Modern Warfare 4 Open Beta Guide — Dates, Content, and Tips

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta opens in August 2026 and gives players a proper preview of Infinity Ward’s next release before it launches on October 23. The test runs across two weekends, covers a Campaign mission, Ground War, core Multiplayer, and Warzone Resurgence on a new map. This guide covers every schedule detail, access method, playable mode, weapon, and reward confirmed so far.

MW4 Beta key facts

• Early Access runs August 21–25, 2026. Open Beta runs August 28–September 1, 2026.
• Weekend One covers PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Nintendo Switch 2 joins in Weekend Two.
• Playable content includes the Entrenched Campaign mission, Kill Block, Ground War, and Warzone Resurgence on Zodiac.
• Players can unlock up to 19 Beta weapons. The full weapon list is TBA.
• Exclusive Beta rewards carry over to Modern Warfare 4. Standard account progression does not.
• PC players must have TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot active to access online modes.

Modern Warfare 4 Beta dates and schedule

The MW4 Beta splits into two testing windows separated by a short break. Weekend One requires a preorder or an eligible Beta Code. Weekend Two is open to all players on a supported platform and adds the largest game modes.

Start times by region

Early Access opens at 11:00 AM PT on August 21, two hours after the Call of Duty: NEXT broadcast begins. The Open Beta starts at 10:00 AM PT on August 28. Both periods end at 10:00 AM PT on their final day.

How to get MW4 Beta Early Access

The fastest path into Weekend One is a digital preorder. Platform stores register the entitlement automatically — no separate code required. Physical preorders and some promotional campaigns use a 13-character redemption code instead.

• Preorder the Digital Standard Edition or Vault Edition.
• Preorder a physical Standard Edition from a participating retailer.
• Claim a valid Early Access Beta Code from an official promotion.

Xbox Game Pass does not provide Early Access this year. If you are using a retail code, redeem it on the Activision website, select your platform, and wait for the platform-specific download token to arrive by email. Activision sends tokens shortly before the Early Access preload starts on August 20 at 9:00 AM PT. The Open Beta preload begins August 26 at 9:00 AM PT.

MW4 Beta platforms

Nintendo Switch 2 preorders open August 26, but a preorder is not needed for Weekend Two access. Nintendo Switch Online is required for MW4 Beta online play on that platform. Console players on PS5 and Xbox will also need their respective online Multiplayer subscriptions.

MW4 Beta playable content

Weekend One covers Campaign and core Multiplayer including Kill Block. Weekend Two expands to Ground War and Warzone Resurgence.

Modern Warfare 4 Beta campaign mission

The MW4 Beta includes Entrenched, a complete mission from the full Modern Warfare 4 Campaign. This is a significant departure from the standard Beta format, which has historically been Multiplayer-only. Entrenched puts players inside South Korean forces repelling a North Korean invasion. Gameplay footage shows trench combat, armored vehicle sequences, close-quarters clearing, and a sustained push alongside allied soldiers. It demonstrates Campaign pacing and mission scope without unlocking the full story.

Modern Warfare 4 Ground War Beta

Ground War arrives with Weekend Two and scales the combat up considerably. Infantry fights alongside armored vehicles across three large announced locations: Combat Outpost, Imjin Farmland, and Wolves Stadium. These maps are built for much larger player counts than standard Multiplayer and incorporate vehicle combat into the core objective flow. Ground War on these maps represents the closest thing to a large-scale battlefield experience available in the Beta.

Kill Block mode explained

Kill Block is a modular Multiplayer arena built inside the West Bridge Advanced Military Training facility. Each match assembles two End Slabs and one Central Slab to form the map layout. The pieces change after every two rounds, reshuffling cover positions, sightlines, and vertical opportunities. Every player starts with the same randomized loadout, so the mode tests positioning and game-sense rather than unlock depth. The MW4 Beta uses Kill Block for both 3v3 and 10v10 Gunfight variants.

Warzone Zodiac Resurgence

Weekend Two marks the first time Warzone has appeared inside a Call of Duty Beta. Zodiac is the new Resurgence map, playable August 28–September 1. It sits entirely outside the standard Multiplayer and Ground War pools, operating as its own queue. Standard Battle Royale and Ranked Warzone Play are not part of the Beta.

MW4 Beta maps

Six Core Multiplayer maps are spread across the two weekends. Weekend Two replaces Lotus with Lithium while retaining the other four locations. Kill Block, Ground War, and Zodiac each form their own separate map pools.

• Rooftops (Weekend One)
• Silkworm (Weekend One)
• Transit 213 (Weekend One)
• Cachette (Weekend One)
• Lotus (Weekend One) / Lithium (Weekend Two)
• Kill Block arena (both weekends)
• Imjin Farmland (Weekend Two Ground War)
• Wolves Stadium (Weekend Two Ground War)
• Zodiac (Weekend Two Warzone)

MW4 Beta game modes

Classic competitive playlists return alongside new MW4 modes and two Kill Block formats. Individual modes may rotate throughout each weekend rather than remaining live continuously.

• Team Deathmatch — reach the team elimination limit first.
• Domination — capture and hold three map objectives.
• Hardpoint — control a rotating objective zone to score points over time.
• Kill Confirmed — collect enemy dog tags and deny your own.
• Inflation — gather cash dropped by eliminated players. Full scoring rules TBA.
• Search & Destroy — single-life rounds attacking or defending bomb sites.
• Gunfight 3v3 — small-team rounds on rotating Kill Block layouts.
• Gunfight 10v10 — larger Gunfight variant with shared randomized loadouts.
• Hijack — new Weekend Two mode. Rules TBA.
• Combat Outpost — large-scale Weekend Two mode combining infantry and vehicles.

MW4 Beta weapons and progression

Players can unlock up to 19 weapons through account progression during the Beta. The complete weapon list and individual unlock levels have not been published. Fully leveling a weapon unlocks its Apex Attachments — a tier of weapon parts that produce larger stat changes than standard attachments. Vault Edition owners can also test five Signature weapon Blueprints and eight premium Operators during the Multiplayer weekend, though these are preorder bonuses, not Beta progression rewards.

Vault Edition Signature weapons

• Kastov 762 Assault Rifle — Voltspine Blueprint
• ISO Nightshade SMG — La Sombra Venenosa Blueprint
• Rezi 12 Shotgun — Shattered Code Blueprint
• Oris 8.6 Marksman Rifle — Volt-Edge Blueprint
• Combat Knife — Sombra Besada Blueprint

MW4 Beta rewards

Activision has confirmed that exclusive MW4 Beta rewards carry over to the full game after launch on October 23. The complete reward list, item names, and unlock levels will be revealed during Call of Duty: NEXT on August 21. Standard account levels and weapon progression earned during the Beta do not currently have confirmed carry-over status — only the dedicated Beta reward items do.

MW4 Beta PC requirements

Full PC hardware requirements are TBA as of August 19. Two security requirements are already confirmed and apply to all online game modes. Check these in your system BIOS before the preload finishes — fixing them during or after the Beta opens wastes testing time.

If your PC uses an MBR partition scheme rather than GPT, enabling Secure Boot will require converting the drive before any BIOS change takes effect. Do not wait until servers open to investigate this.

Frequently asked questions

When does Modern Warfare 4 release?

Modern Warfare 4 launches October 23, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. Vault Edition preorders include Campaign Early Access starting October 16.

Is the Modern Warfare 4 Beta free?

Weekend Two (August 28–September 1) is completely free. Weekend One requires a preorder or an eligible Early Access Beta Code.

Does MW4 Beta progress carry over?

Exclusive Beta reward items carry over to Modern Warfare 4. Regular weapon and account progression has no confirmed carry-over at this time.

Is Warzone in the MW4 Beta?

Yes — Weekend Two includes Warzone Resurgence on Zodiac. Standard Battle Royale and Ranked modes are not part of the Beta.

Can I play the MW4 Campaign in the Beta?

Yes. Both weekends include the Entrenched Campaign mission. The full Campaign is not available through the Beta.

Is MW4 Beta on Nintendo Switch 2?

Yes, but only during Weekend Two (August 28–September 1). Nintendo Switch Online is required for multiplayer access.

Is Ground War in the MW4 Beta?

Yes, Ground War arrives with Weekend Two. Confirmed maps include Combat Outpost, Imjin Farmland, and Wolves Stadium.

Is MW4 on PS4 or Xbox One?

No. Modern Warfare 4 and the Beta only support current-generation hardware: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.