Early access to all of DMZ is scheduled to begin on October 20 on Steam for eligible digital preorders or prepurchases of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Both the Standard Digital Edition and the Vault Edition qualify.
The campaign has a separate early access date of October 16, ahead of Modern Warfare 4’s planned October 23 launch, according to the official post on Steam. Players planning around the campaign opening should therefore keep the later DMZ start in mind.
Standard qualifies; Vault adds an Operator slot
Steam players do not need the Vault Edition to qualify for the announced DMZ early access period. Eligible purchases of either edition share the same start date. Vault’s additional Active Duty Operator slot is a separate benefit, rather than a way to enter DMZ earlier.
Players begin with 2 Active Duty Operator slots, while Vault supplies an additional slot, bringing its starting total to three. That expands the initial Operator roster—a distinction that matters because an Operator eliminated during a deployment becomes unavailable until recovered.
The schedule comes with official qualifications: available platforms and start dates may change, and interruptions or time zone differences can affect actual playtime. The announcement gives no start time, so the October 20 date should not be read as a promise of midnight access in every time zone.
Base stations unlock through DMZ player progression
The Forward Operating Base handles preparation between deployments. Players deposit loot there, arrange their equipment and receive their next Orders. It connects what players bring back from the field with the equipment and objectives they take into the next deployment.
A dedicated DMZ player progression path runs up to level 70. Base stations unlock along that path: the 3D printer becomes available at player level 2, the Vendor at level 5 and the Gunsmith at level 10.
These unlocks depend on the overall DMZ player level. Each Operator also has an independent level, represented by their Dog Tags, so the character’s progression and the player’s access to base stations are separate systems.
MIA recovery preserves Traits, but returns no equipment
An eliminated Operator becomes MIA and cannot be deployed again before recovery. Players recover that character at the Operators station using DMZ Cash from their in-game bank.
Recovery preserves the Operator’s Traits, but returns them without equipment. Paying for recovery makes the Operator available for deployment again; it does not restore their equipment.
For Steam players choosing an edition specifically to enter DMZ early, Standard already meets the announced access condition. Vault adds roster capacity, while recovering an Operator preserves their Traits without returning their equipment. More gaming news is available on JEU.VIDEO.
