If you own a Nintendo Switch 2, this weekend is one you don’t want to sleep on. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s Open Beta is going live on Switch 2 starting Friday, August 28 at 10:00 AM PT, and it’s completely free — no pre-order required, no code needed, nothing. Just download it from the Nintendo eShop and drop in.
This isn’t some stripped-down demo or a limited taste either. Switch 2 players are getting access to multiplayer, a campaign mission, and Warzone all in one beta package. That’s the real deal. The open beta runs through September 1 at 10:00 AM PT, so you’ve got a window from Friday through Monday night to put in some time.
What’s in the MW4 Open Beta on Switch 2?
Here’s what’s actually playable during the beta weekend on Nintendo Switch 2:
- Multiplayer — Multiple maps and modes, including core 6v6 maps and modes, Ground War: Combat Outpost, and Kill Block (the 10v10 format that debuted at Fanatics Fest earlier this summer)
- Campaign Mission: “Entrenched” — A taste of the full single-player campaign so you can see how the storytelling and gunplay feel before committing
- Warzone: Zodiac Resurgence — The brand-new Zodiac Resurgence map makes its beta debut here, giving Switch 2 players access to the battle royale side of things too
You can also unlock up to 19 different weapons during the beta period, and any beta rewards you earn carry over to the full game when it launches. So even if you just use the beta to mess around, you’re banking progress for launch day.
Vault Edition Content — Free During the Beta
Here’s something that’s actually a pretty generous touch from Activision: Switch 2 players will have free access to the Vault Edition content during the beta. That includes special operator skins, weapon blueprints, and other cosmetics that would normally be locked behind the premium version of the game. You get to try all of that during the beta window at no extra cost.
How to Download the MW4 Beta on Nintendo Switch 2
Pre-loading the beta is already live, so you can get it downloaded ahead of the Friday morning start time. Here’s how to do it:
- Turn on your Nintendo Switch 2
- Open the Nintendo eShop
- Search for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta
- Select the beta and hit Download
- Return to your Home Menu and launch it when the beta goes live at 10:00 AM PT on August 28
Pre-orders for the full game on Switch 2 are also live right now through the Nintendo eShop, with both Standard and Vault Edition digital versions available. Physical edition pre-orders are going up at retail too. But again — you do not need to pre-order anything to play the beta. It’s fully open.
Switch 2-Specific Features — Not a Downgraded Port
One of the things that’s going to turn heads here is the list of Switch 2-specific features baked into this version. Digital Legends, the studio developing the Switch 2 build in partnership with Infinity Ward, has made it clear that this isn’t a compromised experience slapped onto Nintendo hardware as an afterthought.
Here’s what Switch 2 players get that’s unique to the platform:
- Gyro controls — motion aiming for players who want that extra precision, especially useful in multiplayer
- Joy-Con 2 mouse controls — using the Switch 2’s new mouse functionality to aim and look, which could be a game-changer for how CoD feels on a handheld
- Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller support
- HDR support
- Full handheld play — obviously, but this is Call of Duty in your hands on the go, and that’s still kind of wild to say out loud
Microsoft signed a legally binding 10-year deal with Nintendo back in 2023 to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms with full feature parity. That agreement is what’s making this happen — no missing modes, no content cuts, no watered-down version. Whatever Xbox and PlayStation players are getting, Switch 2 players are getting the same thing.
Who Is Digital Legends? The Studio Behind the Switch 2 Version
Digital Legends isn’t a household name for most people, but they’ve got real CoD experience in their back pocket. The studio previously helped develop Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile before that project was eventually cancelled, and they also did support work on the last two Black Ops titles. So they know the engine, they know the franchise, and they know what Infinity Ward expects from a CoD build.
Studio head Xavier Carrillo-Costa summed up the team’s goal pretty simply: deliver the genuine Call of Duty experience on Switch 2 without compromise. Based on the beta being available at all — with multiplayer, campaign, and Warzone all included — it sounds like they’ve been given the resources to actually do that.
Why This Is a Big Moment for Nintendo Fans
Let’s put this in context. The last time a Call of Duty game appeared on a Nintendo platform was Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Wii U. That was over a decade ago, and the franchise has been completely absent from Nintendo hardware ever since — not because nobody wanted it there, but because the hardware gap made it functionally impossible to deliver a proper experience.
The Switch 2 changes that equation. It’s a fundamentally more capable machine, and the Microsoft-Nintendo deal made this collaboration inevitable once the acquisition cleared. But knowing something was coming eventually and actually having it in your hands this weekend are two very different things. For a lot of Nintendo players who’ve never had access to Call of Duty on their platform of choice, this weekend’s beta is genuinely the first time they’re going to experience what all the fuss has been about.
The full game launches on October 23, 2026, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 simultaneously. So Switch 2 isn’t getting a late port or a delayed release — it’s day and date with everything else.
Beta Weekend Schedule — When Does It End?
Just so you’ve got it locked in:
- Open Beta Start: Friday, August 28 at 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM BST)
- Open Beta End: Tuesday, September 1 at 10:00 AM PT
- Available on: Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam & Battle.net)
- Cost: Free — no pre-order required
Weekend 1 (August 21–25) was locked behind a pre-order, so if you missed that one, Weekend 2 is the open one — the one everyone can access. This is the window to jump in.
Should You Try It?
If you own a Switch 2 and you’ve been even remotely curious about Call of Duty, there’s genuinely no reason not to try it. It’s free, it’s downloading right now, and it covers three completely different modes so you can figure out which part of CoD actually resonates with you before spending money on the full game.
The gyro and Joy-Con mouse controls are going to be the real thing to test — if Digital Legends has nailed those, it could make the Switch 2 version feel like one of the better ways to play CoD on console. If you’re following all the big game announcements landing around this period, there’s a lot happening — Exodus just got a release date confirmed for April 2027 out of Gamescom, and the PS Plus September 2026 lineup also just dropped with four solid games to claim before the end of the month. And if you’re into new IP announcements, 1001 Threads of Mizan was one of the most interesting reveals at Gamescom this week as well.
October 23 is the full launch. Right now, the beta is your preview. Get it downloaded.
