Blackout beta: Test Bo4 battle royale mode for FREE

The brand new Bo4 Battle Royale mode is now available to test on PS4, and will be going live later this week on Xbox One and PC.

For the majority of Call of Duty fans who want to test out the new Battle Royale, you will need to pre-order Black Ops 4 on one of the platforms mentioned above.

However, some fans will get a chance at trying out the new Blackout Beta for free.

So far, only PS4 gamers are getting to try out the new gameplay mode, but will be joined by Xbox One owners on September 14, at around 6pm, BST.

The PC, early access beta, will also be going live on this date, and will be followed by something fans may find interesting.

That’s because Battle.net is hosting a free open Blackout beta later this week.

It won’t run for as long, but it will include all the stuff everyone else is currently testing out.

The PC Open Beta begins on September 15 at 6pm in the UK, and will end with all the other platforms on September 17.

So while not everyone can get a free code to play Black Ops 4 Blackout this week, PC players do have the option.

Beta access codes are only required for pre-orders through a participating retailer, so if you pre-ordered through the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, or Battle.net, you are automatically validated to participate in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Blackout Beta.

Anybody with a code for the previous Black Ops 4 closed beta will automatically be entered in the Blackout beta.

And anyone with the previous Black Ops 4 multiplayer beta installed won’t need to pre-load the Blackout beta. However, a day-one patch is required to access the Battle Royale mode.

There’s also another way for some players in the United States to get a beta code this week too.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 won’t hit stores until October 12, but for Xfinity Internet customers, there’s a special offer to join the Private Beta.

Xfinity customers can request an access code right now to secure their spot in the Blackout Private Beta, apparently on any platform.

The official COD Twitter account released the first detailed image of the Battle Royale map, which includes 13 named locations.

Treyarch recently released news on some of the big new locations that will be available to explore in Blackout Mode.

A rundown can be found below:

Nuketown Island – based on the legendary map, this is more like a ghost town, as players will explore the remnants of this former nuclear testing site, which features boarded-up homes, an abandoned bunker and more.

Firing Range – a true icon of Black Ops, this area is a classified military training base tucked away in the woods. Close-range encounters are common in this combat arena.

Rivertown – a countryside peninsula town rife with small houses, diners, farms and even a GMO grainery. River Town is full of places to gear up and engage in close-to-mid-range firefights.

Array – consisting of warehouses in the shadow of three giant satellites, this area is rife with high vantage points and plenty of opportunities to find gear.

Estates – inspired by Raid from Black Ops II and Stronghold from Black Ops III, at the map’s north end lies the austere, luxury Estates, surrounded by manicured hedges and modern art. The buildings are full of rooms and garages strewn with weapons and loot.

Asylum – based on the classic Zombies map Verruckt, exactly how it sounds, this is a deserted asylum with burned-out walls and busted windows. Players will also discover a sprawling maze on the asylum grounds.

Hydro Dam – a giant hydroelectric dam, inspired by Hydro from Black Ops II, this is a massive water plant on the northeast area of the map. Players can fight their way through the central offices and command center or swim out to explore nearby water tanks.

Train Station – blending open spaces with short sightlines and sharp turns, this modern train station consists of a parking lot, outdoor waiting area and small central building.

Construction Site – a multi-level unfinished skyscraper, complete with elevators, a helipad and tons of areas to pick up gear. Finding a grapple gun would be an efficient way to traverse the location quickly.

Cargo Docks – based on Cargo from Black Ops II, located in the southwest area of the map, the Cargo Docks feature flat, open spaces where players will use the massive shipping containers for cover or even land a helicopter on the floating cargo ship if they’re brave enough.