Call of Duty Black Ops 6 beta: how to play, release date, and free codes

The Call of Duty Black Ops 6 early access beta is about to begin, giving players their first taste of the upcoming shooter’s multiplayer mode.

If you want to participate, you’ll be happy to know that you can download the beta before it goes live.

That way, you can jump online and experience the best Call of Duty multiplayer action when you’re ready.

Here’s how you can sign up to participate in the Black Ops 6 beta when it launches.

The beta is split into two phases designed to give paying players and others a chance to try it out together.

The first is the early access beta, which is available to those who pre-ordered the game on PC or console, Xbox Game Pass members (those not on the core subscription plan), and anyone who received a free invite from someone else. EE or through other promotions.

Soon, a free open beta will start for everyone on all platforms.

Here are the dates and times to note:

Early beta access: It starts on Friday, August 30 at 10am PT (6pm UK time), and ends on Wednesday, September 4 at 10am PT (6pm UK time).

Open beta: It starts on Friday, September 6 at 10am PT (6pm UK time), and ends on Monday, September 9 at 10am PT (6pm UK time).

We’ve listed full details on how to get involved below.

Answer: The last thing you want to do is wait on a chunky download file while your friends are racking up headshots in Black Ops 6.

You can preload the beta on your chosen platform to avoid being late to the party.

If you’ve pre-ordered the game or have an Xbox Game Pass subscription, you can download the beta directly on Xbox.

Meanwhile, PS5 players who already own Modern Warfare 3 and have downloaded the latest Season 5 update, which dropped in early August, should be able to see the beta in the Call of Duty launcher.

Everyone else can install it by clicking the three-dot menu button next to the game in their respective platform’s store (PS Store, Microsoft Store, or Steam), then choosing to edit or install. Here, you should see an option to download the beta.

Forget the days of console exclusives, Call of Duty is breaking new ground with the first cross-platform beta for Black Ops 6.

Usually, PlayStation players have the first Call of Duty preview, giving them early access to the game – but, this year, the playing field has been leveled.

Actually, PC and Xbox players will be able to sample and form new entries in the blockbuster franchise together with their PlayStation brothers.

Is this the end of the console wars or a clever marketing ploy? In any case, the players will say.

Budding gamers can play the new Call of Duty, which looks like an explosive espionage thriller set in the first Gulf War, nearly two months before its October 25 release date.

Unlike the pre-determined demo, the Black Ops 6 beta will allow players to play the game’s multiplayer mode for an extended period of time.

These tasters will showcase the game’s new features, from “omnidirectional” movement to new maps and weapons.

In gaming parlance, “beta” traditionally refers to an important stage in the game’s development process that allows players to shape the final product with feedback. While betas were once used primarily for bug testing, they are now seen as a great way to build hype and anticipation for a release.

This strategy has done wonders for Call of Duty makers Activision Blizzard. The game company launched the first Call of Duty beta for World at War 2008 on Xbox 360 and PC. Fourteen years later, the Modern Warfare 2 beta is the biggest in franchise history, with more players playing more hours than ever before.

This time, things will be a little different. Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, all platforms will now have equal access to the beta at the same time, breaking the previous exclusivity model for PlayStation.

At the time of writing (August 29), the early access beta is only one day old – but there’s still time to act.

Eager recruiters have several ways to secure their spot on the virtual battlefield. Keep your eyes peeled if you have pre-ordered the physical version of the game: the beta code will be printed directly on the receipt or sent by email.

Once you have, go to callofduty.com/betaredeem to sign up for early access. Don’t forget, you need an Activision account to redeem the code.

Before the beta begins, you will receive a final confirmation email containing a Beta Early Access token specific to your chosen platform (PC, PlayStation, or Xbox). The same goes for those who receive codes through promotions.

To summarize, the beta code is what you need to register for the beta period, while the token allows you to download and install the beta.

Game Pass subscribers and those who have digitally pre-ordered the game do not need a code. You will be automatically registered for early access and can download the beta when it starts.

Some places offered free beta codes during the early access launch, including UK mobile network EE, but that limited-time giveaway has now ended.

Although social media is full of accounts offering free codes, we would not recommend trying to get them as they may be scams.

Become an Xbox Game Pass member for the cheapest way to get an early access code. If you’re a new user, you can sign up for a two-week trial to PC (normally £9.99 per month) or Ultimate (£14.99 per month) for £1.

For everyone else, the open beta starts on September 6th at 6pm and ends on September 9th at 6pm. No codes, pre-orders, or subscriptions required.