# Modern Warfare 4 Is Out: Best Shooters Compared

> Modern Warfare 4 opened at an 86 Metascore on 23 October. Here is how it compares with Battlefield 6, ARC Raiders, Delta Force, Counter-Strike 2 and Black Ops 7 on price, modes and audience.

By Arthur R. · Published 2026-10-25 · Updated 2026-10-25 · 10 min read · https://innvesti.com/games/modern-warfare-4-launch-best-shooters-compared-2026/

## Quick answer

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 opened to strong reviews, but it is not automatically the best shooter to buy this week. Battlefield 6 is on subscription services, ARC Raiders and Delta Force offer different formats, and Counter-Strike 2 is free.

## Key takeaways

- Modern Warfare 4 launched on 23 October 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, and Metacritic shows an 86 Metascore (Generally Favorable) for the PC version at the time of writing.
- Critics praise the campaign and multiplayer. The main complaints are a shaky campaign finale, matchmaking and spawn issues, and a DMZ mode that is no longer free-to-play.
- Steam lists Modern Warfare 4 at 69.99 euros. Battlefield 6 has the same regular price but recently had a free trial and, according to one report, a Game Pass window.
- No single shooter wins on every axis. Pick Modern Warfare 4 for a campaign plus polished multiplayer, Battlefield 6 for large-scale combined-arms battles, ARC Raiders for extraction, and Delta Force or Counter-Strike 2 for free play.
- Black Ops 7 is a discount-only pick: critics scored it around 83 at launch, but Metacritic user scores fell below 2 out of 10 in the weeks after release.

## Key figures

- **86** — Modern Warfare 4 Metascore (PC, Metacritic)
- **69.99 EUR** — Modern Warfare 4 price on Steam
- **Oct 23, 2026** — Modern Warfare 4 release date

## Ranked

1. **Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4** — Best for a polished campaign plus fast arcade multiplayer. https://www.callofduty.com
2. **Battlefield 6** — Best for large-scale combined-arms battles and value. https://www.ea.com/games/battlefield/battlefield-6
3. **ARC Raiders** — Best for extraction-shooter fans who want a cheaper, PvPvE format. https://arcraiders.com
4. **Delta Force** — Best free-to-play alternative with a Battlefield-style mode and a campaign. https://www.playdeltaforce.com
5. **Counter-Strike 2** — Best free competitive tactical shooter. https://www.counter-strike.net
6. **Call of Duty: Black Ops 7** — Best for existing Call of Duty players only if discounted. https://www.callofduty.com

## Comparison

| Game | Release | Price (Steam, as reported) | Format | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 | 23 Oct 2026 | 69.99 EUR | Campaign, multiplayer, DMZ | Newest Call of Duty with the strongest reviews |
| Battlefield 6 | Oct 2025 | 69.99 EUR regular; frequent sales | Large-scale combined arms | Big maps and vehicles |
| ARC Raiders | 30 Oct 2025 | About 39.99 EUR | PvPvE extraction | A different loop at a lower price |
| Delta Force | Free-to-play | Free | Warfare, Operations, co-op campaign | Trying large-scale and extraction for free |
| Counter-Strike 2 | Free-to-play | Free | Round-based tactical | Competitive play without spending |
| Black Ops 7 | Nov 2025 | Check current price | Campaign, multiplayer, Zombies | Existing Call of Duty fans on a discount |

## FAQ

### When did Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 come out?

Modern Warfare 4 launched on 23 October 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, according to Metacritic. Steam's storefront lists a 22 October 2026 release date, which reflects the timezone-based midnight unlock; most outlets give 23 October.

### What is the Modern Warfare 4 Metacritic score?

Metacritic showed an 86 Metascore (Generally Favorable) for the PC version and 89 for PlayStation 5 when we checked on 25 October 2026. The user score was 7.8 from 118 ratings. Scores change as more reviews arrive.

### Is Modern Warfare 4 better than Battlefield 6?

They are different formats. Modern Warfare 4 is a faster arcade shooter with a campaign, while Battlefield 6 focuses on large maps, vehicles and squads. Modern Warfare 4 has the fresher launch reviews. Battlefield 6 has recently been offered with a free trial and reportedly a Game Pass window.

### Is there a free alternative to Modern Warfare 4?

Yes. Delta Force is free to play and includes a Battlefield-style mode, an extraction mode and a co-op campaign, and Counter-Strike 2 is free to play on Steam for competitive tactical play.

### Is DMZ free in Modern Warfare 4?

No. GameSpot's review noted that DMZ is no longer free-to-play in Modern Warfare 4, and criticized the Vault edition for giving paying players an advantage.

## How we evaluated

This is a news-driven comparison written the week Modern Warfare 4 launched. We confirmed the launch date and review scores from Metacritic and a review roundup, confirmed the Steam price from Steam's storefront and took other figures from named outlets as of 25 October 2026. Prices and review scores move quickly in launch week, so check store pages before buying. We compared games on price, format, reception and fit for different buyers, and did not rank on personal play time.

- Relevance to a reader deciding whether to buy Modern Warfare 4 this week
- Price and cost to try, as reported on store pages and by named outlets
- Critic and player reception from Metacritic, OpenCritic and Steam where available
- Format fit - campaign, large-scale, extraction or competitive

## Sources

- [Metacritic - Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4](https://www.metacritic.com/game/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4/)
- [GamerFuzion - Modern Warfare 4 review roundup](https://www.gamerfuzion.com/modern-warfare-4-review-roundup-metacritic-86-opencritic-85-multiplayer-reviews/)
- [TechSpot - Modern Warfare 4 Steam rating](https://www.techspot.com/news/114255-modern-warfare-4-has-best-steam-rating-call.html)
- [Windows Central - Battlefield 6 on Game Pass ahead of Modern Warfare 4](https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/battlefield-6-aims-to-take-on-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4-as-the-former-comes-to-xbox-game-pass-just-a-few-days-before-the-latters-launch)
- [Notebookcheck - Battlefield 6 sales (Alinea Analytics)](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Battlefield-6-has-sold-over-6-5-million-copies-in-just-a-few-days-generating-more-than-350-million-in-revenue.1138374.0.html)
- [Notebookcheck - Battlefield 6 Steam player count](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Battlefield-6-player-count-falls-from-750K-at-launch-to-just-30K-90K-on-Steam-nearly-a-90-decline.1201173.0.html)
- [Notebookcheck - ARC Raiders 12 million copies (Alinea Analytics)](https://www.notebookcheck.net/ARC-Raiders-has-surpassed-12-million-copies-sold-generating-over-350-million-in-revenue.1196982.0.html)
- [dust2.us - Counter-Strike 2 concurrent player record](https://www.dust2.us/news/59098/cs2-reaches-all-time-counter-strike-concurrent-player-peak)
- [Steam - Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4](https://store.steampowered.com/app/4435490/Call_of_Duty_Modern_Warfare_4/)
- [Deku Deals - ARC Raiders](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/arc-raiders)
- [Notebookcheck - Black Ops 7 Metacritic user score](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops-7-dips-to-1-7-Metacritic-user-score-as-fans-slam-campaign-generative-AI-and-boss-fight.1165487.0.html)