Prison Architect 2, Paradox Interactive’s 3D-infused prison management sequel, is showing signs of life thanks to the surprise announcement of a closed beta slated to kick off in just a few days.
Signups for Prison Architect 2’s closed beta are now live, but only a limited number of lucky players will get access to the test, which is set to start next week, on January 19.
Prison Architect 2 Closed Beta Sign-Ups Live
“This Closed Beta is an early opportunity for a limited number of players to playtest Prison Architect 2 and help us shape the experience through feedback. Development is ongoing, and the game will continue to evolve as we learn from player input,” reads the post on the Paradox forums, which also includes the link to the signup form.
Participation in Prison Architect 2’s January 2026 closed beta requires signing an NDA, so anyone who doesn’t get in will likely have to be patient for a bit longer before seeing how the sequel, which has been navigating troubled waters for a while now, is shaping up.
Its shift to 3D was received with skepticism by a portion of the fanbase when the second game in the series was announced. Then, in May 2024, publisher Paradox Interactive parted ways with then-developer Double Eleven, handing the title over to Kokku.
In August 2024, a month before its intended launch, the sequel was delayed indefinitely.
Hopefully, Prison Architect 2’s January 2026 closed beta announcement also means that we’ll start seeing more of the game over the coming months.
In other Paradox Interactive news, Cities: Skylines 2 was also handed to a different developer, Iceflake Studios, late last year, while the now-notorious Bloodlines 2 saga, which included its own change of developers, came to a predictably disappointing conclusion.
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