pass, stay with Black Ops 7 for now, since Activision said Modern Warfare 4 does not join Game Pass until Holiday 2027.
System Requirements
These are the requirements Activision published for PC. The minimum spec is modest, but an SSD, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are not optional. Activision also lists a third tier for ray tracing at 4K.
Recommended targets 90 frames per second in Multiplayer on high settings. Seasonal updates add to the 115 GB. The processor must support AVX instructions, and Intel Arc cards need Resizable BAR turned on. Steam lists an RTX 3060 for Recommended, while Activision's PC spec page lists the RTX 3060 Ti. Thinking about an upgrade? Our Best Gaming Desktops guide is a good place to start.
Tips for Beginners
Check TPM and Secure Boot first
Do it before you pay. Without both, the game will not run on PC.
Install the Xbox PC app for faster startup
Even on Steam or Battle.net, it lets the game download precompiled shaders, so it starts faster.
Run the built-in benchmark
It tests your PC in a simulated match and suggests settings to change.
Try Enhanced FOV
This PC-only setting widens what you see at the edges of the screen without stretching the center.
Add a laser to learn your aim
With no bloom, a laser attachment shows exactly where your shots are going.
Modern Warfare 4 Screenshots
A squad in a misty forest, soldiers in the snow, French operators on a city street and a crowded neon alley at night. Click any image to open it full size.
- Mw4 soldier burning building from
- Mw4 forest squad advance from
- Mw4 soldiers crouch snow from
- Mw4 bearded soldier closeup from
- Mw4 french operators street from
- Mw4 crowd neon alley night from
Modern Warfare 4 FAQ
Is Modern Warfare 4 on Game Pass for PC?
Do I need the Xbox app if I buy Modern Warfare 4 on Steam?
Can I upgrade from Standard to Vault Edition later?
Why does Modern Warfare 4 need TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot?
Does Modern Warfare 4 work with a controller on PC?
What are the Modern Warfare 4 system requirements?
Support and Community
- Modern Warfare 4 on Call of Duty's official site, Activision's own page for the game, with editions and mode details.
- Activision Support for Modern Warfare 4, for account, crash, connection and TPM problems.
- The Call of Duty blog, where patch notes and season details are posted.
- r/CallOfDuty on Reddit, the main Call of Duty subreddit, for news, clips and help.
- Steam news for Modern Warfare 4, for updates and announcements.
Explore more Windows games: Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 for Windows · Call of Duty: Warzone for Windows · Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II for Windows · Battlefield 6 for Windows · Delta Force for Windows · Best Action Games for Windows
Discover more from Windows Mode
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.










Add your first comment to this post