Betawatch: The Division opens up for beta testing (February 19, 2016)

It’s that wonderful time again, ladies and gentlemen, when a long-awaited title goes into open beta. The Division has opened up its beta today to everyone playing on a supported platform, which means more or less every platform that isn’t a Mac or, I don’t know, a ColecoVision. You’ve even got some open beta challenges to take on. There are also hints that the game may well be getting endgame raids after all, so it’s probably for the best that your ColecoVision isn’t supported; you know that would be a whole thing.

Speaking of divisions, let’s go into the not-getting-intro-space-but-still-getting-a-mention division:

• You do know that Black Desert is launching next month, yes? Because its second and final closed beta is running right now. If you didn’t know it before, it sort of follows.
• You do know that SMITE is coming to the PlayStation 4, yes? That’s totally happening, with closed alpha beginning today and closed beta is kicking off in March. Not quite yet. Here’s a hint: If you want to know what the game will be like, it will be very much like the game you can already play on your computer, but with a controller.
• You do know that Atlas Reactor is having an alpha sneak peek week, yes? Please phrase your response to that question in a way that allows Seussian rhymes with “sneak peek week.”
• You do know that Paladins has a new glacier map to head through, right? Well, congratulations, you keep up on the beta news on this site. Thank you for still reading this feature. It gets lonely.
• Last but not least, there’s Asta‘s open beta hitting early in March. At the same point as The Division and Black Desert launches. Did you know about that? More importantly, do you know why?

Speaking of horrible segues, we’ve got our full list of games in testing just below, and as always we’d like your help in letting us know about anything we might have missed. We’re not omniscient, and sometimes things just launch. It’s weird, but it happens.

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.

Albion Online: Closed beta
Ascent: The Space Game: Steam early access
Beasts of Prey: Early access alpha
Black Desert: Korean and Japanese open beta, North American closed beta, launch March 3rd
Boundless: Donor alpha
Camelot Unchained: Backer alpha
Chronicles: Runescape Legends: Closed beta
Crowfall: Backer pre-alpha
Das Tal: Alpha expected in April
DayZ: Early access
Divergence Online: Alpha
Dungeon Fighter Online: Open testing
Eleven: Closed alpha
Eternal Crusade: Early access play on Steam
EVE: Valkyrie: Pre-alpha registration for EVE and DUST players
Ever, Jane: Closed beta
Gloria Victis: Donor pre-alpha
H1Z1: Paid early access, split into two games, launch expected in March
HEX: Unofficial open beta
Landmark: Paid closed beta, cash shop active
Life is Feudal: Early access beta
Line of Defense: Early access
MyDream: Closed testing open to donors
Nosgoth: Open beta
Origins of Malu: Combat module in early access
Otherland: Early access
Overwatch: Closed beta
Paragon: Closed beta
Pathfinder Online: Subscription “early enrollment”
Project Genom: Closed alpha
Project Gorgon: Free, open testing
Shards Online: Pre-alpha
Shroud of the Avatar: Steam early access, backer testing
SkySaga: Ongoing NA and UK alpha events
Star Citizen: Backer pre-alpha
Stash: Backer alpha
The Repopulation: Alpha offline, moving to the Unreal engine, survival spinoff planned
Tree of Life: Paid early access
Tree of Savior: English beta testing events
Tribal Wars 2: Open testing
TUG: Steam early access alpha
Valiance Online: Pre-alpha testing
Venus Rising: Closed beta (adult/NSFW), currently on development hiatus due to Hero Engine issues