Look, I have to ask: Does Path of Exile 2 have a whole lot of demons in it? I haven’t really played the game, but given its obvious inspiration, my assumption had always been that the game tries to be light on demons just in case anyone wants to make unflattering comparisons. But it clearly has database demons, and those demons have caused the game to bump back its early access start until December 6th. Stupid demons!
Of course, the newly revealed Codename Skinwalkers is less about demons and more about eldritch horrors, but they’re still unpleasant, and you will want to keep an eye on them. You will also want to keep an eye on Nightingale after the game’s development staff suffered another round of layoffs, which is not even approaching being a good thing. However, there are good things to look forward to after all, like the upcoming early access for Corepunk running a bit behind schedule but still being on track (at least if you don’t count all the delayed content). Or there’s the Monster Hunter Wilds beta that’s open and running right now!
See? This time I ended on a happier story. Do you feel happy? If so, please tell me how. Or just head on down to the comments to let us know about any tests you’re in, and look at the list of games in testing as well as our full beta news roundup along the way! If you do, I’ll be your friend! (Actual cash value of my friendship: up to $10.)
Star Citizen pushes alpha 4.0’s engineering gameplay features back over game stability concerns
Star Citizen players raise the alarm over internet spaceship nerfs that conveniently favor newer options
Nightingale suffers second round of layoffs in two weeks as staff say the game’s early access will continue
Blockchain-infused EVE Frontier schedules next playtest for early November
MMO Hype Train: Wayfinder is a genuinely good little RPG – but a missed opportunity to be an MMO
Marathon boss captains a new video explaining the basic premise behind the Bungie remake
Wayfinder delays Xbox version launch to an unspecified future date
Path of Exile 2 delays early access to December 6 over account-linking database demons
Warframe 1999 preps for December launch, Soulframe plans open pre-alpha in 2025
Pax Dei debuts a new trailer and condenses the features of its November 5 Proving Grounds update
Loftia targets alpha testing by the end of this year and early access at the end of 2025
NetEase’s Destiny Rising officially enters closed alpha today – here’s how to sign up
Pantheon extends pre-early access testing through December 1, with ‘record numbers’ showing up
Lord of the Rings Online revs up for Legacy of Morgoth with testing and preview
Corepunk says it’s a month and a half behind schedule, but early access is on track for November 26
Hands-on with Lynked Banner of the Spark, an adorable roguelite with base building, crafting, and co-op
Monster Hunter Wilds’ open beta has begun on PlayStation with PC and Xbox following this week
Soulframe deep-dives the changes to its next pre-alpha build and discusses multiplayer feature plans
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
Malingering33 Immortals: Closed testing, early access delayed to 2025
Abyss: Early access
The Adventurer’s Domain Online: Early access
Aero Tales Online: Early access
Age of Water: Early access
Aloft: Early access in January 2025
Ammo and Oxygen: Early access starts November 7th
Anvil Empires: Intermittent alpha
Arcane Waters: Early access
Arc Raiders: Tech beta live, launch planned for 2025
Arcfall: Pre-alpha
ARK 2: Paid early access
Ascendant: Open testing in August
Ashes of Creation: Alpha two in planning
Ashfall: Closed beta
ASKA: Early access
Battlebit: Early access
Battle Crush: Early access
Bellatores: Closed testing
Bellwright: Early access, developers of abandoned Last Oasis
Bitcraft: Alpha 2 on June 17th, 2024
Blue Protocol Mobile: Closed beta in China, full game is shutting down
Book of Travels: Early access
Brighter Shores: Closed beta under NDA, November release planned
Camelot Unchained: Closed beta, planning to launch in late 2025
Chronicles of Elyria: Pre-alpha, again
Chrono Odyssey: Closed testing, plans for 2025
Cinderstone Online: Closed beta
City of Titans: Alpha
Coreborn: Nations of the Ultracore: Early access
Corepunk: Fourth alpha, early access planned for November 26th
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?)
Dawn of Defiance: Early access
Destiny Rising: Closed alpha starts November 1st
Dreamworld: Pre-alpha, transitioning to Steam on October 10th
Dune Awakening: Closed testing, signups now
Dungeonborne>: Early access
ECO: Early access, full launch planned in 2024
Eleven: Closed alpha
Enshrouded: Early access
Eternal Tombs: Pre-alpha resumes October 11th
EVE Vanguard: Early access planned post-November
Evercore Heroes: Paid testing, updates stopping with a focus on a redesign
EverCraft Online: Weekend-long open test starts April 19th
Final Stand: Ragnarok: Early access (officially, really)
Fellowship: Closed testing on August 15th
FragPunk: Closed alpha
Frozen Flame: Early access
Havenhold: Second alpha June 20th
Homestead: Open alpha
Ilysia: Early access
Inferna: Early access
Kurtzpel: Closed beta
Legend of Ares: Open testing ahead of relaunch
Legendarium Online: Paid alpha access
Lost Skies: Pre-alpha
Marvel Rivals: Closed alpha
Mecha Break: Open beta concluded, launching 2025
Midnight Murder Club: Closed testing this weekend
Monsters & Memories: Intermittent pre-alpha
Monster Hunter Wilds: Open beta
Mortal Exodus: Closed testing
Necesse: Early access
Nightingale: Early access
Odd Giants: Alpha
Osiris: New Dawn: Back from the dead, not on Steam any longer
Outlaws of the Old West: Early access
Palia: Open beta
Palworld: Early access
Pantheon: Backer alpha, early access planned for December
Past Fate: Closed testing
Path of Exile 2: Early access December 6th
Pax Dei: Early access
Perfect New World: Closed beta
Pow Vista: Open beta (mobile)
Project Crawl: Closed testing
Project F4E: Closed testing
Project Friendship: Beta signups open now
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: Third closed beta has ended
Return Alive: Closed beta
Reign of Guilds: Early access
Rodent Rumble: Launching next year, playtest on October 11th
SamuTale: “Paid closed alpha early access” according to the developer, which is just early access, come on dude
Scars of Honor: Next test October 26th
Seed: In pre-release, test run starts October 24th
Seekers of Skyveil: Continuing alpha testing, closed beta in September
Ship of Heroes: Beta testing
Ships at Sea: Early access
Sky: Children of Light: Open early access
Smite 2: 24/7 closed alpha for paying members
Soulframe: Open pre-alpha planned for 2025
The Spell Brigade: Early access
Spellfarers: Early access
Star Citizen: Backer alpha
Starbase: Early access open alpha
Stars Reach: Pre-alpha started
Temtem Swarm: Closed beta
Tombstone: Closed testing, release planned for this year
Tribes 3: Rivals: Early access, development slowing/stopping
Trimurti Online: Stress testing, open beta February 13th
Valheim: Early access
Valiance Online: Closed beta
Vindictus: Defying Fate: Open testing
WalkScape: Closed beta until June 15th
Waven Early access
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.
