Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War free Alpha takes place this weekend on PS4

(Image credit: Activision)

Treyarch and Raven Software has announced that a Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Alpha is taking place exclusively on PS4 this weekend, from Friday, September 18, to Sunday, September 20. 

The news was announced at tonight's PS5 showcase, which also gave us a first look at gameplay from the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War campaign. You can check it out in the video below: 

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(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

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You don't need to have pre-ordered the game to access the Alpha, nor will you need a PS Plus subscription, with pre-loading of the experience beginning on Thursday, September 17 (that's tomorrow!)

Activision has confirmed exactly what's included in the Alpha, but it's likely to feature the same content that streamers got to enjoy earlier this month, which is a number of small and large scale maps and modes that give you a decent idea of what to expect from the full game once it launches this November. 

It'll also give Treyarch and Raven a chance to hear feedback on Black Ops Cold War ahead of the full release, so launch day can be as polished a multiplayer experience as possible. 

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is also holding a beta next month, which will also take place on Xbox One and PC in addition to PS4, while those who pre-order the upcoming first-person shooter gain access to special content instantly available in Call of Duty: Warzone

You can find more details about the upcoming Alpha on the PS Blog post here, and be sure to stay tuned to GamesRadar for all other next-gen news arriving out of the PS5 showcase.

For more, here's the latest info on how to secure your PS5 pre-order or watch the video below for our comparisons of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. To make sure you get the best deal on the game, check out our Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War pre-orders page.

Alex Avard

I'm GamesRadar's Features Writer, which makes me responsible for gracing the internet with as many of my words as possible, including reviews, previews, interviews, and more. Lucky internet!