Activision and Treyarch are hosting not one, but two betas in the lead up to the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on October 12th. The Private Multiplayer Beta starts from August 3rd as a PS4 exclusive, with other platforms having a go the following weekend on August 11th. The Blackout Private follows very much the same pattern with an initial session on PS4 on an as yet unspecified date in September.
Here are the exact dates and times provided in a post on Treyarch’s website
- PlayStation 4 (Starts: August 3 at 10am/PT – Ends: August 6 at 10am/PT)
- PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (Starts: August 10 at 10am/PT – Ends: August 13 at 10am/PT)
- PC Beta Early Access (Starts: August 10 at 10am/PT) *PC exclusively on Battle.Net
- PC Open Beta (Starts: August 11 at 10am/PT – Ends: August 13 at 10am/PT)
A private key to gain access to the betas is issued to anyone who’s pre-ordered the console version of the game either on the PlayStation and Xbox Stores or from select retailers while stocks of beta codes last. For the PC betas, players will access the Beta via Blizzard’s Battle.net exclusively and simply need an account on the platform to participate, though those who’ve pre-ordered are rewarded with an additional day of beta play.
Participation in the multiplayer beta offers rewards in the form of a special calling card and a permanent unlock token for all players who get the maximum rank during the beta weekend. The token can then be redeemed against any create-a-class content at launch.
The beta features six maps, including two never before seen locales, and two new playable specialists as well as returning protagonists Nomad and Prophet, who’ve both received a facelift for Black ops 4. The pick 10 system makes a comeback with a few tweaks including a gear slot, weapon attachments and mods to get the most out of your shooter of choice.
Popular modes Team Deathmatch, Search & Destroy, Hardpoint, and Domination return alongside Control, a new objective-control mode where teams intermittently defend and assault static positions. The catch is teams only have a limited stock of lives to work with. Victory is achieved in a first-to-three format.
As for the Blackout Beta, Black Ops 4’s answer to battle royale genre, Treyarch offers few details other than more information as September approaches.
