E3 may not have happened this year, but that hasn't stopped every big publisher turning up to take the spotlight for a few hours. With Sony's June State of Play kicking things off with a bang, Summer Games Fest carrying the momentum, and Xbox and Bethesda's Showcase bringing an hour and a half of non-stop reveals, June has been one of the most exciting months for gamers all year - and things are far from over. Just last night, Capcom hosted its own showcase, where some big upcoming titles were discussed, including the 2023 dinosaur, mech survival game Exoprimal.
After Resident Evil 4 Remake received a snippet of gameplay, the Resident Evil Village story DLC was finally announced, and Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak was revealed in even more detail, Exoprimal reared its scaly head, dropping a brand-new trailer that showed off some gameplay and cinematics. At the end of the Exoprimal segment, Capcom also announced that a closed network test would be available for the game, and that fans can register for it right now.
The Purpose of Exoprimal's Closed Network Test
Network tests are nothing new to the gaming industry, with just about any online multiplayer game receiving one in the months leading up to the final launch. With a 2023 release date still on the slate, Exoprimal's network tests are right on schedule. The purpose of a network test is fairly simple, with many developers using it to monitor the strain on the game's servers at various times, and in various regions. As such, the player's experience in a network test can vary massively, as some players may be able to play the game with no issues, while others experience severe lag, server crashes, or consistent technical bugs.
This is all done to ensure that the game is as polished as it can be on launch, to ensure that none of these technical issues are present for those who have paid the $60 to jump in day-one. Capcom will be hosting a network test on three separate dates, with each being intended to monitor a different aspect of the game's online functionality.
The first network test session will test the game's general functions in an extremely limited capacity, limiting it to just one specific region in a specified time window. The second session will be used to test how the game's servers handle a global audience, while still limiting it to a short time window. The third and final session will increase this time window significantly, raising it from 3-6 hours to 24.
Exoprimal's Network Test Entry Requirements
With Exoprimal's network tests being closed ones, entry will be fairly limited, and those wanting to try out the game before its 2023 release will need to hit a few specific entry requirements before they'll be considered. The first set of entry requirements ask the player to have a Steam account and a Capcom ID, and to have linked them both together via Capcom's official website.
Players must also be above the age of 17. For the first session, only players in the United States and Canada will be chosen to participate, while players located in the rest of the world will have a chance to be considered for the second and third sessions. The network test is also only available for those on PC, and Capcom requires the player to own a PC with the specified requirements, which can be found on its official website on the Exoprimal network test page.
If the player ticks all those boxes, then they can sign up right now on Capcom's website. Those looking to register for the network tests will need to do so by June 29, as that's when the registration phase closes. Those chosen for the network tests will find out on July 4 for the first session, and July 12 for the second and third sessions. Upon playing the network test, players will be required to fill out a survey detailing their experiences with the game thus far.
When Are Exoprimal's Three Network Tests?
As mentioned up top, Exoprimal is hosting three separate network tests. The first of these will take place on July 11, 2022 from 0.00- 2:59 UTC, which is July 10, 2022 17:00- 19:59 for those in the PDT time zone. The second session is scheduled for July 25, 2022 from 0:00- 5:59 UTC. The third session will occur on August 7, 2022 at 0:00-23:59 UTC. It should be noted, however, that these dates and times are subject to change depending on if any server maintenance needs to occur.
Exoprimal releases in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
