Modern Warfare 4 DMZ detailed ahead of 23 October launch
Infinity Ward has detailed how DMZ will return in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 as a full extraction mode at launch.
The studio calls it the "action extraction shooter". That means players enter a map, gather loot, take on objectives, face enemy soldiers and rival players, then get out with what they found. The mode builds on the DMZ beta first tested in 2022's Modern Warfare 2, according to a developer diary and blog post published on 5 October 2026 Eurogamer.
DMZ will be available on launch date 23 October 2026 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2. Unlike the Modern Warfare II version, it will not be free-to-play.
The action takes place in Hajin. Infinity Ward describes it as a sprawling Exclusion Zone, a locked-off combat area, shaped by the aftermath of the Modern Warfare 4 campaign. The studio says Hajin holds the largest population of enemy AI it has ever built.
Those enemies sit in four tiers of aggression and power. The toughest tier is called Commanders, who roam the map with strong guards. A new deployment screen lets players pick mission types before loading in. Players can also drop in with no objective and find work once inside.
Progression is split. DMZ has its own 70 levels that can only be climbed by playing DMZ. It has its own economy of cash and crafting materials that carry over between rounds. Weapon progression is shared with multiplayer and Warzone Call of Duty.
Every player gets a home base called the Forward Operating Base, or FOB. It can be walked around with squadmates and grows from a small foothold into a working base with more than a dozen Stations as players complete Operations across Hajin.
At the FOB, players manage Operators, the characters used in DMZ. They can check the Stash for weapons, gear and printer ingredients, set a loadout, customise guns and try them at a firing range set in a wooded grove with targets out past 100 metres. Players can also pick up Orders, guiding missions that teach the mode and tell its story, and open Survival Kits, themed packs of loot for gearing up or crafting.
The base holds other tools. A 3D printer crafts items from materials found in the field. A vendor sells weapons and gear for in-game cash. There is a case for collected dog tags, a bounty board that tracks top player-versus-player performers, and a boss board with intel on powerful AI enemies.
For fans, this means a clearer split between the run and the rest of the game. What you earn in Hajin stays in Hajin, except for your guns.
Call of Duty has split the full guide across two blogs: Part 1 Tour of Duty – Hajin Environments and Threats, and Part 2 Tour of Duty – Forward Operating Base (FOB) Full Intel Guide. A seventh episode of the studio series From The Ward, titled DMZ: Addition By Extraction, covers lessons from the 2022 beta and plans for Hajin after launch.
