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Activision has announced that all PS5 and PS4 players will be able to participate in the Call of Duty: Vanguard Alpha on August 27 and try out the brand-new Champion Hill game mode.
As revealed on PlayStation.Blog, the Alpha will run from 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST on August 27 through 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BST on August 29.
The Call of Duty: Vanguard Alpha kicks off August 27 on PS5 and PS4. Details on the new Champion Hill Multiplayer mode and pre-load: https://t.co/VwVVtrgCn5 pic.twitter.com/dlT9Gs7bJK
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) August 22, 2021
Not only will PlayStation players not need to pre-order, but players in most countries will not even need PlayStation Plus to participate. PS4 and PS5 players in Germany will need a PlayStation Plus subscription due to the game’s age rating, and a “nominal fee is required for PS4 and PS5 owners in Japan.”
Preloading for the Call of Duty: Vanguard Alpha will begin on August 23 at 3am PT/6am PT/11am BST, and players of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Warzone, or Black Ops Cold War will be able to access it through the game’s respective menus after its downloaded if they wish.
All participants in the Alpha will receive a Calling Card and an Emblem in Vanguard, as well as in Warzone following the integration of Vanguard.
Champion Hill is a multi-arena survival tournament where “tactics and strategy combine with quick-action, close-quarter gunplay.” The Alpha will feature both Duo (2v2) and Trio (3v3) versions of Champion Hill, and players will compete in a round-robin tournament against seven other teams.
Each Squad will have a number of lives, and the goal is to be the last one standing in a series of timed Combat rounds. All players will start with the same Loadout, but cash you earn from killing other players or from picking up around the map will allow you to purchase new weapons and gear.
While this Alpha is only for PlayStation players, those who pre-order on all platforms will gain access to Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Beta in September ahead of its release date of November 5, 2021.
For more on Call of Duty: Vanguard, check out all the new details on the game’s campaign and multiplayer and the news of Warzone’s new map and Anti-Cheat.
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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.