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What time does the CoD beta start? As sure as the sun rises and sets each day, a new Call of Duty installation is almost guaranteed for each new year and, with it, a few days of multiplayer early access. Following the reveal of Black Ops 6, we’ve been making the most of the limited-time beta.
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 was first teased towards the end of May, 2024, and within two weeks we saw the FPS game’s official reveal at Summer Game Fest. Earlier rumors of a Gulf War themed Call of Duty were proved right, and the Black Ops 6 release date takes us back to the 1990s. There’s more on that in our main guide, but read on to find out what we know about the Black Ops 6 beta start times, end times, and sign up details.
Black Ops 6 beta start and end times
The Black Ops 6 open beta for all players started on Friday, September 6, at 10AM EST / 1PM PST / 6PM BST and ends on Monday, September 9, at 10AM EST / 1PM PST / 6PM BST.
The Black Ops 6 beta weekend one started on Friday, August 30, at 10AM EST / 1PM PST / 6PM BST and ended on Wednesday, September 4, at 10AM EST / 1PM PST / 6PM BST. The first weekend was exclusively for players who have preordered the game on any platform, or those with a Game Pass subscription.
These beta dates are earlier than we would have estimated since the game isn’t out until late October. Looking back at Modern Warfare 3, Infinity Ward’s FPS was released on November 10, 2023. The PlayStation-exclusive beta weekend took place five weeks earlier during October 6 – 7, with the crossplay beta following a week later from October 12 – 13.
The reason behind this change is that Microsoft now owns Activision, and the console giant has confirmed there will be no more console-exclusive Call of Duty content. This means the PlayStation-exclusive betas are finally over, replaced with a full cross-platform beta period.
Black Ops 6 open beta preload
If you haven’t already, you can preload The Black Ops 6 beta right now as you prepare for open beta weekend two. Simply download the beta from your chosen storefront.
Players with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 or Warzone already installed and updated to Season 5 Reloaded should have automatically received the update.
The estimated file size for the beta is:
- Battle.net: 80GB (34GB to existing season 5.5 install)
- Steam: 66GB (32GB)
- Microsoft Store: 68GB (29GB)
- PlayStation 5: 80GB (34GB)
- PlayStation 4: 67GB (15GB)
- Xbox Series: 75GB (35GB)
- Xbox One: 52GB (17GB)
How to get access to the Black Ops 6 beta
The Black Ops 6 open beta is open to everyone, so you simply need to ensure you have the game downloaded on your chosen platform(s), and you’re ready to drop in any time between September 6 and 9.
While you only have a few days to reach the beta level cap, there are some beta-exclusive rewards available if you do. Check out our separate guide on the juicy Black Ops 6 beta rewards to find out what you can get your virtual hands on, and take a look at BO6 Twitch drops as well.
If you have pre-ordered the Vault edition, you can play as any of the four Operators from the Hunters vs Hunted operator bundle, which includes Park, Adler, Brutus, and Klaus. You can also take any of the five weapons from the Mastercraft weapon collection for a spin throughout the beta, too. That includes the Jackal POW, Ames 65, Combat Knife, Marine SP, and LR-7-62.
That’s everything you need to know about the Black Ops 6 early access weekend. If you’re anticipating the WZ grind while waiting for the full Black Ops 6 release date, why not spend some time in the newest Warzone season and get some shooting practice in, or find out more about the Black Ops 6 safe house, your base of operations in the new game.
