The Modern Warfare 4 early access beta begins at 7pm BST on Friday, August 21, 2026, and runs until Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 6pm BST. Players can gain entry by pre-ordering the game or, for UK EE customers, by texting MW4 to 150 to receive a free code without pre-ordering.
Beta schedule and platform availability
The early access beta is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The Nintendo Switch 2 version is not included because pre-orders for that platform have not yet opened. The beta's start time translates to 8pm CEST in Europe and 11am PST in North America. The beta concludes at 7pm CEST and 10am PST respectively.
Activision announced two betas for Modern Warfare 4 last week. The early access beta is followed by an open beta from Friday, August 28 to Tuesday, September 1, 2026, which will be free for all players across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
What's included in the beta
For the first time in the series, the beta includes a campaign mission called Entrenched. On the multiplayer side, there are five maps: Rooftops, Silkworm, Transit 213, Cachette, Lotus, and Kill Block. The Kill Block map is tied to a specific mode on a modular map that reconfigures its layout between matches.
Available modes include Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Inflation, Search & Destroy, Kill Block, 10v10 and 3v3 Gunfight, and Mobility Course. The open beta adds a new map called Lithium, Warzone's new map called Zodiac, and Ground War.
Context and launch details
Developed by Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 4 is a sequel to 2023's Modern Warfare 3. It features a new Korean setting, expanded movement abilities such as hanging off ledges, and overhauled gunplay. The game follows Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7, which lost to Battlefield 6 last year, so Activision is aiming to win over lapsed fans with more modes than ever before.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is set to launch worldwide on October 23, 2026. For more gaming news, visit the GameCentral page or email gamecentral@metro.co.uk.
