1. Confirmation from Activision
2. Game Pass Influence on Decision
3. Past Experiences and Expectations

Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will not have early access for fans, despite past traditions. The game is set to launch on October 25, 2024.

Confirmation from Activision

CharlieIntel announced Activision's statement on X. The developers are focused on the launch set for October 25, 2024. “The team is fully focused on October 25th. We are excited about all the game has to offer across Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies. This year, we made the decision to ensure the community gets to dig in to any and all modes that they want at the same time, so we are back to one massive global launch moment October 25th. As such, there is no Early Access beat this year for Black Ops 6, just the countdown to launch.”

Game Pass Influence on Decision

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be the first game in the series to launch directly on Game Pass, Xbox's subscription service. This could be one of the reasons why Activision decided to opt for a single global launch.

Past Experiences and Expectations

Previously, Activision released campaign early access for players who pre-ordered COD games. Last year, the Modern Warfare 3 campaign also got early access. Normally, early access periods begin a week before the official launch date, allowing fans to immediately access multiplayer and zombie modes after playing through the story. This time around, Activision chose a different direction for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, aiming for players to access and experience all game modes simultaneously. The second beta weekend of Black Ops 6 has just ended, with full changes expected to be announced by the official launch. The beta release helps developers improve errors and faults in the game experience. The beta version of Black Ops 6 was infested by hackers, a problem that gamers expect to be resolved in the full launch.

The decision to forego early access for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is tied to the developers' desire to provide players with equal opportunities to experience the game. The official launch is set for October 25, 2024.