WARDOGS Playtests End as Early Access Release Draws Near

WARDOGS has wrapped up its latest playtesting phase ahead of the military FPS’ Early Access launch on Sept. 10. Bulkhead used a final closed beta this past weekend as a large-scale test of its servers and gameplay systems, giving players one last opportunity to experience the game before its release. As part of data collected during the betas, the developer has also recently outlined its approach to combating cheating ahead of launch.

When Does the WARDOGS Playtest End?

The final WARDOGS closed beta has now ended, with the test running from Sept. 3 through Sept. 6. Bulkhead described the event as a genuine scale test designed to push the game’s systems, with access initially guaranteed for gamers who pre-ordered, followed by additional players invited in waves.

The latest beta followed an earlier test in August, which also gave Bulkhead an opportunity to assess the game’s infrastructure and gather feedback. The September test was specifically intended to put greater pressure on the game’s systems, with the developer asking players to effectively “break” WARDOGS to help prepare for launch.

Players therefore should not expect another standard pre-release playtest before Sept. 10. The next major opportunity to play WARDOGS will be its Early Access launch, although the developer intends to continue developing the game alongside its community. Bulkhead currently expects Early Access to last around one to two years.

WARDOGS Shows Off Its Anti-Cheat Plans

Cheating has also been an important consideration ahead of launch. WARDOGS uses Easy Anti-Cheat, with Steam identifying the game as using kernel-level anti-cheat technology. Bulkhead has recently highlighted its anti-cheat efforts as part of its preparations for the game’s wider release.

The developer’s playtest privacy notice also confirms that Bulkhead works with a third-party anti-cheat provider to detect cheating behavior and multiple-account activity. Accounts found to violate the game’s terms can have access to the playtest or future tests restricted or removed.

With the final playtest now complete, WARDOGS is set to enter Early Access on Sept. 10 on PC via Steam. The game will launch with 100-player matches split across three teams, destructible environments, vehicles, tower-based gameplay, building mechanics, and a cash-based progression system, with further content planned throughout development.