Check Activision and launcher service status, fully exit Modern Warfare and its launcher, then reopen the launcher and let any game update finish. If the loop remains, pause competing downloads and use Battle.net Scan and Repair or Steam's Verify integrity of game files. Do not delete game folders or cached account data as a first-line fix.
Open Activision Online Services, select Modern Warfare and the launcher platform, and read the current status. If an incident is active, keep the installation unchanged and retry after the service is restored.
2
Exit the game and launcher completely
Close Modern Warfare and Battle.net or Steam. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open Task Manager > Processes, and end only a clearly named Modern Warfare or launcher process that did not close normally. Reopen the launcher and sign in.
3
Let the launcher finish its update
Select Modern Warfare in the launcher. If Update, Resume, or Download appears instead of Play, select it and wait until the progress completes. Pause other game downloads, cloud sync, and video streams so the update has a stable connection.
4
Repair the installed files
In Battle.net, choose the cog beside Play > Scan and Repair > Begin Scan. In Steam, right-click Modern Warfare, choose Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files. Do not launch the game until the check and any reacquired download finish.
5
Return to the main menu
Launch Modern Warfare. If it reaches the main menu and starts shader preloading, remain there until the process completes. Do not interrupt it by entering a match immediately.
6
Verify a clean second launch
Exit normally, reopen the game, and confirm it passes Checking for update and reaches the main menu again without downloading the same files. That second clean launch confirms the update state is stable.
If it does not work
If the launcher itself remains on Updating, restart it once and check its current service status; do not repeatedly interrupt an active download.
If repair reacquires the same files on every run, record the file-repair message and available disk space, then use Battle.net or Steam support before deleting installation folders.
If the loop occurs only on Wi-Fi, test Ethernet and pause competing traffic. Restart the router once if the connection remains unstable.
If the game reaches the menu but stutters while shaders compile, let shader preloading finish; that is different from an update loop.
ⓘ Sources and verification
Checked against official documentation on . Scope: Windows.
Source-checked against current Activision connection and PC troubleshooting. The exact loop was not reproduced on the review machine.
