A new leak suggests that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 might allow players to dive into the campaign before the full game launches. According to CharlieIntel, Xbox users who pre-ordered the game could pre-load placeholder files, including one labeled "Campaign Early Access Pack 1." YouTuber TDawgSmitty also reported that during a creator presentation, someone asked Infinity Ward about early access. The studio reportedly declined to comment, but the YouTuber interpreted a "wink wink, hint hint" from the audience as a possible confirmation. While far from official, this leak gains weight following a similar Xbox leak.
This wouldn't be a first for Call of Duty, but it would be a return after a hiatus. Both Modern Warfare II and Modern Warfare III offered campaign early access a week before launch, but the practice stopped with the latter. The negative reception to Modern Warfare III's campaign may have discouraged Activision from repeating it with Black Ops 6 and 7. Although MWIII's multiplayer was well-received, a week of negative campaign impressions likely hurt the game's launch.
However, there's considerable confidence behind Modern Warfare 4's campaign, which takes bold steps by centering on a North-South Korea conflict and sending Captain Price down a darker path that pits him against former allies like Ghost. This leak could be a positive sign for the single-player experience, and Infinity Ward might use early access to build hype before the full release.
Early access also encourages players to try the campaign, which many typically skip in favor of multiplayer, Zombies, or Warzone. If it's the only content available, it could draw fans into the story.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23 for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
