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Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 starts on Friday, November 6, 2026, in both MW4 and Warzone. That date comes from Infinity Ward’s official roadmap. Season 1 is also when the first Battle Pass and BlackCell go live, so the Vault Edition's BlackCell becomes usable then too. Activision has not announced a start time or the Season 1 maps and weapons yet.
When does MW4 Season 1 start?
Infinity Ward posted the official MW4 roadmap on X on October 14, 2026. Its last panel reads “Season 1, November 6” with the MW4 and Warzone logos underneath. That puts Season 1 exactly two weeks after the Modern Warfare 4 release date of October 23.
The graphic gives dates only, with no time of day. Until Activision publishes a start time, any hour you see quoted is a guess.
MW4 roadmap: every date before Season 1
The same roadmap lays out what arrives between launch and Season 1. All dates are as printed on the official graphic.
| Date (2026) | What arrives |
|---|---|
| October 16 | Campaign early access (digital pre-orders) |
| October 20 | DMZ early access (digital pre-orders) |
| October 23 | Full launch: Multiplayer, 20 maps and the launch modes |
| October 27 | Shipment map |
| October 29 | Possession mode |
| October 30 | Infected mode |
| November 6 | Season 1 for MW4 and Warzone |
Shipment returns on October 27
Activision’s maps and modes blog post describes Shipment as the classic small map, this time set in a Russian harbor between the water and concrete apartment blocks. We cover the details in our MW4 Shipment guide.
Possession and Infected for Halloween
Activision calls these two “Pre-Season 1” party modes, timed for Halloween. In Possession, you take over the body and loadout of every enemy you eliminate. Infected is the familiar survivors-versus-infected mode, where each player the Infected eliminate joins their team.
Does the MW4 Battle Pass start with Season 1?
Yes. There is no Battle Pass during the launch period. Activision’s launch-day blog post says BlackCell, the Battle Pass, COD Points and Tier Skips “will be accessible in Modern Warfare 4 upon availability of the Season 1 Battle Pass in-game”.
That matters most if you bought the Vault Edition. It includes one season of BlackCell with the current Battle Pass and up to 20 Tier Skips. Activision says the redemption applies to one season of the MW4 Battle Pass only. That post does not say whether you can hold it for a later season, so read the in-game prompt before you redeem. See Standard vs Vault Edition for everything else in the Vault.
The Season 1 Battle Pass reward list and the BlackCell price for non-Vault players had not been announced as of October 25, 2026.
What happens to Warzone in Season 1?
The roadmap shows the Warzone logo next to the November 6 date, so Season 1 starts in Warzone on the same day. One confirmed detail: the Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) Valor Pack launched in MW4 Multiplayer and DMZ, and Activision says it “releases in Call of Duty: Warzone with Season 1”. Our MW4 Valor Pack guide lists all 12 items.
Full Season 1 patch notes, map details and specific weapon balance changes have not yet been announced. What Activision has confirmed about legacy weapons and Operators is in our guide on when MW4 comes to Warzone. If you still play on PS4 or Xbox One, check whether MW4 runs on PS4 first, because MW4 does not support last-gen consoles.
How to get ready before November 6
- Collect free XP tokens. Our list of free MW4 Double XP tokens shows where to get them now.
- Level weapons on Shipment. Shipment arrives on October 27, ten days before Season 1, so you can use the small map to level your launch weapons first.
- Push your rank. Higher player levels unlock more weapons, perks and killstreaks. Our guide to leveling up fast in MW4 lists the confirmed XP sources.
MW4 Double XP + Double Weapon XP Tokens (60 Min Each)Two 30-minute codes, each granting both Double XP and Double Weapon XP, for 60 minutes of each in total.From $7.99View offerMW4 leveling and Season 1 prep services
If you want your rank and weapons sorted before Season 1 starts, these are the MW4 services we offer.
MW4 Multiplayer Bot LobbyA private Multiplayer lobby for fast player and weapon XP before the Season 1 Battle Pass starts.From $4.99View offer
MW4 C.O.D.E. Valor Pack CodeThe C.O.D.E. Valor Pack, which reaches Warzone with Season 1.From $17.99View offerYou can also see all Modern Warfare 4 bot lobbies on one page.
Frequently asked questions
What time does MW4 Season 1 start?
Not announced yet. The official roadmap only gives the date, November 6, 2026.
Does Warzone get Season 1 on the same day?
Yes. The official roadmap lists MW4 and Warzone together under the November 6 date.
Is there a Battle Pass before Season 1?
No. Activision says the Battle Pass, BlackCell and Tier Skips become available when the Season 1 Battle Pass goes live.
When can I use Vault Edition BlackCell?
Once the Season 1 Battle Pass is live on November 6, 2026. It covers one season only; check the in-game prompt for exactly how it is applied.
What new maps and weapons come in Season 1?
Not confirmed. Activision had not published Season 1 content details as of October 25, 2026.
Sources and update history
- Infinity Ward on X, “The road ahead starts with Early Access” roadmap, October 14, 2026: x.com/InfinityWard/status/2110385373671252043
- Call of Duty on X, roadmap post, October 14, 2026: x.com/CallofDuty/status/2110385140732141651
- Activision, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is Live Worldwide”, October 23, 2026: callofduty.com
- Activision, “Modern Warfare 4: Maps and Modes Confirmed”, October 2026: callofduty.com
Drafted October 25, 2026. Facts last checked October 25, 2026. Published October 25, 2026.
