Open-world wuxia game Where Winds Meet is holding its first beta test in North America later this month

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We got our first look at Where Winds Meet when it was revealed at Gamescom in 2022, shortly after which executive editor Tyler Wilde said he was particularly looking forward to getting a real job in its "wuxia-style Assassin's Creed" open world. (Hey, to each their own.) Later this month he'll have his first shot at finding out how that goes in the first closed beta test taking place outside of Asia.

Where Winds Meet will set players off as sword-wielding wanders in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era of ancient China. Different factions offer access to unique martial skills, or you can choose to go it alone, honing your own abilities along the way. The mostly-singlerplayer game (Where Winds Meet will offer multiplayer for "specific experiences" like PvP and world events, but the narrative and exploration is a solo affair) promises "realistic physical conditions, real consequences, and the interconnectedness of nature and society," and a narrative that will be shaped through player choice.

Those are big promises and we're still a long way from seeing how they pan out—Where Winds Meet doesn't have a release target at this point—but the beta test will be a big step toward getting a sense for how it's coming together. (The trailer is pretty groovy too.)

To get in, you'll need to fill out the surprisingly detailed sign-up questionnaire at wherewindsmeetgame.com, which asks about everything from your PC specs to the games you like to play and your familiarity with wuxia. "Server limitations" mean this beta is only open to players in Canada and the US, and while developer Everstone Studio didn't say how many players it's looking for, it did say that "due to high hardware performance requirements," applicants will be selected based on their hardware.

Applications for the Where Winds Meet closed beta will be open until April 18, while the test is slated to kick off the next day and run until April 22. There will also be a beta key "giveaway event" on April 9, although it's not clear how that will work. Best guess, you'll need to register for updates, also at the Where Winds Meet website. More details about what you can expect are available in the closed beta test FAQ.

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Where Winds Meet screenshot — (Image credit: Everstone Studio)

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.