WARDOGS Beta 2 ended on September 6, 2026 at 08:00 UTC. It began as a closed test on September 3, then BULKHEAD opened it to everyone on September 5 for the remaining window. Paid Steam Early Access launched on September 10, 2026.
The completed Beta 2 timeline
The September test ran from September 3 at 18:00 UTC until September 6 at 08:00 UTC. It was separate from the August 21–23 test and from the paid September 10 Early Access release.
- UTC: September 3, 18:00 → September 6, 08:00
- US Eastern (EDT): September 3, 2:00 PM → September 6, 4:00 AM
- US Pacific (PDT): September 3, 11:00 AM → September 6, 1:00 AM
- Singapore (SGT): September 4, 02:00 → September 6, 16:00
How access changed during the test
Beta 2 initially used guaranteed preorder access plus limited Steam Playtest invitation waves. On September 5, BULKHEAD announced that the remaining test window had become an Open Beta. That access ended with the published September 6 cutoff.
- September 3: Beta 2 began as a controlled closed test
- September 5: the developer opened the remaining window to everyone
- September 6 at 08:00 UTC: the announced test window ended
How to play after the beta
Paid Early Access launched on September 10, 2026. Joining a Playtest did not grant ownership of the paid game. Use the retail WARDOGS entry in your Steam library; the beta timeline above is a historical record.
What remains unknown
- No future free test window is confirmed in the sources reviewed on September 8.
- The developer has not confirmed whether another Playtest build will be used after Early Access begins.
Field questions
FAQ
When did WARDOGS Beta 2 end?
It ended on September 6, 2026 at 08:00 UTC: 4:00 AM EDT, 1:00 AM PDT or 16:00 SGT.
Was Beta 2 an open beta?
It began as a closed test. BULKHEAD opened it to everyone on September 5 for the remaining time before the September 6 cutoff.
Can I still join the WARDOGS beta?
The announced Beta 2 window has ended. No replacement free test is confirmed in the sources reviewed on September 8.
Is the August beta the same test?
No. The August 21–23 test has ended. Closed Beta 2 is the separate September 3–6 test.
When is WARDOGS Early Access?
It launched on September 10, 2026, separately from the completed September beta window.
Evidence ledger
Sources
- WARDOGS official Steam news ↗developer · accessed Sep 13, 2026
September 10 Early Access launch, 2028 console announcement, launch stability hotfix and September 14 scheduled maintenance with Patch 0.11; historical beta announcements.
- WARDOGS on Steam ↗official · accessed Sep 13, 2026
Release date, pricing, system requirements, Early Access scope, anti-cheat and core game features.
Sources support only the facts described in their ledger entry. Access dates show when this page was last checked, not when the source was published.