Modern Warfare 4 will not be included with Game Pass when it launches October 23. Activision says players must buy it separately to play at launch, with Game Pass availability planned for Holiday 2027.

The publisher confirmed the arrangement October 15. It gives no exact arrival day or subscription-tier breakdown for that later window. Do not read it as a promise that every Game Pass plan will include MW4 on a particular date.

Preorder access starts before the full release

Eligible digital preorders include Campaign Early Access beginning October 16 and DMZ Early Access beginning October 20. Those starts are separate from the full October 23 launch, and the announcement notes platform and time-zone conditions.

Game Pass alone does not replace that purchase. If you are buying for extraction matches, our MW4 DMZ field guide covers the mode and Hajin separately.

Two Modern Warfare 4 operators move beside parked vehicles.
Image: Activision / Infinity Ward.

The older Call of Duty library remains available

Activision says Game Pass Ultimate members retain access to Black Ops 7, Black Ops 6 and Modern Warfare III. Their inclusion does not extend launch access to Modern Warfare 4.

Check the official MW4 page or the Steam listing for the edition and platform you intend to use. Plan around a purchase if you want the October launch; treat Holiday 2027 as a broad future window, not a date already locked into your calendar.