Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is preparing one of the franchise’s most ambitious pre-release tests, giving players access to multiplayer, a campaign mission and Warzone across its upcoming Beta weekends.
Call of Duty betas have traditionally been fairly straightforward. Players download the test, jump into a selection of multiplayer maps and modes, level up a few weapons and give the developers an early look at how the game performs under real-world conditions.
Modern Warfare 4 is taking a considerably broader approach.
Activision and Infinity Ward are expanding this year’s Beta beyond standard multiplayer by including a playable campaign mission and, during the second weekend, new Call of Duty: Warzone content. It marks the first time these major parts of the Call of Duty experience are being brought together in one Beta period.
That makes the test more than an early multiplayer preview. For players, it is effectively a sample of several different sides of Modern Warfare 4 before the full game arrives.
Call of Duty: NEXT Starts Everything on August 21
The next major stop on the Modern Warfare 4 calendar is Call of Duty: NEXT on August 21, 2026.
Activision says the showcase will feature live Modern Warfare 4 gameplay, multiplayer information, developer discussion and further reveals ahead of the Beta. The Beta is scheduled to begin immediately after the NEXT broadcast, another change from the longer gap players have sometimes seen between a Call of Duty presentation and hands-on access.
Among the areas expected to receive attention at NEXT are 6v6 multiplayer, Kill Block and the new Zodiac Warzone location.
For anyone trying to decide whether Modern Warfare 4 is worth buying, NEXT and the Beta should provide a much clearer picture than trailers alone.
Early Access Beta Runs From August 21 to August 25
The first Beta period runs from August 21 through August 25.
Early Access will be available to eligible players, including those who have pre-ordered Modern Warfare 4 on supported Xbox, PlayStation and PC platforms. Activision had previously confirmed Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC for this first Beta weekend.
Multiplayer remains a major part of the test, with several maps, weapons and familiar Call of Duty modes available.
Players can expect staples such as Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed and Search & Destroy alongside other activities intended to demonstrate Modern Warfare 4’s new gameplay systems. The Mobility Course will also give players an opportunity to become familiar with the game’s movement mechanics before entering regular matches.
Kill Block is another important part of the multiplayer push. Infinity Ward has designed the experience around a battlefield that can change between matches, encouraging players to adjust rather than rely entirely on memorising a static map layout. Activision previously demonstrated the mode publicly at Fanatics Fest.
A Campaign Mission Makes the Beta Much More Interesting
The biggest surprise may not be multiplayer at all.
Players will be able to experience a dedicated Modern Warfare 4 campaign mission called Entrenched during the Beta.
Including part of the campaign changes what people can actually learn from a Call of Duty Beta.
Multiplayer testing can answer questions about weapon handling, movement, map flow, matchmaking and general performance. A campaign mission can show something completely different: mission design, enemy encounters, visual presentation, storytelling and the overall tone Infinity Ward is targeting.
That is particularly useful for players who primarily buy Call of Duty for its single-player experience and normally have little reason to participate in a multiplayer-focused Beta.
It also gives Activision an opportunity to introduce Modern Warfare 4’s world to a much larger audience before release.
Open Beta Begins August 28 — and Warzone Joins the Test
The second stage begins on August 28 and continues through September 1.
Unlike the opening period, this will be an Open Beta, allowing players to participate without needing the same Early Access requirements.
It is also when Modern Warfare 4’s Beta becomes considerably larger.
Along with campaign and multiplayer content, Weekend Two introduces Call of Duty: Warzone, including the new Zodiac Resurgence experience. Ground War content will also become part of the test.
Resurgence has become an important part of modern Warzone because it offers a faster alternative to traditional Battle Royale. Players can return to the fight while their squad remains active, producing shorter recovery periods and frequent engagements.
Testing Zodiac during the Beta therefore gives Warzone players something meaningful to evaluate rather than simply placing the existing Battle Royale experience alongside Modern Warfare 4.
Players will be able to judge how the new location flows, where the busiest combat areas develop and how Modern Warfare 4’s weapons and movement translate into the Warzone environment.
Nintendo Switch 2 Players Join During Weekend Two
Modern Warfare 4 is also significant because the game is coming to Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo players will not participate in the August 21–25 Early Access weekend. Instead, Switch 2 joins the Open Beta beginning August 28. Activision has confirmed that no pre-order is required for Switch 2 players to participate in that second Beta weekend, although Nintendo Switch Online is required.
The Switch 2 version is being developed natively by Infinity Ward in partnership with Digital Legends.
Its inclusion gives the Beta another purpose: players will get an early opportunity to see how a current mainline Call of Duty performs on Nintendo hardware.
Why This Beta Is More Important Than Usual
The scale of the Beta suggests Activision wants players to evaluate Modern Warfare 4 as a complete Call of Duty ecosystem rather than viewing multiplayer, campaign and Warzone as completely separate products.
That strategy also gives Infinity Ward considerably more feedback.
Competitive players can test multiplayer. Campaign-focused players can experience part of the story. Warzone players can evaluate Zodiac. And the wider player population can test progression, movement, weapons and online infrastructure across different types of gameplay.
There is one major Modern Warfare 4 component that is not part of this particular test:Â DMZ. Current Beta information focuses instead on campaign, multiplayer and Warzone.
That still leaves players with significantly more to explore than in a conventional Call of Duty multiplayer Beta.
Modern Warfare 4 Release Date
The Beta is only the beginning of Activision’s final push toward launch.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 releases worldwide on October 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. Infinity Ward is leading development, with several other Activision studios contributing to the project.
Campaign Early Access is also scheduled to begin on October 16 for eligible players.
Before then, however, August will give players their first substantial opportunity to decide what they think of the new game.
Starting with Call of Duty: NEXT on August 21, followed immediately by Early Access and then the larger Open Beta on August 28, Modern Warfare 4 is turning its Beta into something closer to a playable preview of the entire Call of Duty experience.
For a series whose pre-launch tests have historically centered on multiplayer, combining campaign, competitive multiplayer and Warzone makes this one of the most unusual — and potentially most revealing — Call of Duty Betas yet.
