You Can Play 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III' Now—Here's How

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is set to release on November 10, and given the series in question, it’s sure to be one of the most massive game releases of 2023. But you can get an early taste of the action starting right now thanks to the multiplayer beta test.

Activision is set to launch an open beta for Modern Warfare III across all platforms this weekend, but some players can start blasting away today in early access—a couple days before the wider public can jump in.

If you’re looking to start polishing your Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III game, here’s a quick guide to help you get started.

When is the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III beta?

PlayStation gamers got first dibs on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III multiplayer beta test thanks to Activision’s current alliance with Sony—even if Microsoft is closing in on its acquisition of Activision.

The Modern Warfare III beta began exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, with an early access period on October 6-7 before the test opened up to any PS4 or PS5 player from October 8-10. You do not need a PlayStation Plus subscription to play the beta.

Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC players now have their own early access period from October 12-13, and PlayStation gamers can also play now. Finally, any players on all compatible platforms can play in the open beta from October 14-16.

How do you get early access?

All you need to do to get early access to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III open beta is to pre-order the game from any participating retailer, online or physical. They’ll give you a code that you can redeem to start playing during the early access window on your platform of choice. The beta code can be redeemed via the Call of Duty website, and then you’ll be emailed a specific download code for your selected platform.

Beyond that, many prominent gaming influencers have been giving away Modern Warfare III beta codes via social media, apparently provided by Activision to help juice attention around the rollout, so there may be other opportunities to jump in early without pre-ordering the game.

Activision has also been giving out heaps of codes via social media. Furthermore, Xfinity subscribers can claim a free early access beta code thanks to the internet provider’s rewards program.

What’s in the Modern Warfare III beta?

The Modern Warfare III beta has launched with four playable multiplayer maps. Favela, Estate, Rust, and Skidrow—all remastered maps carried over from 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2—are in the mix, along with the new Ground War map Popov Power Plant. Another revitalized map, Highrise, has been added for the second beta weekend, along with new Ground War map Orlov Military Base.

In addition to Ground War, the beta also includes Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Search and Destroy, and the brand new Cutthroat mode as of this writing.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on October 6, 2023 and last updated with new information on October 12.