NetEase Games, the online games division of NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES, HKEX: 9999) and Bad Guitar Studio announced during the Gamescom Xbox Broadcast that registrations are open for FragPunk’s upcoming closed beta test on Steam and Xbox, set to go live in early October.
Interested players can head over to the game’s steam page or to the Xbox insider program to register.
FragPunk’s Closed Beta Test Pre-Registrations Are Open
FragPunk’s closed beta test will begin in early October, with the specific dates to be shared next month. Players can sign up for the test starting August 23 by visiting the game’s Steam Page or by joining the Xbox Insider program.
Compared with the previous Alpha Test, this Beta Test will be opened to a wider range of players in Europe, North America, Latin America, Japan, and South Korea.
The test will feature an array of new and improved features, including heroes, cards and modes, with more details on the new content coming later in September. It will also be the first time the game is available on Xbox, with cross-play allowing players of both platforms to compete with each other.
The first official gameplay trailer for FragPunk was also released at the event, highlighting the game’s Shard Card mechanics and their numerous effects and interactions with one another. Moreover, the trailer showed the unique tiebreaker mechanic, Duel Mode.
From Nail-biting tiebreakers to an encouraging alpha and beyond
Aside from its appearance in the official gameplay trailer, a recent segment on Shroud’s YouTube channel showcased FragPunk’s tiebreaker Duels. The tie-breaker mechanic occurs in a match when both teams are tied at three round victories each.
To decide the winner, a series of 1v1 duel gunfights play out, with each player facing an opponent with a single life. The player who wins moves on to fight the next competitor, making it possible for one team member to carry the entire squad to victory.
FragPunk’s popularity kept progressing between its reveal and following Closed Alpha test in June. The amount of test applications has exceeded the team’s expectations, and in turn provided them with valuable feedback.
Players and streamers who were invited to the Closed Alpha praised its unique aesthetics and its engaging gameplay loop which kept the pressure on thanks to the ever-changing nature of shard cards.
In addition, FragPunk has recently shown a video featuring stunning visuals made in collaboration with NVIDIA to showcase the game’s graphical quality, allowing for raytracing and NVIDIA DLSS 3 with Frame Generation. Even in the closed beta, our cast of heroic Punks is going into battle looking as good as possible.
The upcoming closed beta test is the ideal way to experience the game early and learn the ropes. So make sure to visit the game’s Steam page or Xbox Insider program to register your interest in the game and prepare for the test in October.
