How to preload Warzone 2 before the release time

Warzone 2 preload is available now for the hotly anticipated battle royale title, although some players are struggling to find out how to begin the download. If you already own Modern Warfare 2, the good news is that you don't need to do anything at this stage, as Warzone 2 will automatically be installed during a title update. However, for those that just want the standalone version of Warzone 2, you'll need to manually start the download by 'purchasing' it from your platform's relevant digital store. Here's what you need to know about beginning the Warzone 2 preload and finding it on your digital store of choice, so you'll be ready to drop in as soon as the game launches.

There's a big reason why you want to start your Warzone 2 preload as soon as possible, because Warzone 2's rumored file size has players fearing for their hard drives. Although the exact size of the download hasn't been verified or confirmed officially, @CODWZInformer on Twitter claims that it will be a whopping 115GB, so even if that's taking into account the MW2 files as well you may need to clear room in advance – especially if you only have the stock internal SSD available on your PS5 or Xbox Series X. Also, although the answer to do you need Modern Warfare 2 for Warzone 2 is no, you will need the MW2 launcher as a free download to access Warzone 2. Whatever your situation, here's what you need to know about how to get the Warzone 2 preload.

Warzone 2 preload if you own Modern Warfare 2

If you already own Modern Warfare 2, then the good news is that you don't need to do anything for the Warzone 2 preload as it will already be included in a title update. For now, there won't be any indication on your menu that Warzone 2 is being set up in the background, but don't stress as it's definitely there – if you try to follow the steps below, the Warzone 2 preload option will be greyed out on your account, so you won't end up with two versions of the same thing.

Warzone 2 preload if you don't own Modern Warfare 2

If you don't own Modern Warfare 2 then you can start the Warzone 2 preload by downloading the separate launcher, though this is proving tricky for players to find. On PS5 you'll need to find the Modern Warfare 2 page on the Store then select the three dots to reveal the Warzone 2 product, though on PS4 it should appear on the Store if you search for it. On Xbox, search for Warzone 2 then look through the Modern Warfare 2 editions that appear to find Warzone 2 as an add-on, while PC players can go through the specific Warzone 2 store pages on Steam and Battle.net to access it.

Note that for all of these 'standalone' versions of Warzone 2, you'll also need to download the Modern Warfare 2 launcher in order to make it work, which you'll be prompted to do when you start your Warzone 2 preload. To be clear, you don't need to purchase Modern Warfare 2 to access Warzone 2, and any notifications encouraging you to buy the full game can be safely dismissed.

When does Warzone 2 unlock

With your Warzone 2 preload taken care of, you'll be ready to start playing as soon as the official launch of the new battle royale arrives. The servers go live on November 16 so you can drop into the new Warzone 2 map at these times:

• US West Coast: November 16, 10am PST
• US East Coast: November 16, 1pm EST
• United Kingdom: November 16, 6pm GMT
• Europe: November 16, 7pm CET
• Australia: November 17, 5am AEST