MW4 DMZ - Modern Warfare 4 Extraction Mode Guide

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The loop in one line: deploy into Hajin (solo or trio), scavenge loot and complete objectives for 30 minutes while a gas circle closes in — then reach an exfil in the final 10-minute window. Extract and you keep everything; go down and your Operator goes MIA with whatever wasn't secured.

The three mission types

Type	What it is	When to run it
DMZ Orders	Open-ended objectives that teach scavenging, crafting and FOB upgrades — an extended tutorial track	Always available, any infil type, any time
Story missions	Multi-step narrative objectives at specific POIs across Hajin — six missions at launch, tied to MW4's post-launch story	Must be selected during infil so teams don't collide on the same objective
Dynamic Ops	Randomly generated multi-step objectives that differ every match	Filler objectives while roaming — good XP between plans

The FOB: what to unlock first

The Forward Operating Base is the pre-deployment hub — loadouts, crafting, vendors and progression all live here. Some stations are open from the start; the rest unlock along DMZ's 70-level progression track.

Station	Unlocks at	What it does
Operators / Stash / Loadout / Orders	Open	Core deployment setup — gear up, store loot, track objectives
Firing range / Survival Kits / Bounty board	Open	Test builds, prep consumables, check the bounty leaderboard
3D Printer	DMZ level 2	Craft gear and items before deployment
Vendor	DMZ level 5	Buy and sell equipment
Gunsmith	DMZ level 10	Full weapon customization for your loadouts
Dog Tag Case	DMZ level 20	Track and bank dog tags pulled from downed Operators
Boss Board	After 2nd DMZ Order	Unlocks boss-tier objectives

Early priority: rush the first two DMZ Orders to open the Boss Board, then level toward the Vendor (5) and Gunsmith (10) — a tuned loadout matters more in DMZ than raw loot luck.

Rules worth knowing

30 + 10 match clock

You get 30 minutes of match time before irradiated gas floods the map, then a final 10-minute window to reach an exfil point. Miss the exfil and the run is a loss.

Notoriety marks you

Killing other players raises your notoriety level, which flags your squad's presence on the map for others to hunt. PvP is allowed — it's just never free.

Trait trees are permanent

Each Operator levels an individual trait tree granting skills and bonuses tuned to playstyles — the persistent part of progression that survives bad runs.

Weather escalates

Rain and snow roll through Hajin and intensify as the match goes on — visibility and audio both degrade late, which changes how late-game fights play out.

Secure slots save your run

Going down sends the Operator MIA along with unsecured gear — whatever sat in a secure slot comes home with you. Bank the valuables before the risky plays.

AI and players mix

Hostile NPC forces and rival squads share the zone — the PvPvE mix means every fight can draw a third party, so loud engagements are risky by design.

FAQ

Is DMZ in Modern Warfare 4 free to play?

DMZ is a mode inside Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which launched October 23, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, cloud, Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. It needs the game — there's no standalone free DMZ client.

How many players are in a MW4 DMZ match?

Up to 60 players in squads of three — twenty trios sharing the Hajin exclusion zone with hostile AI forces.

Is MW4 DMZ the same as the old DMZ from MW2 (2022)?

It's the returning mode rebuilt for MW4 — same extraction DNA, but rebuilt around the FOB hub, trait trees, notoriety and Dynamic Ops rather than the original faction-mission structure.

What happens if you die in DMZ?

Your Operator goes MIA: unsecured gear is lost, while anything in secure slots extracts with you. Permanent progression — levels and traits — is never lost.