Activision has announced that the betas for Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be stacked with modes, as it tries to win back players. The first beta, running from August 21 to August 25, will be open to players who pre-order any edition of the game, and for the first time ever, it will include a campaign mission, Warzone's new Zodiac Resurgence map, and the multiplayer suite.
Beta Content and Schedule
The first beta includes the campaign mission Entrenched, along with multiplayer maps Rooftops, Silkworm, Transit 213, Cachette, Lotus, and Kill Block. The Kill Block map is tied to a specific mode where you play on a modular map that reconfigures its layout between matches. Multiplayer modes in this beta include Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Inflation, Search & Destroy, Kill Block, and the Mobility Course.
Starting from August 28, anyone can dive into the open beta, which includes all the aforementioned modes and maps, along with the new Warzone Resurgence map, Zodiac. Additionally, players get access to Ground War and the multiplayer mode Hijack. This beta concludes on September 1, 2026.
Platform Availability and Context
The open beta will be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2, with Modern Warfare 4 being the first Call Of Duty to simultaneously launch on that console, alongside the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. This stacked beta, however, is missing the DMZ mode, which is the game's equivalent of an extraction shooter.
Activision is set to show off more from Modern Warfare 4 at the Call Of Duty Next on August 21, including a first look at the Zodiac map and gameplay from Kill Block.
Strategic Implications
Modern Warfare 4 is in an awkward position, as it's been in development for years prior to Black Ops 7, so it can't implement any drastic changes it perhaps needs. It's also coming off the success of the Black Ops 1 and 2 ports on PlayStation 5 – so in many ways it's competing against itself. Modern Warfare 4 does have some things going for it though, with a new Korean setting, expanded movement options, and improved gunplay.
