Pre-ordering any version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 now grants early access to the returning DMZ mode, starting October 20, three days before the full launch on October 23. The incentive follows the poorly received Black Ops 7, for which Activision publicly apologised, and is part of a broader push to boost pre-orders.
Pre-order incentives and beta content
The open beta for Modern Warfare 4 was noticeably more packed with content and gameplay modes than usual, and Microsoft briefly offered Xbox gift cards for those who pre-ordered the game for Xbox or PC. The new DMZ early access applies to any pre-order, and comes on top of the pre-order incentive for the early access campaign, available from October 16.
DMZ is a PvPvE mode, where players compete against each other and computer-controlled enemies, giving pre-order customers a headstart against other players. The mode debuted in 2022's Modern Warfare 2 but was initially presented as a beta test rather than a full release.
Return of DMZ and player expectations
With DMZ returning for Modern Warfare 4, presumably as a proper mode and not another beta, Activision appears keen to give it another go, given the relative popularity of other extraction shooters such as ARC Raiders and Marathon. Activision's website bills it as the series' 'definitive extraction shooter,' describing it as 'a living world with unpredictable enemy encounters, weather, and objectives all brought together by meaningful match-to-match progression and inventory systems.'
Activision adds that it has been experimenting with player feedback from the original DMZ beta from 2022 and promises the mode has evolved into 'a deeper, more cohesive, and more persistent combat experience shaped by what resonated most with players.'
Based on sessions with Modern Warfare 4's beta, the game certainly needs something to keep players invested. Barring a couple of neat maps and the new Kill Block arena, which changes its layout every round, impressions were not especially strong. It was never going to meaningfully address the problems with Black Ops 7, since development would have been too far along to react to that game's poor reception, but it is still likely to have a rough reception from some fans.
Whether early access to DMZ will trigger a significant boost in pre-orders remains to be seen, but Microsoft has at least made sure that Xbox Game Pass won't cannibalise sales.
