some have been going on since (perhaps) before you were born

Have you ever had the feeling that a particular game has been in beta, maybe alpha, for a long time? As a general rule, early accesses, that is, alphas either playable betas, have greater relevance in the market today. Not before. Launching an unfinished game 10 years ago was very difficult and for this reason many wanted to abandon this format as soon as possible. All but these games on the list, those that enjoy having the alpha or beta longest we know.

Perhaps we have forgotten some along the way, or perhaps the importance of that game in question is much less than other competitors in the same range, but we wanted to be as honest as possible and bring you true jewels of eternal development. In fact, we’ve wanted to pick up the games since they were first playable, even if it was just one level. Nothing on Kickstarters either previous developmentsonly from the first and playable minute. Do you want to know what they are? Let’s see it.

The games with more years in beta phase

MultiVersus – 8 months

The game that has given rise to this article deserved to be here. The truth is that although its beta was announced, the fact of moving between the award ceremonies and the pace that its servers picked up in the summer of 2022, suggested that Warner Bros. would update the game base. It hasn’t been like that. MultiVersus will disappear shortly to resurface in 2024 with the same concept, but it has brought with it a huge amount of hate and bad faces from its community.

Fortnite – 1 year and 11 months

Fortnite also spent some time simmering behind the scenes. He battle royale par excellence of the last five years began as a campaign mode concept under the name of “Save the World”. Its first build dates back to 2011, in a game jam from Epic Games, but since it wasn’t playable other than in that circle, it doesn’t count. Its first step was in July 2017, when it launched as a early access to arrive in 2019 as free to play with the release of battle royale mode.

Minecraft – 2 years and 6 months

Yes, the excellent Minecraft, the wonder of Mojang and, now, of Microsoft, spent some time in a very basic alpha version, and it was updated little by little. The first version of the cube game came in 2009 with the Pre-Classic version of “Notch” and “Jeb” that would make video game history. It lasted a short time, and it is that the November 18, 2011after 7 updates, the “Adventure Update”, which marked the start of the final version of Minecraft. The rest is history.

The Forest – 4 years and 5 months

Although its sequel, Sons of the Forest, has hit it hard, The Forest also did the same back in 2013. Yes, it was from this first barrage of alpha games that came to Steam, and it stayed that way for no less than 5 years. We are talking about one of early access further “poor” in content and expectations when it launched, but for 2018 it was a portent of an Endnight Games that surprised with its concept of survival. We’ll see how long its sequel runs in alpha. The counter is already running.

Quake Champions – 5 years

Quake is mythical, and Quake Champions is the closest product to our times from the id Software license. The Texans wanted to enter fully into the concept of games free to play with a old saga and alien to the current concept of shooter multiplayer. For this reason, it was from August 2018 until that same month, but from 2022, in beta phase.

Beige – 5 years and 1 month

Another one that many of you will hardly remember. He was not one of the first to arrive at the “Steam Early Access Program”, but he was one of the most curious. Naturally, the basic concept of a sandbox for Besiege came before, but it wasn’t until January 2015 that it arrived as an alpha on Steam. From there, nothing less than 5 years of testingversions and others to launch, in 2020, the final game with multiplayer and a version for consoles that would arrive in 2022.

Kenshi – 2013 – 5 years and 4 months

Do you know what is the first? early access from Steam? When Newell’s Americans started the project in 2013, this RPG was the first to join their ranks. Kenshi is a role that is very difficult to get into, but he lets you do everything. Of course, and although it began its journey in 2013, the concept and development began in 2006, and after passing through Steam, it was launched 5 years later in its full version.

DayZ – 6 years

Another one that is remembered for many things, from the importance of that ArmA 2 mod, to the difficulty of its independent game. When Bohemia Interactive picked up on the same concept, many foresaw a boom spectacular. After all, he was a hallowed study. Yes, it has been, but it took no less than 6 years, and its first version came in 2012, with Dean Hall in the lead, and officially launched into end of 2018.

Star Citizen – Since 2013 (10 years)

Oh, Star Citizen. The eternal Cloud Imperium Games game that perhaps many of you would have placed crowning the table, but we refer to the data. And it is that, although Chris Roberts began the Kickstarter campaign in 2012 with resounding success, and the first concepts for 2011, it was not until August 2013 when did you release the version Hangar Module, a very basic first level that let us explore a hangar and buy ships. No flights, yes. Here began a story with 10 years of life.

7 Days to Die – Since 2013 (10 years)

7 Days to Die is old, but older than Star Citizen. Both compete in the same race to see which one lasts longer in alpha, and that is that the survival from The Fun Pimps is still in that state since 2013. However, it surpasses Star Citizen by a little, very little, and that is that this game launched its alpha on August 16, 2013, while SC did so on August 29. Sorry, Star Citizen, you’ve been beaten.

Interstellar Marines – Since 2012 (11 years)

It is unknown where they are there, but the shooter Zero Point Software celebrates its 11th anniversary this July. It has been difficult to put it on the list for a reason, and that is that in 2012 was on the show Steam Greenlightand passed in 2013 to the program Steam Early Access. Even so, if we take into account that it has been playable since 2012 and is still in beta today, it is more than worthy on this list.

Project Zomboid – Since 2011 (12 years)

The Project Zomboid phenomenon was simmered, though to be more exact, it’s still cooking. It arrived on November 8, 2013 on Steam as a early access eternal with 2 important peaks of success. Early in his life, 4Chan helped make the survival gain strength on the internet, while by 2022, thanks to the Twitch phenomenon, it once again made headlines. Of course, this development is still stuck in a constant alpha.

Dwarf Fortress – 14 years

We enter the top of the tops with Dwarf Fortress. If only the guys at Bay 12 Games had held out a little longer, they could have blown the list winner in the ear, but the game was released in December 2022 in its full version. The success was resounding and after 16 years of developmentbecause its first alpha started in a distant August 8, 2006outside of Steam, raked in millions of dollars of profit.

WWII Online – Since 2001 (22 years)

Leader. The boss of this list and of all the alphas, as far as we know, is WWII Online. He is real, we have not made him up. Yes, the game can now be enjoyed on Steam as a free to play, but it has been in beta for, hold on, 22 years. From the June 6, 2001, to be more exact. There are two explanations: either the development is very, very slow, or someone forgot to hit the button and launch the game. Of course, WWII Online is a mixed of conceptsand it is that playable and visually, what we see is a cocktail of mechanics of 22 years different. All a wonder.