For years, Call of Duty beta tests have concentrated almost exclusively on multiplayer maps and modes, but Modern Warfare 4 is abandoning that familiar formula. Players will be able to experience an entire campaign mission during both test periods, while the second weekend expands the package with Warzone content and Nintendo Switch 2 support.
The basic formula behind a Call of Duty beta has remained remarkably consistent over the years: give players several multiplayer maps and modes shortly before launch, build excitement around the new installment, and encourage another wave of pre-orders in the process. Infinity Ward and Activision are taking a substantially different approach with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Xbox executive Asha Sharma also highlighted the change in an X post, confirming that players will get access to a campaign mission during the upcoming tests, something the franchise has never previously offered in a pre-release beta.
Modern Warfare 4’s Beta Goes From Campaign Gameplay to Warzone
According to an official Call of Duty announcement, the first Early Access Beta runs from August 21 through August 25 and is available to players who have pre-ordered the game. This opening period features five new multiplayer maps designed for 6v6 matches, but its most unusual addition is Entrenched, a playable story mission. Never before has a Call of Duty beta allowed players to sample a complete campaign mission before release.
The multiplayer portion still contains plenty of familiar options, including Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Inflation, and Search and Destroy. The lineup also features 10v10 Kill Block, 3v3 Gunfight, and the Mobility Circuit. Weekend One will be playable on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam, Battle.net, and Xbox on PC.
The second test period runs from August 28 through September 1 and removes the pre-order requirement, opening the beta to everybody. Lotus will be swapped out for Lithium, while Rooftops, Silkworm, Transit 213, Cachette, and Kill Block remain in rotation, and Entrenched will continue to be playable. The content selection also grows considerably with Ground War and its two maps, Imjin Farmland and Wolves Stadium, alongside two additional multiplayer modes called Hijack and Combat Outpost.
Weekend Two will also introduce Call of Duty: Warzone to the beta through Zodiac, a brand-new Resurgence map. That makes this the first time Warzone has been incorporated into the annual Call of Duty pre-release beta program. Nintendo Switch 2 players will join the testing at this point as well, with no pre-order required, alongside players on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Pre-ordering a digital Standard Edition or Vault Edition comes with another major benefit later in the year. Those players will gain access to the complete campaign on October 16, one week before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 officially launches on October 23. Activision is therefore turning this year’s beta into a much broader preview than usual, covering not only traditional competitive multiplayer but also the campaign and the next evolution of Warzone.
Source: 3DJuegos
