You can now experience Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 for yourself: The Early Access Beta went live this afternoon, as confirmed by Xbox in an official blog post. If you've pre-ordered the shooter, you can jump in immediately – on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Battle.net, Steam, or the Microsoft Store.
Who Can Play the Modern Warfare 4 Beta Right Now?
Access to the first Beta Weekend is available only with a pre-order. Digital pre-orders via PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Battle.net, or Steam will automatically unlock access. Those who pre-ordered physically will find their Beta code on the receipt or in the order confirmation and can redeem it via the official Call of Duty Redeem page. If you haven't pre-ordered, you'll have to wait: The completely open Beta doesn't start until August 28 – at which point it will also be available for Nintendo Switch 2 and won't require any prior purchase.
PC Beta players should be especially pleased: Infinity Ward recently fixed the annoying shader compiling with an update, as shown in our report on the shader compiling fix. You can read about what else the studio announced shortly before the Beta launch in our report on Infinity Ward's announcements before the Beta.
Which Maps and Modes Are Included in Weekend One?
The first Beta Weekend features five 6v6 maps: Rooftops, Silkworm, Transit 213, Cachette, and Lotus. Also included is the new mode Kill Block, played in 3v3 and 10v10 – what makes it special: The map reassembles itself every two rounds from changing modular sections; according to the developers, over 500 different combinations are possible. Those who prefer story content will also get their money's worth: With “Entrenched,” a single campaign mission is part of a Call of Duty Beta for the first time. It sends you as an embedded US soldier alongside South Korean Marines into a fictional conflict with North Korea, featuring intense close-quarters combat in tight trenches and support from armored vehicles.
Why Is the Beta Launching Now of All Times?
The timing is no coincidence: Electronic Arts’ Battlefield 6 free trial period runs concurrently until August 25. Thanks to its current Top Gun Season and the new Wake Island map, Battlefield 6 is currently attracting over 80,000 concurrent players on Steam. For four days, both shooter heavyweights will directly compete for the same target audience. For you, this means: You can currently get a taste of both major fall shooters without spending a cent – for Battlefield, the trial is enough, while for Modern Warfare 4, you need a pre-order. From our perspective, this is precisely the most exciting part of this weekend: Rarely have you had such a direct opportunity to test both competitors side-by-side before deciding on one of the two shooters.
Source: Xbox Wire, Call of Duty Blog
Are you already playing the Beta? Let us know in the comments what you think of Kill Block and the new mission “Entrenched”!
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