The Dauntless open beta begins in May
700,000 people have signed up for the open beta so far.
Dauntless, the co-op action-RPG about turning giant monsters into stylish hats, will enter open beta on May 24, developer Phoenix Labs announced today. More than 100,000 players have so far taken part in the closed beta that's current underway, and the studio said that another 700,000 have signed up for the open beta.
The game takes players to the Shattered Isles, a sort of land-that-time-forgot overrun by giant, vaguely dinosaur-like beasts. Your job is as it has always been for humankind: kill all of them, then use their skin, bones, and other resources to craft weapons and armor that will enable more, better killing. If you think that sounds similar to Monster Hunter: World, you're not wrong, but even so it looks very promising so far—and you'll be able to play it a lot sooner, too.
"Dauntless is more than four years in the making, and we can’t wait for everyone to join us in the Shattered Isles, team up with friends, take on Behemoths, craft epic gear and bring the world to life," Phoenix Labs co-founder and CEO Jesse Houston, said. "As we close in on our next phase of this adventure, we thank our passionate community that has been with us from day-one, providing feedback and helping craft the experience into what it is today."
You can sign up to take part in the Dauntless open beta at playdauntless.com. If you absolutely, positively cannot wait until May 24 to go hunting, you can get access to the closed beta right away by purchasing a Dauntless Founder's Pack, which go for $40-$100 and include an exclusive in-game title, forum icon, a "Founder's Flare," consumables, and other items.
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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.