Modern Warfare Is Making A Huge Change To How DLC Maps Are Released

Activision has confirmed that most of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s post-release content, including DLC maps, will be released on all platforms at the same time. That is a big deal for Call of Duty, as CharlieIntel reminds us, this will be the first time in more than a decade that neither PlayStation nor Xbox gets a head start on content releases. That said, PS4 gets a “Day 1 advantage” that’s yet to be specified, but with cross-play coming, there won’t be any concerns about non-PS4 users lacking access to maps.

In a statement, Activision said the developers have “worked to ensure that content will be released in a way that enables all players to continue to seamlessly play together.”

Activision said that “most” of Modern Warfare’s post-release DLC–which includes new maps, modes, and Spec-Ops missions–will “release simultaneously across all platforms.”

That’s all Activision had to say on the subject, but the company said it will share more details on Modern Warfare’s post-release DLC strategy in the weeks ahead.

In May, marketing material from Sony–not Activision–stated that new content for Modern Warfare would release first on PS4. The content was said to be exclusive to PS4 for seven days. This may still be true, as Activision said in its announcement this week that “PS4 players will have an exciting Day 1 advantage,” though this was not specified at all. Activision’s statement mentions that “most,” but not all of Modern Warfare’s post-release DLC will launch on all platforms together at the same time, which leaves some wiggle room to still put out some PlayStation-exclusive content.

In another huge change for Call of Duty, the game will support cross-play between competing systems. Activision will test the cross-play functionality with the next Modern Warfare beta that begins this weekend.

And in yet another massive update, Activision is releasing Modern Warfare’s DLC maps for free. This is also part of the company’s effort to keep the playerbase together, and it follows the free map DLC strategy already implemented in other major shooter series like Halo and Battlefield.

Call of Duty’s post-release DLC was initially released as a timed-exclusive for Xbox consoles before Sony swooped in and took it away. The companies pay Activision for the right to release content early on their systems to create a scenario where one platform or the other is seen as the place to play.

The new Modern Warfare launches on October 25 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.