Call of Duty NEXT 2026 will air on August 21 and serve as the official global showcase for Modern Warfare 4, according to Dot Esports. The broadcast starts at 9am PT / noon ET, and the Modern Warfare 4 early access beta goes live immediately after it ends.
Dot Esports lists the start time across regions as 10am MT, 11am CT, 12pm ET, 5pm BST, 6pm CEST and 9:30pm IST on August 21, then 12am CST, 1am JST, 2am AEST and 4am NZST on August 22. The stream runs on the official Call of Duty YouTube and Twitch channels, both of which can be watched on mobile.
What the showcase covers
The event is built around multiplayer. Dot Esports says it will carry live gameplay demonstrations of new maps, modes and weapons, developer commentary on design choices and balance, and a full multiplayer content roadmap for launch and beyond. Reveals covering operators, killstreaks and customization are also expected, alongside beta details.
It is also the first official look at how the game runs on Nintendo Switch 2. Campaign information is less certain: the outlet says the focus is multiplayer and that developers may or may not reveal campaign details on the day. Last year's Call of Duty NEXT was built around Black Ops 7.
Beta windows
The early access beta runs from August 21 to 25 and is limited to players who pre-ordered on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, to Discord Nitro subscribers, and to anyone holding a code. An open beta follows from August 28 to September 1 across all platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2.
Key dates
- August 21: Call of Duty NEXT broadcast, 9am PT / noon ET
- August 21 to 25: Modern Warfare 4 early access beta
- August 28 to September 1: Modern Warfare 4 open beta
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