Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has already treated those who purchased its Vault Edition with early access to the campaign. However, this does beg the question as to whether or not players can jump into its multiplayer component before its official release. The ability to do so would surely have a major impact on your experience, as leveling up and upgrading guns early could give you a leg up on the competition. This guide will break down if Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer can be played before its launch, and if so, how you can do it.
How to play multiplayer early in MW2
Although Modern Warfare 2 does not offer official early access to multiplayer and Special Ops, those on Xbox and PlayStation do have one method to use to play these components as soon as October 27 at 7 AM ET. This will not have any negative effect on your Activision account, though there are a few setbacks for players who want early access on PlayStation.
On Xbox consoles, players who have pre-loaded Modern Warfare 2 can play the full game early by heading to the System tab in Xbox’s Settings menu and changing the location to New Zealand in the Language and Location drop-box. The console will then need to be reset to be able to open the Modern Warfare 2 application once it launches at the aforementioned time. You can change back to your home region at any time and any progress made beforehand will not be erased.
As for PlayStation users, the only way to get into multiplayer at the earliest is by creating an entirely new account that is set in New Zealand and purchasing the game from the region’s dedicated store. Although a more demanding method, it is possible to play the New Zealand version of the title on your main account. This is done by activating the new account as your primary in the PlayStation’s Account Management settings.
If you’d rather hold off until the full game’s release, it is important to know its exact launch time. Console players in the U.S. and PC users worldwide can officially experience the full game on October 28 at 12 AM ET. Meanwhile, all other console players worldwide will have to wait until their midnight local time.
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Either way, there are certainly bunches of content awaiting you. For one, the multiplayer component is confirmed to launch with over 50 weapons which span from assault rifles, SMGs, to even newly-introduced battle rifles. Longtime fans of the series will also be delighted to know the sequel offers plenty of new and older modes, such as Search and Destroy, Ground War, and Knockout.
