Quick answer: Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 starts at 9 PM PT on November 5 (11 PM CT, midnight ET on November 6). Before then, play the Possession party mode (October 29) and Infected (October 30). Season 1 adds three launch maps (Backstab, Canyon, Shoot House), two free Battle Pass weapons (Cronen Osprey AR at Tier 16, CSG-35 SMG at Tier 36), the X01 black site in DMZ, and a Battle Pass for 1,100 COD Points with a new catch-up system.
Activision and Infinity Ward revealed the full Season 1 plan for Modern Warfare 4 on October 28. It is the first free content update since launch, and it starts arriving this week with Halloween modes before the season itself goes live. Here is what to play now, what lands on day one, and how the new Battle Pass works.
When does MW4 Season 1 start?
Activision lists the Season 1 launch at midnight ET on November 6. That is 9 PM PT and 11 PM CT on Wednesday, November 5. The roadmap covers Multiplayer, DMZ and Warzone, though full Warzone details are not out yet. Activision says that intel arrives on November 2, including the Warzone Season 1 roadmap and details on Hajin and Zodiac. Verdansk and Rebirth Island are also part of the Warzone plan.
Step 1: Play the Halloween modes this week
Three pre-season drops are rolling out before Season 1:
- Shipment (live since October 27): the classic small map, remastered and now set in a Russian harbor.
- Possession (October 29): a new party mode. When you kill an enemy, you possess them, teleport to their spot and take their loadout. Activision describes it running on Hardpoint and Search and Destroy rules.
- Infected (October 30): the Infected get the FSS Carbon Edge Combat Knife, Throwing Knife and Ninja perk. Survivors start with the Rezi 12 Shotgun firing explosive slugs, plus a Trip Wire and Concussion Grenade.
Activision has not published an exact start time for Possession or Infected, so check the playlist tab on each date.
Step 2: Learn the three new launch maps
Season 1 launches with three Multiplayer maps:
- Backstab: a new 6v6 map in a snowy, war torn town.
- Canyon: a new 6v6 map surrounded by rock walls, with lanes Activision calls the River, Convoy Ambush and Cliff Path.
- Shoot House: the fan favorite returns, reimagined in North Korea with snowfall.
Ministry (a Global Peace Summit embassy) and Overflow (a factory next to farmland) arrive mid-season, with more maps still classified. Kill Block also gets Crash, a fixed set of three slabs that Infinity Ward picked from popular combinations in the beta.
New modes at launch are Grind, Drop Zone and Gauntlet, a 1v1 Gunfight style mode tied to the Wager Match Event. Counter Attack and a Team Deathmatch twist come mid-season.
Step 3: Unlock the two free weapons
Both launch weapons sit on the free track of the Battle Pass:
- Cronen Osprey AR (Tier 16): 882 RPM. Its Apex upgrade is the Cronen Helix Mk. II.
- CSG-35 SMG (Tier 36): 1,200 RPM. Its Apex option, CSG Crossfire, goes akimbo.
Later in the season, the full auto JAK 12 Shotgun arrives as an event reward, and the ZLR Talonhawk melee axe joins too.
Step 4: Decide on the Battle Pass
The Season 1 Battle Pass costs 1,100 COD Points, or 2,400 COD Points for the Bundle. It has 100 linear tiers and over 100 items. Buying it instantly gives a 10% Battle Pass XP boost and the Blix “Downpour” Operator skin, and you can earn up to 1,100 COD Points back.
The big change is catch-up. If you buy late, the pass automatically unlocks the reward that matches the current day of the season, up to day 50. Activision says that guarantees 50 or more rewards for buyers. Finishing the pass gets you the Blix “Vantage” skin, the Tier 100 “Bellum” Ultra Mosin-Nagant blueprint and 200 COD Points. BlackCell adds the XERO Operator, and Vault Edition owners get BlackCell included.
Step 5: Prepare for X01 in DMZ
DMZ gets X01, a GRANIT Arms black site near Hajin. Ghost serves as your Watcher, there are new Orders, and extraction points close as you push deeper. Expect new bosses: Lieutenants Tae-Hyun “Knuckle” and Chol-Min “The Wrench”, plus Commanders The Captain (a Juggernaut) and an autonomous Wheelson. New world events include Threat Briefing (a Battle Tank in Hajin, The Captain in X01) and Resupply Run, which drops Self Revives and 3-Plate Carriers.
Game Beacon’s take
The catch-up system is the most player friendly change here. Because late buyers jump straight to the day’s reward, up to day 50, there is no real penalty for waiting to see if Season 1 holds your attention before spending 1,100 COD Points. Play Possession and Infected this week for free, try the new maps on November 5, and buy the pass only once you know you will stick around. If you want more spooky events while you wait, see our Halloween game events guide.
