Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 arrives with an 84 Metacritic score, marking a critical return to form for Infinity Ward after the struggles of Black Ops 7. The release also brings the franchise back to Nintendo hardware for the first time since 2013.
Last year’s installment, Black Ops 7, suffered from poor reviews and third-party tracking data indicating underperformance relative to other entries in the franchise.
No line holds forever.Modern Warfare 4 releases on October 23, 2026. pic.twitter.com/QH90rbvToM
Early reviews place Modern Warfare 4 at a generally favorable Metacritic score of 84.
IGN’s Simon Cardy noted in his review-in-progress that Infinity Ward has handled the challenge well, delivering an exciting campaign that avoids getting bogged down in the past. Game Informer critic Michael Murphy awarded the title an 8.5 out of 10, pointing out that MW4 arrives at a crossroads following inconsistent entries in recent years.
Infinity Ward Delivers Campaign and Open-World Evolution
The story campaign picks up after the events of the 2023 predecessor, focusing on a fictional invasion of South Korea by North Korea.
IGN’s Simon Cardy noted that Infinity Ward has handled this challenge well in his review-宁in-progress for the game’s story campaign.
Michael Murphy observed that while the overarching plot of the rebooted series mostly wraps up successfully, it rushes through certain character arcs and story beats in an uneven fashion.
Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Expands Multiplayer Suite
Modern Warfare 4 marks the first franchise entry to launch on a Nintendo console since 2013. Gavin Lane of Nintendo Life awarded the title a 9 out of 10, calling the port impressive and noting that players receive the full package with crossplay and cross-progression.
On Switch 2, you’re getting the entire package, presented well, with crossplay and cross-progression.
Gavin Lane, Nintendo Life
Digital Legends handled the Switch 2 version, implementing compromises where the campaign runs at 30 frames per second while multiplayer aims for 60 frames per second. Lane noted occasional fuzzy presentation and fizzy hair, but concluded that the game delivers the full-fat experience smoothly.
The multiplayer offerings include returning modes like standard Team Deathmatch and Kill Confirmed, as well as new modes like Combat Outpost and Hijack.
Meanwhile, the DMZ extraction shooter mode offers a distinct experience in the fictional Hajin region. IGN testing noted that Dynamic Operations and faction conflicts keep players moving through dense urban pockets and militarized checkpoints.