81
Beta testing in the video game industry is a strange concept.
Beta testing in the video game industry is a strange concept. While more developers use beta testing as early access to an almost finished product, some studios still adhere to the old school definition, letting gamers get their hands on unpolished works-in-progress. Capcom is taking the old school approach to Street Fighter 5 , letting fans test innovations like the ‘V-Gauge’, which will replace the focus mechanic that was present in past iterations, and a new in-game currency that will replace traditional DLC models.
Innovations aside, many Street Fighter fans want beta access just to try out the newest game in a storied franchise. What should be one of the most exciting things about the build-up tos release, however, is instead becoming an early disappointment.
Capcomannounced today that Street Fighter 5 ‘s beta testingperiod, which has been constantly plagued with server issues since its start on July 23, will be extended beyond the originally scheduled end date. This announcement comes on the back of some bad news for Street Fighter fans who were hoping to get some time in with the beta test over this weekend, though. The game’s servers will be offline again today for maintenance, following downtime overnight as well, which comes as no surprise after continued connectivity issues.
What might be a pleasant surprise, however, is Capcom’s willingness to extend their beta for gamers who have been unable to test Street Fighter 5 due to the downtime. While it was originally scheduled to end on Tuesday, that is no longer the case. The official Street Fighter Twitter announced yesterday night that the beta will be extended to make up for the continued problems over the weekend. There is no official word on how long the beta will be extended, but that decision will likely be made once Capcom resolves the issues currently afflicting its servers.
With news about Street Fighter 5 before this weekend revolving around a new characterand which fighters should return , its easy to forget that the game is still pretty far off from its release date. With Street Fighter 5 not due out until early next year, Capcom’s public beta testing is an important step in ironing out some of the game’s key details, like its currency system and matchmaking algorithms. While it is a nice bonus for fans who want to get their hands on the game early, Capcom’s decision to extend the online test makes sense from a technological and financial standpoint as well.
Street Fighter 5 ‘s beta is currently available for the PS4 only, with another couple of beta tests that will include PC gamers scheduled for later in the year. Capcom recently made waves announcing that Street Fight 5 will be a PC and PS4 exclusive, much to the disappointment of Xbox One fans. On the bright side, though, those players can be happy they haven’t had to deal with fussy servers all weekend long.
Street Fighter 5 is schedule for a March 2016 release date, and will be a PS4 and PC exclusive.
Source: Gamespot