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How to preload Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC

Including MW3 preload sizes.

Image credit: Activision
Jessica Orr avatar
Guide by Jessica Orr Senior Guides Writer
Published on

Modern Warfare 3 is available to preload whether you have early access or not, but those with early access get to preload MW3 now and play the campaign up to a week before its official release.

To get you ready for this year's Call of Duty entry, we've went over how to preload Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC below, and the preload date and time for multiplayer and zombies, which also includes preload sizes for Modern Warfare 3 on each platform.

Please note that those with early access can only pre-load MW3's campaign mode.

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How to preload Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC

There are two preload times for Modern Warfare 3: an early access campaign preload, and then a preload of multiplayer, zombies, and the campaign for those without early access.

Those who have early access to Modern Warfare 3 can preload the campaign right now in preparation for its early access release at 5pm (GMT) / 10am (PT) on Thursday, 2nd November.

To get early access and preload now you need to pre-order the digital edition of Modern Warfare 3. It doesn't matter if you buy the Standard or Vault edition, as both get early access.

This is the menu you can download MW3's campaign on Xbox. | Image credit: Activision

Once you've pre-ordered Modern Warfare, you can then go to the game's page on Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, or Battle.net to set-up your download for the 'MW III Campaign' Content Pack. You also need to download the 'Call of Duty' base game in order to play MW3's campaign. This is sometimes referred to as 'Call of Duty HQ', and you should see it as a download option as you're setting up your campaign download if you don't already have it installed.

Modern Warfare 3 preload date and time for multiplayer and zombies

To preload multiplayer and zombie modes, you need to wait until Wednesday, 8th November. This is the same date that you can preload Modern Warfare 3's campaign if you don't have early access.

Keep in mind a previous blog post had the preload time as 9am PT, so you might be able to access it an hour early instead.

The preload date and time for multiplayer and zombies in Modern Warfare 3 is:

  • West Coast US: Wednesday 8th November at 10am (PT)
  • Central US: Wednesday 8th November at 12pm (CT)
  • East Coast US: Wednesday 8th November at 1pm (ET)
  • UK: Wednesday 8th November at 5pm (GMT)
  • Europe: Wednesday 8th November at 6pm (CET)
  • Japan: Thursday 9th November at 2am (JST)
  • Australia: Thursday 9th November at 5am (AET)

Remember, this second preload includes the campaign if you haven't already downloaded it as part of early access.

Image credit: Activision

Modern Warfare 3 preload sizes for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC

The campaign preload size for Modern Warfare 3 on Xbox consoles, PS4, PS5, and PC is 51 GB, but you need the base install of Call of Duty (AKA Call of Duty HQ) in order to play it, which takes up 81GB on Xbox Series X and 100GB on PS5. So make sure you have at least 152GB of free space if you don't have Call of Duty HQ installed to ensure you can preload smoothly.

Although we don't have sizes for multiplayer and zombie modes available just yet, based on the sizes of Modern Warfare 2, we suspect you'll need around another 30GB to download them (not including Warzone).

Image credit: Activision

Hope you have fun playing Modern Warfare 3!

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