Teamfight Tactics open beta begins on June 26.

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After a week on the League of Legends PBE, the Dota Auto Chess-inspired Teamfight Tactics will go into full open beta tomorrow, June 26, for players in North America.

Teamfight Tactics is a standalone "autobattler" mode in which eight players assemble and upgrade teams of fighters chosen from a randomized pool, and then turn them loose in AI-controlled fights to the finish. It sounds a bit like chess, although a closer analogy (that I can't claim credit for making) is the holographic fighting game from Star Wars that the Wiki says is called Dejarik.

Fortunately, we don't have to rely on analogies to get a grasp of what Teamfight Tactics is all about, because we've played it. It's not without issues, but this is also based on the still-ongoing beta period, when bugs, glitches, and balance issues are to be expected. And despite that, "it's fantastic fun," we wrote. "Teamfight needs work, but it's already a struggle worth enjoying, complex and satisfying."

Teamfight Tactics, like League of Legends itself, will be free to play. If you have access to the League PBE, you can still jump into the beta right now. If not, the doors will open for everyone tomorrow at 10 am PT/1 am ET, at na.leagueoflegends.com. (The link will go live when the beta begins.) The full beta rollout schedule, subject to change as necessary, is available here.

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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.