You do not need guessed gun stats to get into the Modern Warfare 4 Early Access Beta. You need a platform, a pre-order (or a code), and — on PC — a Steam account that already meets Activision's listed requirements. This is the checklist we use on MW4.GG.
Early Access runs August 21–25, 2026, immediately after Call of Duty: NEXT. The public Open Beta is August 28–September 1 and does not require a pre-order. Bookmark the living MW4 Beta hub for schedule changes; exact clock times are still listed as subject to change on callofduty.com/beta.
1. Pick the weekend you can actually play
- Weekend One (Aug 21–25) — Early Access. PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC only. Pre-order required.
- Weekend Two (Aug 28–Sep 1) — Open Beta. All platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2. No pre-order.
If you only own Switch 2, skip every Early Access code hunt. Switch 2 pre-orders begin August 26; that platform joins on August 28. Nintendo Switch Online is required for Switch 2 beta play.
2. Digital pre-order — no beta code
A digital pre-order of any edition on the Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, Battle.net, Steam, Xbox on PC, or the Call of Duty in-game store automatically grants Early Access. Activision's wording is explicit: you do not redeem a 13-character code.
Do this before August 21:
- Pre-order on the same platform you will play.
- Sign into the Activision account that will be linked to that platform.
- On PC, finish the Steam / Battle.net checks in step 4 so preload is not the first time you see TPM or Secure Boot errors.
3. Physical pre-order — redeem the 13-character code
Physical editions and digital codes from participating retailers include a 13-character Early Access code. Redeem it at callofduty.com/betaredeem while logged into your Activision account, and pick the platform you will play on.
Activision says code redeemers receive an Early Access Beta token by email before the window starts. If the retailer has not printed the code yet, that is a retailer timeline issue — the redeem page will not invent one.
4. PC-only: confirm Steam requirements now
Steam's Modern Warfare 4 listing already calls out a 64-bit OS, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and a phone-linked Steam account. Hardware minimums and recommended specs are still incomplete on that store page; we track what is actually printed on our MW4 PC requirements page rather than copying rumour sheets.
If you play through Battle.net or Xbox on PC, still link the Activision account you used for the pre-order. Cross-save will not help if the beta token is bound to a different ID.
5. Optional: extra Early Access codes
You do not need a community giveaway if you already pre-ordered digitally. If you did not, some partners hand out Weekend One codes. Logitech G has been running a Gleam drop for Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC — codes are beta access only and do not include Vault Edition benefits. Details and the official entry link: Logitech G Early Access code giveaway.
Availability is regional. If Gleam says the promo is unavailable where you live, that is the end of that path; Open Beta on August 28 is still open to everyone.
6. Vault Edition is extra cosmetics in the beta, not a second key
Pre-ordering Vault Edition still uses the same Early Access rules as Standard. What changes in the Multiplayer beta is the extra operators and signature weapons you can select:
- Hostile Alliance: Price, Valeria, Ghost, Blix
- Special Forces: COM SFT, KSK Amphibious, SK Special Forces, SAS
- Signature weapons: Kastov 762 / Voltspine, ISO Nightshade / La Sombra Venenosa, Rezi 12 / Shattered Code, Oris 8.6 / Volt-Edge, Combat Knife / Sombra Besada
Quick decision tree
- PS5 / Xbox / PC and you already pre-ordered digitally — you are in for August 21. Confirm the Activision link.
- Physical copy — redeem the 13-character code, then wait for the email token.
- No pre-order — play Open Beta August 28, or hunt a partner code for Weekend One.
- Switch 2 only — August 28, with Nintendo Switch Online.
Once you are in, use what to play first for the Weekend One vs Weekend Two map list. We will publish loadouts and callouts from play after August 21 — not before.
Sources: Call of Duty blog — MW4 Open Beta dates; callofduty.com/beta; Beta code redeem. Guide by Chandler Bellgrave.
Source: official Call of Duty / Activision information, cross-checked against the MW4 archive. This page is an independent reference.