DRIMAGE and Bonfire Studios announced on the 9th that they have released the CBT trailer for Archeeron and will conduct a global CBT starting at 10:00 AM on July 16 (KST) through July 27.

Since March, Archeeron has been refining its gameplay through weekly 'Friday Night Fight (FNF)' tests with community members. This CBT aims to gather broader user feedback and verify core content and service stability.

Bonfire Studios was co-founded by Blizzard veteran Rob Pardo, and 'Archeeron' is the studio's first public title. At GDC 2026, Pardo delivered a keynote speech titled 'The Journey of Developing Long-Lasting Games,' where he introduced the game.

Archeeron features a format where 45 players, divided into 15 teams of three, participate in each match. The main mode, 'Ascension,' tasks teams with climbing the floors of a tower by eliminating monsters and acquiring relics. On each floor, teams must clash with rivals and secure beacons within a time limit to advance. The final stage culminates in a 3v3 battle at the summit.

The combat utilizes an isometric, free-aim system. Rather than simple hack-and-slash gameplay, it emphasizes aiming, dodging, CQC, and positioning. The Steam page also highlights sound-based tension, noting that "you can hear danger before you see it."

Character identity is determined by Relics rather than fixed classes or heroes. Players acquire relics as they climb the tower, combining them to alter their abilities and combat style. Collecting four relics of the same set triggers a 'Transformation' into an 'Eternal,' granting a unique fifth ability. Alternatively, players can mix relics from different sets to create 'Shattered' combinations for unique synergies.

During the CBT, users can play the new 3v3 arena-based mode, 'Spires,' at any time. Spires reduces the burden of item farming and accelerates the pace of combat, allowing players to quickly experiment with various unique builds and experience intense, fast-paced battles.

Additionally, the core competitive mode, 'Ascension,' will be open from 9:00 PM to midnight between July 18 and 20. This battle royale-style mode, where teams compete while climbing the tower, best showcases the strategic depth and competitive nature of Archeeron.

This CBT also focuses on improving accessibility for new users. Through the 'Learning Spires' tutorial mode, players can quickly grasp the basic flow of combat and build combinations.

A 'Season Progression' pass system will also be implemented during the CBT, encouraging participation by awarding points based on gameplay records and providing tiered rewards.

Through this progression, users can earn various rewards such as skins, banners, and titles. Notably, exclusive CBT rewards will be bound to the account and retained for Early Access (EA) and the official launch.

Anyone can apply for the CBT via the Archeeron page on Steam. Access will be granted sequentially starting July 16, after which players can download the build and begin playing.

Meanwhile, Archeeron recently saw high interest through a streamer-hosted tournament on SOOP on the 3rd. The 'Danni - Cup Archeeron E - SPORTS Tournament,' hosted by streamer 'Jung Danni' with prize support from DRIMAGE, featured 34 streamers and drew a peak concurrent viewership of approximately 3600.

A DRIMAGE representative stated, "We were able to confirm the affection and expectations of our users through this community-led tournament. We will continue to communicate with our community in various ways and use the global CBT to gather more feedback to further refine the game."