Anthem's Closed Alpha Opens Registration

One of the big games due out for release in 2019 is the third-person action-shooter Anthem. BioWare's upcoming sci-fi multiplayer action game has been rolling ever-so-close towards its release, but before it hits store shelves the company will be holding closed alpha tests. So if you wanted to check the game out, you can register right now.

Over on the EA Help page, there's some brand new info made available for the Anthem closed alpha test. The closed alpha will not be available for everyone, and there will be limited space available for those participating in the tests. According to the page, the community playtests will be more limited than what BioWare and EA showcased of Anthem at events such as the EA Play. The idea is that it will work as a stress-test for the servers and for monitoring and gathering feedback on the gameplay mechanisms and playability.

The closed alpha test will be available for all three major gaming platforms, including Origin on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It's set to get underway rather soon, between December 8th and December 9th. So if you have a home console or a gaming rig and you want to get in on the action, you will have an opportunity to do so.

The sessions, however, will not be an all-day thing. There will be two separate sessions across two days to alpha test Anthem.

The process for getting in on the test includes joining the Community Playtest program operated by the EA Community Playtest team. You'll need to head to the EA Community Playtest website, and then sign in with your EA Account that you use either for Origin or EA Access on the Xbox One.

From there, you'll simply need to select the platform of your choice, and then inform EA when you want to play. Submit the form and you'll potentially be eligible for joining in on the closed alpha of Anthem.

Not everyone who registers will be selected for the alpha test, and signing up doesn't guarantee entry, but if you are selected EA will send out an e-mail confirming your registration and acceptance into the alpha test.

If you are selected, you'll be able to pre-download the alpha client and install it ahead of the actual alpha test sessions going live.

Anthem is quite the departure from BioWare's usual fanfare, which is typically themed around story-oriented role-playing games, such as the sprawling space adventure Mass Effect or the widely popular Knights of the Old Republic. You could say that Anthem is closer to Destiny 2 or Warframe, focusing more on the hardcore, real-time third-person co-op action elements rather than being a story-heavy game.

Much like Warframe, players will be able to get their hands on a variety of different mech suits known as Javelins. The different suits have different abilities and weapons, and can also be upgraded to match the play-style of different players. The environments and traversal are also similar to Xenoblade Chronicles X, insofar that there's a giant city hub with a large, sprawling jungle atmosphere located in the surrounding environment. The full game is due for release on PC, PS4, and Xbox One during the first quarter of 2019.