On a scale of New World to MultiVersus, how much does it worry you when an ongoing beta is abruptly shut down? Monster Hunter Now apparently plans to conclude its closed beta test on June 13th, with future testing planned later. If you’ve forgotten what that was supposed to be, it’s Niantic’s spin on a Monster Hunter game, which features mostly walking around and… all right, you got all of that when I mentioned “Niantic,” didn’t you? Some studios just have a formula. Niantic’s isn’t great! But we’ll be keeping an eye on whether that September 2023 launch date materializes.
Yeah, this week’s roundup of beta stories is not generally the sort of thing that’s going to make you double plus extra happy. But we’ve still got our roundup down below along with our handy-dandy list of games in testing, and we still look forward to any feedback in the comments.
Amazon confirms Blue Protocol’s western delay and closed beta test on the way
Star Citizen takes a closer look at alpha 3.20’s Arena Commander updates
Ashes of Creation fights a giant cyclops in its latest Alpha Two preview
Diablo IV’s early access launch has been relatively smooth, but license issues are blockading some players
Star Citizen maps out Arena Commander updates for alpha 3.20, leading to mixed reaction from players
Tarisland sets its scene in new video with new animated art and more questionable narration
Diablo IV’s head start launches this evening – Blizz warns it might be ‘a little bumpy’
CIG raises prices on Star Citizen ships, confirms Squadron 42’s removal from sale for an ‘expected price change’
Coreborn Nations of the Ultracore plans week-long open beta during Steam Next Fest June 19
Bossa shows off Lost Skies’ art and animation development
‘Knowledge, runes, tentacles’: Elder Scrolls Online previews Necrom’s Arcanist
Life is Feudal MMO returns under new management – and a testing subscription fee
Anvil Empires’ player-built water systems will power player towns and crafts
Star Citizen engages its updated Jumptown event as players call out ongoing problems with alpha 3.19
Ankama recaps Waven’s alpha, sharing plans for PvP, co-op gameplay, and housing
Drakensang Online’s Steam version moves out of early access into full launch along with a new server
Co-op PvE MOBA Project F4E schedules open playtest for June 10 – here’s how to join in
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: Early acess
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
Monster Hunter Now: Closed beta
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 F4E: Closed testing
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.
