Dream Age said on Wednesday it will start a global closed beta test (CBT) for Alcheron, a team-based player-versus-player (PvP) title being developed by Bonfire Studio, from July 16.

The test follows weekly tests held since March for community users. It aims to gather broader feedback and check core content and service stability. Those who want to take part can apply via Alcheron’s page on global gaming platform Steam and will receive access rights sequentially from July 16.

During the CBT, users can always play Spires, a new mode based on 3-on-3 arena battles. The content is designed to reduce the burden of collecting items and speed up entry into combat so players can quickly test different build combinations. A tutorial-style Spires Training mode for new users will also be provided.

Ascension, Alcheron’s core competitive content, will be opened on a limited basis from 9 p.m. to midnight on July 18 to 20. It is a battle royale-style mode in which teams compete by climbing a tower.

During the test period, a Season Progression system will be applied in which users earn points based on play records and receive rewards by tier. Users can obtain various items such as skins, banners and titles, and test-exclusive rewards will remain on accounts even after early access (EA) and the official launch.

Meanwhile, the Danibae Alcheron e-sports tournament held on streamer platform SOOP on July 3 drew interest from users, with a total of 34 streamers taking part and recording about 3,600 peak concurrent viewers.

A Dream Age official said, "Through this tournament voluntarily created by the community, we were able to confirm users' affection and expectations." The official added, "We will continue to communicate in various ways, while listening to more opinions through the global CBT and improving the game's completeness."