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The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta is about to kick off Weekend Two, welcoming Xbox and PC players into the fold, beginning with early access for pre orders and those who’ve obtained a code.
PlayStation owners get another crack as well, and there’s also cross play so everyone can play together.
Prior to taking part, PS players will have to install the latest update recently released by Activision. Make sure to allow plenty of time – the update is approximately 680MB.
Just as with last weekend, there’ll be two phases – with early access from September 22-23 followed by an open stage where anyone can download and play between 24-26, no keys necessary.
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Following the first weekend, Infinity Ward made a number of changes the team are making to the beta following both feedback from fans, and data from the first weekend. You can read up more on that over here.
Thanks to Call of Duty’s pre-Microsoft-bid deal with PlayStation, owners of those consoles can clock up to a healthy total of 10 days of play time with the game.
Thanks to the first weekend of the beta, we’ve got a bunch of guides for the beta. These include our weapon tier lists, our picks for the best equipment, the best perks and loadouts.
The beta also offers Activision and developers Infinity Ward a great chance to asses gameplay mechanics and address OP weapons. So remember, this won’t be reflective of the final version and we may well see guns and perks behave very differently when the final game is released.
Modern Warfare 2 beta – PC and Xbox release time
Xbox and PC owners will be able to play the Modern Warfare 2 beta on September 22 at 6pm UK time/10am PT for those who’ve pre-ordered on Xbox and PC. Crossplay will also be supported.
Then, on Saturday September 24, anyone regardless of pre-order status, can get in on the beta. Once again, set your alarms for 6pm UK time and 10 am PT. This stage of the beta will be the only time an Xbox Live gold subscription is NOT required.
PlayStation owners, meanwhile, get to enjoy the entirety of the second weekend regardless of whether or not they have a pre-order for the game.
The beta will close for everyone on Monday, September 26 at 6pm UK time/10am PT. Then, it’s just a case of waiting for the game to launch proper one month later.
Prior to that, Activision kicked off a beta on September 16 exclusively for PlayStation owners who pre-ordered the game.
NOW READ: Modern Warfare Pre-Order bonuses includes campaign for early access!
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Modern Warfare 2 Beta FAQ
How do I get the Modern Warfare 2 beta?
Xbox and PC owners will be able to play the Modern Warfare 2 beta on September 22 at 6pm UK time/10am PT for those who’ve pre-ordered on Xbox and PC. Crossplay will also be supported.
Then, on Saturday September 24, anyone regardless of pre-order status, can get in on the beta. Once again, set your alarms for 6pm UK time and 10 am PT. This stage of the beta will be the only time an Xbox Live gold subscription is NOT required. PlayStation owners can also play during this time and cross play is enabled.
How long is the Modern Warfare 2 beta?
The beta lasts across two weekends. Weekend one starts on September 16 and runs through until September 20. This one is for PlayStation owners exclusively.
Weekend two kicks off on September 22 and runs through until September 26. This one is for all platforms.
How do I redeem a CoD beta code?
Modern Warfare 2 beta codes are not platform specific. You’ll find your code either in your email if you’ve pre-ordered digitally, or on your receipt. Of course, if your pre-order is on Steam or Battle.net, it’ll be automatically applied to your account.
If you don’t fall into the latter camp, you’ll need to redeem your CoD Modern Warfare 2 beta code. You can do so by heading to the official Modern Warfare 2 beta website here.
You’ll need to sign up for a Call of Duty account, if you don’t already have one. You’ll then be asked for your platform and region. Once you’ve done that, the screen should show a confirmation page to, well, confirm you’ve got it right.
That won’t give you your code right away though. Now it’s a case of playing the waiting game – and check your email inbox. Platform-specific codes will be emailed to you before the beta begins. Don’t forget to double check those Junk folders, if yours hasn’t arrived by the time it starts.
How big is the Modern Warfare 2 beta?
While we’re still waiting on official confirmation, network scraping account PlayStation Game Size on Twitter has claimed the beta size will be between 15-30GB, depending on platform and region.
For whatever reason, EU owners will have the biggest download, followed by Asia, the US and Japan. We’ll update with the official figures once we can confirm them.
What are the Modern Warfare 2 beta system requirements?
As spotted by CharlieIntel, the Modern Warfare II Beta system requirements for those playing on PC are as follows:
Minimum Specifications
- OS: Windows 10 – 64 bit (Latest Update)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-3570 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470
- Video Memory: 3GB
- RAM: 8GB RAM
- Storage Space: 25GB
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended Specifications:
- OS: Windows 10 – 64 bit (Latest Update)
- CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
- Video Memory: 3GB
- RAM: 16GB RAM
- Storage Space: 25GB
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
- Recommended Drivers:
- NVIDIA: 516.79
- AMD: 21.9.1
A broadband network connection is, of course, required as well as a DirectX 12 compatible system. A mobile phone number must also be linked to your Battle.net or Steam account.
When can I pre-load the Modern Warfare 2 beta?
PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 owners who have pre ordered the game can pre-load the beta from 10am PT (6pm UK time) on September 14.
What rewards do I get for playing the Modern Warfare 2 beta?
Activision has announced a bunch of cosmetic rewards for playing the Modern Warfare 2 beta. All you have to do is reach the required Operator Level before the end of the beta by playing, and earning XP.
The rewards will be available in Modern Warfare 2 when it launches on October 28. We’re also told these rewards will also be available in Warzone 2.0 too, whenever that starts.
Weekend 1 rewards (September 16 – September 20):
- Operator Level 2 – Animated Emblem “Smashed It”
- Operator Level 4 – Charm “Buckle Up”
- Operator Level 6 – Player Cards “Passed the Test”
- Operator Level 10 – Sticker “Operation First Blood”
- Operator Level 15 – Weapon Blueprint “Side Impact”
Weekend 2 rewards (September 22 – September 26):
- Operator Level 18 – Operator Skin “Collision”
- Operator Level 19 – Vinyl “No Competition”
- Operator Level 21 – Sticker “Safety First”
- Operator Level 26 – Vehicle Skin “Floor It”
- Operator Level 30 – Weapon Blueprint “Frontal Impact”
When does the Modern Warfare 2 beta end?
Access to the PlayStation-exclusive weekend will wrap for both groups on Tuesday September 20 at 6pm UK time/10am PT. The beta will close for everyone on Monday, September 26 at 6pm UK time/10am PT. Then, it’s just a case of waiting for the game to launch proper one month later.
