Betawatch: Shot Online Golf is hosting its first beta test (May 26, 2017)

Golf! It’s technically a sport, but it’s mostly a waste of space and resources under the guise of one. Rather than actually wasting water, land, and time on a real golf course, why not play Shot Online Golf and get almost the same experience without any of the real waste? You can sign up for the game’s first closed beta now; the testing starts on May 31st. Of course, there’s always the vague possibility that the game secretly offers epic raid boss encounters, but let’s not leap to conclusions.

As for the rest of the beta news? Gaze below, friends.

• Curious about the progress of OrbusVR’s most recent closed alpha? You don’t have to just be curious; you can just check out a recap and thoughts on the matter. There were only about 100 people in the testing, so you might need the recap.
• The Worlds Adrift closed beta has arrived! No longer in alpha, you’re now testing in the second letter of the Greek alphabet! It’s meant to last about four months before an open beta for everyone, so get your testing in now.
• Win That War is out in early access and offers a large-scale multiplayer RTS experience. Just remember which war you’re supposed to be winning, which should be fairly straightforward given the title.
• The last big testing update for Albion Online has gone live, complete with revisions to several zones and the new Black Market feature. This one is named Hector, although politeness dictates you should refer to the update as “Mister Albion Online patch” unless it informs you that you can just call it Hector.
• The alpha for Legends of Aria (which is Shards Online but also not Shards Online) has begun, so you can jump in and start experiencing what the game has to offer. Best of all, if you don’t like some of the rules, you can always change them.
• Last but not least, Kritika Online is in closed beta. We have no more keys to give for the beta test, but you can still buy your way in if you’re so inclined.

Now, Mr. Bond, I expect you to go below and look at all of the other items in the list which are in testing. I also expect you to let us know if something slipped into a new test phase under our noses. And I wouldn’t mind if you let us know what you’re testing, if it’s not under NDA. Frankly, I don’t expect you to talk, but I wouldn’t mind it. It gets lonely out here.

As always, we consider an MMO to be in open testing if it features free, public signups and will server wipe prior to launch. An MMO is marked in closed testing if it’s running a private test phase that cannot freely be accessed by the general public; it’s usually under NDA as well. Early access and crowdfunded MMOs whose tests we deem legitimate will be included. So-called “open beta” soft-launch MMOs with cash shops, no sign of launch in the west, or limited interest for our readers will not be listed; we also do not list expansions, with occasional exceptions.

AdventureQuest 3D: Open beta
Albion Online: Closed beta, launching July 17th
Boundless: Donor alpha
Camelot Unchained: Backer alpha
Children of Ur: Open alpha
Cloud Pirates: Early access
Crossout: Closed beta, open beta launches May 30th
Crowfall: Backer pre-alpha
Cube World: Closed alpha
DayZ: Early access
Divergence Online: Alpha
Edengrad: Early access
Eleven: Closed alpha
Ever, Jane: Open beta
Fragmented: Early access
Gigantic: Open beta
Gloria Victis: Early Access on Steam
H1Z1: Paid early access, split into two games
HEX: Unofficial open beta
Kritika Online: Closed beta
LawBreakers: Closed beta weekends
Legends of Aria: Alpha, formerly known as Shards Online
Life is Feudal: Closed beta
Line of Defense: Early access, removed from Steam
Master x Master: Alpha test
Mu Legend: Closed beta
MyDream: Closed testing open to donors
Origins of Malu: Development moving forward on battleground experience, MMO suspended
Osiris: New Dawn: Early access
Paladins: Closed beta
Paragon: Open beta
Pathfinder Online: Subscription “early enrollment”
Project Genom: Closed alpha
Project Gorgon: Free, open testing
SamuTale: Closed alpha
Sea of Thieves: Technical alpha
Secret World Legends: Closed beta, launching June 26th
SkySaga: Open beta soft launch approaching, date not yet announced
Star Citizen: Backer alpha
Stash: Backer alpha
The Black Death: Early access alpha
The Culling: Early access testing
The Exiled: Early access; formerly Das Tal
The Repopulation: Closed alpha
Tree of Life: Open beta
Tribal Wars 2: Open testing
TUG: Steam early access alpha
Valiance Online: Alpha testing
Wild Terra: Steam early access
Worlds Adrift: Closed beta