Can You Use Bot Lobbies in MW4 Season 1? What You Can Grind
Yes. Bot lobbies carry on into MW4 Season 1 (Nov 6) and work for the Cronen Osprey and CSG-35 once you've unlocked them in the Battle Pass. They run on day one, November 6.
Yes, bot lobbies carry on into MW4 Season 1, and they work for the new guns once you've unlocked them. Season 1 goes live at midnight ET on November 6, 2026 (9 PM PT on November 5). After that, a bot lobby is still a normal multiplayer match with 5 bots on the enemy team, so weapon XP, camo progress and player XP count like any other match. They run from day one of Season 1 — you can play on November 6.
Do bot lobbies still work after the Season 1 update?
Verdict: yes — bot lobbies are available from day one of Season 1.
Season updates change the game files, and our hosts update with them so lobbies keep running on launch day. Here's what that means for you:
- Before November 6: order as normal. Your time only starts when you first load into a lobby, so you can buy now and play in Season 1.
- On November 6: lobbies are available from day one. Order on the MW4 Bot Lobbiesfrom $3.99 page as usual; if anything about the new patch affects your session, we'll tell you in the order chat.
- After that: same as pre-season. Send your Activision ID, add the host, join the party, and play on your own account. No password needed.
What's new in Season 1 (the parts that matter for grinding)
| What | How you get it | Bot lobbies help? |
|---|---|---|
| Cronen Osprey (AR) | Battle Pass Tier 16 | Yes, once unlocked |
| CSG-35 (SMG) | Battle Pass Tier 36 | Yes, once unlocked |
| JAK 12 (full-auto shotgun) | In-season event, later in the season | Yes, once unlocked |
| ZLR Talonhawk (melee axe, 10 levels) | In-season event | Yes, once unlocked |
| Hyeon Auto & Kastov 545 Apex | Wager Match event rewards | Indirectly (see below) |
| Weapon Camo events | Earn XP in matches | Yes |
| Battle Pass (100 tiers) | Progress by playing | Yes, every match you play |
Activision says the pass includes "two new (and free) base weapons," so you don't need the premium pass to unlock the Osprey and CSG-35. The full breakdown of maps, modes and dates is in the MW4 Season 1 grind guide.
What you can grind in Season 1 bot lobbies
Verdict: bot lobbies do the heavy lifting on weapon levels and camos. They can't unlock items for you.
New guns, after you unlock them. Bot lobbies don't hand out Battle Pass tiers or event rewards. You unlock the Cronen Osprey at Tier 16 and the CSG-35 at Tier 36 yourself. Once a gun is in your loadout, bot lobbies are where leveling it gets fast: 5 bots on the other team means steady kills every match. Step-by-step plans are in how to level the Cronen Osprey and CSG-35 fast.
Weapon levels toward Apex Attachments. At launch, Activision describes Apex Attachments as the final reward for fully leveling a supported weapon. Season 1 adds new ones for the new guns: the Cronen Helix Mk. II, the CSG Crossfire and the JAK Barrage. The Season 1 post doesn't spell out their unlock method, so check the weapon's progression screen in-game. If it follows the launch rule, max weapon level is the target, and that's pure weapon XP. See the Apex Attachments guide.
Camos. Camo challenges on the new guns need kills, headshots and multi-kills, and bot lobbies supply them on demand. How the shared camo track counts across modes is covered in the shared camo track explained, and the new-weapon plan is in the Season 1 camo grind for the new weapons.
Weapon Camo events. Activision describes these as "play matches to earn XP and acquire Weapon Camos." A bot lobby is a normal multiplayer match that earns XP, so it moves these along like any other match.
Battle Pass progress. Battle Pass progress comes from playing. The pass also includes Battle Pass Double XP tokens, and premium owners get a 10% Battle Pass XP Boost for all of Season 1. The Season 1 post doesn't publish a formula for Battle Pass XP per match, so we won't put a number on it. If Tier 100 is your goal, see the fastest way to Battle Pass Tier 100.
Player XP and daily challenges. These work as before. Kills and wins count toward your stats like any match.
What bot lobbies won't do in Season 1
- Unlock the new guns. Osprey and CSG-35 come from Battle Pass tiers. Premium owners who fall behind are automatically caught up to the current day's reward, up to day 50.
- Earn Wager Match trophies. The Wager Match event runs through the Gauntlet 1v1 Gunfight playlist and challenges in DMZ and Warzone. Its rewards include the Hyeon Auto Apex (for the Hyeon Burst) and the Kastov 545 Apex (for the Kastov 762). Bot lobbies can level those base rifles so they're ready, but the apex itself comes from the event.
- Unlock the JAK 12 or ZLR Talonhawk. Both are event rewards. Once you have them, they're fair game.
A simple Season 1 bot lobby plan
- Unlock first. Play your normal matches to reach Tier 16 (Cronen Osprey) and Tier 36 (CSG-35).
- Stock up on Double Weapon XP. The pass includes Weapon Double XP tokens, and MW4 Double XP Codesfrom $7.99 give 1 hour of Double XP plus 1 hour of Double Weapon XP per hour.
- Book lobbies for the leveling. Have the new gun equipped before you load in, because time starts at first load-in. Hourly packs are cheapest per match for long grinds. See how much bot lobbies cost.
- Switch to camo challenges once the gun is leveled, and track what's left with the MW4 unlock roadmap.
Want to try the new maps in public matches too? Season 1 adds Backstab and Canyon (both new 6v6) and a reimagined Shoot House. Activision also recommends the Shipment remaster for early weapon ranks. More in best Season 1 maps for XP and camos.
A reminder that applies every season: in a standard lobby, another customer may be on the enemy team farming the bots on your side. Leave them alone, which means no shooting them and no lethal or area killstreaks. Bot lobbies aren't an official Activision feature, and no one can promise 100% safety.
Quick answers
Can you use bot lobbies in MW4 Season 1? Yes. They carry on into Season 1 and are available from day one, November 6.
Do bot lobbies work for the Cronen Osprey and CSG-35? Yes, once you've unlocked them at Battle Pass Tier 16 and Tier 36. Bot lobbies level guns you own. They don't unlock them.
When does MW4 Season 1 start? Midnight ET on November 6, 2026, which is 9 PM PT on November 5, on all platforms.
Do bot lobbies count for Battle Pass progress? A bot lobby is a normal match, so it counts for progress like any match. Activision hasn't published a per-match Battle Pass XP formula.
Can I get the Hyeon Auto or Kastov 545 Apex in bot lobbies? No. Those are Wager Match event rewards. Bot lobbies can level the Hyeon Burst and Kastov 762 so they're ready.
Is there a Double XP weekend for Season 1? Not announced yet. The Battle Pass includes Player, Weapon and Battle Pass Double XP tokens.
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MW4 Bot Lobbies
MW4 Bot Lobbies are Modern Warfare 4 matches with 5 bots on the enemy team, so you farm weapon levels, camo challenges and player XP instead of grinding public matches. It's self-play on your own account — no password, just your Activision ID — with cross-play on PS5, Xbox, PC and Switch 2.
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