The two biggest FPS franchises are going head-to-head this week. Battlefield 6 launched a free trial today, August 18, and it runs through Tuesday, August 25. That end date is not a coincidence: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's first beta kicks off Friday, August 21, and wraps on the same day. Multiplayer shooter fans have a genuinely packed weekend ahead.
For players who haven't jumped into Battlefield 2042's successor yet, the timing gives a clean window to try Battlefield 6 before Modern Warfare 4 takes over the conversation on Friday.
What the free trial actually includes
The trial lands alongside Season 4's mid-season update, which brings the Top Gun collaboration that the community has been waiting on. Both of Season 4's new maps are playable during the trial period, and the Carrier Strike game mode, loaded with Top Gun-themed content, is part of the package.
Here's the thing: the other Top Gun-branded mode, Fighter Sweep, was already available in Battlefield 6's free-to-play Redsec tier. That means the entire Top Gun crossover event is effectively free to access right now, whether you're a trial player or already in Redsec. Battlefield Studios and EA timed this well from a content standpoint.
A rivalry with a well-documented history
This kind of counter-programming between the two franchises is nothing new. When Battlefield 6 launched, Black Ops 6 ran a week-long free trial to pull attention away. Battlefield Studios returned the favour shortly after the troubled launch of Black Ops 7, dropping the game free for a week while that title was struggling to hold its audience. The pattern is clear, and both sides know exactly what they're doing.
The Modern Warfare 4 beta is shaping up to be a significant event on its own. Infinity Ward and Activision have packed the first session with multiple maps and modes, and in a first for the franchise, a playable campaign mission is included in the beta build. That alone will draw attention.
Why the overlap window actually works in players' favour
The schedules don't fully cancel each other out. With Battlefield 6's trial starting today and the Modern Warfare 4 beta not opening until Friday, there are three full days to spend time with Battlefield 6 before the beta demands attention. Players genuinely interested in both games can sample one before committing to the other.
What most players miss in these counter-programming moves is that the real winner is the player base. Free access to two major FPS titles in the same week, one with a fresh Top Gun event and one with a campaign demo baked into its beta, is a strong week for the genre regardless of which franchise you lean toward.
For anyone looking to get more out of Battlefield 6 during the trial, the Battlefield 2042 guides cover the core mechanics and loadout strategies that still apply to how the series plays. If you want broader tips across multiple shooters this week, the full gaming guides hub has you covered heading into a busy FPS weekend.
