Activision’s annual Call of Duty NEXT broadcast is the last big beat before Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 goes playable. It runs live, it’s free, and the Early Access Beta unlocks the moment the stream wraps — which makes the start time worth pinning down rather than guessing.
Quick answer: Call of Duty NEXT 2026 goes live on Friday, August 21, 2026 at 9AM PT / 12PM ET / 4PM UTC / 5PM BST on the official Call of Duty YouTube and Twitch channels. No sign-up or subscription is required to watch.
Release time: August 21, 2026 at 9:00AM PDT (4:00PM UTC)
Call of Duty NEXT 2026 start times by region
The broadcast starts at the same instant everywhere, so anyone east of Europe is looking at a late-night or early-morning session. For a chunk of Asia and Oceania, the show technically lands on Saturday, August 22.
| Region | Start time |
|---|---|
| US Pacific | 9:00AM PDT, Aug 21 |
| US Mountain | 10:00AM MDT, Aug 21 |
| US Central | 11:00AM CDT, Aug 21 |
| US Eastern | 12:00PM EDT, Aug 21 |
| UTC | 4:00PM, Aug 21 |
| UK | 5:00PM BST, Aug 21 |
| Central Europe | 6:00PM CEST, Aug 21 |
| India | 9:30PM IST, Aug 21 |
| China | 12:00AM CST, Aug 22 |
| Japan | 1:00AM JST, Aug 22 |
| Eastern Australia | 2:00AM AEST, Aug 22 |
| New Zealand | 4:00AM NZST, Aug 22 |
Activision hasn’t published a runtime, and past editions have run long. If you’re chasing the beta rather than the reveals, plan for the stream to occupy a good part of your evening.
Where to watch Call of Duty NEXT 2026 for free
This is a digital-only event. There’s no ticket, no paywall, and no launcher requirement — the show streams on the official Call of Duty YouTube channel and the official Call of Duty Twitch channel simultaneously. Tune in on desktop, mobile, or a TV app; all of them count as watching.
There’s a third option this year if you own an eligible Samsung TV. The showcase also plays through Samsung Gaming Hub at the same time, and the built-in Samsung Promotion app on those sets is handing out Modern Warfare 4 beta codes during the event.
Note: If you want reward drops or a beta code from watching, link your YouTube or Twitch account to your Activision account before the stream begins. Watching signed out doesn’t register.
What Activision is showing at Call of Duty NEXT 2026
Multiplayer is the spine of the broadcast, with core 6v6 gameplay shown live rather than in a trailer cut. Activision has confirmed a first look at Kill Block, a Warzone segment built around the new Zodiac map, and a walk through the maps and modes shipping at launch.
- Core 6v6 multiplayer played live
- Kill Block gameplay
- Warzone intel, including the first look at Zodiac
- Launch maps and modes
- Developer commentary on design and balance
- More than 1,000 global creators and community players
- A mobility course competition
- Reward drops and beta code giveaways
Nintendo Switch 2 owners get their first proper look at how Modern Warfare 4 behaves on the hardware here, too. Campaign material isn’t the focus of the show, though one mission does become playable immediately afterward.
Modern Warfare 4 beta dates after the broadcast
The Early Access Beta opens the instant Call of Duty NEXT ends on August 21 — there’s no separate countdown to wait out. Modern Warfare 4’s beta is also the first in the series to include a campaign mission, Entrenched, alongside multiplayer and Warzone in a single package.
| Beta phase | Dates | Who gets in |
|---|---|---|
| Early Access Beta | Aug 21 – Aug 25 | Pre-orders on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, Discord Nitro subscribers, and anyone holding a code |
| Open Beta | Aug 28 – Sept 1 | Everyone, across all platforms including Nintendo Switch 2 |
How to get into the Early Access Beta
There are four routes in, and they don’t stack — one is enough. Pre-ordering Modern Warfare 4 grants access automatically, tied to the platform you bought it on.
Tip: Codes are tied to the Activision account that redeems them, not to the platform store. Redeem on the same account you’ll launch the game with, and preload once the beta build appears so you’re not queuing behind a download when the stream ends.
The short version: block out the afternoon of August 21 if you’re in the Americas or Europe, set an alarm if you’re not, and have your account linked before the countdown hits zero. Everything Activision plans to say about Modern Warfare 4’s multiplayer lands in that one window, and the beta starts the second it’s over.