The story of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare saga summarized in a video

Officially, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be released on October 23, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and even on Nintendo Switch 2 (a first for the franchise). As its name suggests, the title is part of a saga whose story has advanced significantly since the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in 2019 (the installment that initiated the reboot). In fact, Activision had the good idea to refresh memories by offering a summary of the narrative arc of the latest Modern Warfare games.  

Information is the most formidable weapon

If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will indeed be released on October 23, it should not be forgotten that it will be possible to access the game's Campaign from the 16th, just a month earlier. To do this, simply pre-order the Standard digital edition or the Vault edition. Even though for many people multiplayer clearly represents the heart of the game, we always enjoy participating in the Campaign that mixes action, twists, and a Hollywood-style presentation.

The Modern Warfare saga began in 2007 with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and had two sequels, respectively in 2009 and 2011. It took until 2019 for it to be rebooted with the simply named Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The story then evolved in 2022 and 2023 within Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. We are now in 2026, three years have passed since the last installment... Needless to say, memories may falter, some memories may have been buried, and others are nebulous.

To avoid embarking on the CoD MW4 campaign while having to do some mental gymnastics to fit the puzzle pieces together, Activision offers to discover a summary of the narrative arc. Simple but oh so effective, it allows recalling the main lines. After all, some might have been disconcerted by the presentation video of the Paris mission showing Captain John Price teaming up with Valeria Garza, the drug baroness of the Las Almas cartel.

The red thread not to miss

The Campaign of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be oriented towards a darker scenario, notably with an outlaw Captain Price operating in the shadows with a single goal: revenge. Alongside this, players will also embody Park, a South Korean soldier caught in a war triggered by the invasion of North Korea, who will try to survive. Korea will of course be the main theater of events, but the story will lead to all corners of the world, whether in New York, Paris, or Mumbai. But, to fully understand the events to come, one must keep in mind those that have happened. 

Remember... In CoD Modern Warfare, the 2019 reboot, CIA agent Alex Keller accompanies a squad of Marines to Verdansk. The mission is simple: recover an illegal shipment of chlorine gas to prevent it from being sent to Urzikstan. While the start of the mission is successful, the end turns into a tragedy. The Marines are shot by unknown terrorists, and the CIA agent is forced to evacuate the area urgently. Shortly after, Captain Price intervenes in an attack by the terrorist group Al-Qatala in London, supported by SAS Sergeant Kyle "Gaz" Garrick. The duo then discovers where "the Wolf," the leader of the organization in question, is hiding. Alex is eventually brought to Urzikstan to cooperate with Farah Karim, the commander of the Liberation Front, to repel the Russians of General Barkov, who illegally occupy the region, and recover the chemical weapon.

The hitch is that the gas was stolen by Hadir, Farah's brother. To cover up the affair and avoid a diplomatic incident, the CIA, represented by Kate Laswell, hands Hadir over to the Russian government, while Farah eliminates Barkov and Price and his team attack a chemical weapons production site in Georgia. This installment also introduces Task Force 141, the elite unit under Captain Price's command, including Kyle "Gaz" Garrick as well as Johnny "Soap" MacTavish and Simon "Ghost" Riley. 

In CoD MW II, General Shepherd believes that all means are good to overcome the Russian threat. He therefore takes unofficial routes, notably by allying with the Shadow Company, to send ballistic missiles to the United States' allies in the Middle East. But, when these are intercepted by their arch-enemy, namely Vladimir Makarov and his team, Shepherd does his best to cover up the affair and eliminate all evidence... This puts Captain Price in his path. The missiles cannot be stored as they are, so Makarov works to have them cross the American-Mexican border. This is where the Las Almas cartel comes into play. Meanwhile, Task Force 141 tries to prevent this, which leads them to ally with the Shadow Company and Colonel Alejandro Vargas's Vaqueros. Again, the mission holds its share of surprises, especially when Ghost and Soap report to Shepherd in their radio report that the missiles are of American manufacture. They then become targets to eliminate. 

Makarov particularly targets the unit and does his utmost, in CoD MW III, to destabilize Western Europe. To do this, he attempts to blow up the Channel Tunnel. Task Force 141 intervenes to prevent this from happening, but events turn sour. Makarov shoots Price, Soap tries to protect him by stabbing Makarov, but the latter manages to eliminate him with a bullet to the head. Price sees red, understands the extent of the plot, and realizes that the traitor is primarily Shepherd. He then decides to eliminate him. This pushes him to the side of outlaws, but he intends to complete his mission: avenge Soap by eliminating Makarov. What's next? You'll discover it in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Campaign. Price will have to face the consequences of his high-risk mission, which will push him to make improbable alliances...

Cover image: Activision®