Abyss Online has opened up Steam test access to players in anticipation of its main Early Access release on April 18th.
So far, Abyss has worked through a series of closed alpha testing stages, which the team has kept the community up to date on. One major update was transitioning the game up to Unreal Engine 5, which has become a common move for developers due to the engine’s versatility and stability. Mac compatibility was also added during the alphas, with console and mobile versions on the way.
It’s unclear if the Abyss playtest on Steam will require purchasing the game, as it currently isn’t linked to a price, and the only release date is the official Early Access date of April 18th. However, there do seem to be closed alpha testing servers up, which apparently went down in order to briefly introduce Steam players onto the server, so it really could just be a free little shindig before the Early Access drop.
In the past, Abyss was advertised as requiring a subscription like a traditional MMORPG. Now, according to a March update post as well as the Steam page, the game will just require a one-time subscription. Early Access is listed on the official post as $24.95, with an optional supporter subscription available. Devs say the price will increase after leaving Early Access.
Early Access options are pretty limited at the moment, with what’s essentially the game’s basics available right now, per the Steam page.
“The Early Access version of Abyss Online features a small open world with a town, basic quests, crafting tables, open world building mechanics, a merchant showcase, and some initial mobs camps in a basic starter zone. PvP is available in the open world with full loot mechanics,” the Early Access disclaimer reads on the Steam store page.
“We are actively working on implementing content like fishing, shipbuilding, more in depth crafting, more interactive building, and polishing performance.” It doesn’t seem like much for now, but it at least looks a little promising.
According to its Steam page, Abyss started as a MOBA in 2021, and has since moved into this MMO format. It’ll be in Early Access for about eight months.
Players can sign up for Abyss's player testing on the Steam page.