Modern Warfare 4 Beta: Everything Included in Early Access Weekend One

Modern Warfare 4’s Early Access Beta begins at 11:00 a.m. PT on Friday, August 21, 2026, and ends at 10:00 a.m. PT on Tuesday, August 25. Players who miss the pre-order window can join the free Open Beta from August 28 at 10:00 a.m. PT through September 1.

The beta’s biggest surprise is “Entrenched,” a playable single-player campaign mission—the first time a Call of Duty beta has included campaign content. Multiplayer adds five core 6v6 maps, eight modes, 14 weapons and Kill Block, a modular arena designed to produce more than 500 possible layouts.

Modern Warfare 4 Early Access Beta schedule

Beta phase	Dates and time	Who can play
Early Access, Weekend One	August 21 at 11:00 a.m. PT to August 25 at 10:00 a.m. PT	Players with a beta code or a qualifying pre-order
Open Beta	August 28 at 10:00 a.m. PT to September 1 at 10:00 a.m. PT	All players

The Early Access period is tied to a redeemed beta code or a pre-order or pre-purchase of either the Standard Edition or Vault Edition. The Open Beta broadens access beyond pre-order customers and adds Nintendo Switch 2 support, Ground War and a Warzone Resurgence map, according to the supplied beta details.

Eligible platforms for Weekend One

Early Access is available on:

• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X|S
• Xbox on PC
• Steam
• Battle.net

Activision says pre-loading for Weekend One is available on those platforms. The official Open Beta information lists Nintendo Switch 2 among the platforms available when the test opens to everyone.

“Entrenched” brings campaign gameplay to the beta

“Entrenched” is the beta’s most unusual addition. It is described as a linear campaign scenario centered on South Korean forces and an embedded American soldier during a fictional North Korean invasion.

That makes the mission more than another multiplayer map: it gives players an early sample of the campaign while the game is still in testing. The available reporting confirms the mission’s inclusion, but does not establish how much of the full campaign it represents.

Weekend One multiplayer content

The first weekend combines conventional 6v6 playlists with a more experimental modular arena.

Five core 6v6 maps

The five reported core 6v6 maps are:

• Rooftops
• Silkworm
• Transit 213
• Cachette
• Lotus

Kill Block is listed separately from those core maps because its layout changes between matches.

Eight modes and 14 weapons

Activision’s Weekend One material advertises eight modes and 14 weapons for the Early Access test. Reported modes include Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Inflation, Search & Destroy, Kill Block and Mobility Course.

Some coverage counts variations such as 3v3 and 10v10 Gunfight separately, so mode totals can differ depending on how the rotation is grouped. The official Weekend One figure supplied here is eight.

Kill Block is built around changing layouts

Kill Block is a modular arena that can generate more than 500 combinations. Its layout and sightlines can change from match to match, while weather conditions can range from clear skies to rain and snow.

The format is intended to make map knowledge less predictable: players must adjust to a new arrangement rather than rely on one fixed route or angle. Activision also says recognizable elements associated with earlier Modern Warfare maps can appear in randomized placements.

PC improvements: shader pre-loading and fewer forced restarts

On PC, Modern Warfare 4 preloads shader work so it is ready in advance instead of leaving players to wait through the entire process at first launch.

Activision also says it is reducing the number of situations in which an update requires a restart. It cautions that the experience may vary by platform during the beta, with further improvements planned for launch.

These are technical changes rather than new gameplay features, but they target two familiar sources of friction in Call of Duty: waiting for shader compilation and being interrupted by a restart prompt after an update.

What to expect from the Open Beta

The Open Beta runs from August 28 to September 1 and is available to all players. Nintendo Switch 2 support is planned for this phase, along with Ground War and a Warzone Resurgence map.

The supplied sources confirm the beta schedule and Switch 2 access. They do not independently verify every broader platform or full-release detail, so those claims should not be treated as confirmed by this beta information alone.

The clearest takeaway

Modern Warfare 4’s beta is designed to showcase more than standard multiplayer. Early Access gives eligible players a compact test package built around three distinct ideas: a first-look campaign mission, a conventional set of 6v6 maps and modes, and Kill Block’s constantly changing arena. The Open Beta then expands access and adds larger-scale content, giving players without a pre-order their first chance to try the game.