Technical playtest progression

The technical playtest is a short, open, unfinished slice. On 14 November 2026 the Steam store page lists playtest app 4584570 with the open flag set. Progression ends before Birch Trees. Befriending Väsen is off until Early Access. The 12 November post said the test closes the following week.

How it opened

On 10 November 2026 the studio started a closed test. More than 40,000 people had signed up. Invites went out in waves, and an invited player could bring up to 3 friends. An NDA covered the closed period. The post said the NDA would lift the moment the test opened to everyone.

On 12 November 2026 they opened it. Feedback on Discord had been positive enough that anyone could take part, and the NDA was dropped. The same post said the window would close the following week. The Steam event for that post is scheduled through 19 November 2026 at 14:30 UTC, and its subtitle says the test lasts until next week. As of the 14 November store check, the open flag was still on. Request access from join the playtest if you want in before that announced close. Do not wait for a second public date. None has been posted.

What you can do

You still play a Sprýg gnome in the Dark Forest, solo or with friends, under the same cold, hunger and climb fantasy as the store page. Building, crafting and exploration are in, with pieces missing. An official screenshot shows a Climbing Spryg Gnome quest, a whistle on Z, and a hotbar on 1, 2, 3, 4 and B. Those are real parts of this build. The beginner guide is the order to learn them.

The studio is explicit that this is a technical test. Balance is off. Bugs, crashes and content that does not work as intended are expected. Report them. Do not treat a broken station as a secret you failed to unlock.

What is turned off or cut

• Progression stops before Birch Trees. If you stall at that name, you are at the end of the test, not lost.
• Befriending Väsen is removed. Gifts and a non-combat path are Early Access plans, described on playtest vs Early Access.
• Väsen that are present may fight more than intended, including among themselves.
• Not every Väsen is in the build. The named cast is on Väsen.
• Some tools and workstations are absent.
• Building pieces, decorations and furniture are limited. See building.
• Some ingredients and materials cannot be found. The store page still names blueberries, twigs, arrows and musical instruments as the craft range. It does not say which of those the test keeps.
• Keys cannot be rebound. AZERTY layouts may not play as intended. See controls.
• The playtest is English only.

How to spend the window

Use the week to test the things a technical test is for: saving, connecting, and host performance. The known-issue list on known issues is the studio's own. Quit only after a save finishes. If you host, keep the group smaller when the host machine stutters. Desync, odd spawns and failed joins are already on their list, so write them up instead of restarting forever.

Verdict: Join if you want to stress saves, co-op and the climb, and you can tolerate a build that ends before Birch Trees. Skip it if you want befriending, a full craft list or a finished story. Those are Early Access promises, not this build.

FAQ