'Marvel's Avengers' is free to try on PS4, Xbox, and PC this weekend — here's how to join the open beta

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• Players can try "Marvel's Avengers" weeks before it releases on September 4 with the ongoing beta program.
• From August 21 to August 23, players on PS4, Xbox and PC can download the "Marvel's Avengers" open beta for free to play both campaign missions and online multiplayer with friends.
• Earlier this month the game was available to players on PlayStation 4, and those who pre-ordered. Those who played early will see their progression carry over into this weekend's open beta.
• Players who preorder "Marvel's Avengers" will also get to play three days early, starting September 1.

Fans will get to try "Marvel's Avengers" — the upcoming video game adaptation of the blockbuster comic book and movie franchise — weeks before the game officially launches thanks to an ongoing beta program through the month of August.

Announced in 2017, "Avengers" is an online action game set in an alternate version of Marvel's universe, allowing players to form their own team of four heroes to take on the forces of a nefarious organization called A.I.M. The beta gives players a snippet of the game's story mode, but focuses primarily on the countless multiplayer missions that allow players to team up, improve their characters, and unlock new costumes and powerups.

Players spend time as Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and Ms. Marvel (not to be confused with Captain Marvel) during the beta, but only the latter four can be selected for online missions. Each character has a unique playstyle to match their superpowers, ranging from Iron Man's free flight and arsenal of weapons, to Black Widow's grappling hook and hand to hand combat abilities.

Read more: I played 7 hours of the new Marvel's Avengers game coming later this year. It's going to make a lot of people very happy.

The game is developed by Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind the recent reboot of the "Tomb Raider" franchise. In an interview with Business Insider, Crystal Dynamics studio head Scott Atmos said that the combat team tried to design each character as though they were starring in their own action game. Game systems designer Lauryn Ash said the team collaborated closely with Marvel to incorporate the kinds of iconic costumes, personalities, and overall atmosphere that diehard fans expect for their heroes.

"Marvel's Avengers" will continue receiving playable updates after release, including new heroes and story missions. Crystal Dynamics says new heroes will be free for all players, though there is an in-game credit system for unlocking specific costumes.

Updated on 8/21/2020 by Kevin Webb: Added new language and details for the game's open beta period.

How to play the "Marvel's Avengers" open beta before release

The final phase of the "Marvel's Avengers" open beta will take place between August 21 to 23. According to the game's social media accounts, beta access will typically run from 9 p.m. on Friday in your time zone, until 9 p.m. on Sunday, but players have been able to gain access earlier in the day on Friday, and the beta has been extended a few hours past the cut-off time in prior weeks.

You'll need to download the game for your choice of console or PC and create a Square Enix account to login.

Download the "Marvel's Avengers" open beta for:

• PS4 via the PlayStation Network store
• Xbox via the Microsoft Store
• PC via Steam

The open beta for "Marvel's Avengers" contains hours worth of gameplay, allowing players to replay missions and improve their characters up to a maximum level of 15 and a gear level of 45. Players who joined the beta during previous sessions on PS4 players or with early pre-orders can continue their progression this weekend, but it will not extend to the full release of the game.

"Marvel's Avengers" preorder benefits

There are several versions of "Marvel's Avengers" available for sale. Preordering any version will get you access to the beta, while the Deluxe Edition will also let you play the game three days early on September 1, instead of its listed release date of September 4.

The Deluxe Edition also includes an exclusive set of outfits for the six playable Avengers, while the "Earth's Mightiest Edition" includes a SteelBook case an a full set of Marvel collectibles. PlayStation 4 owners can access a special digital version of the game that offers 1,000 in-game credits as well.

You can preorder "Marvel's Avengers" on your console or at any video game retailer, including Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart.