Modern Warfare 2 beta access – how to play the new Call of Duty game early

Here’s how to get early access to the Modern Warfare 2 beta in September

(Credit: Activision Blizzard)

Update: The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta is now over, and it was the biggest Call of Duty beta of all time. If you missed out on playing CoD early this year, you’ll need to wait until the game’s official release on October 28. See you on the battlefield!

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Original story: The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta is well underway, but how can you get early access to one of the year's biggest games?

If you’re excited about the next installment of Activision’s annualized first-person shooter series, you’ll want to get hands-on before the game’s release date on October 28, 2022. There are a couple of ways you can get in the action early, so read on to find out how to access the Modern Warfare 2 beta.

When is the Modern Warfare 2 beta?

PS5 and PS4 owners can look forward to playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 first, as Sony’s ongoing exclusivity deal with Activision continues to give players early access over Xbox and PC players. (It’s easy to see why Sony really doesn’t want Microsoft to own Call of Duty.)

PlayStation players will be able to play the Modern Warfare 2 beta on these dates:

• Early access (for those who have pre-ordered the game) – Friday, September 16  - Saturday, September 17

• Open beta – Sunday, September 18 - Tuesday, September 20

Xbox and PC players can join the fun the following weekend as the game’s cross-play functionality is put through its paces. PlayStation players will also get another opportunity to play the Modern Warfare 2 beta.

• Early access (for those who have pre-ordered the game on Xbox and PC), open beta (PS5/PS4) – Thursday, September 22 - Friday, September 23

• Open beta (all platforms) – Sunday, September 24 - Monday, September 26

How to play the Modern Warfare 2 beta early

To get early access to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, you’ll need to:

• Pre-order the game before September 16

If you want to play the Modern Warfare 2 beta on September 6, you’ll need to own a PS4 or PS5 and have pre-ordered the game. Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC players can get Modern Warfare 2 beta early access on September 22 by pre-ordering the game. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is priced at $69.99 and is described as a “cross-gen bundle.” That means if you get the game on PS5, you’ll automatically get the PS4 version, and vice versa. The same goes for the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One versions.

According to the game’s Amazon listing, beta codes will be delivered via email in 48-72 hours, so if you want to make sure you can play on September 16, we’d advise pre-ordered a few days before.

What will be in the Modern Warfare 2 beta?

Activision and developer Infinity Ward have teased what players can expect from the game’s upcoming beta:

"The Modern Warfare II Beta is set to feature a robust multiplayer experience going beyond the Core 6v6 experience with a variety of meticulously designed maps of various sizes, and an equally impressive set of Modes, Progression experiences, and other aspects that will be more thoroughly revealed at Call of Duty: Next.”

On September 15, Call of Duty is hosting an “era-defining” livestream event called #CODNEXT that promises to shed light on Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer, the future of Warzone, and Warzone mobile. 

If the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta is anything like previous games, we should be able to play a couple of new maps, try out a few modes, and test some of the new weapons. 

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One new map players can look forward to is Grand Prix, which has been confirmed to be in the beta. Formula 1 fans might notice that the Grand Prix map is based on the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 isn’t a remake but a direct sequel to the 2019 reboot. It’s the 19th installment in the long-running series and is being developed by Infinity Ward. The game is scheduled to release on October 28 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Updated: September 28, 2022