Modern Warfare 2 campaign launches a week before the full game

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Digital pre-orders for Modern Warfare 2 provide early campaign access

Modern Warfare 2 campaign
(Image credit: Activision)

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign will technically launch a week before the full game, but only if you pre-order it digitally.

Digital pre-orderers will be able to play the campaign starting October 20, well ahead of the full game's launch on October 28. Pre-ordering the game at all will also grant you two days of early access to the game's upcoming beta, as Activision announced alongside the finalized Modern Warfare 2 beta dates. 

Call of Duty is no stranger to hefty pre-order incentives, and Modern Warfare 2's other pre-order bonuses include the Final Judgement bundle containing a legendary Operator skin and weapon blueprint for Vanguard and Warzone. The game's pricier Vault Edition comes with its own extras, most notably some extra playable Operators and outfits which will be available during the open beta. Note that Vault Edition's battle pass and tier skips are standard bonuses that will also be valid after the pre-order window is up. 

Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer will co-star in September's Call of Duty Next reveal event alongside Warzone 2. Activision is promising "a massive intel drop" for the multi-hour event, with details on this year's titles and the broader "imminent future" of the franchise. 

Our last in-depth look at Modern Warfare 2's campaign was a June trailer showing off iconic characters and fancy water tech. Set in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, the campaign promises a mix of stealth and action chronicling the missions of Task Force 141. 

Call of Duty is reportedly skipping its annual entry in 2023. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.