Activision and Infinity Ward have confirmed the schedule for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta, which will offer players their first hands-on look at the upcoming shooter ahead of launch. The test is being run in two stages, an Early Access phase for those who pre-order the game and a subsequent Open Beta available to everyone, and is said to include more content than any previous Call of Duty beta, spanning multiplayer modes and a campaign mission.

Early Access begins on Friday 21st August 2026 at 7pm BST and runs until Tuesday 25th August, and is unlocked automatically for digital pre-orders or via a redeemable code for physical copies; PS5 players will need an active PS Plus subscription. The Open Beta then opens to all players, no pre-order required, from Friday 28th August at 6pm BST until Tuesday 1st September. Early Access is playable on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam or Battle.net), while the Open Beta adds Nintendo Switch 2 support, with content including the campaign mission "Entrenched", a mobility training course and modes such as Team Deathmatch.