Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 open beta announced — what you need to know

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has finally been revealed, with an open beta soon to arrive before its launch on October 28, 2022 — and PS4 and PS5 players will get their hands on it first.

Developed by Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 2 will take place after the events of 2019's Modern Warfare and will include a campaign, online multiplayer, and a special ops co-op mode. You can also expect plenty of free content post-launch, including new maps, modes, and seasonal events.

Modern Warfare 2 will run on a now unified IW engine, and not only will it be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, but it's also coming to PC via Battle.net and Steam. You can pre-order on all gaming platforms, and doing so will give you early access to the upcoming open beta.

As seen in PlayStation's Modern Warfare reveal trailer, the beta will be available "at least 5 days earlier than any other platform." That's similar to Call of Duty: Vanguard's beta access last year, which means we may see some other similarities in the Modern Warfare II open beta.

When is the Modern Warfare 2 open beta?

Infinity Ward has yet to announce an official date for the Modern Warfare 2 open beta, but pre-ordering a copy on your platform of choice will get you early access. According to the announcement, we also know that any experience gained in the beta will not carry over from the open beta to the full game.  

However, we may have an idea of when it might launch. Vanguard offered PlayStation owners alpha access in August last year, with a two-weekend beta kicking off on September 13. This means we may see a Modern Warfare 2 beta pop up sometime in early September. Plus, MW2 will launch on October 28, a week earlier than Vanguard's November 5 release, meaning we could see an earlier beta.

More open beta news will be announced "soon," so stay tuned for further updates. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 might be the last in the series for a while, seeing as Call of Duty is reportedly taking a break in 2023. Still, we know Warzone 2.0 will be arriving later in 2022. MW2 is available from $69.99, and you can pre-order it now

Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.