MW4 Patch Fixes DMZ AI and the Zero-XP Bug, and Performance Mode Now Needs VRR on Console

Modern Warfare 4 isn't fully out yet, and it already has its first DMZ fix-up. Late on October 20, Infinity Ward pushed a Campaign and DMZ Early Access update, and the official patch notes on Call of Duty Updates list about 20 DMZ fixes plus one campaign fix. On the same day, the studio confirmed a new console rule: on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Performance Mode now needs Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) turned on. The full game launches October 23.

DMZ AI stops playing dirty

Two of the most annoying Hajin bugs involved enemy AI, and both are on the fix list:

• Enemy AI could run players over during infil. Some of those cases are now fixed.
• During the Breaking New Ground mission, enemies could move into areas they shouldn't reach while you were downed.

The same mission also had a crash when breaching a door, which Call of Duty Updates had flagged earlier in the day. That crash is addressed too, along with a tablet screen that sometimes stayed dark after you searched the crashed drone.

Your XP actually counts now

Progression got the most important fixes, because everything you earn in early access carries into launch:

• The After-Action Report could show 0 XP after a player's first match. That's fixed.
• In a squad, only the player who landed the final blow on a Commander got XP and progress toward the "King Slayer" Calling Card. Now the whole squad gets credit, GamesRadar+ notes.
• Story missions could give double completion credit. That's patched out.
• Selling your starting gear or dismissing your Active Duty Operator before the first deployment could soft-lock your DMZ Orders. That's fixed as well.

Other fixes include the ISO Apex attachment and the Impact Smokes Pro Trait not working properly, spots where you could get stuck in Hajin's rocks, and two Nintendo Switch 2 issues. On the campaign side, a progression blocker in the Hotel sequence of Counter Attack is gone.

This matters because, per Infinity Ward's progression guide, weapon levels, attachments and camos earned in DMZ carry over to Multiplayer at launch. If you're already grinding camos in early access, your squad's progress now adds up properly.

Performance Mode now needs VRR

The bigger surprise is a display requirement. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players must have VRR enabled to get Performance Mode in MW4's Campaign and DMZ. Warzone will require it for Performance Mode too once Season 1 arrives.

Call of Duty Updates says that if you're stuck at 60 Hz, you should check that your display supports 120 Hz and VRR, and that VRR is switched on in your settings. Gameranx points out that Infinity Ward hasn't explained the change. Players without a VRR screen can still play, just in Balanced or Quality mode.

What's next

• October 21: Call of Duty Updates says the full launch patch notes arrive on CallofDuty.com/patchnotes.
• October 23: MW4 launches worldwide with Multiplayer.
• November 6: Season 1 kicks off and brings MW4 to Warzone on Hajin. From then on, Performance Mode in Warzone also needs VRR on console.