The download comes to a grand total of 42.80GB, so it’s one you’ll want to get going before the big day arrives. To do so: open the Battle.net launcher, select Call Of Duty: BOCW from the panel on the left, close any pre-order pop-up ads you might see, click Install, point it to a folder, then select Confirm Install. While there’s been no official word on a start time, going by the pre-order betas which started at 6pm BST (10am Pacific), I can only assume it’ll be the same on Saturday. It’s set to run from Saturday the 17th through to Monday the 19th.
So, what is there to get stuck into? You’ve got the traditional progression system of weapon unlocks, perks, and equipment, as well as the usual assortment of modes including Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Hardpoint. But the most interesting of the lot is the new 40-player mode Fireteam: Dirty Bomb. Ten squads of four drop into a large map to collect uranium to deposit into ‘dirty bombs’ scattered all over the place. It’s for players who like some elements of the Warzone experience with the large map, vehicular combat, and extended gun fights without the unforgiving battle royale format. This features respawns which should give it that traditional multiplayer feel, rather than that Warzone experience we’ve all had where we get dropped five minutes in and have to watch our mates cower in a corner for hours. Treyarch are also offering an exclusive Mutual Animosity SMG blueprint if you reach level ten or higher during the Cold War beta. It’ll appear in your inventory when you purchase the full game, and I can’t wait to discard it almost immediately when I unlock something better. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings Reach level 10 during the #BlackOpsColdWar Beta and get the “Mutual Animosity” SMG blueprint at launch. pic.twitter.com/i53DsYHp92 — Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) October 15, 2020 If you’re a bit concerned about whether your rig will be able to run the game, fear not, because the specs aren’t a big ask. Black Ops Cold War is due to launch November 13th on Battle.net.
