Activision has announced when and where you can take part in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s two beta tests, but the Switch 2 is only getting one of them.
Ahead of its October 23 launch, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is getting the usual set of beta tests, although this one is a bit more interesting than previous years.
That’s because Modern Warfare 4 will also see a release on Nintendo Switch 2 and Activision seems keen on treating it as an equal to the other versions, since it’s joining in on the beta too.
Below, we’ve put together everything you need to know about Modern Warfare 4’s beta, including how to join… as well as how the Switch 2 version is being treated differently.
When is the Modern Warfare 4 beta?
The Modern Warfare 4 beta will run for two weekends, the first one being Friday, August 21 to Tuesday, August 25.
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
The second beta runs from Friday, August 28 to Tuesday, September 1.
How to join the Modern Warfare 4 beta
Just like previous years, the first Modern Warfare 4 beta session will be exclusive to those who pre-order the game, while the second session will be an open beta anyone can join.
There is a standard edition and a more expensive Vault Edition to choose from, but pre-ordering either of them nets you the early access beta, as well as early access to Modern Warfare 4’s campaign starting from October 16.
However, Activision has specified that only pre-orders for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC versions include the early access beta.
Call Of Duty movie gets an update
In case you missed it, an official Call Of Duty movie is in the works at Paramount and is scheduled to release on June 30, 2028.
During a recent Call Of Duty panel at Fanatics Fest in New York City (per Variety), director and co-writer Peter Berg confirmed that the movie will be set in the Modern Warfare continuity.
That’s hardly surprising given Modern Warfare’s popularity, but it remains unclear if the movie will be explicitly based on one of the games or will feature an entirely original story.
How to join the Modern Warfare 4 beta on Switch 2
As for why Switch 2 owners can’t participate in the early access beta, it seems to be due to pre-order timing.
Unlike the other versions, which you can pre-order right now, the Switch 2 version of Modern Warfare 4 isn’t available for pre-order until August 26, which is the day after the early access beta wraps up.
Switch 2 owners will still be able to join the open beta, however, and this won’t require a pre-order either, so people can test how Call Of Duty looks and runs on Nintendo’s hardware before putting any money down for a copy.
Activision hasn’t given a reason for why Switch 2 pre-orders aren’t available till later, but it could just be because that version requires further work or some complication on Nintendo’s side of things.
As a reminder, developer Infinity Ward isn’t leading development of the Switch 2 version of Modern Warfare 4. That’s primarily being handled by another Activision subsidiary, Digital Legends.
The studio was acquired by Activision in 2021 and since then has assisted with Call Of Duty: Warzone Mobile and the last two Call Of Duty: Black Ops games by Treyarch.
What is included in the Modern Warfare 4 beta?
According to the Call Of Duty website, the Modern Warfare 4 beta will include ‘multiple multiplayer maps and modes’ and ‘a wide selection of brand-new operators,’ as well as up to 19 weapons available to unlock.
Activision is promising both new and returning modes, including Search & Destroy, a training mobility course, and Kill Block, an entirely original mode where the layout of the battlefield changes every match.
Anyone who pre-orders the game’s Vault Edition can use eight exclusive operators as well as weapons and blueprints from ‘any of the five armaments in the Signature Weapon Collection.’
Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter.
To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.