Valve’s video game digital distribution service, Steam, has reportedly added a “Playtest” button for beta access.
Conducting a beta phase has been the current trend for the gaming industries. Steam might just introduce a way to mainstream it.
We all saw the success it brought for Riot Games’ Valorant. Most especially with the closed beta introduced with so much hype. Since then, upcoming games are taking a more public route to its respective beta phases. Ubisoft’s Battle Royale entry, Hyper Scape, followed Riot’s strategy.
Steam’s Playtest feature
The added feature is called the Playtest button. No grand announcement was made to introduce such a feature.
As Gamespot pointed out, Steam chose to roll out the Playtest button quietly. Well, it could be that it is still in its testing phase. As of this writing, a “Request Access” widget is available on the Total War: ELYSIUM listing page.
“Join the Total War: Elysium Playtest” the section reads, “Request access and you’ll get notified when the developer is ready for more participants.”
Valve shipped play tests on the Steam Store. Anyone can request access to the play test.
They also added new app type "beta" in app info.https://t.co/dsDy7ujqGI pic.twitter.com/pTLV8AkzWT
— Pavel Djundik (@thexpaw) July 24, 2020
With how big the Steam Library, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a few more games have this widget on their listing.
The beta test has always been a long and tiring process, both for the gamers and the devs. Right now, what Activision does for its Call of Duty: Mobile is releasing a separate APK from its already live game application.
Per Screenrant, applying for closed betas has to include signing up in some external site, followed by the waiting game for a beta code via email, and if lucky enough, players will need to enter the code to activate the game.
Meanwhile, other gaming firms choose to do their testing phase in private, with its closed group bounded by an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).
But with the new Playtest feature, the process makes it easier for the devs and gamers alike.
And that's the email when you get access to the beta. pic.twitter.com/n0ITi4XYLc
— Pavel Djundik (@thexpaw) July 27, 2020
Games that are currently on beta phase
Meanwhile, aside from Hyper Scape, there are quite a number of games that are on Beta testing right now.
For MMO games, there are Ashes of Creation Apocalypse, Age of the Four Clans, and Bandai Namco’s Blue Protocol—to name a few.
As noted by Micky News before, Amazon’s Crucible just reverted to the beta phase, with the game struggling just after launch.
▶️STARTING NOW◀️
Closed beta participants: join us now in game and in Discord to play Crucible, share feedback, and chat with other players and developers! We'll be playtesting from now through 5 p.m. Pacific Time. pic.twitter.com/b9Fua8ICcf— Crucible (@PlayCrucible) July 24, 2020
Meanwhile, Its MMO entry, New World, is set to enter beta testing come spring of 2021. This was announced after the devs confirmed pushing back the supposed August 25 release.
Steam continues to set itself differently from its competitors. With the games being the center of people’s entertainment right now, an easy process for beta testing could mean more publicity for the game and a more interactive community.
Featured image courtesy of Steam/Facebook