Publisher Activision and developer Infinity Ward announce that Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's forthcoming multiplayer beta is to be a timed-exclusive for the PlayStation 4.

After having used the Call of Duty XP 2016 event to provide fans of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare with a reveal of the multiplayer for the forthcoming first-person shooter, the studios behind the title are continuing to eke out information about what's to come in the future. As it happens, both Activision and Infinity Ward have now divulged that those wishing to take part in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's beta could be disappointed if they play primarily on PC and Xbox One platforms, for the game's multiplayer test is going to be exclusive to PlayStation 4 first, and it will skip PC altogether.

Of course, this won't come as a surprise to many, especially considering the timed-exclusivity deal Activision and Sony inked for Black Ops 3's DLC last year, but there could be some folks taken aback to find that a similar decision has been extended to Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's beta as well. Interestingly enough, though, fans of the first-person shooter franchise on the PlayStation 4 won't simply be able to sign up and jump into the action, as there are stipulations involved.

According to an official post on PlayStation Blog from Activision's Communications Specialist Ali Miller, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's beta is initially coming to PS4 on October 14, but in order to play in the multiplayer test, the publisher is requiring fans to pre-order the game. Unfortunately, the company has issued no word as to exactly how long the beta will actually last, which could give a lot of people pause when taking into account the fact that they have to lay down money and reserve copies just to try it out before its release in the next couple of months.

While many PS4 gamers will view pre-ordering Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare just to get a short period of hands-on time with the game's multiplayer as a risky move, those that do so might go on to pony up the extra dough for one of the title's deluxe editions just to get Modern Warfare Remastered. After all, should fans get the game and be disappointed in Infinite Warfare's multiplayer offerings after its launch, they can always rest in the knowledge that all of the classic maps are playable in the remaster of Call of Duty 4.

Beyond Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's multiplayer, fans can expect two additional modes in the base game as well with the standard single player campaign and the ability to slay the virtual hordes of the walking dead in Zombies in Spaceland. So, bearing all of this in mind, it will be interesting to see if the most frequented aspect of the Call of Duty franchise — the multiplayer, that is — remains as the most popular mode in the series with Infinite Warfare this fall.

What do you think about Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare's multiplayer beta being a PlayStation 4 exclusive? Are you willing to pre-order the game just to take part in the test? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is set to release on November 4, 2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: PlayStation Blog