MW2 is finally here, but how long is left until Season 1 begins, bringing new and exciting content to the game?
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 might be having a rocky launch, but it’s still our most-anticipated COD in years, and fans are having a lot of fun with it.
However, right now there are a few major things missing from the game. First off, Hardcore or ‘Tier 1’ modes aren’t in the game yet.
And secondly, we have no remastered classic maps present in the game, despite several MW2 arenas appearing as POIs in Warzone 2! Thankfully, Modern Warfare 2 Season 1 is set to fix both of those issues – here’s when it’s dropping.
Don’t miss our full breakdown of MW2 Season 1’s new content, including guns, maps, modes, and DMZ here!
MW2 Season 1 Release Date
Modern Warfare 2 Season 1 will release on November 16 across all platforms, 20 days after the launch of the pre-season. The new season will drop alongside the first MW2 Battle Pass, and an array of new content including classic map Shoot House.
Season 1 will also be the release date of Warzone 2 – here’s how to pre-load and what to expect.

Plus, you can check out the full Warzone 2 map ‘Al Mazrah’ in-game now!
Modern Warfare 2 Season 1 Release Time
Modern Warfare 2 Season 1 will launch on November 16 at the following times:
- 10 AM PT (California / West Coast)
- 12 PM CT (Illinois)
- 1 PM ET (New York)
- 6 PM GMT (UK)
- 7 PM CEST (Central Europe)
- 9 PM MSK (Moscow)
- 11:30 PM IST (India)
- 2 AM CST (China) – Nov 17
- 3 AM JST (Japan) – Nov 17
- 5 AM AEDT (Australia) – Nov 17
- 7 AM NZDT (New Zealand) – Nov 17
And don’t forget that Season 1 will also be bringing DMZ mode to the game. Here’s a new leak that reveals everything we’ll be doing in the Demilitarized Zone mode!
MW2 Season 1 Countdown
MW2 Season 1 will release in . Since the update has a single global release time, this countdown is accurate no matter where you are in the world!
We expect there to be no downtime for this update.

How to Pre-Load MW2 Season 1
A pre-load for MW2 should be going live on November 14-15. Here’s how to pre-load on all platforms:
How to Pre-Load on PS4 / PS5
- From the PlayStation home screen, find your Modern Warfare 2 icon
- Press Options on the DualSense controller
- Then select Check for Update
- If a pre-load is available, the game should automatically download it
How to Pre-Load on Xbox
- From the Xbox home screen, find your Modern Warfare 2 icon
- Press Menu on the Xbox controller you’re using
- Then select Manage Game and Add-ons
- Choose Updates
- If a pre-load is available, the game should automatically download it
How to Pre-Load on Steam
- Open Steam
- Head to Library
- Find Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 in your list of games
- Right click on the game’s name and select Properties
- From the Updates menu, make sure Automatic Updates is set to ‘Always keep this game updated’
How to Pre-Load on Battle.net
- Open Battle.net Launcher
- Find Modern Warfare 2 from your Games list
- Click the Options gear next to the blue play button in the bottom left of the launcher
- Select Check for Updates
Want to know whether Steam or Battle.net is better for Modern Warfare 2? We’ve got the answer.