How to play the Black Ops 6 beta: Early access details

Black Ops 6 officially releases in October 2024, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait until Fall to get your hands on the game. Here’s how you can get early access to the BO6 beta.

All eyes were on May 9’s Call of Duty Direct, which gave us our first look at the game, round-based Zombies, and new movement mechanics that could change how CoD is played forever. We also received confirmation that the game would receive an open beta, with early access available if you want to maximize your playtime.

If that sounds like your cup of tea, here’s how you can get early access to the Black Ops 6 beta.

Black Ops 6 early access open beta explained

If you want to play Black Ops 6‘s early access open beta, you’ll need to pre-order the game or have an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. The good news is that both the standard and Vault editions of BO6 offer early access, so if you don’t want to drop the extra money on Operator Packs or Mastercraft Collection weapon skins, you don’t have to.

This also works for Digital and Physical editions of the game, although the process through which you will get your code will be different depending on your version.

If you’re using Xbox services, you’ll need to ensure to have Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console. Those who want access to MP Beta may need to get Game Pass Core. You should also have a stable internet connection to participate in this exclusive event.

There will be open beta periods, too, though, so if you don’t want to pre-order the game just yet, you don’t have to. You won’t be able to play as much of the beta as those who do preorder, however, so it’s up to you to decide how important that is.

Black Ops 6 early access and beta release dates

The Call of Duty Blog has officially confirmed the early access and open beta dates for Black Ops 6. Here’s a look into the 2024 roadmap:

• Early access Weekend One: Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. PT to Sept. 4 at 10 a.m. PT
• Open beta Weekend Two: Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. PT to Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. PT

All platforms, including Xbox Game Pass, will be featured on both weekends. This differs from past Call of Duty launches like Modern Warfare 3, where the betas were divided by specific platforms. Now, it will be much easier for everyone to gain access, as each platform releases at the same time.

While the event is active, players can test out the new Omnimovement feature, offering more control for Operators. You’ll also be able to set up a loadout and experience Treyarch’s latest maps. Of course, the open beta and early access versions won’t showcase the entirety of the game. The most we’ll get out of it is Multiplayer and (hopefully) the upcoming round-based Zombies mode. On the other hand, the campaign will likely be available closer to BO6’s launch, based on what happened during MW3’s early access.