Modern Warfare 4 early access tops Black Ops 7 on Steam

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 isn't out until October 23, but its campaign is already pulling bigger crowds on Steam than last year's game did at launch. According to Notebookcheck, SteamDB recorded a peak of more than 108,000 concurrent players on the first day of Campaign Early Access. That is above the roughly 100,000 that Black Ops 7 managed on its opening weekend in November 2025, a level it never exceeded afterwards.

What's actually playable

Activision's early access started on October 16 for anyone who digitally pre-ordered. It covers the full 16-mission campaign, set across the Korean Peninsula, Paris, New York and Mumbai. DMZ early access follows on October 20, and the full game with regular multiplayer launches on October 23 on Xbox, PlayStation 5, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. Activision has also confirmed it will not be on Game Pass at launch; it arrives there in holiday 2027.

Why the number needs a caveat

SteamDB tracks the Call of Duty app, which bundles several games, so the 108,000 figure isn't a clean count of Modern Warfare 4 alone. And it is still far below the series' recent highs: Black Ops 6 hit around 313,000 concurrent players in its 2024 launch window.

The reviews are the more encouraging signal. Modern Warfare 4's Steam rating stood at 84% positive when Notebookcheck checked, against 38.71% for Black Ops 7, putting it level with Black Ops 3, the best-rated recent entry. Players single out the story, the mix of returning and new characters and the variety of missions.

Our take

Call of Duty lives or dies on multiplayer, and the campaign reportedly lasts eight hours or less. The August open beta drew praise for gunplay but complaints about strong aim assist and spawns too close to enemies. If Infinity Ward fixes those, the early numbers suggest players are ready to come back after Black Ops 7. If not, this peak could be the high-water mark.

Jumping in? A good gaming monitor and headset matter more in a shooter than in most genres. And if you're tired of paying full price for games you don't really own, read about the US Power to the Players Act.