As civilization prepares for an impending ice age, a twisted new project emerges, half science experiment and half live-entertainment. It's called Darwin Project and it challenges participants to survive the cold and fight to the death in a treacherous, snow-covered arena.

Darwin Project takes the battle royale genre up north to the Canadian Rockies. Set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, an impending ice age has kick-started a twisted new reality show, in which participants must fight to the death to earn their survival. Other combatants won’t be players’ only worries though, as the harsh climate will put even the most hardened survivalists to the test.

Darwin Project offers a competitive multiplayer third-person experience with an emphasis on survival. Players must withstand extreme environmental conditions, track opponents, craft tools, set traps, and even negotiate temporary alliances to be the last one standing at sunrise.

Get your axes sharpened and nock a few arrows, because there’s another Darwin Project Open Beta coming this weekend! Following up on the success of January’s manhunting extravaganza which saw over 80,000 people join the game’s first Open Beta, Scavengers Studio are inviting the public to join them in the harsh climates of northern Canada once again.

• Beta Start: Friday, February 23 at Noon Pacific / 3 PM Eastern / 9 PM CET
• Beta End: Monday, February 26 at 9 AM Pacific / Noon Eastern / 6 PM CET

Battle royale fans looking to get a taste of Darwin Project’s competitive action before diving in for themselves can look forward to a series of exciting show matches which will kick off the weekend festivities. Beginning at 2:00pm EST and running until the servers open at 3:00pm EST on Friday, a number of special guests will take to the world of streaming to dive into the action, as they get the blood boiling and the lava flowing.

In addition to giving players a chance to experience the tense manhunting action of Darwin Project, Open Beta participants can look forward trying out Spectator Interactions on Twitch (previously only available on Mixer), hosting Private Matches to settle any and all battle royale grudge matches, and testing out Show Director ratings, which will ensure Show Directors keep matches interesting and fair. Whether this is a player’s first experience with the game, or they’re returning for another stab (and chop) at snow-laden victory, there’s never been a better time to dive into Darwin Project!

Releasing on PC and Xbox One, it is slated to hit Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview in Q1 2018.