Back 4 Blood developers have disappointing news about a second beta
There are still some ways to play early.
Back 4 Blood made a big splash in August with its Open Beta.
Two months ahead of the game’s launch, players had a chance to try out both the game’s Left 4 Dead-inspired cooperative campaign mode and its unique competitive multiplayer mode. The Open Beta amassed 5.6 million players, but there has been no word on if there will be another beta since the Open Beta ended on August 16.
Inverse reached out to Warner Bros. about the potential for any more preview weekends before launch, and while the response we received is cause for disappointment, things are a bit more complicated than you’d think.
Will there be a second Back 4 Blood Open Beta?
A PR representative for Warner Bros. Games confirmed to Inverse that there are “no more betas planned before launch.” WB and developer Turtle Rock hadn’t previously mentioned anything about another beta weekend, but with almost two months left until release, it seemed possible. But now we have official confirmation that Back 4 Blood won’t get a second Open Beta.
This video reveals some interesting stats from the game’s open beta.
If you wanted to get in on the fun before Back 4 Blood’s launch, you would’ve had to participate in one of the game’s Open Betas in August. But there is still a way to play the game a few days before the official October 12 launch.
How to play Back 4 Blood early
If you buy the $89.99 Deluxe Edition or the $99.99 Ultimate Edition, you’ll get access to Back 4 Blood on October 8, which is four days before the full launch. The Deluxe and Ultimate Editions of Back 4 Blood come with the Annual Pass for DLC, while the Ultimate Edition also includes the Battle Hardened Character Skin Pack and a rare in-game banner, spray, emblem, and title.
This option is good if you really want to play the game again before others can, but it is quite expensive. There will be another way to try Back 4 Blood at release without paying for it directly if you're on a tight budget.
How to try Back 4 Blood at launch for $1
At E3 2021, we learned that Back 4 Blood will be included in the Xbox Game Pass subscription for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and PC on day one. It follows in the footsteps of games like Outriders and Humankind in that regard.
While Back 4 Blood will cost $59.99 at launch, an Xbox Game Pass subscription is just $9.99 a month for one platform or $14.99 a month for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If it’s your first time using the service, you can even get your first month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Xbox Game Pass for PC for just $1.
It’s not free, but Xbox Game Pass newcomers will have a way to try Back 4 Blood for just $1 when it releases. The game also features cross-play, so you can play with your friends on PlayStation if you decide to pick it up on Xbox or PC.
Back 4 Blood will be released on October 12, 2021.
