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You can preload the Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War beta right now

Duty calls!

Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's multiplayer open beta kicks off this Saturday on PC and as you'd expect, it presents quite the hefty download. Thankfully you can preload it right now regardless of whether you've pre-ordered the game or not.

The download comes to a grand total of 42.80GB, so it's one you'll want to get going before the big day arrives. To do so: open the Battle.net launcher, select Call Of Duty: BOCW from the panel on the left, close any pre-order pop-up ads you might see, click Install, point it to a folder, then select Confirm Install.

While there's been no official word on a start time, going by the pre-order betas which started at 6pm BST (10am Pacific), I can only assume it'll be the same on Saturday. It's set to run from Saturday the 17th through to Monday the 19th.

Cover image for YouTube video

So, what is there to get stuck into? You've got the traditional progression system of weapon unlocks, perks, and equipment, as well as the usual assortment of modes including Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint. But the most interesting of the lot is the new 40-player mode Fireteam: Dirty Bomb. Ten squads of four drop into a large map to collect uranium to deposit into 'dirty bombs' scattered all over the place.

It's for players who like some elements of the Warzone experience with the large map, vehicular combat, and extended gun fights without the unforgiving battle royale format. This features respawns which should give it that traditional multiplayer feel, rather than that Warzone experience we've all had where we get dropped five minutes in and have to watch our mates cower in a corner for hours.

Treyarch are also offering an exclusive Mutual Animosity SMG blueprint if you reach level ten or higher during the Cold War beta. It'll appear in your inventory when you purchase the full game, and I can't wait to discard it almost immediately when I unlock something better.

If you're a bit concerned about whether your rig will be able to run the game, fear not, because the specs aren't a big ask.

Black Ops Cold War is due to launch November 13th on Battle.net.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

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About the Author
Ed Thorn avatar

Ed Thorn

Reviews Editor

When Ed's not cracking thugs with bicycles in Yakuza, he's likely swinging a badminton racket in real life. Any genre goes, but he's very into shooters and likes a weighty gun, particularly if they have a chainsaw attached to them. Adores orange and mango squash, unsure about olives.

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