March of Giants Open Playtest Hits Steam October 7
March of Giants is about to get its biggest public outing yet.
Ubisoft's in-development MOBA, which was recently handed over to Ubisoft's Massive Entertainment, will run an open playtest on Steam starting October 7. The studio calls it the "pioneer playtest," and it stays open until October 18. That's not a long window, but it's far more access than the game has offered so far.
Who can play, and how
The test is open to players in North America and in what the developers describe as "supported European countries." Server locations match each region. If you live outside those areas, this test probably isn't for you.
Getting in is simple. Head to the game's Steam page and hit the big green button. Anyone who took part in the earlier closed alpha doesn't even need to do that, because they'll be invited automatically.
There's also no NDA, and that matters more than it might seem. You're free to stream the test, record clips and talk openly about what you think of it, good or bad. For a game most people still know very little about, that kind of word of mouth could do a lot of the heavy lifting.
The pioneer program
Massive clearly wants people to stick around rather than play one match and leave. Alongside the test, it's running a "pioneer program" that awards points for completing PvP matches. Reach 1,000 points and you unlock three things:
- A new giant that stays available in this test and all future tests
- A cosmetic medal
- A free early access pack
That last reward is the interesting one. A free early access pack gives players a concrete reason to put in the matches now instead of waiting to see how the game turns out.
So what is March of Giants, anyway?
Fair question. Alongside the playtest announcement, Massive published a developer blog laying out its vision for the game. One of the inspirations it points to is the industrialization that took place during World War I. That's not exactly the usual source material for a genre better known for fantasy lanes and wizard towers.
The blog also covers what has changed since the last test. Soldier units now have a greater impact. There's more counterplay around Battleworks, and itemization has been expanded. Those are only some of the changes, but on paper they look like the kind of tuning you'd expect after a closed alpha.
If that still doesn't paint much of a picture, the honest answer is that the easiest way to understand the game will be to jump in on October 7 and play a few rounds. There's also a trailer for anyone who'd rather watch before committing.
Why It Matters
The MOBA space is hard to break into, and established games such as Heroes of the Storm are still getting new heroes years after launch. A newcomer needs players to show up and keep showing up. The structure of this test suggests Massive understands that. No NDA, a one-click sign-up and a reward ladder tied to finished matches all look designed to build a community before launch rather than after it.
The handover to Massive is the other piece of the puzzle. It's worth watching whether the changes in this build, from stronger soldier units to deeper itemization, signal a new direction under the studio or simply continue earlier plans. With players free to share their impressions openly, the response to this test should give a much clearer sense of whether March of Giants can carve out its own space.