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If Modern Warfare 4 will not start, freezes during loading, or crashes after the intro, begin with the least destructive checks: restart the game, confirm that your platform and PC security settings meet the published requirements, update the operating system and graphics driver, and record the exact error and point of failure. Then follow the platform-specific recovery sequence below. Activision has already addressed a Campaign-button launch problem for some Xbox-on-PC players; its current instruction for anyone still affected is to restart the game.
Do not assume that an error such as 0x00001338, a mission name, or a crash after the intro proves one universal cause. Those details are diagnostic clues. The useful fix depends on whether the failure occurs before launch, during shader or loading screens, after the opening sequence, or in the middle of a mission.
Current release and issue status
Modern Warfare 4 is listed for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, PlayStation 5, Battle.net, Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. The listed release date is October 23, 2026. Eligible digital pre-orders on Xbox received campaign early access beginning October 16, 2026. Xbox One is not supported, so an Xbox One launch failure is a compatibility limitation rather than a repairable campaign crash.
Activision’s known-issues page, dated October 16, 2026, is a running list rather than a final statement that every problem has been fixed. It records this specific Xbox-on-PC status: “An issue preventing some XBOX on PC players from launching Campaign after installation has been addressed. If you’re still experiencing this, please try restarting the game.” If a restart does not restore Campaign, use the Modern Warfare 4 Bug Report form and the Call of Duty PC Crash Report.
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| Platform | Listed support | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Xbox PC, Battle.net, Steam | Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11 64-bit, DirectX 12, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and an AVX-capable Intel or AMD CPU are required on the published PC requirements page. |
| Console | Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 | Xbox One is not supported. |
| Nintendo | Nintendo Switch 2 | The supplied platform listing names the system but provides no Switch-specific crash procedure. |
Do this before changing files or reinstalling
Preserve the information that can identify a defect before taking a destructive step. A report that says only “it crashes” is much harder to diagnose than one that identifies the platform, build or storefront, mission, error code, and exact trigger.
- Write down the symptom. Record whether the game closes immediately, hangs on a black screen, freezes during shader or loading work, crashes after the intro, or fails only during a particular mission.
- Save the exact text or code. Photograph the screen if necessary. Keep codes such as
0x00001338exactly as displayed; do not remove leading zeroes or punctuation. - Note what changed. Include a recent Windows, graphics-driver, console-system, game or storage change if one occurred. This is context for a support report, not proof of causation.
- Try a restart first. It is the official action for the addressed Xbox-on-PC Campaign-button issue and is the safest first step on every platform.
- Work from reversible to disruptive. Updates and restarts come before deleting the game, redownloading it, or rebuilding a console database. Stop when the fault is resolved so you do not erase useful evidence.
Fixes for crashes and launch errors on PC
1. Confirm the security and operating-system prerequisites
Activision’s requirements call for a fully updated 64-bit edition of Windows 10 or Windows 11, DirectX 12 compatibility, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and a supported Intel or AMD processor with AVX. A machine can be powerful enough on paper and still fail to launch if one of these platform prerequisites is absent or disabled.
- Install the latest available update for Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11 64-bit.
- Confirm that the processor is an Intel or AMD model with AVX support.
- Check that the system exposes TPM 2.0 and that Secure Boot is enabled.
- Make sure the graphics hardware supports DirectX 12.
These checks are especially important when the launcher closes before showing a menu. Do not change firmware settings casually; if you are unsure whether TPM or Secure Boot is enabled, document the current state and consult the PC or motherboard documentation before changing it.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2. Compare the computer with the published minimums
Activision lists the following minimum PC configuration. Meeting only the minimum can leave less margin for background applications and future updates, but falling below any listed item is a compatibility problem that software troubleshooting cannot reliably correct.
| Component | Published minimum or capacity |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5-6600 |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM minimum; 16 GB recommended; 32 GB for the listed ray-tracing configuration |
| Graphics | Radeon RX 470, GeForce GTX 970/1060, or Intel Arc A580 |
| Video memory | 3 GB |
| Storage | SSD with 115 GB available at launch |
The graphics entries are the models named on the requirements page, not a guarantee that every configuration of those cards behaves identically. Laptop power limits, thermal problems and other system conditions are not established by the published minimum list, so report those details if a crash persists.
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3. Make room on the SSD before attempting a reinstall
The launch requirement is 115 GB available on an SSD, and Activision warns that additional space may be needed for mandatory updates. Check the free space on the actual drive containing the game, not just the total capacity of another disk. A drive that barely meets 115 GB can run out of room while an update is being staged.
If the current drive is too small or consistently full, a compatible 1 TB NVMe SSD provides substantially more working headroom. Treat that as a storage-capacity decision, not a guaranteed crash cure. Reinstalling to a larger drive is useful only when insufficient space or a full update staging area is part of the failure.
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Use current Windows updates and a current driver for the installed GPU. The requirements page lists AMD driver 26.7.1, NVIDIA driver 616.56 and Intel driver 32.0.101.8974 at the time of publication. Driver releases change, so check Activision’s current requirements page rather than treating those version numbers as permanent targets.
Match the driver to the hardware vendor and record the version you installed. If the problem began immediately after an update, include that timing in the crash report instead of assuming that either the old or new driver is universally responsible. The published material does not establish a single driver version that fixes every campaign crash.
5. Repair the Xbox-on-PC Campaign-button symptom
When the installation completes but the Campaign button is missing or will not launch on Xbox PC, restart the game first. That is the specific action Activision gives after marking the issue addressed. If Campaign remains unavailable after restarting, capture the account, storefront, installation state, and any message, then submit the official Modern Warfare 4 bug report and Call of Duty PC Crash Report.
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Do not treat a missing button as proof that the hardware is below minimums. It is a separate symptom from a crash during a mission and is currently tracked as a known issue.
6. Use the failure point to choose the next step
| When it fails | What to check first | What to preserve for escalation |
|---|---|---|
| Before the game reaches a menu | Windows edition and updates, DirectX 12 compatibility, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, AVX support, GPU driver and available SSD space | Exact error text, PC hardware, storefront and whether the process closes or remains frozen |
| During shader or loading work | Available SSD space, current Windows and GPU driver, and whether the system meets the published minimums | Loading screen or percentage, elapsed time, error code and whether a restart changes the behavior |
| After the intro | Record the mission or checkpoint and repeat the same launch path once after restarting | Mission name, reproduction steps, code and a screenshot or video if available |
| Mid-mission | Repeat the same action only long enough to establish a reproducible trigger | Mission, checkpoint, action immediately before the crash, frequency and full error text |
This table separates diagnostic work from confirmed fixes. The supplied official guidance does not document a universal overlay toggle, BIOS setting, graphics preset, or driver rollback that resolves all of these symptoms, so do not present community anecdotes as guaranteed repairs.
7. Interpret error code 0x00001338 correctly
0x00001338 is a useful identifier when it appears, but it is not proof of one Modern Warfare 4 cause. Include the complete code, accompanying message, platform, driver version, and the point in the campaign at which it appeared. Two players can see the same code under different system conditions, and a mission-specific crash can have a different cause from a pre-launch failure.
PlayStation 5 recovery sequence
For a PS5 installation that will not start, PlayStation’s official sequence moves from storage and software checks to a fresh download and then Safe Mode maintenance. Follow it in order so you do not rebuild the database before trying simpler remedies.
- Move the game to internal PS5 storage. If Modern Warfare 4 is installed on USB extended storage, move it to the console’s internal storage and try again.
- Restart the PS5. This clears a temporary state without deleting the installation.
- Restore licenses. Use the console’s account settings to restore licenses, particularly if the game appears locked or ownership is not being recognized.
- Update PS5 system software. Install the current console update before attempting another launch.
- Delete and redownload the game. Prefer a wired connection for the download when possible, and ensure the console has enough free storage for the complete installation and its updates.
- Use Safe Mode last. Start Safe Mode and choose the options to clear the cache and rebuild the database. This is a later recovery step, not the first response to a single freeze.
If the game icon is locked
Sign in with the account that purchased Modern Warfare 4, verify the transaction history or subscription access, check PlayStation Network status, and restore licenses. A lock can indicate an account, entitlement or network-status problem rather than corrupted campaign data.
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What to send PlayStation support
Provide the exact error code or message, a detailed description, the steps that reproduce it, and a screenshot or video when possible. Include whether the game was on USB extended storage or internal storage and which recovery steps you already completed.
Xbox troubleshooting
Xbox Series X|S
Modern Warfare 4 is listed for Xbox Series X|S. Xbox One is not supported, so moving an Xbox One installation or repeatedly reinstalling it will not create compatibility. On a supported Series console, begin with a restart and record any code or message before escalating through the game’s issue-reporting path.
Xbox PC
Xbox PC has the same Windows, DirectX 12, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, AVX, hardware and SSD requirements described in the PC section. For the specific symptom in which Campaign is missing after installation, restart the game as Activision instructs for the addressed issue. If the button is still absent, submit the Modern Warfare 4 Bug Report and Call of Duty PC Crash Report with the exact account, installation and reproduction details.
Campaign early access timing
Eligible digital pre-orders received campaign early access on October 16, 2026, while the listed release date is October 23, 2026. If you are troubleshooting during early access, include your edition and entitlement status in a support report; do not assume that a locked or unavailable campaign button is a crash.
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Which remedy should you try first?
The most appropriate action depends on the platform, when the failure occurs and how reversible the action is.
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| Situation | First action | Later action if it persists | Relative disruption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox PC Campaign button missing after installation | Restart the game, as directed by Activision’s October 16, 2026 known-issues entry | Submit the Modern Warfare 4 Bug Report and Call of Duty PC Crash Report | Low, then diagnostic reporting |
| PC closes before launch | Check Windows, DirectX 12, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, AVX, driver and SSD requirements | Report the exact code and system details if the requirements are met | Low |
| PC freezes during loading or after the intro | Restart once, verify available SSD space and current Windows/GPU driver, then document the mission or loading stage | Submit a reproducible crash report with code and media | Low to moderate |
| PS5 game will not start from USB extended storage | Move it to internal storage and restart | Restore licenses, update PS5 software, redownload, then clear cache and rebuild the database in Safe Mode | Low to high |
| PS5 game is locked | Check purchasing account, transaction or subscription access, PSN status and restore licenses | Contact PlayStation with entitlement and error details | Low |
| Xbox One installation | Use a listed supported platform instead | Do not spend time on repeated reinstalls; Xbox One is not supported | Compatibility limitation |
When a reinstall is justified
Reinstalling is a later step, not a reflex. On PC, first check that the SSD has the required 115 GB plus update headroom and that Windows, security prerequisites and the graphics driver are current. On PS5, PlayStation places deletion and redownload after a restart, license restoration and a system-software update. A fresh download is most defensible when the installation will not start after those checks or when the platform’s official sequence calls for it.
Before deleting anything, save the error code, screenshots, video and reproduction steps. A clean reinstall can remove the visible symptom while also removing the context needed by support. If the same failure returns at the same mission or loading stage, that repeatability is valuable evidence.
How to report a crash that remains
Use Activision’s Modern Warfare 4 Bug Report form for issues that are not represented in the known-issues list. PC players should also use the Call of Duty PC Crash Report. A useful report contains:
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- Platform and storefront: Xbox PC, Battle.net, Steam, Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5.
- Edition or eligible pre-order status when campaign access is involved.
- Operating-system version and graphics hardware for PC.
- Whether TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, DirectX 12 and AVX requirements are satisfied.
- Available SSD space and whether the game is on internal or USB storage.
- Exact error code or message, including
0x00001338if shown. - Mission, checkpoint, loading stage and the action immediately before the crash.
- Exact reproduction steps, how often it occurs, and whether a restart changes it.
- Screenshot or video when possible.
Keep the description factual: state what happened, what you tried and what changed. Do not label a driver, firmware setting or community workaround as a confirmed fix unless Activision or the platform holder documents it.
Quick Recap
Quick decision path
- Is the platform supported? If it is Xbox One, use a listed platform; Xbox One is not supported.
- Is Campaign missing on Xbox PC? Restart the game. If it remains missing, file the official reports.
- Is this a PC launch failure? Check Windows 10/11 64-bit updates, DirectX 12, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, AVX, minimum hardware, current GPU driver and 115 GB SSD space plus update headroom.
- Is this a PS5 launch failure? Move from USB extended storage to internal storage, restart, restore licenses, update system software, redownload over a wired connection when possible, then use Safe Mode cache clearing and database rebuilding.
- Does it still fail? Preserve the exact code, mission and reproduction steps and submit the appropriate Activision or PlayStation report.
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