My Twitter feed is burnin’ up with eager Call of Duty players asking when they will get a chance to try out Call of Duty Elite for themselves and how it will all work. The official site will always have the latest official info, and callofduty.com/elite/faq should be considered the ultimate source. Additionally, I have a comprehensive collection of general info on Elite here and a mid-August status report from the devs at Beachhead on this podcast. But just for now, here’s a fast Q&A for some of the big beta-specific questions I’ve been asked so far.
When will the beta start?
The official start date is July 14, 2011. That is when the first wave of invites will go out. Later waves of invites will go out…later.
How will I know if I got in?
You will get an email at the address you used when you signed up. It will contain instructions on what to do next.
When will invites go out for the first wave?
The first wave starts Thursday, July 14. There is no set hour during the day for that to happen, so there’s no need to camp out at your computer. Also, it’s been said several times before, but it bears repeating: the first wave will be very small. It will grow with time, so you might not — probably won’t — get in immediately. Don’t let that worry you; slow and steady is part of the plan. It has to be, or this won’t work at all.
How are you selecting participants for the beta?
It’s not a hard and fast rule, but they’re trying to invite people more or less in the order they signed up. Other factors will apply, and of course everything is really being determined by the system itself. But if you signed up quickly, they’re going to try to get you in quickly.
How quickly do I have to respond to the invite? Will I lose my place in line if I get the invite while I’m at work?
No, you won’t lose your place in line. Once you get the invite, just start the process when you can.
Groups will be up and running for the beta. Find your friends and go nuts.
How many people are getting into beta? Are you really going to get all 2 million people in?
“As many as possible” is the official answer, but as stated from the beginning, the beta will roll out in waves. It will start with a small group of people and the Beachhead team will steadily add more people from Day 1 onward. This will take place over a few weeks. As for the two million volunteers, we’ll have to see how it goes, but yeah, that’s the plan.
How many people will be in the first wave, and the next wave, and the next wave? How often will you launch new waves of invites for new people?
It’s hard to give specific numbers for these questions, since both of these depend on the system itself. Remember, this is a live beta with an evolving system — it’s like entering the Indy 500 while the car is still being built. As long as the system can remain stable, more people will be invited as frequently as possible — as many and as often as the system can accomodate.
My friend got in and I didn’t. What’s the deal?
It’s nothing personal — just be patient. Two million people signed up, and if they were all let in at the same time, nothing would work right. That’s why the beta exists: to build slowly and make sure the system is stable as it grows. They’re going to add people as quickly as they can, but they will need to juggle different priorities and address different aspects of Elite as they go.
Is this beta open to both Xbox 360 and PS3 players?
Yes. They’re starting with 360 and adding PS3 later. The explanation is stated in the updated official FAQ:
There are two basic reasons for starting with Xbox 360. First, in order to better manage the beta and reduce variables we are launching with one platform as we begin our testing. Second, due to the past outage of the PSN we have not had as much time to internally develop and test the online functionality of Call of Duty Elite with PSN. It is important that we have thoroughly QA tested functionality before releasing to a public beta phase.
Remember, the key to a successful beta is being able to manage the data and build slowly — this is why the beta is rolling out in waves, with more people being let in periodically. Launching on one platform makes sense in the same way: less margin for error, less variables at the start. The PSN outage probably only complicated things; it’s hard to build a platform when you can’t get data from one of the sources.
Is the beta open to PC players?
That was the original plan, but the plan apparently changed at the last minute. While PC was an option during sign-ups, the FAQ now says, “Currently, we do not plan to launch a version of the beta for the PC version of Call of Duty: Black Ops.” I know that’s disappointing (I’m bummed, I think my PC stats might be higher than the others, actually) but I suppose it’s better than biting off more than you can chew for the beta. I asked the devs from Beachhead about why PC was not made part of the beta on episode 81 of my podcast if you would like to hear more on this topic.
The player card offers stats, heat maps, and more basic free goodies.
Is this beta going to be global?
Yes, but the beta site will only be in English. The final release version of Elite will feature localized versions with native languages around the world, but for the beta, it’s English only. The updated FAQ answers this in greater detail:
All countries will be able to access Call of Duty Elite and are eligible to win digital badges via Operations. Because this is still a beta, only those in Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States will be eligible to win real world prizes through Operations. Once the full service launches with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Operations will be region specific. We will have a moderation staff working during the beta, but they will be English speaking only. We will not be able to respond to comments provided to us in a language besides English. Once Call of Duty Elite launches in the fall, there will be regional moderating teams.
I was asked to participate in a survey. Does that mean I’m in?
No, but it doesn’t mean you’re not, either. You volunteered to help, so they’re taking you up on it — but the survey is different from an actual beta invite. If you get into the beta itself, you will get another email with full instructions on how to sign up.
I see some people offering beta tokens. Are those real?
No! While you can sometimes redeem DLC via a code or a token, there are no tokens or codes for the Call of Duty Elite beta on any platform. The only way to get in is by signing up with your email, and you will only be contacted via that email when you are invited into the beta. Additionally, you do not need to download any software to participate in the Elite beta. Be wary of scammers who are using the popularity of Call of Duty to get to you. Constant vigilance!
Is the beta going to use Modern Warfare 3 data? Is this a public beta for MW3?
No, the beta will use data from Call of Duty: Black Ops. MW3 functionality will be discussed in more detail at Call of Duty XP, and it will actually be integrated when MW3 and Elite officially launch on November 8, 2011.
Something didn’t work right with Elite during the beta — will you fix it?
That’s the whole point. Remember, you volunteered for a real beta. You will be accessing a version of Elite that is not complete, so you will almost certainly experience some hiccups or find things that don’t work the way they are supposed to work. Please report the issues you identify using the instructions found on the Elite site. The team needs your clear, concise feedback to fix what’s not working. If you do not want that responsibility, please wait for the full launch in November when Elite is ready for the world.
I didn’t find a glitch, but I do have a suggestion. Are you looking for that feedback too?
Yes — the team at Beachhead wants to hear your ideas for improving Elite. They need to know what you like, what you don’t like, what you find useful, what you don’t find useful, all that stuff. General feedback and fresh ideas are encouraged. Please send in that type of feedback using the instructions found on the Elite site.
Elite has a lot of offer, but if you have more ideas, Beachead will be listening.
So, is all this beta stuff free?
The beta itself is free, and Elite’s core functionality is free, but some of what you will see and test in the beta will ultimately be offered as part of the premium membership. When Elite launches, all the stuff in this list will definitely be free — and maybe more. More details will be announced later.
Will I get to play with the mobile applications in the beta?
Nope. The mobile app functionality — being able to change your loadouts on a smartphone and then push it to the game — will not be ready until this fall.
When will the beta end?
When the fat lady sings. Actually, there’s no set end date yet; when I hear something on this, I’ll let you know.
If you have more questions, chime in below and I’ll try to find the answers, but by all means, make sure you have read the official FAQ first. If your questions are more general about Elite itself, you might find the answers in this article, which goes into more detail about the entire project.
