Activision has officially revealed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Season 1, confirming a November 6, 2026 launch with new multiplayer maps, game modes, weapons, DMZ content, and full integration with Call of Duty: Warzone. The update introduces the X01 weapons facility for DMZ, three multiplayer maps at launch, and a redesigned Battle Pass featuring more than 100 rewards.
The announcement, published on October 28 through the official Call of Duty website and PlayStation Blog, outlines the first major seasonal content update following Modern Warfare 4’s October 23 release. Season 1 begins at midnight Eastern Time on November 6, equivalent to 9 PM Pacific Time on November 5.
The update covers Multiplayer, DMZ, and Warzone, with additional maps, limited-time events, weapons, and progression rewards scheduled throughout the season.
Three multiplayer maps will be available when Season 1 launches. Backstab is a new medium-sized 6v6 map set in a snow-covered, war-torn town. Abandoned military vehicles, damaged buildings, and elevated positions provide opportunities for both long-range engagements and close-quarters combat. Players can move through buildings and use destroyed walls to flank opponents.
Canyon, another new 6v6 map, takes place in a desert environment surrounded by towering rock formations. Its layout includes a river, a convoy ambush site, winding cliff paths, caves, and elevated platforms. The mixture of open terrain and natural barriers creates several routes for navigating the battlefield.
The third launch map is a reimagined version of Shoot House, retaining its recognizable three-lane structure while relocating the setting to a snowy environment in North Korea. The updated map incorporates Modern Warfare 4’s movement and combat systems, with interconnected routes through areas including the Junkyard, Containers, and central tunnels.
More multiplayer locations are planned for Season 1 Reloaded, the mid-season update. Ministry features combat around an embassy during a global diplomatic summit, while Overflow is situated around a factory and surrounding farmland. Activision has also teased additional maps without revealing their identities.
The returning Shipment map became available on October 27 as part of the preseason update. Season 1 will also introduce a featured Kill Block: Crash combination, using a fixed arrangement of three sections selected from popular configurations during the Modern Warfare 4 beta.
Multiplayer modes are expanding alongside the new maps. Grind returns at launch, requiring players to collect dog tags from eliminated enemies and deposit them at designated banking locations to score points. Drop Zone also returns, challenging teams to control a rotating objective while periodically receiving Killstreak packages.
Gauntlet 1v1 will be available as a limited-time mode connected to the Wager Match event. Players compete in successive one-on-one Gunfight encounters, with winners remaining in the competition to challenge another opponent.
Two additional modes are arriving before the season begins. Possession launches October 29, allowing players to take control of eliminated opponents and inherit their loadouts. Infected follows on October 30, bringing back the survival-focused mode where eliminated players join the infected team.
Later in the season, Counter Attack introduces objectives centered on destroying enemy communication stations while defending friendly positions. Another mode offering a variation on Team Deathmatch is also planned.
DMZ receives one of the update’s largest additions with X01, a previously undiscovered weapons facility located near the Hajin Exclusion Zone. According to Activision, the installation was formerly operated by GRANIT Arms and has been occupied by hostile North Korean forces.
X01 introduces interconnected tunnels, underground laboratories, cargo bays, vehicle depots, and a sealed Deep Vault. The facility features dangerous enemy encounters, specialized equipment, and environmental threats that complicate exploration and extraction.
Unlike conventional extraction points, X01 can progressively restrict escape routes. Players must complete the necessary extraction requirements before the facility closes off their remaining options.
The new location expands the existing DMZ progression system, which includes Orders, Operations, Forward Operating Base upgrades, and other activities. Ghost will guide squads through multiple pages of new Orders within X01, introducing objectives tied to the facility’s unexplored areas.
Season 1 also introduces Threat Briefing activities focused on powerful enemies. In Hajin, players can engage a North Korean battle tank and extract recovered components for rewards. Within X01, another challenge involves defeating The Captain, a heavily armored Juggernaut, and collecting sections of his helmet.
Resupply Runs will require players to locate specific items across different points of interest and exchange them for equipment such as Self Revives and 3-Plate Carriers. Additional DMZ events will offer rare gear, Survival Kits, and other rewards.
The Forward Operating Base is receiving further improvements, including a new station providing access to Battle Pass and store content. Activision also confirmed an additional vendor offering weapons and equipment purchasable with DMZ Cash for players who own Season 1 BlackCell.
These changes build on the DMZ rollout that began with early access on October 20, expanding the extraction experience beyond its initial Hajin environment.
Warzone will also receive significant changes as Modern Warfare 4 becomes fully integrated with the free-to-play game. Activision confirmed two new maps, Hajin and Zodiac, alongside the return of Verdansk and Rebirth Island.
Additional Warzone modes, gameplay changes, and seasonal features are planned, although the publisher has reserved the full breakdown for a separate announcement on November 2. The integration follows Activision’s earlier clarification of Warzone's legacy cosmetic carryover plans, which distinguished returning Operators, skins, and blueprints from weapon camos.
Four additional weapons have been announced for Season 1, beginning with the Cronen Osprey Assault Rifle and CSG-35 SMG.
The Cronen Osprey unlocks at Battle Pass Tier 16 and features a fire rate of 882 rounds per minute, a standard 30-round magazine, and 70 weapon levels. Its Cronen Helix Mk. II Apex Attachment introduces a double-barrel firing mechanism that discharges on both trigger pull and release.
The CSG-35 unlocks at Tier 36 and offers a fire rate of 1,200 rounds per minute, making it the fastest-firing SMG in its class according to Activision. It carries 28 rounds per magazine and is primarily designed for close-range combat. Its CSG Crossfire Apex Attachment enables dual-wielding.
Both weapons are available through free Battle Pass tiers.
Later in the season, the fully automatic JAK 12 Shotgun and ZLR Talonhawk melee axe will become available as event rewards. New weapon attachments are also planned, including a fully automatic conversion for the Hyeon Burst Assault Rifle, a Kastov 545 conversion for the Kastov 762, and an M16-style burst-fire attachment for the M4.
The Season 1 Battle Pass introduces a linear progression structure consisting of 100 tiers, replacing a more complex navigation system with sequential rewards. Players can unlock weapon blueprints, Operator skins, finishing moves, COD Points, weapon cosmetics, and DMZ Survival Kits.
A new catch-up system applies to premium Battle Pass purchasers. Players who fall behind will automatically advance to the reward corresponding to the current day of the season, up to day 50. Activision says the system guarantees access to more than 50 rewards for eligible purchasers.
The standard premium Battle Pass costs 1,100 COD Points, while the Battle Pass Bundle costs 2,400 COD Points. BlackCell content will also be available separately, with additional exclusive cosmetics and rewards.
Season 1 introduces new Operators, including Blix and BlackCell Agent XERO. The Wager Match event, weapon camo events, and Joint Fire event will provide further progression opportunities across the season. Joint Fire will award additional progression bonuses for players participating in larger squads.
Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 launches November 6 across all supported platforms. Activision’s next scheduled announcement is the dedicated Warzone roadmap on November 2, followed by additional information on the mid-season Season 1 Reloaded update.
