The beta version of Fallout 76 is almost an early-access version

The first beta test of Fallout 76 – or B.E.T.A., as it is officially called – has come and gone. It lasted from 7pm to 11am EDT on October 23 and chugged performance, even when you play on an Xbox One X.

But that's the point; it's a beta test. It's not supposed to be polite or highly optimized. The goal is to determine where the varnish or optimization should go, based on the data collected during the test.

"We all know, with the breadth of our games and the systems we allow you to use, that bugs and unexpected problems always come up," the developer of Bethesda Game Studios said Monday in a news conference. open letter to the Fallout community. "Given what we do with 76we know that we are opening everyone to all the spectacular new issues that none of us have encountered. […] We need your help to find them and advice on important points to solve. We will fix all this now and after the launch. "

You'll sometimes hear about "real" beta testing in discussions about this type of problem, because modern beta testing can sometimes look more like a demo. There will always be players who are upset if the game they play during the beta test is not the game they want to buy at launch, regardless of how successful a publisher or developer is trying to manage the expectations before putting the test into production.

Why is it different?

the Fall 76 Beta is different from other betas in that it is not a card or two, and players have not been limited to part of the experience for the first four hours. C & # 39; was the whole game, and the players were free to explore and do what they wanted while it was live. The acronym itself means "break-it early test application", with the pronoun "it" referring to the entire game. Nothing has been withheld during these four hours, at least to our knowledge.

And last night was only the first step of access; the servers will be turned on and off at different times by the game's launch on November 14th. The data will be collected and changes made. If everything falls apart? Well, that's part of the plan.

"During the B.E.T.A. one of our main goals is to stress and break the game " Fallout 76 the team wrote on the official beta page. "As such, the servers will not work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; instead, they will be online for targeted periods to allow as many people as possible to play at the same time. Why? Because it's the best way to test all our systems and see how they react. "

The other interesting detail is that Bethesda plans to let you keep track of the progress you made during the beta release of the last game. You're not just testing the game; you are playing the game, in a significant and persistent sense. The equipment and levels you earn during the test will give you an advantage when launching the final game. It matters.

"Our current plan is to ensure that your progress continues after the official launch of Fallout 76 on November 14," writes the author of the official FAQ. "Stay tuned for more information."

Entry into the beta is automatic if you pre-order the game via Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network or the Bethesda Launcher for PC, or you can use the code assigned to you when you pre-order the game at a home. other retailer to unlock your account. Beta code as follows:

1. Create a free account Bethesda.net. If you already have an account, go to step two.
2. Sign in to your account and use the code provided with your receipt to authorize your Bethesda.net account to access the Fallout 76 B.E.T.A.
3. Your B.E.T.A. The code will be available on this account page once the B.E.T.A. is live on your respective platform (October 23 for Xbox One, October 30 for PS4)
4. Exchange your B.E.T.A. code on your console to participate

There is no indication that Bethesda will cap these tests to as many players as possible. So I guess if you buy the game, you're in beta.

It's one of those situations that is not advanced enough, but it's not a traditional beta test either. It's a complete and fast access to the game for a price, with the ability to carry your time playing the beta version in the full version, which has a definite release date. It's almost like a very early form of early access, without the baggage that comes with those words.

And we will see more and more of these things as more and more developers and publishers push their biggest series to become online services; the launch of Battlefield 5 seems almost unfold over several months.

Fallout 76 does not have a beta, not exactly, but there is a way that everyone can pay to play an unfinished version of the game earlier and start a trip that they will carry with them until the final match.

So, what do you call it?