Get ready for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 beta! Activision, during the inaugural episode of the official Call of Duty podcast, confirmed the beta testing dates. This article details how to participate.
Two-Phase Beta Access
The Black Ops 6 multiplayer beta is launching in two stages. Early access runs from August 30th to September 4th, exclusively for those who pre-ordered Black Ops 6 or have active subscriptions to select Game Pass tiers. Open beta follows from September 6th to 9th, open to all players. Mark your calendars! The full game releases October 25th, 2024, on PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4, also launching on Xbox Game Pass.
New Game Mechanics and Features
The podcast unveiled exciting details. Treyarch's Associate Director of Design, Matt Scronce, confirmed Black Ops 6 will feature 16 multiplayer maps at launch: twelve standard 6v6 maps and four Strike maps playable in 6v6 or 2v2 modes. The beloved Zombies mode returns with two new maps. A new "Omnimovement" mechanic is also introduced.
Nostalgia hits for veteran players: the classic scorestreak system is back, resetting upon player elimination (unlike in Black Ops Cold War). A dedicated melee weapon slot eliminates the need to sacrifice a secondary weapon for a knife – a feature the Treyarch team is particularly enthusiastic about.
A comprehensive Black Ops 6 multiplayer showcase is scheduled for the Call of Duty Next event on August 28th.
