Call of Duty: Modern Warfare fans didn't get a closer look at the campaign at Gamescom like many were expecting, but Infinity Ward was still on hand to reveal some exciting news about the upcoming first-person shooter. It was confirmed by Infinity Ward that there will be an open alpha test for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare that will let fans of the franchise try out the new 2v2 Gunfight mode well in advance of the game's October 25 launch.
For the uninitiated, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2v2 Gunfight mode looks to provide a different kind of experience than one would find from the standard Call of Duty multiplayer modes. Its goal is to be more competitive, intense, and fast-paced, and it's definitely becoming one of the most exciting new features that will be introduced in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Whether or not it plays as good as it looks remains to be seen, but that's part of the reason why fans will get to try the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha this weekend.
Here is everything Call of Duty: Modern Warfare fans need to know about the upcoming alpha, which will run from Friday, August 23 to Sunday, August 25.
How to Sign Up for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Alpha
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha will begin on Friday, August 23 and be available until Sunday, August 25. Pre-loading will start on Thursday, August 22, and should be available to anyone who searches for it in the PlayStation Store. There should be no need to sign up for anything, as the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha is completely open to everyone with a PS4. Players don't even need a PlayStation Plus subscription to participate.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Alpha Start Time
Activision has started advertising the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha in other Call of Duty games, and it's through these advertisements that we've learned the exact start time. Pre-loading will begin on August 22 at 10am PT, and the alpha will open on August 23 at 10am PT.
Confirmed Maps
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha will feature five maps for players to test out the 2v2 Gunfight mode on, and all five were confirmed at Gamescom. Here are the five Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha maps:
- Docks
- King
- Pine
- Speedball
- Stack
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha maps are all pretty self-explanatory for the most part. Docks has players battling it out at the docks, whereas Pine is set in the forest. King is an indoor facility and one of the most-advertised Gunfight maps, whereas Stack is set in what appears to be a shipping yard of some kind. Speedball, meanwhile, appears to take place at an outdoor paintball course.
Overall, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha maps seem to provide plenty of variety for those who plan on participating this weekend, and should help players learn the maps in anticipation of the game's proper launch on October 25.
Will Other Modes Be Available?
Unfortunately for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare enthusiasts who would rather try the standard multiplayer mode or participate in the large-scale Ground War multiplayer battles instead, this weekend's alpha is only for the 2v2 Gunfight mode. However, that doesn't mean that the other multiplayer modes won't be available to try before launch.
It's already been confirmed that there will be multiple Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer betas in September. This will include early access betas that are only available to those who pre-order the game, as well as open betas that will be available to everyone. For those interested, here are the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer beta start times.
PS4 Only:
- September 12 -13 (Early Access, PlayStation 4 only)
- September 14 – 16 (Open Beta, PlayStation 4 only)
Cross-Platform:
- September 19 – 20 (Early Access, PC and Xbox One; Open Beta, PlayStation 4)
- September 21 – 23 (Open Beta, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One)
Will the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Alpha Be on Xbox One and PC?
Due to PlayStation's ongoing timed-exclusivity deal with Activision, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare alpha will not be available on PC or Xbox One. It's possible that it will come to other platforms eventually, but this weekend's alpha test is exclusive to PS4.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will launch on October 25 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.