Despite offering competitive shooter fans a fairly unique experience, the originalSplitgatehad only a relatively short lifespan. Fortunately, this was because its developer, 1047 Games, wanted to focus on craftingan even better experiencein the sequel rather than something like lack of funds or player interest. That decision is finally about to pay off next month, as fans are being invited back to try the open beta for Splitgate 2 on May 22.
Take a Sneak Peek at Three New Maps for Splitgate
Of course, itsdistinctive portal gameplayis coming back in Splitgate 2, but it looks like it won’t be the only key feature this time around. The beta alone is coming packed with more content than other upcoming shooting-centricgames like Marathon,so both fans and newcomers alike will have a lot to enjoy in the eventual full release.
When the Splitgate 2 open beta goes live next month, those that decide to check it out will find that they’ll have their work cut out for them if they want to experience everything. The beta is launching with more than 25 weapons to play around with, over fifteen maps to run around inand at leastten modes within which to test their skills. Some of these are actually fresh additions that weren’t available in the closed alpha held back in February.
New weapons to frag with and new maps to frag on.
The newest weapon is known as the Borealis, an energy carbine strong enough to get it classified as a power weapon. It may not necessarily be the only new weapon in the armory, but it is the only one confirmed at the moment. As for maps, two new ones have been added for Splitgate 2’s 24-player Onslaught mode. Dubbed “Drought” and “Fracture,” they’re likely to provide interesting times if nothing else. Lastly, Takedown mode is confirmed to be returning, so fans needn’t worry about missing out on the crowd favorite.
One cannot help but wonder if the Borealis is a subtle reference to Portal. See, Borealis was the name of the Aperture Science ship that would supposedly have appeared in Half-Life 3. Given Splitgate’s heavy use of portals, it’d be a fun little nod if true.
Another feature that Splitgate 2 beta players might get to try out is something that 1047 Games is calling “infinite maps.” The developer has not yet said what exactly this feature is, but based on what was shown in the trailer above, it looks like something that’s very similar to Halo’s Forge. It’d be an absolutely fantastic addition if so, as there still isn’t anything quite like Forge outside ofHaloand given thecurrent state of that series,an alternative is desperately needed now more than ever.
Infinite Maps looks like something that’s very similar to Halo’s Forge.
It seems that there really is a lot coming in the Splitgate 2 open beta since 1047 Games has promised to deliver a much more comprehensive breakdown of everything fans can look forward to trying out in it as the beta date gets closer. For now, though, it’s probably best to keep expectations tempered and focus on this spring’s other fantastic releases, likeThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion RemasterandClair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Splitgate 2 open beta goes live on May 22 for PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S with full crossplay support. The full release is set to come later this year.
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