The Battlefield 1 open beta gets underway at the end of August

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For those of you disappointed that the Titanfall 2 multiplayer tech test won't be coming our way, I have news that I hope will brighten your mood: The Battlefield 1 open beta is set to begin on August 31, and yes, we're getting it.

The BF1 open beta will include the Sinai Desert map, seen in the Gamescom gameplay trailer released today, and two modes: Conquest, in which 64 players battle to control objectives on the map, and Rush, a 24-player attack-and-defend mode that has one team trying to destroy Telegraph Posts, while the other fights to protect them. If the posts are destroyed, the Defenders must fall back to a new sector and try a little harder to hold the line.

Battlefield Insider subscribers, and those who sign up to become one prior to August 21, will be given early access to the open beta, although EA didn't specify precisely how early. EA will also be livestreaming Battlefield 1 gameplay from Gamescom at 12 pm PT on August 16, on Twitch.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.