Early Access is available now
Steam now sells WARDOGS with immediate Early Access rather than pre-purchase. The September test ended on 6 September at 08:00 UTC; its closure no longer means there is no way to play. This is paid Early Access, with ongoing development and service updates.
The tests that have run
Closed Beta 1 ran on 21–23 August. Closed Beta 2 followed in September, opened to everyone on 5 September, and ended on 6 September at 08:00 UTC. Those were limited test windows, separate from the released Steam app.
Which Steam entry to use
If you bought WARDOGS, install or update the main game from your Steam library. Free access to WARDOGS Playtest did not purchase the main game. A pre-purchase of WARDOGS was a purchase of the game, so existing owners should check their library before buying again.
Beta balance changed for Season 1
BULKHEAD published the Season 1 changelog on 9 September. It revises progression curves, unlock levels and several prices, alongside server-browser, voice and stability fixes. Treat our dated beta tables as historical references; check the current vendor before spending.
If you cannot connect
The first launch stability hotfix addressed joining failures, unexpected kicks and long login queues. Its instructions were to restart, download the client update and rejoin the queue, with admission in controlled batches. Check the latest official announcements for subsequent instructions; this page does not monitor live servers.
Resets after the beta: the one official statement
The question behind “will beta progress carry over” did not end with the beta — it moved to seasons. BULKHEAD’s 9 October Road to Season 02 devlog now confirms the end of Season 1 brings its first full progression reset: cash and progression reset, outstanding savings convert automatically into gold bars, and those bars buy permanent cosmetics.
Will WARDOGS wipe? What the plan says and what is confirmed →
Common questions
Can I still play the September WARDOGS beta?
That public test ended on 6 September 2026 at 08:00 UTC. The paid Early Access game is now available on Steam.
Do I need a beta invitation to play?
No. You need ownership of WARDOGS on Steam. Existing pre-purchasers own the game; a free Playtest invitation alone does not grant ownership.
Will beta progress carry over?
The sources checked for this update do not establish account-specific carry-over or wipe rules. The Season 1 changelog does confirm balance and progression changes.
Sources & verification
Release status checked against Steam on 11 September 2026. Beta dates are historical; the Season 1 changelog documents changes since the test.
| Source | Type | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Steam · WARDOGS official store listing | Publisher stated | 2026-09-11 |
| BULKHEAD · “THE CLOSED BETA IS NOW AN OPEN BETA!”, 6 September 2026Opens the last stretch of Closed Beta 02 to everyone and states the close: Sunday at 08:00 UTC. “Come break our servers” is the studio’s own framing of the test. | Publisher stated | 2026-10-10 |
| BULKHEAD · Pre-Load Live & Season 1 Changelog, 9 September 2026Published 22:46:09 UTC. Records server-browser, voice, stability, progression and economy changes from beta to Season 1. | Publisher stated | 2026-09-11 |
| BULKHEAD · Launch Stability Hotfix #1, 10 September 2026Published 20:20:33 UTC (04:20:33 SGT on 11 September). Reports a released client update and controlled queue admission; it does not establish that every server is healthy. | Publisher stated | 2026-09-11 |
