Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 launches November 6 with new DMZ map

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 gets its first free content update on November 6, 2026. Season 1 expands Multiplayer with three maps and two returning modes. For DMZ players, the focus is on weapons complex X01, where closing extraction points make escaping more difficult. The paid Battle Pass is also changing.

Three maps at launch, more at midseason

At the start of the season, you can jump into two all-new Multiplayer maps and a reworked version of Shoot House. The locations vary considerably in layout:

• Backstab: a war-torn area with harsh weather, abandoned tanks and drone weaponry in a deserted home.
• Canyon: an environment featuring towering cliffs, a river route near Convoy Ambush and winding trails along the Cliff Path.
• Shoot House: a revamped version set in a snowy North Korean landscape.

Grind and Drop Zone also return. In Grind, you collect dog tags from eliminated players and deposit them at a Bank to score points. Drop Zone revolves around holding a rotating objective area, where packages containing Killstreaks are regularly dropped.

Midseason will bring Ministry, set in and around an embassy, and Overflow, featuring a factory and surrounding farmland. Counter Attack will also become available then. In this mode, you try to detonate bombs at the opposing team's communications station while defending your own. A date for this midseason update has not yet been announced.

DMZ adds weapons complex X01

The new DMZ location, X01, consists of a tunnel network with shifting hazards. Enemy forces have taken over the complex. According to Activision, the conditions call for preparation, tailored loadouts and cooperation within your squad.

Extraction points gradually close, forcing you to complete the required steps to escape. X01 also introduces new DMZ Orders. Activision also mentions Threat Briefing, focused on major bosses such as Commanders, and Resupply Runs. Exactly how these will work has yet to be detailed.

Warzone is expanding too: Hajin and Zodiac have been announced as new maps for Season 1. Details on their associated modes and gameplay features will follow later.

New weapons and a catch-up system

The Season 1 Battle Pass includes the Cronen Osprey assault rifle and the CSG-35 SMG. Activision describes the Osprey as a fast weapon with moderate firepower. According to the publisher, the CSG-35 has the highest fire rate in its class and is designed for close-range combat.

The Battle Pass gets a linear progression track with 100 tiers and more than 100 unlockable items. Buyers will receive an automatic catch-up system: players who fall behind will be brought up to the reward corresponding to the current day of the season, up to day 50. Activision says this guarantees more than 50 rewards for paying players. No price has been announced.

What does this mean for you?

If you mainly play Multiplayer, you can jump straight into new locations and returning modes. For DMZ squads, X01's closing extraction points look like a good reason to coordinate routes and loadouts in advance. The Battle Pass catch-up system could reduce the pressure to play every day, but it applies to the paid pass. The free content update and those paid rewards therefore remain two separate things.

Source: PlayStation Blog