With early access in the rearview, Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is gearing up for its open beta, giving all players a chance to sample the game’s multiplayer thrills and kills.
If you want to get involved, you’ll be happy to learn that you can download the beta before it goes live.
That way, you can jump online and experience the multiplayer action as soon as it’s ready.
When does the Black Ops 6 open beta start?
The beta is split into two phases designed to give paying players and everyone else the chance to try out the game’s most popular mode.
Early access concluded on September 4, and was limited to those who pre-ordered the game, Xbox Game Pass members (barring those on the Core subscription plan), and anyone who snagged a free invite from the likes of EE or through other promotions.
Now, Activision is offering everyone the chance to jump into the world of multiplayer.
The open beta starts Friday, September 6 at 10am PT (6pm UK time), and ends on Monday, September 9 at 10am PT (6pm UK time).
We’ve listed the full details on how to take part below.
How to install the Black Ops 6 open beta
In order to play the beta as soon as it goes live, we recommend grabbing the files you need early to give you enough time to download and install them (and free up any storage space).
This is especially important for newcomers who don’t have the Call of Duty HQ app downloaded, which is the central hub for all CoD games on consoles.
This file alone is upwards of 160GB on some platforms, meaning it could take several hours to download, and you may need to clear up some space on your system to install it.
Here’s how to download the Black Ops 6 beta on each platform:
PS5
- Open the PlayStation Store on your PS5
- Search for "Black Ops 6 Beta"
- Select the beta listing when you find it
- Download and install the beta and any other files listed next to it
- Once installed, you'll need to launch the game through the Call of Duty HQ app when the beta goes live.
Xbox
- Open the Microsoft Store on your Xbox
- Search for "Black Ops 6 Beta"
- Select the beta listing when you find it
- Download and install the beta and any other files listed next to it
- Once installed, you'll need to launch the game through the Call of Duty HQ app when the beta goes live.
PC
For PC players, you’ll have to go through Battle.net (Activision Blizzard’s game launcher) or Steam to access the beta.
If you have Call of Duty HQ already installed:
- Open Call of Duty HQ
- Look for the Black Ops 6 Beta option within the app
- Click to download and install the beta
If you don't have Call of Duty HQ installed:
- Search for "Call of Duty" in your platform's store
- Download and install Call of Duty HQ first
- Then download the Black Ops 6 Beta from within Call of Duty HQ
- Once downloaded, launch the beta through Call of Duty HQ.
What’s new in the Black Ops 6 open beta?
The Black Ops 6 beta allows you to play a selection of multiplayer maps and modes that showcase the shooter’s close-quarters gunfights.
Your progress and rewards will be saved and carried across to the full game when it launches on October 25.
With the early access phase out of the way, here’s what Activision and developer Treyarch have in store for the open beta:
- New Core Map: Babylon
- New Strike Map: Stakeout
- Level Cap increased to 30
- Gunfight & New Face Off variants
- New Perks, including Ninja
- New SMG
- Weekend 2 Rewards.
It’s a multi-platform affair
Forget the days of console exclusives, Call of Duty is charting new waters with the first cross-platform beta for Black Ops 6.
Traditionally, PlayStation players have had first dibs on Call of Duty previews, giving them early access to the game — but, this year, the playing field is levelled.
That's right, PC and Xbox players will get to sample and shape the new entry in the blockbuster franchise simultaneously with their PlayStation brethren.
Is this the end of the console wars or a smart marketing ploy? Either way, gamers are about to have their say.
What is the Black Ops 6 beta?
Budding players can play the new Call of Duty, which looks like an explosive espionage thriller set during the first Gulf War, almost two months before its October 25 release date.
Unlike a timed demo, the Black Ops 6 beta will allow players to play the game’s multiplayer mode for an extended period.
These tasters will showcase the game’s new features, from the “omnidirectional” movement to new maps and weapons.
In gaming parlance, “beta” traditionally refers to a crucial stage in a game’s development process that allows players to mould the final product with their feedback. While betas were once primarily used for bug testing, they're now viewed as a great way to drum up hype and anticipation for a release.
This strategy has worked wonders for Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard. The gaming company released its first ever Call of Duty beta for 2008’s World at War on Xbox 360 and PC. Fourteen years later, the Modern Warfare 2 beta became the biggest in the franchise’s history, with more players playing for more hours than ever.
This time around, things will be a bit different. Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, all platforms will now have equal access to the beta simultaneously, eliminating the previous exclusivity model for PlayStation.
How to play the Black Ops 6 early access beta
At the time of writing (September 6), the early access beta has concluded.
Eager recruits had several ways to secure their place on the virtual battlefield. Those who pre-ordered a physical version of the game had their beta code printed directly on the receipt or sent via email.
This could then be claimed at callofduty.com/betaredeem by signing in with an Activision account and entering the code.
Before the beta began, Activision promised to send out a final confirmation email containing an Early Access Beta token specific to your chosen platform (PC, PlayStation, or Xbox). The same went for those who received a code through a promotion.
To summarise, the beta code was what you needed to register for the beta period, while the token allowed you to download and install the beta.
Can you still play the Call of Duty early access beta for free?
Some places were offering free beta codes in the lead-up to the early access launch, including UK mobile network EE, but those limited-time giveaways have ended.
Although social media was rife with accounts offering free codes, many of those smelt like scams.
The cheapest way to get an early access code was to become an Xbox Game Pass member. New users could even sign up for a two-week trial to the PC (£9.99 per month usually) or Ultimate (£14.99 per month) tiers for £1.
