Call of Duty fans will get a pair of opportunities in the coming days to get their hands on the latest game in the long-running shooter franchise as Activision Blizzard has announced two blocks of dates for an upcoming Open Beta to test the game ahead of its release on October 25th.
To make sure you can play both you need to hit some criteria however, although this only applies for the first block. The second will be completely open to all.
The two Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Beta sessions are tagged as Weekend One and Weekend Two – although, in reality, they run considerably longer than just the weekend they are slated for. Below we will look at each Weekend session, what it will bring, and how it differs from the other.
The beta can be downloaded from the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store, Battle.net, or Steam. If you already have Call of Duty installed, the package size might not be so painful. If you are new to the game, or reinstalling you are looking at a download of near 200GB, so make sure you have enough storage before you begin.
To take part in Weekend One’s Open Beta you will need to have a Beta access code or have pre-ordered the game. Codes have been sent out to journalists and creators, whereas if you have pre-ordered the game you do not need a code – you will be automatically registered.
The first beta session begins on Friday, August 30 at 10 AM PT and ends on Wednesday, September 4 at 10 AM PT.
Weekend One will bring plenty with it for those who qualify to play it. A total of six maps and six different game modes will be open for the duration of the beta. These are as follows.
| Core Maps | Strike Maps |
|---|---|
| Derelict | Gala |
| Rewind | Pit |
| Scud | |
| Skyline |
| Game Mode | |
|---|---|
| Domination: Capture, hold, and defend objectives to earn score for your team. |
|
| Face Off Kill Confirmed: Face Off follows the rules of a standard game mode with Scorestreaks disabled. |
|
| Face Off Team Deathmatch: Face Off follows the rules of a standard game mode with Scorestreaks disabled. |
|
| Hardpoint: Capture and hold the rotating Hardpoint zone to earn score for your team. |
|
| Kill Order: Eliminate the enemy High Value Target (HVT) while keeping your HVT alive. HVT eliminations earn bonus score for your team. |
|
| Team Deathmatch: Eliminate enemy players to earn score for your team. |
The highest you will be able to level your Operator up to during Weekend One of the Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Beta is Level 20. Custom loadouts will not become available until you have reached Level 4.
The second Open Beta Weekend for Black Ops 6 will be available to anybody who downloads it, regardless of whether they have pre-purchased it or intend to buy the game when it releases. It will run between Friday, September 6 at 10 AM PT, and end on Monday, September 9 at 10 AM PT – so shorter than Weekend One.
Weekend Two will add two extra maps on top of what we got in Weekend One. The list now becomes:
| Core Maps | Strike Maps |
|---|---|
| Babylon | Gala |
| Derelict | Pit |
| Rewind | Stakeout |
| Scud | |
| Skyline |
In addition to the modes from Weekend One, the Open Beta will add an extra two Gunfight and Face Off Kill Order.
| Game Mode | |
|---|---|
| Domination: Capture, hold, and defend objectives to earn score for your team. |
|
| Face Off Kill Confirmed: Face Off follows the rules of a standard game mode with Scorestreaks disabled. |
|
| Face Off Kill Order Play the new Kill Order game mode on fast-paced Strike maps with Scorestreaks disabled. |
|
| Face Off Team Deathmatch: Face Off follows the rules of a standard game mode with Scorestreaks disabled. |
|
| Gunfight: Eliminate all enemy players using pre-determined classes to win the round. No respawns. |
|
| Hardpoint: Capture and hold the rotating Hardpoint zone to earn score for your team. |
|
| Kill Order: Eliminate the enemy High Value Target (HVT) while keeping your HVT alive. HVT eliminations earn bonus score for your team. |
|
| Team Deathmatch: Eliminate enemy players to earn score for your team. |
By the end of Weekend Two you will be able to reach a Max Level of Level 30. This will progress over the two weekends so you can carry on into Weekend Two from Weekend One. If you hit Level 20 in Weekend One there is also an extra reward (see below).
As ever, for playing through the two Beta weekends you will be able to unlock some cosmetics you will be able to use in the main game when it releases. These are as follows.
We will be bringing you news from the Beta over the next few days.
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