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Nintendo Switch 2 to get Modern Warfare 4 open beta in August
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
Activision and Nintendo have confirmed that an open beta for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will run from 28th August to 1st September 2026, giving Nintendo Switch 2 owners an early chance to try the game before its full release. Participation requires only an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription and a Nintendo Account, meaning players will not need to pre-order to take part, even though pre-orders open separately on 26th August. The beta matters because Modern Warfare 4 marks the first Call of Duty title to appear on a Nintendo platform in years, a result of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and its subsequent 10-year commitment to bring the franchise to Nintendo systems.
Beta Early Access has also been confirmed for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, though notably not for Switch 2, and specific timings and content details for the beta had not been announced at the time of writing. Modern Warfare 4 itself is set to launch on 23rd October 2026, arriving day and date with other platforms. Attention has focused on how the game will perform on Switch 2, a console that has already handled demanding titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Assassin's Creed Shadows, with a stable frame rate seen as essential for a fast-paced shooter.
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In short
- Modern Warfare 4 open beta runs 28th August–1st September 2026 on Switch 2.
- No purchase needed, just Nintendo Switch Online membership and account.
- Game launches 23rd October 2026, Microsoft's first Nintendo Call of Duty entry.
How this story developed
- 4 months ago The report was reissued with largely the same details but narrowed its performance comparison to cite only Final Fantasy VII Rebirth as evidence of Switch 2's mixed track record, dropping the earlier mentions of Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin's Creed Shadows and framing the console's history as placing added pressure on the Switch 2 version to run smoothly.
- 4 months ago Activision and Nintendo confirmed a Modern Warfare 4 open beta for Nintendo Switch 2 running from 28th August to 1st September 2026, open to anyone with Nintendo Switch Online and a Nintendo Account ahead of the game's 23rd October launch, with the console's handling of demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Assassin's Creed Shadows fuelling scrutiny of how the shooter will run.
Explained simply
Nintendo's Switch 2 console is about to get its first taste of the Call of Duty series in years, with an open beta for the next instalment, Modern Warfare 4. Call of Duty is one of the biggest names in video games, and its return to a Nintendo platform follows Microsoft's takeover of the studio behind it, Activision Blizzard, along with a promise to keep bringing the franchise to Nintendo consoles for a decade.
The trial version will let Switch 2 owners try the game before it comes out properly, and anyone with a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership and a Nintendo Account can join in without needing to have already ordered the game. The same early trial is being offered on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, but under different terms, so the Nintendo version has its own separate arrangement.
The wider interest lies in whether Switch 2, a smaller and less powerful machine than dedicated gaming PCs or the latest PlayStation and Xbox consoles, can run a fast-moving shooter smoothly. The console has already managed other demanding games, so this beta is being watched as an early test of how well it can handle Call of Duty ahead of the full game's release later in the year.
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Originally published by Nintendo Life as “Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Open Beta Starts Next Month”.