Battlefield 6 isn’t the only game vying for the attention of shooter fans. You’ll soon be able to try out the next CoD as well. We have all the info you need.
Battlefield, Battlefield, Battlefield. Everyone is talking about Battlefield right now. But Battlefield isn’t the only game out there. In addition to Battlefield 6, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will also be released on November 14, 2025. It may not be Battlefield, but it’s still an important shooter highlight for many fans out there. And soon you’ll even be able to try Black Ops 7 for free.
Reason enough to put together an FAQ for you. It addresses many important questions, namely:
- When does the Black Ops 7 beta start?
- What time do the servers go online?
- How can I participate in the beta?
- When does the preload start?
Start and duration of the Black Ops 7 beta
The preview version of Black Ops 7 is divided into two periods:
- Early Access Beta: Starts October 2, 2025, ends October 5, 2025
- Open Beta: Starts October 5, 2025, ends October 8, 2025
Will there be rewards? Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but we would bet our nimble mouse fingers that there will be a few goodies in the form of weapon skins or other cosmetic content for all beta participants.
Exact time of server launch
You can get started at the following times:
- Early Access Beta: October 2, 2025, 6 p.m. German time
- Open Beta: October 5, 2025, 6 p.m. German time
How to get keys for the beta
Anyone can participate in the Open Beta. You don’t need a special key in advance.
However, the situation is different for the Early Access Beta. There are two ways to get a key:
- Option 1: You have pre-ordered Black Ops 7. Participation in the Early Access Beta is also included in the standard version.
- Option 2: You watched the developer livestream on September 30, 2025. You then received a key that you can redeem. We explain how to do this here.
- Option 3: You subscribed to Microsoft Game Pass. Then you also get access to the Early Access Beta. We don’t know whether you will receive a dedicated code that you have to redeem or whether you can get started right away via your Game Pass account.
Preloading starts soon
Preloading for the beta starts on October 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. German time. Whether you’re participating in Early Access or the Open Beta, it can’t hurt to download early.
The download size is unknown. However, looking at its predecessors, you can expect a download size of over 80 GB, assuming that most of the content of the finished game ends up on your hard drive.
By the way, since it hasn’t been mentioned yet: Battlefield 6 will also be released on October 10, 2025! Okay, enough corny jokes for today. But it’s a fact: shooter fans will be treated to a two-course meal at the end of the year that will be impressive even without dessert!
Which of the two games are you personally more excited about? Battlefield 6 or Black Ops 7? Will you be participating in the open beta of the new CoD? Feel free to let us know in the comments!