So it appears that Torchlight III has finished its round of closed testing! Great! And what happens next for the game? When is the next round of testing? When can other people try it out? How is babby formed? All fine questions yet to be answered. It is a mystery, ooo, spooky noises.
Other beta news has emerged. Alert.
- Crowfall is now officially in alpha testing! This does not actually change much from when it was technically in pre-alpha, but it is still a long-awaited development.
- The SEGS project has reached the feedback stage for alpha 4.x, so… you know, the team would like your input on that one.
- Want to take part in a testing event on Starbase? Well, too bad, you had your chance and you missed it. Fool.
- The free-fly event in Star Citizen has been extended due to the fact that lots of technical issues have prevented people from persistently flying, free or otherwise.
- Last but not least, it looks like World of Warcraft: Shadowlands will finally let you be a High Elf visually. Whether you’re Horde or Alliance, even!
Gosh, I feel like there’s a company that should be really happy we don’t cover games in this column that never technically had a beta on one platform, but that’s also a good demonstration of why having a beta that tests things and irons out major issues ahead of launch is real important. Perhaps that’s motivation enough to dive into this week’s list down below with a renewed appreciation of that necessity? You can even let us know if something jumped test phases down in the comments.
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
Arcfall: Pre-alpha
Ashes of Creation: Alpha one testing in May; Apocalypse early access has ended
Book of Travels: Closed beta
Camelot Unchained: Closed beta one
Children of Ur: Open alpha, further development merged with Eleven
Crowfall: Backer alpha
Cube World: Closed beta since September 23rd
Dauntless: Open beta
Dark and Light: Early access
Dual Universe: Alpha
ECO: Early access
Eleven: Closed alpha
Elyon: Korean beta (fka Ascent Infinite Realm)
Ever, Jane: Open beta
Kurtzpel: Closed beta
Gloria Victis: Early access on Steam
Guardians of Ember: Open beta
Hearthstone Battleground Mode: Open beta
Inferna: Early access
Life is Feudal: Early access
Line of Defense: Early access, removed from Steam
Magic: Legends: Beta testing in 2020
Mortal Online 2: Closed alpha
New World: Closed alpha, launching August 2020
Occupy White Walls: Early access
Osiris: New Dawn: Open beta
Outlaws of the Old West: Early access
Pantheon: Backer pre-alpha
Pathfinder Online: Subscription “early enrollment”
Population Zero: Early access
Project Genom: Closed alpha, servers offline for restructuring with SpatialOS
Project Gorgon: Early access beta
Prosperous Universe: Early access
Saga of Lucimia: Closed alpha
SamuTale: Closed alpha
Ship of Heroes: Alpha
Star Citizen: Backer alpha
Temtem: Early access
The Black Death: Early access alpha
The Cycle: Alpha, weekly test cycle
The Repopulation: Early access alpha
Torchlight III: Closed alpha/beta
Valiance Online: Alpha
Yes, MMO gamers, you too can perform the unpaid quality-control work otherwise known as game testing! Check out Massively Overpowered’s Betawatch every week for a run-down of MMOs that are still on the road to launch, even if they appear to have set up a permanent residence in a shed called early access.
