Modern Warfare 4 DMZ Early Access Starts October 20 With Hajin, Crafting and Operator Progression

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will open its full DMZ mode in early access on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, giving digital preorder and prepurchase customers three days to enter Hajin before the game’s October 23 launch.

The date and mode details come from the official Call of Duty DMZ Deep Dive, Part 2. Early access applies to the Standard Digital Edition and Vault Edition on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Battle.net, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. Campaign early access begins separately on October 16.

DMZ is a persistent open-world extraction mode in which solo players or squads enter Hajin, fight AI forces and rival Operators, complete objectives, gather loot and try to reach an exfil point with their rewards. Infinity Ward’s official overview below explains the mode’s broader structure.

Hajin offers three ways to deploy

Players choose between Story Missions, Dynamic Operations and Free Roam before entering the Exclusion Zone. Story Missions advance the conflict created by a power vacuum in Hajin and can be completed or replayed. Their briefings set required objectives and normally pay out high-value gear and DMZ Cash, with extra rewards tied to milestones.

Dynamic Operations are repeatable deployments built around objectives that award DMZ XP and Cash. Completing an Operation also calls in a Supply Drop, with its rarity increasing alongside the challenge. Free Roam removes the mission requirement and lets a squad explore Hajin City and the surrounding region on its own terms.

Deployment method is another choice. Entering on foot is free, while teams can spend DMZ Cash to begin with a vehicle, helicopter or cargo-plane insertion. The most expensive option costs 100,000 DMZ Cash but allows a squad to choose a precise drop location.

The FOB turns each run into lasting progress

The Forward Operating Base is the hub between deployments. It starts with stations for Active Duty Operators, DMZ Orders, the Stash and Loadout, a firing range, Survival Kits and the Bounty Leaderboard. More facilities unlock through play, including the 3D Printer at DMZ level 2, the Vendor at level 5, the Gunsmith at level 10 and the Dog Tag Case at level 20.

That structure makes successful extraction useful beyond the loot carried out of Hajin. Players return to the FOB to store equipment, prepare another Operator, spend Cash, craft gear and upgrade stations. The base itself expands as progress is made across the mode’s 70 DMZ levels.

3D Printer crafting uses recipes, resources and rare ingredients

The 3D Printer is both a crafting station and an upgrade system for the FOB. Recipes unlock through DMZ levels, Orders or successful extraction, while four basic Resources—Synthetics, Electronics, Chemicals and Metals—are automatically broken down from collected items.

Rarer 3D Printer Ingredients must be found in specific parts of Hajin and extracted. Those materials can produce or improve backpacks, armor carriers, tactical and lethal equipment, consumables, field upgrades and fire-support items. Crafted gear can be sent to the Stash or equipped directly on an Operator for the next deployment.

Active Duty Operators have Traits and real MIA risk

Players begin with two Active Duty Operator slots and can unlock a third through DMZ progression. Vault Edition owners begin with three slots. Each Operator earns DMZ XP separately, upgrades a personal Dog Tag and receives one Trait Point whenever that tag reaches a new level.

There are 66 Traits across the Warfighter, Scout and Survivalist trees, but a fully leveled Operator receives no more than 18 Trait Points. That limit encourages specialized builds for combat, scouting, looting, revives or survival instead of giving every Operator every benefit.

An Operator eliminated during a deployment becomes MIA and cannot be used again until recovered. Players can pay DMZ Cash to rescue that character and preserve earned Traits, although the recovery price rises with Trait investment and the Operator returns without equipment. The other option is to dismiss the missing Operator and start over.

Loot and progression carry across deployments

The Stash is shared by all Active Duty Operators. It begins with room for 40 general items and 12 weapons, while upgrades earned through DMZ levels expand both capacities. Weapons, gear, consumables, keys, valuables and Printer Ingredients can be stored for later runs.

DMZ has a separate 1–70 level track, and the XP earned during a deployment still counts even if the squad fails to extract. That XP also contributes to the game’s overall 1–55 player progression, while Multiplayer and Call of Duty: Warzone XP do not increase the DMZ level.

The official Hajin field guide provides the wider map, threat, vehicle and point-of-interest breakdown. For release times, preload information, editions and confirmed platforms, see our complete Modern Warfare 4 launch FAQ.

Which part of Modern Warfare 4 DMZ interests you most: Hajin exploration, crafting, Story Missions or building persistent Operators?