CoD Modern Warfare 3 Campaign Early Access: Start Time, File Size, & How to Preload

Modern Warfare 3’s Campaign Early Access is nearly here. The franchise’s staggered rollout can be a lot to keep up with, but we’ve got the right start time, file size, and details on how to preload the game so you don’t miss out.

It’s MW3 season now, and each new update to Call of Duty HQ inches us closer to the finish line. For those out of the loop, the game’s early access period begins on November 2, giving us a full week to clear the way for Multiplayer/Zombies madness on release.

Modern Warfare 3 Campaign Early Access Start Time

Modern Warfare 3’s story mode will be available on November 2, at 1 PM EST. It is a 58GB update that players can start downloading 24 hours early.

This is the only way to get into the game before release, so don’t bother switching your console’s time setting to New Zealand’s Chatham Daylight Time to cheat the system. It’s a global unlock this year, so you’ll be stuck with an incorrect clock until you flip it back.

MW3 Campaign File Size

Call of Duty games are massive in this day and age, and Modern Warfare 3 does nothing to buck that trend. The campaign alone is a 51 GB download, and the full game is rumored to be 4X bigger on release.

For base Xbox Series S players, roughly half of your storage space will be taken up by Call of Duty. Be sure to check your installation manager and remove any parts of Modern Warfare 2 that you don’t play anymore if you want to save some space.

How to Preload Modern Warfare 3 Campaign

Call of Duty has made it super simple to start the preload process. Everything is stored inside Call of Duty HQ, meaning you only need to launch the game and select Modern Warfare 3. Here, you’ll find a prompt that asks you to confirm your download.

This may be an automatic process if you’re on Xbox, as some players have reported that they only had to launch the HQ and were already set to go. Be thorough about this, though, as you don’t want any last-minute surprises that hold you back from joining in on the fun.