Battlefield 1 Open Beta Starts on August 31

Battlefield 1, EA's first video game set around World War I in over two decades, is getting an open beta that starts August 31 before its October release, the company announced in a blog post late on Monday. If you would like early access, you will need to sign up as a Battlefield Insider member by this Sunday, August 21 and opt for your platform preference to get a code.

The beta will give players access to the Sinai Desert map, based on the real life one in the nation of Egypt, and provide two game modes in Conquest - a large-scale game mode with up to 64 players fighting for control - and Rush - a 24-player mode where the attacking force must find and destroy the telegraph posts of the defending force.

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"From infantry skirmishes in the narrow streets of the village of Bir el Mazar to dogfights above the majestic cliffs, you'll need to make tactical use of the dunes as you engage in explosive battles," EA explained. "When all hope is lost, reinforcements will arrive in the shape of a powerful Behemoth: a deadly Armoured Train charging through the desert sands."

Battlefield 1 is the first major entry in the franchise since 2013's Battlefield 4 and the first Battlefield game not to release on either of the previous-gen consoles - PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 - since 2005's Battlefield 2: Modern Combat. The open beta for Battlefield 1 will be available on all three release platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Origin for PC.