Marvel’s Avengers is the new game from Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics, and co-developer Eidos Montreal. Playable solo offline or in online co-op for up to four players, Avengers is the first real AAA attempt to bring Marvel’s iconic team to the realm of third-person action games. I like to think of it as a third-person version of the amazing, but ill-fated Marvel Heroes. We played the beta ahead of its launch, and it reminded us of Anthem. Take that as you will. This weekend, the third and final beta weekend kicks off, and we’ve got all the details about what to expect, how to get in on the action and more.

Marvel’s Avengers beta dates

Like Call of Duty and a few other big games, the Marvel’s Avengers beta takes place over three weekends, gradually expanding access to more and more people. Content is identical across the different weekends (more on that below). With that in mind, here’s how it all breaks down:

PS4 pre-order beta

As if getting an entire character (Spider-Man) all to themselves wasn’t enough, PS4 players also got first dibs on the Marvel’s Avengers beta. The first pre-order weekend for PS4 players is now behind us, and players on PS4 got free entry last week in an open beta.

Open beta on all platforms

This weekend (August 21), the Marvel’s Avengers beta opens up to everyone on PC, PS4 and Xbox One without the need for pre-ordering. The beta client is available now to download across Steam, the PlayStation Store and the Microsoft Store, no codes necessary.

Marvel’s Avengers beta start times

Times across all three beta sessions are the same. This also goes for all three platforms: PC, PS4 and Xbox One betas all kick off at the same time. The Marvel’s Avengers beta goes live at 9pm local time on Friday of each of the three weekends. You’ll be able to play until 9pm local time on Sunday of the same weekend.

Marvel’s Avengers beta pre-load

The beta is available now to pre-load across Steam, the PlayStation Store and the Microsoft Store on Xbox One with a download size around 27GB.

Marvel’s Avengers beta PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold requirement

As you should know by now, PlayStation Plus is not required to access any of the content in the Marvel’s Avengers beta. On Xbox One, Gold is required only if you plan to play online co-op. If you’re going to be rolling alone and/or with the AI, you won’t need Gold.

Marvel’s Avengers beta content

As explained above, all three Marvel’s Avengers betas offer access to the same content, and there’s plenty to play. The beta includes four hero missions from the campaign, four War Zones, five Drop Zones, and three HARM rooms. War Zones are Destiny Strike-like, co-op missions (also playable solo). Drop Zones are their smaller sibling, often revolving around a single objective, and all are likewise playable solo or in co-op. As for HARM, it stands for Holographic Augmented Reality Machine and it is essentially a series of challenge rooms. HARM Rooms can be played solo or in co-op. When it comes to the Avengers themselves, you’ll be able to pick between Iron Man, Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Black Widow. The only exception is the opening mission, which you’ve probably already seen, as it’s the only time you’ll be taking control of Thor and Captain America in the beta. Past that mission, any of the available heroes can be levelled up to level 15 and Power 45. Keep in mind that every team could only have one of any of the heroes, so you may not always get to play as what you want. Crystal Dynamics is also gifting all players some in-game currency used to unlock costumes, emotes and other cosmetics. Some other cosmetics are earned through play.

Marvel’s Avengers beta progress

Your progress will carry over between the different Marvel’s Avengers beta weekends, if you intend to take part in more than one. However, that progress won’t carry over to the full game. As a bonus, you will get two nameplates you can use in the full game, one is earned simply by playing, and the other is a reward for completing three HARM Room challenges.

Marvel’s Avengers beta cross-play

The Marvel’s Avengers beta does not support cross-play or cross-progression between any of the three platforms. The good news is that, when the game releases on PS5 and Xbox Series X, you’ll be able to play with your friends on PS4/Xbox One, and carry over your progress if you decide to upgrade.