Uncharted fans rejoice, Naughty Dog has announced that the beta of "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" is coming this weekend as part of a bid to stress-test the game's servers. To push the test to it's very limits, the beta will be free and open to all players, and a PlayStation Plus membership will not be required.
The schedule for the Uncharted 4 Multiplayer Stress Test is as follows:
• Start: March 4, at 9 a.m. Pacific.
• End: March 6, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific.
"We need your help to do all we can to have a smooth launch of our online Multiplayer mode. We will be hosting a Multiplayer Stress Test this weekend where the goal is to get as many people as possible playing in the Uncharted 4 Multiplayer mode to test our networking, our matchmaking, and more," Naughty Dog said in the release.
"Please help us create the best multiplayer experience possible and participate in the stress test before launch."
The beta client is available to pre-load starting today, March 1, and weighs in at anywhere between 7 GB to 10 GB depending on your region. Additionally, Naughty Dog was quick to note that the beta is strictly a stress test and doesn't represent what the final "Uncharted 4" build will be like.
"We still have a lot to share between this stress test and launch," said Naughty Dog.
Though welcome news, the announcement comes as little surprise to avid Uncharted fans due to a leak on the EU PlayStation Store yesterday that confirmed the open beta ahead of either Sony or Naughty Dog officially confirming it. Details about the beta haven't changed since then, and through it we know that the beta will include team deathmatch mode, played on three maps based on locations from the single-player campaign.
This is the second time players will be able to get a taste of "Uncharted 4's" multiplayer before its release date. The first beta was held in December 2015, however it was only available to those who purchased "Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection."
For any unfamiliar with the multiplayer, or simply want a refresher course about some of the game's features, Naughty Dog has provided a Multiplayer FAQ that can be seen here.
"Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" is due to launch on April 26 in North America, and April 27 in the UK and Europe, exclusively on the PlayStation 4.
