Can a game break your heart even before it launches? Yes. Yes it can. Case in point, Blue Protocol has broken what little remains of mine by delaying its global launch until 2024, with the Japanese launch taking place on June 14th. This is probably not surprising given the delays it’s already gone through, but that doesn’t mean we have to be happy about it. I have resolved to be downright catty about it, in fact. I wanted the game now.
Of course, we needn’t break hearts. You could always break zombies – sorry, “infected” – in Undawn when it launches on June 15th. It even features a dead-eyed digital simulacrum of Will Smith, although sadly it does not include a game mode in which you play as Will slapping the ever-loving stuffing out of a trollish Chris Rock in a variety of outfits. (I can only assume Chris Rock’s lawyers would not have approved of that mode.)
But there were more beta stories this week that didn’t involve any slaps whatsoever. You can check them out just below, and check out even more games in testing on the list below. As always, let us know in the comments if something skipped test phases without our noticing!
Pow Vista is an open beta mobile MMO that blends skateboarding, old-school combat, and creature collecting
Fractured Online opens its data migration tool to let previous players carry their account information over
Craftopia confirms a June launch window for its large-scale seamless world update
BitCraft’s pre-alpha test of progression and cooperation systems runs through May 31
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen dates June pre-alpha and talks about designing its healer classes
Throne & Liberty kicks off Korean closed beta as we wait for the fall launch
Tree of Savior is getting a brand-new global version under Papaya next week
Will Smith headlines Tencent’s mobile survival MMO Undawn, launching June 15
Wayfinder’s largest global beta test to date kicks off today and runs all weekend under NDA
Cozy MMO Palia, still deep in alpha testing, plans more tech test weekends – maybe you’re invited
Corepunk says beta delay is due to unfinished optimization, but it’s making progress with bots
Blue Protocol’s global release is delayed to 2024, Japanese version launches June 14
BattleBit Remastered is a low-poly large-scale team FPS headed to early access in June
Co-op survivalbox Coreborn Nations of the Ultracore launches in early access July 18
Ashfall delays release to summer 2024, promises multiple beta tests beforehand
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 often 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, nor will games that are NFT/blockchain scams; we also do not list expansions, with occasional exceptions. Finally, we’ll mark games “malingering” if they’ve been in a certain tier of development for a long time with no clear path to launch.
Open testing
Closed testing
Paid access
Legit MMORPG
Multiplayer
MalingeringThe Adventurer’s Domain Online: Early access
Aero Tales Online: Early access
Age of Water: Beta
Anvil Empires: Intermittent alpha
Arcane Waters: Early access
Arcfall: Pre-alpha
ARK 2: Closed testing
Ashes of Creation: Alpha two in planning
Ashfall: Closed testing
Battlebit: Early access
Bellatores: Closed testing
Blue Protocol: Japanese launch on June 14th, launching worldwide in 2024
Book of Travels: Early access
Camelot Unchained: Closed beta
Chronicles of Elyria: Pre-alpha, again
Chrono Odyssey: Closed testing
Cinderstone Online: Closed beta
City of Titans: Alpha
Coreborn: Nations of the Ultracore: Alpha
Corepunk: Closed alpha
Craftopia: Early access
The Crew Motorfest: Closed testing
Dark and Light: Early access (abandoned?)
Darkbind: Closed beta (probably abandoned?)
The Day Before: Closed alpha (delay drama)
Diablo IV: Open beta
Dreamworld: Pre-alpha
Dune Awakening: Closed testing
ECO: Early access
Eleven: Closed alpha
Enlisted: Beta
Fae Farm: Closed testing (delayed)
Fractured Online: Back in closed development
Fractured Veil: Back in closed development
Frozen Flame: Early access
Genfanad: Alpha
Ilysia: Alpha two
Inferna: Early access
Kurtzpel: Closed beta
Last Oasis: Early access (abandoned?)
Lost Skies: Closed testing
Monsters & Memories: Intermittent pre-alpha
Mortal Exodus: Closed testing
Multiverse: Returned to closed testing
Nightingale: Meep
Noah’s Heart: Beta
Odd Giants: Alpha
Outlaws of the Old West: Early access
Palia: Closed alpha
Pantheon: Intermittent backer alpha
Past Fate: Closed alpha
Pax Dei: Closed alpha
Perfect New World: Closed beta
Pow Vista: Open beta (mobile)
Project Genom: Closed alpha (servers offline, abandoned?)
Project Gorgon: Early access beta
Prosperous Universe: Early access
Reign of Guilds: Intermittent open beta
SamuTale: Closed alpha
Seed: Alpha (drama, crypto link and weird comms blockout?)
Shadow’s Kiss: Early access (but read this first)
Ship of Heroes: Beta testing
Skull and Bones: Closed alpha
Spellcraft: Alpha
Star Citizen: Backer alpha
Starbase: Early access open alpha
Tarisland: Beta
Throne & Liberty: Korean closed beta
Valheim: Early access
V Rising: Early access
Valiance Online: Closed beta
The Wagadu Chronicles: Alpha two
Warcraft Arclight Rumble: Closed alpha
Waven: Open alpha
Wayfinder: Closed beta
We welcome additions and corrections to this list; send your info our way via tips!
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.
