MW2 Release Date, Countdown, Pre-Order, How to Play Early & More

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) is almost here, so find out everything we know about its release date and how to play early!

The original MW2 is the Call of Duty game that most players would volunteer when considering the best COD of all time. On top of that, the rebooted Modern Warfare 2019 was the game that brought the series back into the spotlight following some rocky entries in the franchise.

Because of these factors, there’s no question that fans are more excited for MW2 2022 than for any COD in recent history.

Here’s everything you need to know about the game’s upcoming release.

MW2 Release Date (2022)

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) releases on October 28, 2022. However, the game’s Campaign will be available on October 20 to those who pre-order the game digitally.

MW2 (2022) arrives 4735 days after the original MW2 release on 10th November, 2009. It’s important to note the new MW2, although sharing some similarities with the original is its own game and not a remaster.

It is releasing on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game will be available on both Battle.net and Steam – find out which is best for you!

This gives players approximately 20 days to play MW2 before Warzone 2 releases with the new Call of Duty Battle Royale

MW2 Multiplayer Release Time on PlayStation & Xbox

MW2 multiplayer is releasing on PlayStation and Xbox at midnight local time on October 28. This is except for North America, where it will release at the same time across all four time zones (9 PM PDT / 10 PM MDT / 11 PM CDT / 12 AM EDT).

This has been the case with recent Call of Duty titles.

MW2 Countdown – Time Until Release on Console

Time Zone	Countdown
NZT (New Zealand)
AEDT (Australia)
CET (Europe)
BST (London)
ET (New York)
CT (Illinois)
MT (Colorado)
PT (California)

MW2 Multiplayer Release Time on PC

Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer is releasing on PC at 9 PM PDT / 10 PM MDT / 11 PM CDT on October 27, and 12 AM EDT / 5 AM UK time on October 28. The PC release time is worldwide, which means the PC version of the game will launch at the exact same time across the globe.

October 27:

• 🇺🇸 9 PM PDT
• 🇺🇸 10 PM MDT
• 🇲🇽 11 PM CDT

October 28:

• 🇨🇦 12 AM EDT
• 🇺🇸 12 AM EDT
• 🇧🇷 1 AM BRT
• 🇬🇧 5 AM BST
• 🇸🇪 6 AM CEST
• 🇩🇪 6 AM CEST
• 🇰🇷 1 PM KST
• 🇯🇵 1 PM JST
• 🇦🇺 3 PM AEDT

MW2 Countdown – Time Until Release on PC

Time Zone	Countdown
NZT (New Zealand)
AEDT (Australia)
CET (Europe)
BST (London)
ET (New York)
CT (Illinois)
MT (Colorado)
PT (California)

How to Play MW2 Early With New Zealand Trick

As MW2 will be launching at midnight around the globe on console, you can actually play the game a day early with a little know-how.

Here’s how to use the New Zealand trick to play Modern Warfare 2 before anyone else on Xbox!

How to Get Early Access to MW2 Campaign

To get early access to the Modern Warfare 2 Campaign on October 20, simply pre-order the game digitally on any platform.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to get early access to the Campaign with a physical copy of MW2.

Without any trickery involved, you’ll be able to play the MW2 Campaign a week early, thanks to an offer from Activision itself.

It seems that the publisher is hoping that it can both boost pre-order sales and get more people playing the Campaign by giving players access before the multiplayer launches on October 28.

Where to Pre-Order MW2

Modern Warfare 2 is available for pre-order at all major retailers and storefronts. You can purchase it straight from the PlayStation or Xbox store digitally, as well as on Steam or Battle.net on PC.

If you want a physical copy of the game, we’ve got a guide to the best pre-order bonuses for MW2 here.

There is also a MW2 bundle with a PS5 console up for grabs, but pre-orders of the exclusive device are in short supply.

Is There a Pre-Load for Modern Warfare 2?

Yes, the Modern Warfare 2 pre-load is available for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.

How to Pre-Load MW2 on PlayStation

• Open the PlayStation Store
• Head to the search bar and enter ‘Modern Warfare 2’
• Select Download

How to Pre-Load MW2 on Xbox

• Open the Xbox Store
• Head to the search bar and enter ‘Modern Warfare 2’
• Select Download

How to Pre-Load MW2 on PC

• First, find out whether Steam or Battle.net is the best option for you
• Then, open your respective launcher.
• On Battle.net, click All Games – Activision, and find Modern Warfare 2. Click Pre-install.
• On Steam, search Modern Warfare 2 in the store, then hit Pre-install.

MW2 (2022) Download Size

Activision is yet to confirm the total storage space needed to download Modern Warfare 2. However, we don’t anticipate it being a small install.

The MW2 Beta was around 25 GB in size, and Modern Warfare 2019 sits around 100 GB on console and 175 GB on PC.

Thankfully, Modern Warfare 2 will be its own application rather than being bundled with Warzone 2.0, so that will hopefully decrease its necessary file size somewhat.

Modern Warfare 2 (2022) Multiplayer Maps

MW2 comes with a range of stunning multiplayer maps right out of the gate, and it seems like some classic arenas will make their return too. The likes of Terminal, Quarry, and Highrise all appear in the new Warzone 2 map, after all, so we imagine they may make the cut for standard Multiplayer too.

Here’s our full breakdown of all the Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer maps with images of each one!

But launch day isn’t the end for MW2 Multiplayer, with new maps set to drop with every new season. On top of that, leaks suggest that a paid classic map pack DLC will bring iconic Call of Duty maps to MW2 in year 2.

And while it seems that the MW2 Grand Prix map has been scrapped completely, many fans are still hopeful that it makes a return at launch.

MW2 New Features & Gameplay Changes

New Guns

As ever, Modern Warfare 2 will bring an array of new and returning weapons to both multiplayer and Warzone 2.

Here are all the Modern Warfare 2 weapons we got to try in the Beta, and the list will only increase on launch day.

Leaks indicate that the ACR and the Intervention will be among the returning guns, two classic weapons from the original MW2 days.

Gunsmith

And Infinity Ward is also bringing a brand-new Gunsmith to the table in both MW2 and Warzone 2.0. The new-and-improved Gunsmith introduces weapon Receivers, allowing unlocks for one weapon to transfer over to other guns in the family.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new Gunsmith system in MW2.

Will Skins and Guns Carry Over from Modern Warfare to MW2?

No, skins and guns will not carry over to Modern Warfare 2019 in any regard. All players will be starting fresh from MW2, however, players may have unlocked some exclusive items in the MW2 Open Beta, which they’ll start with at launch.

Other Beta progression will not carry over to MW2, Activision has confirmed.

Modern Warfare 2 Trailer

Campaign Trailer

Multiplayer Trailer

MW2 Story so Far

Modern Warfare 2019 ended with Captain John Price giving full clearance to form Task Force 141 to combat the threat that Zakhaev Junior poses to the world.

Modern Warfare 2 picks up three years later, with Task Force 141 fully formed and operating. The story kicks off with a US Strike killing a foreign general and prompting the nation to seek revenge because of it.

Because of this, Task Force 141 joins up with the Mexican Special Forces to stop any potential threat. Task Force 141 consists of:

• Simon “Ghost” Riley
• Captain John Price
• Kyle “Gaz” Garrick
• John “Soap” MacTavish
• Alejandro Vargas

These five operatives will travel the world as they do their best to stop the global threat that Zakhaev poses.

Confirmed Characters

Captain John Price

The leader of Task Force 141 and one of the most recognizable characters of Call of Duty, Captain John Price, is back.

Price has always been a dynamic character that recognizes that sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands to reach the outcome you desire.

• Voice Actor: Barry Sloane

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick was the first member of Task Force 141 recruited by Captain John Price. He was a prevalent character in Modern Warfare 2019, so it’s not surprising to see him return in Modern Warfare 2.

• Voice Actor: Elliot Knight

John “Soap” MacTavish

John “Soap” MacTavish is another iconic Call of Duty character that is returning in Modern Warfare 2.

He was the protagonist for the original Modern Warfare trilogy, but in Modern Warfare 2, he is known as the sniper and demolitions expert of Task Force 141.

• Voice Actor: Neil Ellice

Simon “Ghost” Riley

Ghost is one of the most recognizable video game characters across any franchise and has been used as the face of Call of Duty on multiple occasions.

There still hasn’t been too much information revealed about Simon “Ghost” Riley in Modern Warfare 2, but he does tend to clash with the other members of Task Force 141. He also prefers to handle missions on his own.

• Voice Actor: Samuel Roukin

Colonel Alejandro Vargas

Colonel Alejandro Vargas is a brand new character being introduced to the Call of Duty franchise and the final member of Task Force 141.

Not much has been revealed about his character, but he was brought into the team by Ghost. So it wouldn’t be surprising if he had a strong personality similar to Ghost.

• Voice Actor: Alain Mesa

Farah Ahmed Karim

Another character that is returning from Modern Warfare 2019, Farah Ahmed Karim, was actually one of the few playable characters.

We still don’t know what his role will be in Modern Warfare 2, but Claudia Doumit will be reprising her role as the character.

• Voice Actor: Claudia Doumit

Phillip Graves

Phillip Graves is also a new character debuting in Modern Warfare 2. He is a part of Shadow Company and an ally to Task Force 141.

Although, in the original Modern Warfare trilogy, Shadow Company ended up helping Shepherd betray Task Force 141. So maybe in MW2, we might see a similar storyline.

• Voice Actor: Warren Kole

Kate Laswell

Kate Laswell was the Supervisor of the CIA’s Special Activities Division and was the one who granted Price permission to form Task Force 141.

In Modern Warfare 2, her role will be more hands-on as a CIA Station Field that operates alongside Task Force 141.

• Voice Actor: Rya Kihlstedt

Major Hassan Zyani

Not much has been revealed about Hassan Zyani, but he is another character that will be debuting with the MW2 storyline.

• Voice Actor: Ibrahim Renno