Bottom line: Our biggest playtest yet arrives November 8-9 with three new weapons, portal wall overcharging, power-ups, EMPs, equipment changes, and playlist selection. This is a massive sandbox evolution that takes Splitgate to the next level.
Playtest Details
Saturday, November 8: 10am-1pm PT
Sunday, November 9: 10am-1pm PT
Platforms: Steam
Application: Splitgate 2 Beta
Branch: nov-playtest
This is our first Saturday-Sunday playtest, making it easier for players who couldn’t join previous Friday sessions to participate and provide feedback.
To access the branch on Steam, please follow these instructions:
Open Steam and go to your Library.
Find Splitgate 2 Beta in your game list.
Right-click the game → select Properties.
In the left menu, click Betas.
In the dropdown “Select the beta you would like to opt into”, choose nov-playtest.
Close the window. Steam will automatically download/update the game.
Once finished, click Play to launch the beta branch.
_Reminder: The build won’t be available until later this week.
Playlist Selection Is Here
One of the most requested features is finally coming to the playtest. You’ll be able to choose which modes you want to play with multi-select functionality.
Two modes available for this test:
Arena (Loadouts): The mode you’ve been testing with customizable loadouts and all the flexibility we introduced when removing factions.
Arena Classic (Even Starts): Everyone starts with the same weapons (Carbine and Assault Rifle) plus an EMP grenade for that true Splitgate classic experience.
You can select one mode or both. On full relaunch, there will be significantly more playlist and mode options to choose from.
Power-Ups Return to the Arena
After removing factions, one of the biggest community requests was reimagining abilities as power-ups. We’ve created three power-ups that are map pickups, bringing Splitgate closer to its arena shooter roots.
Overshield: Classic health boost that changes the dynamic of any fight.
Rush: The same functionality as Aeros’ adrenaline rush ability, but now as a contested map pickup. Fight for the power position to gain this advantage.
Hypersight: Similar to Meridian’s ability but reimagined. This is an individual power-up that lets you see enemies through walls temporarily. It does not reveal enemies to your teammates.
These aren’t exact replications of faction abilities, but they capture similar strategic elements while making them contested resources on the map rather than pre-selected loadout options.
Portal Wall Overcharging
The last time we tested portal changes with the charge system, the feedback was clear. You want counterplay to portals, not limits on portal usage. Portal wall overcharging is our answer.
How it works: If one player places both portals on the same portal wall, that wall becomes overcharged and blocked for everyone until those portals are removed.
This creates several interesting dynamics. First, it provides genuine counterplay without nerfing portals. You can block a critical wall on the hill, similar to what was possible in Splitgate 1. Second, there’s a meaningful tradeoff. If you dedicate both portals to blocking a wall, you can’t use them for flanking or repositioning until you remove them. Third, it forces adaptation. If your preferred route gets blocked, you need to pivot and find new angles.
We’ve done extensive internal testing and the system has been well received, but portal mechanics are critical to get right. We need your feedback on how this feels in practice.
EMPs Are Back
EMPs are back as equipment, and they work slightly differently than before. In the standard Arena mode, EMPs are selectable loadout equipment. In Classic Arena, everyone gets one just like original Splitgate.
New functionality: When you EMP a portal wall, it destroys all portals and controls that wall for your team for approximately 7 seconds. Only your team can use that wall during this window.
This adds significant utility beyond just clearing portals. It works particularly well with portal wall overcharging. If an enemy blocks a critical wall, you can EMP it to prevent them from overcharging it and open access for your team to infiltrate contested areas.
Equipment Changes for Combat Clarity
Splitgate 2 made progress in sandbox variety and combat depth, but we took a step back in one area: combat clarity. Right now we have equipment providing limited utility or occupying overlapping roles, all while making fights harder to read visually.
For this test, we’re testing removing the following equipment from loadouts:
Proximity Mine
Recon Radar
Regen Cloud
Sand Grenade
Time Dome
This is a test, not a final decision. In our internal playtesting, removing these options significantly improved combat clarity. You’ll be able to see what’s happening in fights more clearly without overlapping visual effects. It also removes redundancy. For example, Heal Grenade and Stim Shot served similar purposes, which became apparent once factions were removed.
We’ll be surveying specifically about equipment. Which removals felt good? Which equipment did you miss most? Some may return in future tests based on your feedback.
Three New LMGs
We’re introducing three new weapons, all LMG archetypes but with very different playstyles.
Velocity LMG: Your standard LMG. Low damage, high fire rate, massive ammo capacity. Unload on enemies and suppress positions.
Barrage LMG: Fires three bullets simultaneously in an automatic triple-shot pattern. Slightly slower fire rate means less range and precision than other LMGs, but it packs a heavy punch up close.
Strata LMG: Energy-based weapon that fires in automatic four-round bursts. More precise than the Barrage with mid-range damage output, playing almost like an automatic burst rifle.
We’re confident these weapons are fun to use, but we need your feedback on how they fit into the overall sandbox balance. Some will likely be overpowered, others underpowered. That’s exactly why we’re testing.
Controller Feel Improvements
We’ve heard feedback that playing on a controller didn’t quite feel right. We’ve spent significant time improving acceleration and responsiveness to get closer to that original feel from the first Splitgate. If you’re a controller player, we especially want your feedback on whether these adjustments hit the mark.
Additional Improvements and Fixes
Portal Trails: We’re testing visual trails when players exit portals to help you understand where portals lead. It’s subtle but addresses the disorientation of going through portals you can’t see through.
Combat Audio Updates: Continued refinement of audio cues for gunshots and portals. Distinct sounds help you identify where bullets and portals are coming from, improving combat clarity.
Portal Shooting Bug Fixed: We’ve fixed a significant networking bug where players were getting shot through portals even when clearly out of the line of fire. This should feel substantially better now.
Numerous other optimizations, polish passes, and bug fixes are happening behind the scenes, but these are the major highlights.
This Is Our Biggest Test Yet
This playtest represents a genuine sandbox evolution. Portal wall overcharging changes how you control space. Power-ups create new contested objectives. EMPs provide counterplay. Equipment streamlining improves clarity. New weapons expand tactical options.
If you’ve been considering joining a playtest, this is the one. We need your feedback on these interconnected systems to understand what’s working and what needs adjustment as we move toward relaunch.
Come prepared to try new strategies, adapt your playstyle, and give honest feedback about what feels right and what doesn’t. Join our Discord, follow us on X/Twitter, and participate in the post-playtest surveys. Your input directly shapes these decisions.
See you in the arena this weekend.