Wolcen Studio has been hard at work since revealing Wolcen 2 at gamescom 2026, and last week it announced that the game’s second closed alpha, Closed Alpha 2, begins on November 26. The studio says the game has grown significantly thanks to feedback from its first Closed Alpha in August. It’s a community-driven approach the team has also used on its extraction RPG Gods, Death & Reapers, which has been running closed alphas of its own. Wolcen Studio’s Steam catalog also includes the twin-stick shooter Bullet Noir.
What’s New in Closed Alpha 2
A series of improvements to overall combat feel and pacing.
Updates to Combat Mastery and the Twilight Procession for more clarity on build paths and easier use.
A new Pistol Ability, up for testing in this alpha.
A new Shadow Form mechanic that’s also being tested.
The Story So Far
The world is in turmoil. Anathea, the goddess who holds the Rift between reality and the demonic Void shut, has been mortally wounded. Forced out of exile, the Warlord, a bastard son of the Shadow God, and his companions become entangled in a prophecy that promises salvation but demands sacrifice. Joined by returning characters from Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, they must confront the fate laid out before them, or seek a more brutal path to preserve their freedom and save reality.
The Road to Early Access
| When | What’s Happening |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | Revealed at gamescom 2026 · first Closed Alpha playtest |
| November 26 to 30 | Closed Alpha 2: combat and build clarity improvements, Havoc Orb, Parasitic Shadows |
| 2027 | Steam Early Access on PC, expected to last around 12 months |
| After Early Access | Full release on PC and current-generation consoles, with all three Acts and endgame content |
Wolcen 2 at a Glance
| Genre | Dark fantasy hack-and-slash action RPG |
| Players | Single-player · online co-op for up to 4 |
| Developer & publisher | Wolcen Studio |
| Early Access | 2027 on PC (Steam) · lower price during Early Access |
| Early Access plan | One full Act with side quests · around 32 enemy types and 8 bosses · 5 weapon types · around 25 abilities · around 150 pieces of gear · 10 biomes |
| Full release plan | Three Acts and endgame · 50+ abilities · around 70 monster types · 15 bosses and mini-bosses · around 18 biomes |
| Controls | Full controller support |
| Minimum PC | Windows 10 64-bit · Core i5-6500 or Ryzen 3 3200G · 16 GB RAM · GTX 1650 |
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