Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Arrives October 23 — on Switch 2, but Not on Game Pass at Launch
This year's Call of Duty breaks with two recent habits at once: it's coming to a Nintendo console, and it isn't arriving on Xbox Game Pass on day one.
Modern Warfare 4 at a glance
- Release date
- October 23, 2026
- Platforms
- PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2
- Last-gen (PS4/Xbox One)
- Not included
- Xbox Game Pass
- Not included at launch
- Game Pass arrival
- 2027, about a year after launch
- Switch 2 developer
- Infinity Ward with partner studio Digital Legends
What happened?
Activision officially revealed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on May 28, 2026, and it launches on October 23 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. Infinity Ward leads development, with support from several other Activision studios. It is the first Call of Duty built only for current-generation hardware, leaving PS4 and Xbox One behind.
Call of Duty on Switch 2
The Switch 2 version is the headline platform news. Nintendo's own announcement confirms it launches the same day as other versions, with cross-play and cross-progression, plus optional mouse-style controls using the Joy-Con 2. Activision has said Infinity Ward is building it natively for Switch 2 with partner studio Digital Legends — the first mainline Modern Warfare release on a Nintendo platform in more than a decade. Switch 2 players were included in this summer's open beta, which ran from late August with open access from August 28.
Not on Game Pass at launch
The other big change is on Xbox. In April 2026, Microsoft cut the price of Game Pass Ultimate to $22.99 a month and PC Game Pass to $13.99, but said new Call of Duty games would no longer join the service at launch. Modern Warfare 4 is the first game affected. Under that policy new Call of Duty games join the service around the following holiday season, and reports of a message Microsoft sent to subscribers put Modern Warfare 4's arrival in 2027; ads for the game reportedly state it is "not on Xbox Game Pass this year." Previous Call of Duty games already in the catalog stay available.
What the game is about
The campaign centers on a fictional North Korean invasion of South Korea, following a South Korean soldier alongside series veteran Captain Price, with missions reported in other cities around the world. The setting has drawn discussion about sensitivity given the real division of the peninsula; according to reporting on the game's development, Infinity Ward consulted regional specialists and North Korean defectors. Multiplayer and the extraction-style DMZ mode return.
Why it matters
Modern Warfare 4 is the clearest sign yet of how Microsoft's strategy has shifted since buying Activision: Call of Duty is expanding to every major platform, including Nintendo's, while being pulled back from day-one Game Pass to protect full-price sales. For players, it means Switch 2 owners finally get a full current Call of Duty — and Xbox subscribers who expected it "free" with Game Pass will need to buy it or wait.
What we don't know
- Switch 2 performance targets — resolution and frame rate haven't been detailed by Nintendo
- Exact Game Pass arrival date in 2027
- Launch-day unlock times by region
What happens next
Modern Warfare 4 launches October 23, the same month as Gears of War: E-Day. Check our October release calendar for everything else landing this month.
FAQ
When does Modern Warfare 4 come out?
October 23, 2026.
Is Modern Warfare 4 on Nintendo Switch 2?
Yes. It launches on Switch 2 the same day, with cross-play and cross-progression.
Is Modern Warfare 4 on Game Pass?
Not at launch. Microsoft's April 2026 Game Pass changes removed day-one Call of Duty; reports say Modern Warfare 4 is expected on the service in 2027.
Is Modern Warfare 4 on PS4 or Xbox One?
No — it's only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Switch 2.
Sources
- OfficialNintendo — Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 coming to Nintendo Switch 2 this October
- OfficialCall of Duty Blog — Modern Warfare 4 on Nintendo Switch 2 and the beta
- ReportingEngadget — Xbox cuts Game Pass prices but new Call of Duty games will no longer hit the service on day one
- ReportingVideo Games Chronicle — Xbox is cutting Game Pass prices and removing launch-day Call of Duty games
- ReportingNintendo Life — Modern Warfare 4 Switch 2 partner developer revealed
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