Peter Molyneux’s latest – and supposedly final – game, Masters of Albion, is poised to enter Steam early access on 22nd April. First, though, developer 22Cans has announced a closed beta test – but you’ll need to be quick if you want a chance of getting an early look at the Fable and Black & White mash-up as the window to register your interest is shutting very soon.
If you’re not yet up to speed, Masters of Albion is being pitched as something like a Molyneux greatest hits game, drawing heavy inspiration from the controversial designer’s most fondly remembered titles, including the likes of Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, and Fable. Chuck in a spot of city building and business management, and it’s an intriguing prospect, even if a heavy dose of cautious scepticism is probably deserved.
But if your curiosity remains piqued, registration for Masters of Albion’s closed beta test is now open, although specifics are vague. “As development progresses,” the announcement explains, “the team is looking to gather direct player feedback to help refine and improve the experience ahead of release.” It’s not clear what sort of feedback 22Cans might be looking for at this late juncture, with less than a month to go before Masters of Albion’s arrival, but it’s directing players toward its Discord’s closed beta channel for more details.
That, though, will point you toward a separate sign-up form, with some basic questions to fill in about yourself, your favourite sim-adjacent games, and PC specifications. It ends by asking if you’re happy to sign an NDA, which would imply that – should your registration be approved and you secure one of the “limited slots” – you may need to keep your lips sealed about whatever you see.
If you’re still keen to dive in, there’s some urgency to all this: 22Cans’ sign-up window is a small one, open for 48-hours. That means there’s not long at all until it slams shut at 6pm GMT today, 25th March.
And Masters of Albion does look intriguing. Last week, I watched Molyneux play his way through 45 minutes of the game, and – speaking as a long-time Bullfrog and Lionhead fan – it’s hard not to be just a little bit hopeful things might all come together this time, when Masters of Albion promises so many things I love. But of course, Molyneux’s passion and promise does have a tendency to land wide of reality, burning players in the process – so wait-and-see feels like the safest approach here. Still, with its Steam early access launch looming, we should have a clearer idea of its future relatively soon.
