Sometimes, the biggest beta news can be admiring a new feature and then finding out why you’re not getting it. Such is the lot for Ship of Heroes this week as the game put together a nice big post explaining how cool the Unreal Engine 5 reveal looks… while also making it clear that it’s going to be a while before it gets really applied anywhere, even in Ship of Heroes itself. Understanding game development is fun!
Other beta news, coming out of the booth!
- Book of Travels is running that beta, and it already boasts over 400 events. It is hoped that quantity transfers laterally with quality.
- Do you want some pre-alpha footage from Ashes of Creation? Because that’s what you’re getting. (If you don’t want it, don’t click, I guess.)
- Another open beta test approaches for Fractured starting on May 26th. Stay ready and stay vigilant, or just clear your game calendar then.
- Elyon, previously Ascent: Infinite Realm, never actually No Alcohol Lager, is planning a massive beta test in Korea over the summer. Truly massive. We enjoy massive stuff.
- Last and not least, Pantheon has promised it’s getting close to the next round of alpha testing. Very close! It’s happening.
Here at Betawatch we’re close to the end of the preamble! You know, the part wherein I tell you that there’s a list below, that you can talk about betas in the comments, and we appreciate if you let us know about things that skipped to a new testing phase. And now you’re at the end!
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 pre-alpha, alpha now expected in 2020
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
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.
