In this upcoming playtest, we've removed portal charges, and are excited to announce that we have brought back Abyss and are also ready to test our newly developed ‘Classic Arena Mode’ (this will run alongside our existing loadout-based Arena mode). This Friday and Saturday (October 10th-11th), we want your feedback on how this new system affects the core Splitgate experience.

Playtest Details

Friday, October 10: 3pm-6pm PT
Saturday, October 11: 10am-1pm PT
Platforms: Steam
Application: Splitgate 2 Beta Branch: oct-playtest

We are actively looking into ways to host playtests on console, but, for now, Steam is the only platform that easily allows for real-time limited tests on beta branches. We still encourage console players to please still give feedback as we value your input; feel free to read playtest notes and tune into live streams that coincide with October Playtest. We will continue to keep you updated on any progress we make regarding playtest availability on console.

The oct-playtest branch will be available to download later this week. To access the oct-playtest branch on Steam, please follow these instructions:

1. Open Steam and go to your Library.
2. Find Splitgate 2 Beta in your game list.
3. Right-click the game → select Properties.
4. In the left menu, click Betas.
5. In the dropdown “Select the beta you would like to opt into”, choose oct-playtest.
6. Close the window. Steam will automatically download/update the game.
7. Once finished, click Play to launch the beta branch.

Reminder: The build will be available to download before the playtest, so please check our socials to make sure you can update in advance and get to portaling quicker!.

What We Tested (Last Playtest)

The primary focus of our previous playtest was to evaluate a portal recharge system where players had four portals that regenerated after about eight seconds. On larger maps, this led to slower gameplay and discouraged combat engagements, while on smaller maps it felt slightly better but still failed to meet expectations. In short, it limited map diversity, added stress to portal usage, and made the game harder to pick up for new players. The decision was ultimately made to abandon this system and instead focus on combat clarity as well as tools and cues that make portal play easier to counter.

Focus Areas Going Forward

The team is now prioritizing better readability and counterplay for the future. Specifically, we are planning visual and audio cue enhancements that are aimed at helping players more easily track enemy portal placement and gunfire. In addition, a new EMP grenade is being designed. However, unlike in Splitgate 1, this version won’t just clear existing nearby portals but will also shut down the entire portal wall (at which it was thrown) for a short amount of time, giving players a meaningful window of counterplay.

What’s Coming in the Next Playtest

We’ve seen popular demand from the community to reintroduce beloved Splitgate 1 maps. We heard you loud and clear: this upcoming playtest we are bringing back Abyss, a community‑favorite map known for its signature verticality and asymmetry. As mentioned prior, we are also excited to share a new playlist called “Classic Arena”. As its name suggests, this mode is focused around delivering a vintage arena experience through even starts, meaning all players will spawn in with a Carbine and an Assault Rifle. This mode will also feature fully kitted legendary pickups (such as the Burst Rifle and SMG) that will regularly spawn on specific parts of the map on a timer. Don’t worry, standard power weapons will still be available too. After reviewing community feedback, we have also adjusted time‑to‑kill to sit in between the last test’s slower pace and the current beta’s pace. Please note that the new EMP grenade is planned for this mode but won’t appear in this playtest just yet as we continue working on it.

We Want Your Feedback

Though the features being tested are all requests from the community directly, we still want to know how you feel about everything and how it can be improved!

We'll have surveys ready at the end of the playtest, and we're monitoring all our social channels. Your feedback on Twitter, Reddit, and Discord directly shapes these decisions.

FAQ

• Does Classic Arena replace loadouts? No, it will run alongside the existing loadout‑based Arena playlists as an additional option.
• Will there be more legacy maps? Possibly. The team is reviewing more classic maps to bring back and is open to community suggestions!
• Will the EMP grenade be in this week’s playtest? No, while we are committed to finishing and testing the EMP grenade, it will not be available in this test.
• How does the new EMP grenade differ from Splitgate 1? Instead of only clearing portals, it will shut down the portal wall temporarily, making counterplay more reliable.

Thanks for testing, your feedback directly shapes the relaunch experience.