Activision has now laid out the schedule for the Modern Warfare 4 beta, giving players two chances to try the next Call Of Duty before its October 23 release. Most platforms get the full routine. Nintendo Switch 2 owners, however, get a slightly different version of the invitation, because apparently even beta access needs a small console-specific footnote.

When does the Modern Warfare 4 beta start?

The beta will run across two weekends before launch.

  • The first beta weekend runs from Friday, August 21 to Tuesday, August 25.
  • The second beta weekend runs from Friday, August 28 to Tuesday, September 1.

As in previous years, Activision is splitting access between an early period for paying customers and a broader test for everyone else. That means the first weekend is tied to pre-orders, while the second is an open beta.

The full game is scheduled to launch on October 23 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

How do players get early beta access?

Players who pre-order Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, or PC will be able to join the first beta weekend.

Both the standard edition and the pricier Vault Edition include early beta access. Pre-ordering either version also gives players early access to the campaign from October 16, one week before the full release.

Activision has been specific about the platform split here: early beta access is included only with pre-orders on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The second beta weekend is open to everyone, so no pre-order is needed for that session.

Why is Switch 2 only getting one beta weekend?

The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Modern Warfare 4 is still part of the beta plan, but only for the open beta running from August 28 to September 1.

The reason appears to come down to timing. While the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC versions are already available to pre-order, the Switch 2 version will not be available for pre-order until August 26. That is one day after the early access beta ends, which makes it difficult to sell early access as a pre-order bonus. Very inconvenient for the calendar, which remains undefeated.

For Switch 2 players, the upside is that the open beta will not require a pre-order. That means Nintendo players can see how the shooter performs on the new hardware before committing money to a copy.

Activision has not explained why Switch 2 pre-orders are starting later than the other versions.

Who is developing the Switch 2 version?

Infinity Ward is not the main studio handling the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Modern Warfare 4.

That version is primarily being developed by Digital Legends, an Activision subsidiary. Activision acquired the studio in 2021, and it has since worked on Call Of Duty: Warzone Mobile and assisted with the last two Call Of Duty: Black Ops games from Treyarch.

That detail matters because this is Call Of Duty making a more serious push onto Nintendo hardware. Activision appears keen to position the Switch 2 release alongside the other versions rather than treating it as an afterthought, even if the beta rollout is not identical.

What is included in the beta?

According to the Call Of Duty website, the Modern Warfare 4 beta will feature multiple multiplayer maps and modes, along with “a wide selection of brand-new operators.” Players will also be able to unlock up to 19 weapons during the test.

Activision says the beta will include both new and returning modes. Confirmed content includes:

  • Search & Destroy
  • A training mobility course
  • Kill Block, a new mode where the battlefield layout changes every match

Players who pre-order the Vault Edition will also be able to use eight exclusive operators, along with weapons and blueprints from “any of the five armaments in the Signature Weapon Collection.”

What is happening with the Call Of Duty movie?

Away from the beta, the official Call Of Duty film is also moving forward at Paramount. The movie is scheduled to release on June 30, 2028.

During a recent Call Of Duty panel at Fanatics Fest in New York City, director and co-writer Peter Berg confirmed that the film will be set in the Modern Warfare continuity.

That is not especially shocking, given how central Modern Warfare is to the wider Call Of Duty brand. What remains unclear is whether the movie will adapt one of the games directly or tell an original story within that setting.

For now, players have a more immediate question: whether Modern Warfare 4 feels right in their hands before launch. The beta weekends in August should give them the first proper answer.