Call of Duty Adds 'Entrenched' Mission to Aug. 28 Open Beta on All Platforms

Q: Why is Activision breaking tradition by letting players experience the Modern Warfare 4 campaign before its launch?

Activision appears to be breaking with Call of Duty tradition to widen interest in Modern Warfare 4 beyond its usual multiplayer focus and to turn the beta into a stronger marketing tool for the full game. By adding the “Entrenched” mission, the publisher gives players an immediate sample of the campaign’s tone, setting and production values before launch. That matters because Infinity Ward is positioning Modern Warfare 4 as a return to a more grounded modern-war story centered on the Korean Peninsula, and a playable mission can sell that vision more effectively than trailers alone. The move also helps Activision differentiate this year’s beta. The company says this is the first time a Call of Duty beta has included a campaign mission, so it creates a new talking point at a time when betas often focus only on multiplayer maps and balance testing. Letting players try both modes can broaden the game’s appeal to fans who buy Call of Duty for the single-player experience as much as competitive play. There is also a clear commercial angle. The beta runs ahead of the 23 October launch, with pre-orders unlocking campaign access on 16 October, so early exposure to “Entrenched” can build momentum for pre-orders and keep attention on the campaign through launch. In short, Activision is using the campaign mission to showcase a major part of the game earlier than usual, generate buzz, and convince more players that Modern Warfare 4 offers more than multiplayer.

Q: What hidden technical reason caused the Nintendo Switch 2 to be excluded from next week's Early Access beta?

There is no confirmed hidden technical reason in the available reporting. The evidence points to a rollout and commerce timing issue, not a disclosed hardware problem. Activision’s own beta information says Early Access is available to players who preorder on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Separate materials also show that Nintendo Switch 2 preorders do not begin until 26 August, after the Early Access window that runs 21–25 August. That means Switch 2 users could not qualify through the normal preorder-based access path in time. The open beta, by contrast, starts 28 August and does include Switch 2, which further suggests the platform itself is expected to be ready for the broader test. If there were a serious technical blocker preventing the game from running, it would likely affect the open beta as well. So the most plausible explanation is operational: Nintendo Switch 2 was excluded from Early Access because its preorder and registration pipeline starts too late for that phase. Activision has not publicly identified any deeper technical cause beyond that.

3 articles · Updated · Nintendo Life · Aug 16

Activision and Infinity Ward said the Aug. 28-Sept. 1 open beta for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will include the campaign mission "Entrenched," expanding access beyond multiplayer.
That makes it the first Call of Duty beta to offer a campaign mission, giving players an early look at the single-player experience as well as online play.
All platforms, including Switch 2, are invited to the open beta, letting Nintendo players test how the new hybrid system handles the blockbuster campaign.
An Early Access beta is also planned, but Switch 2 users are excluded from that phase ahead of the wider open test later this month.