Modern Warfare 4 Beta: Exact Dates, Times & How to Get Early Access First (2026)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 finally goes hands-on this month, and the Beta is your first real chance to play the multiplayer before it launches on October 23, 2026. Activision has confirmed the full schedule: an Early Access weekend for players who pre-order, followed by an Open Beta weekend for everyone — including Nintendo Switch 2. If you want to be in the very first lobbies on August 21, there are a few things you need to lock in now.

This guide breaks down the exact MW4 Beta dates, when it starts, which platforms are included, how to secure early access, what maps and weapons you'll get to try, and the pre-order camo bonus worth grabbing before the servers open.

Quick answer: MW4 Beta dates and access

- Weekend 1 — Early Access Beta: August 21–25, 2026. Requires a Modern Warfare 4 pre-order. Available on Xbox Series X	S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

• Weekend 2 — Open Beta: August 28 – September 1, 2026. Open to everyone on all platforms, no pre-order needed — including Nintendo Switch 2.
• Start time: The Beta goes live on August 21 immediately after the Call of Duty: NEXT broadcast — the first time a beta has ever kicked off straight out of the show.
• How to get in early: Pre-order or pre-purchase MW4 (any edition) on Xbox, PlayStation, Battle.net, or Steam before August 21.
• Full game launch: Friday, October 23, 2026.

When is the Modern Warfare 4 Beta?

The Beta runs across two separate weekends, and the difference between them comes down to one thing: whether you've pre-ordered.

Weekend	Beta type	Dates	Who can play
Weekend 1	Early Access Beta	Aug 21 – Aug 25, 2026	Pre-order players (Xbox Series X\	S, PS5, PC)
Weekend 2	Open Beta	Aug 28 – Sep 1, 2026	Everyone, all platforms (incl. Switch 2)

Weekend 1 is the reward for buying in early — five days of uninterrupted access before the wider player base gets in. Weekend 2 opens the doors to everyone regardless of pre-order status, which is the smart window if you're still on the fence about the full game.

According to the official Call of Duty blog: "The Modern Warfare 4 Beta begins on August 21, kicking off immediately after the Call of Duty: NEXT broadcast for the first time ever." That's a meaningful change — in past years the beta usually went live hours after the reveal show. This year, the moment NEXT ends, the servers open.

How do you get early access to the MW4 Beta?

There's only one route into Weekend 1: pre-order Modern Warfare 4 before August 21. Any edition qualifies — you don't need the pricier Vault Edition just to get in early (though the Vault Edition does add beta perks, covered below).

Pre-orders and pre-purchases are live now on:

- **Xbox Series X	S and Xbox on PC** (Xbox Play Anywhere)

• PlayStation 5
• PC via Battle.net
• PC via Steam

Once you've pre-ordered, your early access is tied to your account automatically — there's no separate beta code to redeem on those storefronts. Closer to August 21 you'll be able to pre-load the Beta client so you're not stuck downloading while everyone else is already dropping in.

Nintendo Switch 2 is the exception. Switch 2 pre-orders don't open until August 26 — after Weekend 1 has already ended. That means Switch 2 players can't access the Early Access weekend at all, but they can jump straight into the Open Beta on August 28 with no pre-order required.

What time does the MW4 Beta start?

The Beta unlocks on August 21, right after the Call of Duty: NEXT broadcast wraps. Activision hasn't posted a to-the-minute go-live time yet — it's deliberately tied to the end of the NEXT show, which streams that same day. Historically, Call of Duty betas and showcases have gone live around 10:00 AM PT, so plan for roughly:

• 10:00 AM PT (Los Angeles)
• 1:00 PM ET (New York)
• 6:00 PM BST (London)
• 7:00 PM CEST (Berlin)
• 8:00 PM MSK (Moscow)

Treat those as expected windows rather than a locked schedule — the exact time is confirmed at Call of Duty: NEXT itself. If you want the earliest possible entry, pre-load the Beta the day before and have NEXT open on a second screen so you can jump in the second it ends.

Which platforms can play the MW4 Beta?

Every current-gen platform is supported, but when you can play depends on your platform and pre-order status.

Platform	Weekend 1 (Early Access)	Weekend 2 (Open)
Xbox Series X\	S	✅ with pre-order	✅ everyone
PlayStation 5	✅ with pre-order	✅ everyone
PC (Battle.net / Steam / Xbox on PC)	✅ with pre-order	✅ everyone
Nintendo Switch 2	❌ (pre-orders open Aug 26)	✅ everyone

Modern Warfare 4 is a cross-platform title, so once you're in you'll be matched with (and against) players on other systems, and progress you make in the Beta — like ranking up and unlocking weapons — carries within the Beta itself.

What maps, modes, and weapons are in the MW4 Beta?

This isn't a stripped-down demo. Infinity Ward is putting a wide slice of the multiplayer sandbox in players' hands. In the Beta you'll be able to:

• Unlock up to 19 different weapons as you level up, building loadouts from a full pool of guns, Tacticals, Lethals, Field Upgrades, Perks, and Killstreaks.
• Play across multiple maps and modes, from small-scale 3v3 skirmishes all the way up to massive tactical battles featuring tanks and vehicles.
• Try returning and brand-new modes, including classic Search & Destroy, the brand-new Kill Block experience, and the Training Mobility Course to master MW4's movement.

Kill Block is the headline new mode. Debuted publicly at Fanatics Fest, it's a 10v10 Gunfight-style experience set inside the West Bridge Advanced Military Training Facility — an adaptive, ever-changing live-fire environment designed to reward players who rethink their tactics from match to match. If you only try one new thing in the Beta, make it Kill Block.

Infinity Ward is also leaning hard into fluid movement and best-in-class ballistics, with an optional loadout assistant called Gunny to help newer players build effective classes fast.

Do Vault Edition pre-orders get extra Beta perks?

Yes. If you pre-order the Modern Warfare 4 Vault Edition, you get a stacked Beta on top of early access. Vault players can drop into the multiplayer Beta as any of the four Hostile Alliance Operators — Price, Valeria, Ghost, and Blix (Price and Valeria can be masked or unmasked via the emote system) — plus all four Special Forces Operators (COM SFT, KSK Amphibious, SK Special Forces, and SAS, each with a local-language voice pack).

Vault Edition also unlocks the Signature Weapons Collection for immediate testing during the Beta, including the base weapon, Blueprint, and Apex Attachment for each of the five armaments:

• 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

For most players the standard edition is plenty to experience the Beta — the Vault perks are cosmetic and early-weapon bonuses, not gameplay gatekeepers.

MW4 Beta rewards and the Serialized Camo pre-order bonus

Activision has confirmed there will be exclusive Beta rewards and surprises revealed in the weeks leading up to August 21 — expect the usual playtime-based unlocks (cosmetics that carry into the full game at launch) once the full reward list drops.

There's also a genuinely unique pre-order bonus already live. Pre-ordering MW4 grants the "Moonlit Pearl" Universal Weapon Camo instantly, plus a challenge in Black Ops 7 to earn a second camo called "Gilded Ruin" — with a serialized variant individually numbered for the first 100,000 players to unlock it. Both camos then unlock automatically in Modern Warfare 4 at launch. If you're grinding that serialized number in Black Ops 7 right now, our BO7 Serialized Gilded Ruin camo guide walks through the exact skull-farm requirement.

How to be ready to play the MW4 Beta first

A quick checklist to make sure you're in the opening lobbies, not stuck on a download bar:

• Pre-order before August 21 on your platform of choice (skip this only if you're waiting for the free Open Beta on August 28).
• Pre-load the Beta client the day before it goes live — the pre-load window opens ahead of each weekend.
• Free up storage now; a modern CoD beta client runs large, and you don't want to be deleting games at launch time.
• Have Call of Duty: NEXT ready on August 21 so you can drop in the instant the show ends.
• Warm up your aim and movement — MW4's new movement and ballistics reward players who are already sharp.

That last point matters more than it sounds. The Beta is short, matchmaking pulls from a fresh pool, and the players who spent the summer staying sharp in Warzone and Black Ops 7 will feel it immediately.

Warm up before MW4 drops — the fastest way to be match-ready:

- CoD Bot Lobbies — relaxed lobbies to dial in aim and movement before the Beta rush.

- CoD Account & Weapon Leveling — skip the grind and keep your reflexes hot heading into launch.

- All Call of Duty services — camos, ranked, bot lobbies, and more.

While you wait for the Beta, it's also worth reading our MW4 preload, file size & unlock times guide for the full-game launch, our breakdown of the MW4 Beta maps, modes & weapons, and the Kill Block gameplay reveal for a first look at the new mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Modern Warfare 4 Beta start? The Beta begins on August 21, 2026, immediately after the Call of Duty: NEXT broadcast. Weekend 1 (Early Access, pre-order required) runs August 21–25, and Weekend 2 (Open Beta, everyone) runs August 28 – September 1.

How do I get into the MW4 Beta early? Pre-order or pre-purchase any edition of Modern Warfare 4 on Xbox Series X	S, PlayStation 5, Battle.net, or Steam before August 21. Early access is tied to your account automatically — there's no separate code to redeem on those storefronts.

Can I play the MW4 Beta for free? Yes, during Weekend 2. The Open Beta from August 28 to September 1 is free for all players on all platforms with no pre-order required, including Nintendo Switch 2.

Which platforms is the MW4 Beta on? Xbox Series X	S, PlayStation 5, and PC (Battle.net, Steam, and Xbox on PC) for both weekends. Nintendo Switch 2 can only join Weekend 2, since Switch 2 pre-orders don't open until August 26.

How many weapons are in the MW4 Beta? You can unlock up to 19 different weapons across the Beta as you level up, alongside Tacticals, Lethals, Field Upgrades, Perks, and Killstreaks.

When does Modern Warfare 4 fully release? The full game launches worldwide on Friday, October 23, 2026, on Xbox Series X	S, PlayStation 5, PC (Battle.net, Xbox on PC, Steam), and Nintendo Switch 2.