Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 now has a confirmed release date, but eager players can gain Black Ops 6 early access to the beta and test out heart-pumping multiplayer modes ahead of others.

For months, Activision has been teasing Black Ops 6 with cryptic posters and game trailers, creating much buzz around the next installment in the critically acclaimed series.

The developer confirmed the October 25 release date earlier, but it’s too far for die-hard CoD fans who can’t wait to hop into the aftermath of the war-torn world.

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The great news is that Black Ops 6 early access will be open for all those willing to pay up in advance. For the first time in the franchise’s history, all players who pre-order the game will be able to take the Black Ops 6 Zombies on a spin on the same day, regardless of their platform.

When does Black Ops 6 early access start?

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Black Ops 6 early access will have two waves. The first one will kick off on August 31 for players across PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The second wave will be less exclusive and start on September 7. 

Here’s the exact date for each early access wave:

  • Early access beta: August 31 to September 5.
  • Early access open beta: September 7 to September 10.
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The early access is split into two parts, each with different accessibility. The first part is exclusively for those who have pre-ordered the game on any platform.

Players can pre-purchase any Black Ops 6 edition on PC or console to get early access, which means even the cheapest $70 standard edition on PC will also grant early access.

These players will have an extended period of early access to Black Ops 6 before its official global release. Game Pass subscribers will have the same rights as those who pre-order Black Ops 6.

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Early access to the open beta will be available to everyone for a weekend in September. Both builds are mostly the same, except that those who pre-order the pricey Vault edition can play as any of the four operators in the Hunters vs. Hunted Operator pack, as well as try five new weapons.

Of course, you won’t get the bragging rights of playing the game ahead of those who have already checked out the new Omnimovement system, brand-new maps, and dozens of other new features at great length if you wait until September for open beta.

READ MORE: Black Ops 6 Open beta: Start dates, platforms, and more