The Wasteland 3 backer beta begins on March 17

(Image credit: InXile)

Wasteland 3 was a massive crowdfunding success, and those who backed it will be able to give it whirl later this month as inXile launches beta testing for the game.

Announcing the beta on the game's Fig page, inXile has said the beta will begin on March 17 at 9am PDT for all those who backed the game for $25 or more. Those in the alpha test held last August won't need to redeem a new key, while everyone else will be receiving their Steam code for it shortly.

The test will contain the first few hours of Wasteland 3, which includes character creation and a handful of early areas. Expect to see plenty of it when it launches, as there will be no NDA on the testing. You're allowed to stream, record and share your gameplay as much as you like.

InXile is keen to remind players that this really is a beta test, and that any of the content seen is subject to change. There are also going to be bugs abound, and the game has yet to be optimised, so it could be pretty choppy to play. To combat this, there will be a reporting tool in-game to let testers identify and report on any of the technical hitches they may encounter.

It hasn't been announced when, or even if, this beta testing period will end. However, the game itself is currently due to launch on May 19, meaning those who didn't get into this phase of testing won't have to wait long before being able to play the whole thing.