Military shooter fans have a busy weekend ahead, with both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and the newcomer Wardogs holding beta tests on PC. Both titles are currently the top two sellers on Steam, marking a significant moment for the genre as the indie-developed Wardogs competes directly with the latest entry from Infinity Ward.
Wardogs Beta Access and Status
Wardogs, a 100-player milsim, has reached over one million wishlists. The beta is currently underway, running from August 21 at 17:00 UTC through August 24 at 02:00 UTC. Participation requires a $40 pre-order, though the developers have indicated the purchase is refundable if players find the experience isn't for them.
Players attempting to join the action should be aware that developer Bulkhead is currently navigating significant server instability. As of this writing, turnout has exceeded 87,000 players, leading to technical difficulties for those trying to access the servers.
Modern Warfare 4 Beta Schedule
Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 4 offers two distinct windows for players to test the latest iteration of the franchise:
- Pre-order Beta (Weekend 1): August 21 at 10 AM PT to August 25 at 10 AM PT.
- Open Beta (Weekend 2): August 28 at 10:00 AM PT to September 1 at 10 AM PT.
This year's beta includes a campaign mission alongside standard multiplayer modes. While Modern Warfare 4 focuses on the arcade-style gunplay characteristic of the series, Wardogs aims for a more complex simulation with features like manual magazine loading and kilometer-wide maps, while still including accessibility concessions like a killcam.