Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon multiplayer beta is live and open to everyone

Awesomenauts developer Ronimo Games released Swords and Soldiers 2 for the Wii U in 2015, then earlier this year went to Kickstarter in search of funding for an updated PC and PS4 version called Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon. That didn't work out very well, but the developers said it would launch later this year anyway. Such optimistic promises often fade away and are forgotten, but not in this case: The game is set to come out on November 6, and a multiplayer open beta is now underway.

Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon is a side-scrolling RTS that pits Vikings, Persians, and Demons against each other for control of the world. All three factions are playable in online, LAN, and split-screen multiplayer battles with customizable armies, and there's also a ten-hour single-player campaign featuring the Vikings, who must battle through 45 levels set in tundra, forests, deserts, and the pits of Hell to find out who stole Chief Redbeard's dinner. 

Ronimo Games is giving away Steam keys to the Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon multiplayer beta that started yesterday to all members of its Discord channel, so if you want to get an up-front feel for what it's all about, pop around and sign up. The beta is slated to run until November 4, and you can find out more about the game on Steam or at swordsandsoldiers2.com.

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.