What does it mean when both Tarisland and Pax Dei launch limited time testing events on the same week? Is it just a random coincidence that is reasonably possible in a great big world with only so many days in the year, or is it a conspiracy that will lead to both game development teams approaching one another like dueling gangs in West Side Story snappy fingers at one another? We’re going to assume the latter.
Meanwhile, Perfect New World has launched its own beta testing event in a less duel-like fashion. We took a look at it, and our own Chris felt it was… well… you know, you can read his words on the matter. That’s the most polite way to put it.
There was indeed more beta news this week across a wide variety of ranges. Where can you catch it? Why, in the roundup below, above our list of games in testing. Did something in there open a sneaky cash shop or slip into a new test phase? Let us know in the comments!
Kickstarted MMORPG Pantheon cancels 247 extraction mode: ‘We have damaged your trust’
Interview: Wayfinder pauses seasons as it hunts for a publisher and rebuilds roadmap
Project Gorgon, buffered by player donations, has been spared from maintenance mode – for now
First Impressions: Perfect New World is an unbalanced mess right now with its ‘equilibrious’ test
Battle of the betas: Tarisland enters second closed beta as Pax Dei kicks off Home Valley test
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen talks about the return of 24-hour MMO testing and a shift of dev mindset
Tarisland unveils Phantom Necromancer class, engages pre-downloads for November 15 beta
Funcom is plotting a Dune Awakening early closed beta test – here’s how to sign up
Wizard’s Wrath is a developing cross-platform VR spellcasting MMORPG on Kickstarter now
Soulframe talks about animation and hints at a ‘very very closed’ pre-alpha in December
The Stream Team: Taking a tour through Tarisland’s closed beta test
Fractured Online’s return to early access sees bug fixing, a small server rollback, and mixed player reaction
Throne and Liberty’s new trailer envisions an action-packed boss fight
Perfect World’s Perfect New World has launched its ‘equilibrious’ beta test today
Blue Protocol JP details new content, features, and double the hotbar buttons arriving November 22
Kickstarted VR MMO Ilysia releases an early access trailer as bug-hunting continues
ARK Survival Ascended confirms release delay for Xbox, targets possible PlayStation launch by month’s end
Krafton confirms PvPvE extraction RPG Dark and Darker Mobile is releasing next year
PvP MMO Abyss plans ‘semi-closed’ alpha testing in November and December
Hardcore MMO Eternal Tombs shows how its team will trigger dynamic events for you
Nightingale offers up a cloud monster, sleepy wolves, and a functioning second hand in November report
Aika Online takes first steps toward global re-release with open beta test
Star Citizen introduces the Gatac Syulen, Crusader Spirit C1, and Tumbril Storm as IAE free-fly event begins
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
MalingeringAbyss: Closed alpha
The Adventurer’s Domain Online: Early access
Aero Tales Online: Early access
Age of Water: Paid closed beta
Aika Online: Open beta
Anvil Empires: Intermittent alpha
Arcane Waters: Early access
Arcfall: Pre-alpha
ARK 2: Paid early access
Ashes of Creation: Alpha two in planning
Ashfall: Closed beta
ASKA: Closed beta
Battlebit: Early access
Battle Crush: Beta
Bellatores: Closed testing
Bitcraft: Alpha planned for 2024
Blue Protocol: Launching worldwide in 2024, technical tests starting November 8th
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: Early access
Corepunk: Next beta in November
Craftopia: Early access
The Crew Motorfest: Closed testing
Dark and Darker: Paid early access, legal troubles.
Dark and Light: Early access (abandoned?)
Darkbind: Closed beta (probably abandoned?)
The Day Before: Closed alpha, delayed until December
The Division Heartland: Closed testing
Dreamworld: Pre-alpha
Dune Awakening: Closed testing, signups now
ECO: Early access
Eleven: Closed alpha
Enlisted: Beta
Evercore Heroes: Paid testing, updates stopping with a focus on a redesign
Fae Farm: Closed testing, launch planned for September 8th
The First Descendant: Crossplay beta
Fractured Online: Paid early access, back on Steam
Fractured Veil: Back in closed development, early access delayed to 2024
Frozen Flame: Early access
Genfanad: Alpha
Ilysia: Early access
Inferna: Early access
Kurtzpel: Closed beta
Last Oasis: Early access (abandoned?)
Legendarium Online: Paid alpha access
Lost Skies: Closed testing
Monster Hunter Now: Closed beta
Monsters & Memories: Intermittent pre-alpha
Mortal Exodus: Closed testing
Multiversus: Returned to closed testing
Nightingale: Ongoing closed events
Noah’s Heart: Beta
Odd Giants: Alpha
Once Human: Beta on December 7th
Outlaws of the Old West: Early access
Palia: Open beta
Pantheon: Backer alpha, 247 canceled
Past Fate: Closed testing
Path of Exile 2: Beta June 2024
Pax Dei: Closed alpha
Perfect New World: Closed beta
Pow Vista: Open beta (mobile)
Project Crawl: Closed testing
Project F4E: Closed testing
Project Genom: Closed alpha (servers offline, abandoned?)
Project Gorgon: Early access beta
Project Loki: Closed beta
Project ST: Closed testing, open event ended
Prosperous Universe: Early access
Quinfall: Beta delayed to 2024
Return Alive: Closed beta
Reign of Guilds: Intermittent open beta
SamuTale: “Paid closed alpha early access” according to the developer, which is just early access, come on dude
Seed: Active development, playtest through October 29th
Seekers of Skyveil: Closed alpha on October 20th
Shadow’s Kiss: Early access (but read this first)
Ship of Heroes: Beta testing
Skull and Bones: Closed beta
Spellcraft: Alpha
Star Citizen: Backer alpha
Starbase: Early access open alpha
Tarisland: Second closed beta
Throne & Liberty: Korean closed beta, western launch delayed into 2024
Trimurti Online: Stress testing
Valheim: Early access
V Rising: Early access
Valiance Online: Closed beta
The Wagadu Chronicles: Early access on December 4th
Warhaven: Early access
Waven Early access
Wayfinder Early access ahead of full launch
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.
