The launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is already off to a rocky start for some players. From reports of long queue times to sweaty lobbies, the game’s matchmaking has quickly become a point of frustration. However, players hoping to switch things up have discovered that MW4 multiplayer does not currently have Open playlists.

Modern Warfare 4 Multiplayer Has No Open Matchmaking Playlists at Launch

Open matchmaking playlists are currently unavailable in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer. For MW4 players who were hoping to have the option at launch, its absence has already sparked frustration.

Some players are reporting long waits to find matches, while others say their lobbies feel overly competitive. However, it’s currently unclear what is causing those issues, or whether they are connected to the matchmaking system.

The missing playlists have also brought attention back to a statement shared by the official Call of Duty account in July. At the time, the publisher explained how its new matchmaking system differed from Open matchmaking and confirmed that Open playlists would be available in the MW4 beta. However, the option appears to be missing at launch.

What activsion Previously Said About MW4 Matchmaking

In its July 23 statement, the official Call of Duty account said the new system was designed to improve team balancing, offer more match variety, and help keep matches full. It also promised a better experience for parties with players of different skill levels.

“The new system builds on what we’ve learned, with smarter team balancing, wide match variety, improvements that help keep matches full, and a better experience for mixed-level parties. We believe these changes will deliver a better overall experience for all players, with the variety players love from classic Call of Duty.”

We've seen your questions about the difference between Open and the new system. The new system builds on what we've learned, with smarter team balancing, wide match variety, improvements that help keep matches full, and a better experience for mixed-level parties. We believe…

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) July 23, 2026

However, the next part of the statement is particularly relevant to the current debate: “Open playlists will continue to be available in BO7 and the MW4 Beta.” While that confirmed the option for the beta, it did not promise that Open matchmaking playlists would also be available when Modern Warfare 4 launched. But it also doesn’t rule it out being added eventually.

Will Modern Warfare 4 Get Open Matchmaking Playlists?

At the time of writing, Infinity Ward and Activision have not issued a statement addressing the missing Open playlists at launch. As a result, it’s unclear whether the option will be added to Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer in a future update.

The July statement said the team would continue listening to player feedback and reviewing match data to refine the system. However, that does not confirm that Open playlists will return.

For now, players hoping to choose Open matchmaking will have to wait for an update from the developers. And judging by the early complaints about queue times and sweaty lobbies, many players are not happy with the current setup.

The post Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Multiplayer Launches Without Open Matchmaking appeared first on VICE.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23, but players can already jump into its single-player campaign through early access. Here is the M4W release date, launch time breakdown, and when Modern Warfare 4 is coming to Game Pass.

When Is the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Release Date?

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 release date is Friday, October 23, 2026. The shooter is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. However, if you have seen players already making their way through the campaign, there is a reason for that.

Activision is splitting the launch into several stages, with digital preorder customers getting access to certain modes before the full release. The MW4 campaign is already available today as it went live on October 16, while DMZ early access begins on October 20. The full game follows on October 23.

That means you can finish the single-player story before jumping into multiplayer at launch! To make it easier to track, we’ve created an easy-to-read table below that shows when the Modern Warfare 4 release date is in every region:

MW4 Release Date and Time by Region

Region	Local date	Release time
United States / Canada (Pacific)	October 22	9:00 PM PDT
Mexico City	October 22	10:00 PM CST
United States / Canada (Eastern)	October 23	12:00 AM EDT
Brazil (São Paulo)	October 23	1:00 AM BRT
United Kingdom	October 23	5:00 AM BST
Central Europe (Germany / France)	October 23	6:00 AM CEST
South Africa	October 23	6:00 AM SAST
Finland	October 23	7:00 AM EEST
Saudi Arabia	October 23	7:00 AM AST
United Arab Emirates	October 23	8:00 AM GST
India	October 23	9:30 AM IST
China / Singapore	October 23	12:00 PM CST / SGT
Japan / South Korea	October 23	1:00 PM JST / KST
Australia (Perth)	October 23	12:00 PM AWST
Australia (Brisbane)	October 23	2:00 PM AEST
Australia (Adelaide)	October 23	2:30 PM ACDT
Australia (Sydney / Melbourne)	October 23	3:00 PM AEDT
New Zealand (Auckland)	October 23	5:00 PM NZDT

Will Modern Warfare 4 Be on Game Pass?

Yes, Modern Warfare 4 is coming to Game Pass, but it will not be available on the subscription service at launch. Activision has confirmed that MW4 will join Game Pass in Holiday 2027, although an exact release date has not been announced.

So, if you were hoping to play this year’s Call of Duty through your subscription, you will have to wait almost an entire year before it arrives on the Xbox service. Players who want to jump in at launch must purchase the game separately.

How to Get Modern Warfare 4 Campaign Early Access

To play the Modern Warfare 4 campaign early, you need to preorder or prepurchase any digital edition of the game. Campaign early access began on Friday, October 16, 2026, giving eligible players a week to experience the story before the official release date.

You do not need to purchase the more expensive Vault Edition to get the campaign head start. The Digital Standard Edition also includes early access. However, Activision lists this benefit specifically for digital purchases, so a physical preorder does not qualify.

There are two early access dates to keep track of:

Mode	Early access date	Requirement
Single-player campaign	October 16, 2026	Any digital preorder or prepurchase
DMZ	October 20, 2026	Any digital preorder or prepurchase

Both benefits are included with eligible digital editions. However, campaign early access does not unlock the entire game ahead of schedule, so you will still need to wait for the full launch to jump into standard multiplayer.

If you mainly want to experience the story, you can already start playing through a qualifying digital purchase. For everyone waiting on Modern Warfare 4’s Game Pass launch, the confirmed release window is Holiday 2027.

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