Activision has confirmed the key dates leading into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, including the Call of Duty: NEXT showcase, two beta weekends, Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders, and a time-sensitive camo challenge tied to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The details were published in the official Modern Warfare 4 announcement.
The beta will begin on August 21, immediately after Call of Duty: NEXT. Players who pre-ordered on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, or PC will receive Early Access from August 21 through August 25. The second weekend will run from August 28 through September 1 and will be open to all players on every supported platform, regardless of whether they pre-ordered.
Call of Duty: NEXT arrives on August 21
Call of Duty: NEXT will feature live gameplay, a detailed look at the upcoming Multiplayer content, developer discussions, and new reveals ahead of the beta. The broadcast will also lead directly into the first beta weekend.
The beta will include multiple Multiplayer maps and modes, new Operators, Vault Edition Operators, and up to 19 weapons to unlock. Players will be able to try returning modes such as Search & Destroy alongside the new Kill Block experience and the Training Mobility Course. The lineup will range from 3v3 fights to larger battles featuring tanks.
Vault Edition pre-orders will also provide access to eight Operators during the beta. The Hostile Alliance Operator Pack includes Price, Valeria, Ghost, and Blix, while the Special Forces Operator Pack includes COM SFT (France), KSK Amphibious (Germany), SK Special Forces (South Korea), and SAS (United Kingdom). Price and Valeria can appear masked or unmasked, and the Special Forces Operators each have a voice pack in their local language.
Vault Edition players will also be able to test the five weapons in the Signature Weapon Collection, along with their blueprints and Apex Attachments:
- Kastov 762 Assault Rifle with the “Voltspine” Blueprint
- ISO Nightshade Submachine Gun with the “La Sombra Venenosa” (“The Poisonous Shadow”) Blueprint
- Rezi 12 Shotgun with the “Shattered Code” Blueprint
- Oris 8.6 Marksman Rifle with the “Volt-Edge” Blueprint
- Combat Knife with the “Sombra Besada” (“Shadow’s Kiss”) Blueprint
Nintendo Switch 2 joins the open beta
Pre-orders for Modern Warfare 4 on Nintendo Switch 2 will begin on August 26. Switch 2 players will then be able to join the Open Beta on August 28 without pre-ordering the game. Nintendo Switch Online will be required to play the beta on that platform.
The game is scheduled to launch on October 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC through Battle.net, Xbox on PC, Steam, and Nintendo Switch 2. Infinity Ward is leading development, with Digital Legends working on the Nintendo Switch 2 version.
Fanatics Fest gave players their first hands-on look
At Fanatics Fest in New York, attendees played 10v10 Gunfight matches in Kill Block, a close-quarters Multiplayer experience set inside the West Bridge Advanced Military Training Facility. Its layout changes between matches, giving players a reason to rethink their approach each time they return.
Infinity Ward developers met with fans during the event, while creators streamed from the booth and athletes and guests took part in exhibition Grudge Matches. The show-floor setup also included the Aston Martin Dreadnought concept vehicle, which will later appear in Modern Warfare 4‘s DMZ and Call of Duty: Warzone.
How the serialized Gilded Ruin camo works
Players who digitally pre-order Modern Warfare 4 in either Standard or Vault Edition format before July 23 will receive the Gilded Pearl Camo Pack. The pack includes the “Moonlit Pearl” Universal Weapon Camo immediately, while a challenge will unlock the “Gilded Ruin” Universal Weapon Camo after Black Ops 7 Season 05 begins.
The Gilded Ruin challenge starts on July 23 at 12:00 p.m. PT. The first 100,000 players to finish it will receive a serialized version engraved with a number from 1 to 100,000, as well as the standard non-engraved camo. Faster completions receive lower numbers. Players who finish after the serialized variants are gone will still receive the regular Gilded Ruin camo.
To complete the challenge, players must earn 5,000 Skulls in Black Ops 7 by defeating enemies across Endgame, Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone. The rewards vary by mode:
- Endgame: 5 Skulls per elimination
- Multiplayer: 10 Skulls per player defeated
- Zombies: 1 Skull per enemy defeated
- Call of Duty: Warzone: 30 Skulls per player defeated
Players can switch between these modes while keeping the same Skull total. Both Moonlit Pearl and Gilded Ruin can be used on Black Ops 7 weapons after the challenge is complete, and both will unlock for Modern Warfare 4 weapons at launch.
With the beta, Call of Duty: NEXT, and the serialized camo challenge all arriving in the coming weeks, Modern Warfare 4 has a busy lead-in to its October launch. Tell us which announcement you are most interested in, and share your thoughts in the comments. You can also follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Developed by Infinity Ward
