Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is making some significant changes to the series this year by avoiding a traditional campaign mode and adding a Battle Royale mode, which makes a beta testing phase more appropriate than ever. With this in mind, Treyarch has announced two betas for the game: one for multiplayer in August, and another for Blackout, the Battle Royale mode, in September.

As a private beta, it will only be accessible by those who have pre-ordered Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, with download codes being sent out for both digital and physical pre-orders.  Those who do participate will be rewarded with an exclusive calling card for the full game, while those who reach max rank during the beta will receive a permanent unlock token to use on a weapon or piece of equipment in October.

As has been the case for many previous Call of Duty titles, PlayStation owners will be prioritized over those on PC and Xbox One. Not only does the PS4 beta offer earlier access to Black Ops 4, but also more days with which to get acquainted with the game, too. The dates for August's Multiplayer Beta are as follows:

Call of Duty Beta Dates Treyarch
  • 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)

The Multiplayer Beta will feature five game modes: Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and Control. Players will have access to six maps – twice as many as Call of Duty: WW2's beta – and will be able to play as a number of Specialists both old and new.

As for Blackout, the beta will be coming in September, although no dates were specified. The Battle Royale mode is by far the greatest talking point surrounding the game, and Treyarch made it clear that it is aware of this, thanking fans for being patient and describing the "ridiculous amount of fun" the team is having playing it internally.

Treyarch describes these betas as "putting more content in to the players' hands earlier than ever before", and after seeing the full list of what's available, it's hard to disagree. Whether it's motivated by a perceived need to placate the community after the Black Ops Pass controversy, or simply a genuine desire for fan feedback, Call of Duty fans will likely be pleased with the announcement.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be released on October 12, 2018 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Source: Treyarch