Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is making several changes for its upcoming PC beta, including background shader preloading, fewer restart prompts, a separate beta launcher, and clearly defined hardware requirements.
The beta begins with early access on August 21, 2026, before a second open weekend starts on August 28. PC players will also need TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled before they can participate.
One of the more useful changes is designed to address shader compilation. Instead of making players wait for shaders to process after starting the game, Modern Warfare 4 can begin preparing them in the background ahead of time.
Shader preloading should reduce first launch waiting
PC players may receive a Windows system tray notification informing them that shader preloading is about to begin. The process can run in the background before the game is launched.
The feature can be disabled, so players who do not want background shader processing will still have control over it.
If the system works reliably during testing, it could also be included in the full version of Modern Warfare 4. Shader compilation has become a common source of waiting and performance problems in modern PC games, so preparing this data earlier could make the initial experience smoother.
Another change targets the familiar "Update Requires Restart" message seen in recent Call of Duty games.
The development team is reducing the number of required restarts across platforms, including situations where the game receives a data update. This should mean fewer cases where players launch Call of Duty, install an update, restart the application, and then repeat the process.
Modern Warfare 4 PC beta requirements
The PC specifications cover hardware that is several generations old at the minimum level, although an SSD is required in both tiers.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64 bit | Windows 11 64 bit |
| CPU | Ryzen 5 1600 or Core i5 8400 | Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i7 8700 |
| RAM | 12 GB | 16 GB |
| AMD GPU | Radeon RX 470 | Radeon RX 6700 XT |
| Nvidia GPU | GeForce GTX 970 or GTX 1060 | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti |
| Intel GPU | Arc A580 | Arc B580 |
| VRAM | 3 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | SSD required | SSD required |
The minimum specification is relatively accessible for a modern Call of Duty release, especially on the CPU side. The recommended configuration moves to considerably newer graphics hardware but still does not require a current generation GPU.
PC players should also check their motherboard settings before launch. TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are mandatory for the beta, meaning systems with either feature disabled may not be able to start the game until the relevant BIOS settings are changed.
The beta gets its own launcher experience
Modern Warfare 4's beta will not require players to enter through the standard Call of Duty HQ interface.
Instead, the beta is being distributed as a separate experience with its own download and direct launch process. That should reduce the number of steps required to reach the game during the test.
The final version of Modern Warfare 4 will still use the regular Call of Duty launcher, so this separate setup appears to apply specifically to the beta.
Early access runs from August 21 through August 25. Players can enter by preordering Modern Warfare 4 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, or PlayStation 5.
The first testing period will include six multiplayer maps: Rooftops, Silkworm, Transit 213, Cachette, Lotus, and Kill Block. Nine multiplayer modes will rotate across the available maps.
Open beta begins August 28
A second beta weekend starts on August 28 and runs through September 1.
Unlike early access, this period will be open to everyone without requiring a preorder. Nintendo Switch 2 players will also join the test during the second weekend.
The open beta will include an additional notable feature. Players will be able to try a complete campaign mission, marking an unusual expansion beyond the multiplayer focus normally associated with Call of Duty beta testing.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled to launch on October 23, 2026, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. On PC, the game will be available through Steam, Xbox, and Battle.net.
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