This Black Ops 3 beta trailer has maps, guns, and horrific dismembering nanomachines

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 multiplayer beta kicks off in just over a week. Until then, this trailer will help you get familiar with the modes, maps, weapons, and all-new specialists on offer in this sneak preview of the juggernaut competitive shooter.

The beta will include access to eight specialists, each of whom has their own distinct special abilities, and a smattering of customizable high-tech weaponry. That includes a nanomachine mine launcher, which you can see eating a dude's limbs off about 40 seconds into the trailer. Just because the specialists have more personality than the generic create-a-class goons of yore doesn't mean they won't still die terribly.

The beta, which is open only for those who pre-order the full game, will run from August 19 to 23 on PS4, and then on Xbox One and PC from August 26 through 30. Looks like you'll probably have to wait a little longer for the eSports-friendly Arena mode.

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Connor Sheridan

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and now I'm a staff writer here at GamesRadar.