With the first of two Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 open beta tests coming our way this weekend, Treyarch has posted the details about what we can expect, including when the action will begin—that's 10 am PT/1 pm ET on August 10 for those who have preordered, August 11 for everyone else—and what we'll need to make it rock.
First things first, you're going to need a Battle.net account if you don't already have one, because Black Ops 4—much like Fallout 76—will not be on Steam. It's free, and yes, I know it's a hassle having to maintain multiple game launchers, but the world is changing, Steam is bleeding, and we might as well start getting used to it now. Besides, the odds are pretty good that you're already playing Overwatch, Hearthstone, and/or Destiny 2 (and thus have the Battle.net client installed) anyway.
Next up is the hardware. Treyarch emphasized that these specs are for the beta only, and not the final release: "The game is still in development and we continue to tweak and refine both the gameplay and technical details," it said, and as the game changes, so too can the requirements.
Minimum:
- OS: Windows 7 64-Bit or later
- CPU: Intel Core i5 2500k or AMD equivalent
- RAM: 8GB RAM
- HDD: 25GB HD space
- Video: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 2 GB / GTX 1050 2GB or AMD Radeon HD 7850
- DirectX: Version 11.0 compatible video card or equivalent
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10 64 Bit
- CPU: Intel Core i7 4770k or AMD equivalent
- RAM: 12GB RAM
- HDD: 25GB HD space
- Video: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 / GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon R9 390 / AMD RX 580
- DirectX: Version 11.0 compatible video card or equivalent
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
The beta will include six gameplay modes—Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Search & Destroy, and Control—on six maps, two of which have not yet been seen. Beta playlists will "showcase all the content that the Specialists revel in."
"Participating in the beta helps our development teams here at Treyarch, at Beenox, and at Blizzard gather data that is used to fine-tune the PC experience," Treyarch wrote. "Your feedback is not only welcome, but also a key element in ensuring that we collectively deliver the best PC experience possible."
To that end, a survey will be emailed to participants once the beta is over, and the developers "encourage you to respond honestly with your experiences." But if you just want to shoot some guys over the weekend and then go about your business, that's cool too.
A second Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta, featuring the Blackout battle royale mode, will take place in September. The full game comes out on October 12.
