WARDOGS Second Beta Test Set for September 4 Ahead of Early Access
The second beta was originally meant to be announced during the FPS Games Show, and BULKHEAD says a larger announcement for WARDOGS remains for that broadcast, keeping the game in front of viewers right up to its September 11 early access launch.
Key Facts
- WARDOGS holds its second closed beta test from 3:00 a.m. JST September 4 to 5:00 p.m. September 5, 2026.
- Early access for WARDOGS launches September 11, 2026 on PC (Steam).
- The first WARDOGS closed beta, held August 22 to 24, drew over 100,000 participants.
- WARDOGS supports up to 100 players split into three teams on a 256 square kilometer map.
- Pre-order purchasers are guaranteed entry to the second beta; other players gain access through a lottery on the Steam store page.
Reporting from 2 sources: Automaton, Game Spark.
Publisher Team17 announced on September 2 that WARDOGS, the 100-player military FPS from developer BULKHEAD, will hold its second closed beta test starting at 3:00 a.m. Japan Standard Time on September 4. The test runs through 5:00 p.m. on September 5 and begins alongside the FPS Games Show broadcast event. Early access is scheduled for September 11 on PC (Steam). The first closed beta, held August 22 to 24, drew over 100,000 participants. WARDOGS pits three teams of up to 100 players against each other on a 256 square kilometer map, with points awarded to the team that sends the most players to a randomly generated control zone, up to a 100-point goal. The game features destructible buildings, base construction, and an economy where performance earns money for equipment. Participation follows the first test's model: pre-order purchasers are guaranteed entry, while other players are granted access gradually via lottery through the Steam store page. BULKHEAD says the test targets server scaling, browsing, Twitch Drops, DLC, VoIP, and login queues. The FPS Games Show, which also carries exclusive content for Rainbow Six Siege and Escape from Tarkov, still holds a 'big announcement' for WARDOGS.
BULKHEAD is a Derby, UK studio founded in 2015, known for The Turing Test and Battalion 1944. During Battalion 1944's development the studio raised roughly 40 million yen through crowdfunding, then refunded the full amount after player numbers declined. On August 12 BULKHEAD posted a video titled '10 Reasons Not to Buy WARDOGS,' which laid out early access risks and the Battalion 1944 connection, and on August 15 the studio reported the wishlist count passed 1 million.
Game Spark notes the exact end time of the second test is unconfirmed, while Automaton reports it runs to 5:00 p.m. on September 5. The test is meant to stress server scaling, browsing, Twitch Drops, DLC, VoIP, and login queues, with BULKHEAD asking players to 'break our systems.' The FPS Games Show will also provide exclusive content for other shooters including Rainbow Six Siege and Escape from Tarkov.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.