The wait is over. The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta is officially live today, letting the most dedicated players get the first taste of the action while everyone else will get their chance to join the fight this weekend.

Don’t let the famously confusing timeline of the series fool you; this new entry from Treyarch and Raven Software is a direct sequel to the 13-year-old fan-favorite, Black Ops 2. The beta will focus on what Call of Duty does best: classic multiplayer, with a mix of 6v6 maps and massive 20v20 battles that feel like a direct shot at the rival Battlefield series.

The beta will run all the way until the game’s official launch Nov. 14. Here’s everything you need to know about the key dates and how you can get in on the early access today.

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Here are the Black Ops 7 beta dates you need to know

Black Ops 7 has a closed beta and an open beta that take place at different times. You can find the requirements to get into each of the betas below further down this page. If you’re just looking for the start and end times for the Black Ops 7 betas, we have you covered here.

Closed beta:

• Begins Thursday at 1 p.m. ET.
• Ends Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

Open beta:

• Begins Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
• Ends Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET.

Black Ops 7 closed beta date and requirements

If you want to jump into the Black Ops 7 closed beta and try the game before anyone else, you’ll need to shell out some cash. The early access beta begins Thursday.

While access to the closed beta is limited, it’s still more widely available than previous Call of Duty closed betas. Usually, people who preorder the game get special access to the closed beta — this is still true with Call of Duty Black Ops 7. This time around, though, Microsoft is adding another way to play during the early-access beta period.

If you have an active Game Pass subscription, you’ll also be able to join the Black Ops 7 closed beta. Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Console plans are all valid subscriptions to gain access to the early Black Ops 7 beta, although the lower-tier subscriptions might be more worthwhile because of the massive Game Pass Ultimate price hike.

Even at its new higher price, Game Pass is still one of the best gaming subscription plans available, so the Black Ops 7 closed beta access is just another way to sweeten the deal.

Black Ops 7 open beta access

Maybe you don’t want to preorder. Maybe you don’t like gaming subscription services and don’t want to grab Game Pass just for the Black Ops 7 beta. Whatever your reasoning for missing the closed beta may be, you’re not locked out of trying the next Call of Duty game forever.

The Black Ops 7 closed beta rolls directly into the game’s open beta period, during which anyone will be able to try out the new Call of Duty multiplayer experience. Black Ops 7’s open beta begins Sunday. Everyone will have a chance to freely try out Black Ops 7 for three days, and then the servers will close on Wednesday.

The open beta period will allow any interested gamer to try out Black Ops 7 on their console of choice. Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will launch on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S and PC, and will feature cross-platform gameplay. While no official release date has been revealed, leaks point to a mid-November launch.

If you’re still playing the most recent Call of Duty game, Black Ops 6, check out our guide on how to make the most of the game’s double XP. If you’re looking to pick up the game after a long hiatus, learn how The Armory can help you catch up on the content you’ve missed.