When Can I Play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (MW3)? A Comprehensive Guide

The highly anticipated Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (MW3) launched globally on November 10, 2023, but the exact time you could start playing depended on your location and platform. Here’s a breakdown of the launch timings to ensure you know exactly when you could jump into the action:

For Console Players (PlayStation and Xbox): The full game launch for consoles followed a rolling release, beginning at midnight local time on November 10th. This means that as soon as the clock struck 12:00 AM in your specific time zone on November 10th, you gained access to multiplayer, campaign (if not already accessed through pre-order), and zombies mode.

For PC Players (Battle.net and Steam): The launch timing for PC players was slightly different. In the United States, the game became available at 9:00 PM PT on November 9th. This corresponds to midnight ET on November 10th for those on the East Coast. In Europe, it was released at 6:00 AM CET on November 10th, and in the UK, at 5:00 AM GMT on the same day.

In short, the release was staggered to accommodate a global launch and ensure a smooth experience for everyone. If you were a console player, you were ready to go at midnight on November 10th in your location. For PC, it depended on your region, but the launch was also largely on November 9th.

Modern Warfare III Launch Details

Console Rolling Release

As mentioned, the game’s release on consoles was a rolling global launch, meaning that access began at midnight local time on November 10th. For instance, players in New Zealand were among the first to play, as their midnight (GMT+13) occurred first, which translates to 3:00 AM PT on November 9th. The game’s full global release for consoles was complete by 10:00 PM PT on November 9th.

PC Launch Timing

For those playing on PC through Battle.net or Steam, the launch timings were based on time zones. The game launched first in the United States on November 9th at 9:00 PM PT. East Coast players got access at midnight ET on November 10th. European players accessed the game at 6:00 AM CET on November 10th, and those in the UK could play from 5:00 AM GMT on November 10th.

Early Access for Pre-orders

If you pre-ordered the digital version of Modern Warfare III, you were able to access the campaign early, starting November 2nd. This allowed you to get a head start on the single-player experience before the official global launch. However, this early access only applied to the campaign mode.

Global Availability

By the end of November 9th, the game was fully live around the world. If you hadn’t already purchased the game or accessed the campaign through early access, you had full access to the entire game on November 10th, based on the times listed for your platform.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 of the most frequently asked questions about when you can play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, designed to give you all the information you need:

1. Did I need to pre-order to play Modern Warfare III?

   No, pre-ordering was not required to play MW3. However, those who pre-ordered digitally gained early access to the campaign starting November 2nd. The full game, including multiplayer and zombies modes, became available globally on November 10th.

2. What is the Call of Duty HQ?

   The Call of Duty HQ is the launcher application you use to launch and access the various Call of Duty titles, including Modern Warfare III.

3. How much does the game weigh?

   The initial download size for Modern Warfare III was approximately 80 to 90GB, regardless of the platform. After the full launch, expect a total size of over 100GB.

4. Can I play Modern Warfare III on a PlayStation 4?

   Yes, Modern Warfare III is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Battle.net and Steam.

5. What modes are included at launch?

   Modern Warfare III launched with a full single-player campaign, multiplayer mode, and a new open-world zombies experience.

6. Can I change my Activision account region to play early?

   While it was mentioned online that changing your Activision account location to New Zealand might grant early access, this was not a reliable or legitimate method. The release times are determined by your location and platform.

7. How long is the Modern Warfare III campaign?

   The campaign is estimated to take around 3-7 hours to complete on regular difficulty. However, this can vary based on your play style and how much time you take exploring the missions and finding all the collectibles.

8. What is the main story of Modern Warfare III?

   The main focus of the story is on Task Force 141’s hunt for Vladimir Makarov, a Russian Ultranationalist terrorist. Players primarily control Yuri, an ex-Spetsnaz operator.

9. How many weapons are there in Modern Warfare III?

   At launch, there are 114 weapons in the game, including both primary and secondary weapons. This number is expected to increase with future updates.

10. Is there third-person mode in Modern Warfare III?

    While third-person mode is available in the Zombies mode, it’s not the default perspective. The game mostly uses the traditional first-person perspective.

11. Does the game have a survival mode?

    Yes, survival mode is available in Modern Warfare III. This mode can be played solo or with one other player.

12. What if I bought a physical copy of the game?

    The physical edition of Modern Warfare III became available on November 10th and is playable from that time on. Early access to the campaign only applied to digital pre-orders.

13. Is there a way to play the full Modern Warfare 3 game early?
    The legitimate method to play early was to pre-order the digital version of the game which unlocked campaign early. Otherwise, multiplayer and zombies mode launched on November 9th for PC in the US and November 10th in your local time zone for consoles.

14. What was the worldwide release time for consoles?
    The game released with a rolling global launch on November 10th, at 12 AM local time for consoles, and the full global release for consoles was complete by 10:00 PM PT on November 9th.

15. How do I launch MW3?
    To launch MW3, you first need to launch the Call of Duty HQ application, then click on Modern Warfare III, and then launch the actual game that you want to play.