The schedule for the Blackout beta was announced via the official Call of Duty website, letting players across all systems know when they’ll be able to try out the new mode. Those playing on PS4 will receive access to the Blackout beta a few days early on September 10th, while Xbox One users will have to wait until September 14th. Those who pre-order Call of Duty Black Ops 4 for PC will receive early access to the beta on September 14th before their open beta begins on the 15th. The beta will conclude for everyone on September 17th, meaning those playing on PS4 will have an entire week to test Blackout.
The decision to add a Battle Royale mode to Call of Duty hasn’t been without sacrifice. Upon its reveal this past Spring, Activision confirmed the newest game in the Black Ops series would be absent of a traditional campaign mode. When it launches, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be the first mainline Call of Duty game to not have a single-player story.
The new approach to releasing Call of Duty this year hasn’t been without its backlash from players. While Treyarch is now pushing its Battle Royale mode, as well as traditional multiplayer and returning zombies, the developer has pointed out there’s been a consistent trend in players not completing the game’s story year after year that’s led to the decision to remove a traditional campaign. For now, it appears Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be solely supported by its three pillars of competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launches on October 12th for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Source: Call of Duty
