The Tropico 6 beta is live, but only if you've pre-ordered the game

Kalypso has let loose the beta of Tropico 6, but only for those who pre-order the game through its shop. A Steam beta was announced in August, but that doesn't have a date yet.

Due out in January 2019, Tropico 6 is the latest entry in the series, but has a different developer than the last three games, with German developers Limbic Entertainment taking over instead of Bulgaria’s Haemimont Games. The newest entry in the series highlights a few key features, such as the major series shakeup of multi-island archipelagos that emphasize transit networks including bridges, tunnels, and public transit.

Tropico 6 returns to a greater focus on the player’s character—the dictator El Presidente—with customizable outfits, palaces, election speeches, and the like. These features, of course, return alongside classic city-builder series gameplay like managing imports, building housing, and having dissenters shot in the street.

Also, there’s this entirely absurd live action trailer about it:

Tropico 6 is due to release January 29th, 2019. It’s in the Kalypso store here and on Steam if you'd rather wait for the beta.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.