Sometimes, stories are just so weird that you can’t help but find them fascinating. Take the unexpected removal of Project Genom from the Steam store. The former lead programmer claimed that he was given no contracts and functionally scammed out of assets and work; the studio claimed he never signed a contract and turned out substandard work. It’s one of those weird stories of conflicting hearsay that you know you’ll never really know the truth about, even with the promise that the game will be getting back on Steam soon.
It’s a quiet holiday week for most of us, but that doesn’t mean other beta news didn’t happen. For example:
- Wild Terra has opened up its testing to everyone for a few days, just so that people can see what the game is all about and give its test server a whirl. This coincides with some patches and improvements, as you like.
- Darkfall: New Dawn is also open to everyone for its stress test through the holidays. Whether or not that’s a test of stress on the servers or a test of your stress is left as an exercise for the reader.
- The pre-alpha for Edengrad has started, which means that it’s still light on some important features but also has the core of the game in place. At least, in theory. You’ll have to test it to know if that’s successful.
- Looking forward to Conan Exiles? It’s arriving in early access on January 31st, 2017. That’s a little ways away, but it’s not that far.
- Why not try out some Master x Master Titan Ruins this weekend? The game’s testing exactly that, so you can see how well it works out.
- Last but not least, Sea of Thieves is inviting people to become pirate insiders, which might be appealing if you have Windows 10 or an Xbox One. The rest of you can sit and stare in jealousy, or just wait for all of the information for insiders to be leaked. I mean, pirates.
While you’re enjoying a plate of Thanksgiving leftovers, why not take the time to peruse our list of games just below? Lots of games are in testing, after all. Of course, some of them may have advanced to another testing stage without us noticing, so feel free to let us know about that down in the comments.
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
Albion Online: Closed beta will last well into 2017
Boundless: Donor alpha
Camelot Unchained:Â Backer alpha
Children of Ur: Open alpha
Cloud Pirates: Closed beta
Crossout: Closed beta
Crowfall: Backer pre-alpha
Cube World: Closed alpha
DayZ: Early access
Divergence Online:Â Alpha
Eleven:Â Closed alpha
Ever, Jane: Open beta
Fragmented: Early access
Gigantic: Closed beta
Gloria Victis: Early Access on Steam
H1Z1:Â Paid early access, split into two games
Hero’s Song: Early access
HEX:Â Unofficial open beta
LawBreakers: Closed alpha
Life is Feudal: Closed alpha
Line of Defense: Early access, removed from Steam
Master x Master: Alpha test
Mu Legend: Closed beta
MyDream: Closed testing open to donors
Origins of Malu:Â Development suspended
Osiris: New Dawn: Early access
Paladins: Closed beta
Paragon: Open beta
Pathfinder Online: Subscription “early enrollment”
Project Genom: Closed alpha
Project Gorgon: Free, open testing
Revelation Online: Closed beta
SamuTale: Closed alpha
Shards Online: Pre-alpha
SkySaga: Ongoing NA and UK alpha events
Star Citizen: Backer alpha
Stash: Backer alpha
The Black Death: Early access alpha
The Culling: Early access testing
The Exiled: Ongoing alpha tests, summer alpha currently active; formerly Das Tal
The Repopulation: Alpha offline, moving to the Unreal engine
Tree of Life: Open beta
Tribal Wars 2: Open testing
TUG: Steam early access alpha
Valiance Online: Alpha testing
Wild Terra: Steam early access on December 1st
