Activision is making a major change to the Call of Duty beta format this year. The upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta will give players early access to a single-player campaign mission for the first time in the franchise’s history.
The mission is called “Entrenched” and will be available during both beta weekends. This is a notable change for a series that has traditionally used its pre-release beta periods to test multiplayer gameplay, maps, weapons and matchmaking.
The announcement came from Xbox CEO Sarah Bond, who confirmed that the campaign mission will be included alongside the multiplayer content coming to the beta. She also shared a short gameplay teaser for Entrenched, giving players an early look at what to expect from the Modern Warfare 4 campaign.
Call of Duty has always treated its beta as a multiplayer-focused event. Players usually get access to a limited selection of multiplayer maps and modes before launch, while the campaign remains locked until the full game arrives.
That changes with Modern Warfare 4.
Giving players a campaign mission before launch could give Activision useful feedback on more than just multiplayer systems. It also gives players an early look at the game’s story, visuals, shooting mechanics and overall presentation.
For gamers who mainly buy Call of Duty for its campaign, this is arguably more important than getting another multiplayer map. Players will be able to see whether the new Modern Warfare experience is worth the purchase before the full game arrives.
It also raises questions about how much of the campaign Activision is willing to show before launch. The company has only confirmed the Entrenched mission so far, so it remains unclear whether this will stay as a one-mission preview or become a bigger part of future Call of Duty testing.
The first beta weekend will run from August 21 to August 25. It will be an early access weekend for players who have pre-ordered the game on PC, PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X | S.
The beta will include several multiplayer maps, including Rooftops, Silkworm, Transit 213, Cachette, Lotus and Kill Block. Players will also get access to multiple multiplayer modes.
The second weekend will be an open beta and will run from August 28 to September 1. Anyone eligible for the open beta will be able to participate without needing the same early access requirement.
The Entrenched campaign mission will be available during both weekends.
The multiplayer content will change between the two testing periods. For example, Lotus will be replaced by Lithium during the open beta.
The open beta weekend will also introduce a new Warzone Resurgence map called Zodiac. This gives multiplayer players another reason to take part in the second weekend. Activision is effectively using the beta to showcase several parts of the Modern Warfare 4 experience rather than limiting it to the traditional multiplayer preview.
Nintendo Switch 2 players will also get a chance to try Modern Warfare 4 during the open beta. This is another important addition, considering Call of Duty is expanding to Nintendo’s newer hardware.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled to launch on October 23, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S.
Related Posts
