Is the Modern Warfare 2 Beta Free to Play?

I know you‘re excited about the upcoming launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and want to get your hands on the multiplayer action as soon as possible. Well my friend, I have good news for you – yes, you can play the MW2 beta completely free!

Now let me give you all the important details so you can access the beta and start leveling up.

When Can I Play the Free Open Beta?

The MW2 beta runs over two weekends, with an early access period for people who pre-ordered, followed by open beta for all players:

Weekend 1 (PlayStation Only)

• Early Access – Sept 16-17 (pre-order required)
• Open Beta – Sept 18-20 (free for everyone)

Weekend 2 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)

• Early Access – Sept 22-23 (pre-order required)
• Open Beta – Sept 24-26 (free for all players)

So mark your calendars! As long as you have a PlayStation, Xbox, or Battlenet account, you can download and access the free open beta.

Do I Need PS+ or Xbox Live Gold for the Beta?

Nope! Neither a PS+ membership nor Xbox Live Gold is required to play the open MW2 beta test. It‘s 100% free online play for all. Hallelujah!

How Large is the Beta Download Size?

The MW2 beta is a pretty hefty download, coming in around 30-50GB depending on your platform. Clear some room on that hard drive because you‘ll need it!

Here are the approximate beta download sizes:

• PlayStation: 30GB
• Xbox: 50GB
• PC: 45GB minimum

Make sure you have enough free disk space before trying to install it. There‘s nothing worse than excitedly waiting for a download just to get hit with an error because your drive is full!

Where Can I Pre-Order MW2 for Early Beta Access?

While the open beta periods are free for all, pre-ordering MW2 will grant you early access before everyone else.

You can pre-order digitally from the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Battle.net Shop, or at major retailers like GameStop and BestBuy. Every pre-order, either digital or physical, comes with a beta code.

Once you get your code, head to callofduty.com/redeem to redeem it and get your early access set up!

Will My Beta Progress Carry Over to full MW2?

Unfortunately, no. Any progression you earn or stats you rack up during the beta will be completely reset before Modern Warfare 2‘s official launch on October 28.

The beta is purely meant as a testing period to iron out bugs or balance issues. So enjoy your time with it, but don‘t get too attached to any unlocks!

What‘s the Download and File Size for MW2 at Launch?

According to the official Activision blog, here are the estimated download sizes for the full game:

• PlayStation 5: 64GB
• PlayStation 4: 54GB
• Xbox Series X|S: 61GB
• Xbox One: 44.5GB
• PC: 72GB minimum, 125GB recommended

As you can see, MW2 is shaping up to be the biggest Call of Duty title yet in terms of sheer installation footprint. Make sure your console or PC has room for it at launch!

Is $70 Going to be the New Standard Price for Call of Duty Games?

When Modern Warfare 2‘s pricing was announced, many sticker-shocked fans noticed the base price is now $70 across all platforms. That‘s a $10 increase from the traditional $60 price tag for new games.

Based on info from Activision and analysis by gaming industry experts, it seems the $70 pricing tier is here to stay for new Call of Duty releases moving forward.

Apparently this price jump can be attributed to a combination of factors like:

• Rising development/marketing costs for AAA games
• Next-gen console transition
• Major player base willing to pay more
• Lack of paid DLC model anymore
• Overall industry pricing trends

Tony Gimple, Production Director at Activision, said MW2 is the "most advanced Call of Duty" ever and worth the extra investment. But not all fans are convinced yet.

Regardless, $70 seems to be the new norm, even drawing some criticism and accusations of "price gouging." Love it or hate it, we‘ll have to get used to seeing that higher price tag each year for the latest Call of Duty experience.

What Extras Do You Get with the MW2 Vault Edition?

For diehard fans willing to spend even more, Activision is offering a higher-end Vault Edition of Modern Warfare 2 for $100.

Here‘s what extras you get with the Vault Edition compared to the standard $70 version:

• Red Team Operator Pack – Ghost, Soap, Price, and Farah operators
• FJX Cinder Weapon Vault – 10 weapons with custom tracer rounds
• Battle Pass (1 season) + 50 tier skips
• 10 hours of 2XP + 10 hours 2WXP
• Ghost Legacy Pack – 12 operator skins and 10 weapon blueprints

So in a nutshell, you‘re paying $30 extra for bonus cosmetic items, bonus XP, and the first season Battle Pass.

For casual players, the Standard Edition is probably sufficient. But if you really want those extras and plan to play MW2 extensively, the Vault Edition gives you a headstart with plenty of cosmetic content.

Should I Buy MW2 or Just Play Warzone 2.0 and DMZ for Free?

Alongside traditional multiplayer, MW2 will introduce a new Warzone 2.0 battle royale mode and DMZ extraction mode.

The cool part is that both Warzone 2.0 and DMZ will be completely free to play, even if you don‘t own Modern Warfare 2.

So if you don‘t want to buy MW2, you can just download Warzone 2.0 and DMZ later this year and still enjoy new Call of Duty gameplay experiences with your friends.

However, owning Modern Warfare 2 will give you full access to core multiplayer, Spec Ops co-op missions, and the story campaign.

Personally, I think getting the full MW2 package is worthwhile to experience everything at launch. But playing Warzone 2.0 and DMZ is definitely a nice free option for more budget-conscious gamers.

How is the MW2 Beta Different from the Full Release?

The beta gives us a great sneak peek at Modern Warfare 2‘s multiplayer, but it‘s still an incomplete version compared to the full release on October 28.

Some things that will be missing or limited vs. the final game include:

• Only a handful of maps and modes
• Limited weapon selection
• Restricted customization system
• Partial progression system
• UI/graphics polishing incomplete
• Some bugs/glitches remain

Think of the beta more as a well-crafted demo and testing period, rather than a full representation of everything MW2 multiplayer will offer.

Once the game launches, we‘ll be able to experience new maps, modes, more weapon and customization content, full progression, and additional polish/improvements based on beta feedback.

Will MW2 Have Paid DLC Map Packs?

In a welcome change from previous CoD games, MW2 and Warzone 2.0 will have a completely free post-launch multiplayer content model.

That means no more paid DLC Season Passes or individual map packs required! All new maps, modes, weapons, and other content added after launch will be free for all players.

This shift should keep the community more united instead of fractured across different DLC packs. Free post-launch support will be funded by the optional in-game store and Battle Pass system.

So we can look forward to lots of exciting new MW2 content in the coming months without having to pay anything beyond the base game. Hooray for free DLC!

Early Impressions and Review Roundup of the MW2 Beta

Now that you know how to access the free beta, you‘re probably wondering – how does the actual gameplay stack up?

Based on early preview coverage and hands-on impressions, reception to the Modern Warfare 2 beta has been generally positive so far.

In their MW2 beta review, GameSpot said the game‘s combat "feels phenomenal" and praised the overall weapon handling. IGN enjoyed the new aquatic maps and said "gunplay feels right at home."

Some common critiques include visibility issues, limited loadout options, and spawn problems. But most agree the core action is polished and engaging.

Here‘s a quick summary of the early MW2 beta reviews:

Based on the generally positive reception so far, the MW2 beta seems like an encouraging sign of what‘s to come when the full game launches on October 28.

Ready to Download the Open Beta?

Now you‘ve got all the key details about Modern Warfare 2‘s free open beta test. I hope you‘re as pumped up as me to get hands-on with the MW2 multiplayer!

Just remember the dates for the open beta access, make sure you‘ve got enough hard drive space, and get ready for some thrilling Call of Duty action. See you on the (digital) battlefield, soldier!

Let me know if you have any other questions. Enjoy the beta!