Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is the franchise’s first immediate follow-up to another game and excitement is through the roof over the early details. Fans were already amped up over the continuation of the rebooted Task Force 141 storyline, but the return of 16 classic maps at launch has rocketed the excitement into the Stratosphere.
The campaign’s official gameplay trailer was released at Gamescom 2023, but multiplayer is following suit with MW2, so we won’t get a look until the newly-established Call of Duty Next. If you’re not familiar with this setup, don’t sweat it, here’s a breakdown of when you can expect the MP reveal and the first beta date.
Modern Warfare 3 Beta Dates & Platform Details
The Call of Duty MW3 beta has been confirmed for October 6, just one day after the reveal event. Remember that the first week will be exclusively on PlayStation, so anyone else will have to wait until the next weekend to get in. This is the first day of the event, and it will continue until October 7, exclusively for those who grabbed the Early Access version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
For those who want to check out the game without pre-ordering Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 before the event comes out, there will be an open beta available to all PlayStation players from October 8 to October 10. After this, the next weekend will feature a crossplay beta that takes place from October 12 to October 13 for Early Access players and anyone who preordered the game, and then an open beta from October 14 to October 16.
This will be the time to jump in and decide whether or not you want to purchase the full game. A lot of innovation has happened over the last few years, so if you’ve taken some time off from the series, you’ll want to do a trial run before spending your money.
While Modern Warfare 3 may share a name with the classic franchise, its gameplay will no doubt differ from the original three titles. Anyone who played Modern Warfare 2 from 2022 will likely be just fine making the adjustment since all of that game’s weapons and progression will carry forward to the new title, but anyone who skipped that game may be in for a bit of a shock when they jump in for the first time.
Modern Warfare 3 Beta Signups
As the graphic above notes, the beta employs a staggered access system. PlayStation players who pre-order the game will get the first crack at it, with everyone else falling in line shortly after. Here’s the full breakdown.
- October 6 to 8: PlayStation Early Access
- October 8 to 10: Open PlayStation Beta
- October 10 to 12: All Platform Early Access
- October 14 to 16: All Platforms Open Beta
For anyone wishing to participate in the Early Access version of these Modern Warfare 3 events, pre-order the game. Only PlayStation users can check it out from October 6 to October 10, but a beta is available to everyone from October 10 to October 16.
Call of Duty Next: Modern Warfare 3 Multiplayer Reveal Date
Call of Duty Next takes place on October 5, 2023. For those out of the loop, this is an annual showcase for the upcoming release. Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer (as well as Warzone 2) debuted here in 2022, and thanks to Geoff Keighley’s insights during Gamescom 2023, we expect to see MW3 follow a similar path.
This will be our first peak at the remastered Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, as well as some new weapons, a new Tactical Stance, and the gear system that’s adding extra punch to perks in Modern Warfare 3. It’ll also mark the official return of Slide Canceling, so be ready to either celebrate or mourn over that.
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Next event will be a huge reveal for multiplayer players. We expect to hear some upcoming confirmations before PlayStation players get the chance to dive into the beta, where they can test out the many upcoming changes.
We’ll be updating this page when we learn more on October 5, 2023. Make sure to check out Call of Duty’s official Twitch and YouTube channels to follow along.
