Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 · PC (Steam) · version Launch (October 23)"DLC Required" message blocks Multiplayer and DMZ on Steam
UnconfirmedUnpatchedUpdated
On Steam, Multiplayer and DMZ can show a "DLC Required" message even though all the content is installed, and verifying or reinstalling does not help. Clearing Steam's cached app data and restarting Steam fixed it for the players in the thread. No acknowledgement from Activision yet.
Lifecycle
Reported · stage 1 of 5
6days open
Since first report
- Reported (reached) · now
- Confirmed (not yet)next
- Acknowledged (not yet)—
- Partial (not yet)—
- Patched (not yet)—
- Game
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
- Platform
- PC (Steam)
- Affected version
- Launch (October 23)
- Kind
- Bug
- Confirmation
- Unconfirmed
- Patch status
- Unpatched
- First reported
- Last updated
- Latest fix or workaround
- Workaround, : The original poster says the cache-clearing tip from the thread worked for them too. Source
How we label issues
Kind
- Exploit: Repeatable and clearly advantageous to the player using it; essentially cheating.
- Bug: Everything else: crashes, launch errors, broken features, visual or audio faults.
Confirmation
- Confirmed: A developer or official account acknowledged it, an official known-issues board lists it, it appears in official patch notes, or 100+ corroborating posts on X were actually counted.
- Unconfirmed: None of the above yet. Press articles are reports and never confirm an issue on their own.
Patch status
- Unpatched: Known and open; no fix has been claimed.
- Reported as unpatched: Players credibly report it persisting, including after a fix claim that never appeared in patch notes.
- Partially patched: Official patch notes list a fix, but credible later reports say it still happens, or the notes only cover part of it.
- Reported as patched: A developer, official account or player says it is fixed, but no official patch notes list it.
- Patched: Official patch notes (a Steam news post or the publisher's patch notes page) list the fix, and nothing credible says it still happens.
Active means still affecting players: Unpatched, Reported as unpatched or Partially patched. Patched and Reported as patched issues are closed.
Estimated impact runs from 0.1 to 9.9 with one decimal. xploitr sets it from the rubric below. Factors: advantage to other players, reach, play blocked or progress lost, frequency, and whether a reliable workaround exists. Patched issues keep their historical impact.
Signed-in community members can report new issues and suggest status changes, such as Fixed or Still unpatched, with their platform, version and a source. Every report and suggestion is reviewed by an editor before anything on the record changes. A new issue is published only when the report has at least three independent sources (distinct accounts, or distinct sites for web pages, after blocked sources are removed), unless the owner approved that issue by hand. Approved input appears as a dated Update from the xploitr community source on the issue's timeline, credited to the member's username (reports can opt out and stay anonymous); nothing is counted or published automatically.
Impact bands
- 0.1–2.9 Low: Cosmetic, audio, text and UI glitches with no effect on play.
- 3.0–4.9 Moderate: Narrow gameplay bugs or small exploits, rare or with a workaround.
- 5.0–6.9 Elevated: Bugs most players in a mode notice: hit registration, desync, balance-breaking damage.
- 7.0–8.4 High: Widely abused competitive or economy exploits; crashes many players hit.
- 8.5–9.9 Severe: Launch blockers, widespread progress or item loss, exploits that break the game for everyone.
Each issue has a dated timeline of updates (report, acknowledgement, announcement, fix, workaround). Update summaries are our own words; quotes and excerpts are the source's words, or our English translation when marked.
Updates · 3
- Report
Oct 23: Multiplayer and DMZ keep showing "DLC Required" though everything is installed; verifying and reinstalling did not help.
novathorr · Steam · Forum thread ·
“I'm unable to access Multiplayer or DMZ because the game keeps displaying a “DLC Required” message, even though all the required content is installed. I've verified the game files through Steam and even completely reinstalled the game, including Warzone (approximately 118 GB) and the Campaign …”
novathorr · Steam · Forum thread · Open source - Report
Another player has the same problem after reinstalling.
MIH_99 · Steam · Forum reply ·
“yeah, im also having the same problem, try to fix it and its not working. i also try to reinstall and it does not work. Still the same, any idea how to fix it?”
MIH_99 · Steam · Forum reply · Open source - Workaround
The original poster says the cache-clearing tip from the thread worked for them too.
novathorr · Steam · Forum reply ·
“You are the besttt !! worked for me too :D Thank you”
novathorr · Steam · Forum reply · Open source
Sources · 33 CommunitynovathorrSteam · Forum thread+ 2 similar community reportsShow all →
“I'm unable to access Multiplayer or DMZ because the game keeps displaying a “DLC Required” message, even though all the required content is installed. I've verified the game files through Steam and even completely reinstalled the game, including Warzone (approximately 118 GB) and the Campaign …”