If you haven’t tried out Splitgate 2 yet, you’ll have a chance next month with the start of its open beta. The beta begins on May 22 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, along with PS4 and Xbox One, all with full crossplay support (and that means no lack of players.) Developer 1047 Games hasn’t said how long the beta will last, but they did tease some of the new content.
The open beta will introduce new weapons, bringing the in-game total to more than 25 different choices. New game modes are also joining the beta, including Takedown from the first game. Think of it like an elimination-style match where you have to eliminate the entire enemy team before they can respawn; the mode can often come down to a frenetic game of hide-and-seek toward the end, where the only surviving player tries to last long enough for reinforcements to spawn.
Now, for the most exciting part: 1047 says there will be more than 15 traditional maps, but the trailer crosses out that number and replaces it with the word “infinite.” That suggests a custom map editor is on the way and could be included with the open beta, allowing for an unlimited number of community-made maps. As other franchises have proven time and again, an enthusiastic community with the right tools can make a great game even better.
Splitgate can best be described as a combination of Halo and Portal, and it’s as wild as it sounds. Even in its earliest stages, Splitgate 2 left a solid impression on players, fixing many of the problems that plagued the first and making the game feel much more cohesive.
If you miss out on the beta, don’t worry. The game is scheduled for an official launch sometime this year and will be free-to-play, so you don’t have to spend a dime, although there will probably be a battle pass and cosmetics available.
