Founded by industry veterans responsible for iconic franchises including Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo, Overwatch, StarCraft and World of Warcraft, the Bonfire team draws on the expertise and design principles honed on those titles to craft an innovative new PvP game.

While players will find familiar ideas and concepts in Arkheron, it isn’t about combining genres - it’s about creating something entirely new; a dynamic, fast-paced PvP gameplay experience set in a dark and foreboding world.

This is Arkheron - a dark, surreal dimension constructed from emotionally-charged memories of the living world. All here are anchored to the Tower by the grip of a past they can’t quite remember; driven to do whatever it takes to find answers and escape the destructive Abyss. 

In this fast-paced, dynamic PvP game, teams of three battle to ascend a mysterious Tower built from fragments of their life before. Here, items are the heroes - each one imbued with powerful abilities that shape how you fight, adapt, and outplay other teams. Build your strategy and identity on the fly by looting and combining items in real time, creating unique builds throughout every match. What you choose to carry defines not only what you can do, but who you can become.

Fight your way up the Tower in a series of one-team-takes-all showdowns in Ascension mode. Battle monsters, challenge rival teams and seize control of beacons floor by floor to ascend before time runs out. With each successful Ascension, the player pool shrinks, culminating in a final 3v3 showdown at the summit to claim victory before the Tower resets and a new cycle begin.

In the Tower, memories take shape as powerful weapons and abilities called Relics. Every Relic you pick up has the potential to shift how you play, letting you adapt your strategy on the fly. You can chase a full set of four matching Relics to transform into an Eternal and unlock a game-changing fifth ability. Or, discover your own playstyle: Mix and match Relics from different sets, swap them out as you find new ones and create a “shattered” build that’s uniquely yours, gaining set bonuses and custom synergies along the way. The choice is always yours - and it can change at any moment.

• Relics, imbued with powerful memories, offer dynamic abilities that can instantly redefine your capabilities. Each new Relic you claim brings you the chance to master its unique powers and abilities, but you keep them only as long as you carry that Relic with you.
• Some Relics belong to a set tied to an Eternal. Collect all four Relics to transform into that Eternal and gain a powerful fifth ability. The tradeoff is that transformation locks your playstyle for the remainder of the match.
• Adaptation breeds opportunity. Create a "shattered" build by mixing and matching Relics from different sets, adapting your strategy with every pickup. Unlock set bonuses and discover surprising combinations that fit your unique playstyle.

Arkheron’s isometric free-aim action keeps you locked into the fight; swiveling the camera to line up kill shots while dodging and striking at close range. The tight view makes combat strategic, fast-paced and intimate. Immersive audio heightens the pulse-pounding tension; you hear the danger before you see it, turning subtle sounds and music cues into vital keys for survival.

Charged emotions of the past create a world in constant flux. These shifting, distorted memories reshape the Tower and everything in it, as the haunting histories of the Eternals gradually unfold over time. This evolving narrative will add new layers of depth to the world around you as you fight to ascend as the Tower once again.

Bonfire Studios will be officially kicking off the Closed Beta for Arkheron!

Starting on July 15 - 26, players will have two weeks to jump into the game and see all the changes the team has made since Steam Next Fest. Queues will be available 24/7, including the new Spires game mode and the peak competitive mode, Ascension.

Arkheron’s Closed Beta Is Here

We’re officially kicking off Arkheron’s Closed Beta! 

If it’s been a minute since you last checked in with Arkheron, we’ll catch you up - we spent the last few months digging in on all the feedback from Steam Next Fest, and making updates to gameplay clarity, UI, performance, and how new players find their footing. Whether this is your first time in Arkheron or you’re coming back after a while - there’s a lot that’s changed, and we’re excited for you to experience it. 

Arkheron’s Closed Beta will run from July 15 - 26. It’s a focused two-week test where we’re looking to understand how the game holds up with a larger group of players, and whether the changes we’ve made since Next Fest actually land the way we hope. 

During Closed Beta, Arkheron queues will be available 24/7. Spires - Arkheron’s version of an “Arena” mode - is the primary queue for the full two-week window. Ascension - Arkheron’s peak competitive mode - will be run between Friday and Sunday, with times varying by region. Check the schedule below for more detail. 

How to Get In

We’ll be inviting players in waves from both the Steam and FirstLook waitlists. If you’ve already signed up, keep an eye on the email account you used. That’s where you’ll get the official invite. When you get invited to playtest, you’ll automatically be granted three Steam friend invites to bring your squad along with you. 

Haven't signed up yet? No worries, you can sign up on Steam right now! 

If you’ve been playing in our weekly Friday and Saturday playtests - you’re already good to go! When queues open up on July 15, the “Arkheron Playtest” in your Steam Library will automatically appear as “Arkheron Closed Beta”, and you can jump right in. 

A special shout out to our weekly playtesters: We really appreciate everything you’ve put into this game over the last few months. Your feedback helped make Arkheron better, and we can’t thank you enough for it. 

And if you don’t make it into this round of Closed Beta - don’t worry! We plan to host additional playtests in the near future, as we get Arkheron ready for Early Access.

Closed Beta Begins

Closed Beta will kick off 24/7 access for each region during the following times: 

July 15th 

• Europe | 6PM BST / 7PM CEST / 5PM UTC 

• LATAM | 6PM BRT /  5PM AST / 9PM UTC 

• North America | 4PM PDT / 7PM EDT / 11PM UTC

July 16th 

• Asia / Pacific | 10AM JST & KST / 1AM UTC

Note: Outside of Ascension queue windows, expect Spires to be the primary available queue for Closed Beta.

Ascension Queue Times

Ascension - Arkheron’s peak competitive mode - will run during the following times.

 July 17, 18, 24, 25

• Europe | 7PM - 11PM BST /8PM - 12AM CEST /  6PM - 10PM UTC 

• LATAM | 7PM - 11PM AST / 8PM - 12AM BRT / 11PM - 3AM UTC 

• North America | 8PM - 12AM EDT / 5PM - 9PM PDT / 12AM - 4AM* UTC (*UTC on the following day)

July 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 

• Asia / Pacific | 9PM - 12AM JST & KST / 12PM - 3PM UTC

Note: in lower skill levels, some players may encounter bot teams. 

What’s New for Closed Beta

Closed Beta will kick off with our .21 release. Full patch notes will drop on July 14, but here’s a preview of what’s in it. 

[New] Spires & Learning Spires

If you’ve been in our weekly playtests, you already know Spires. It’s a 3v3 mode built around two things: build creativity and combat. The core loop is: load into a ready room, choose your items, fight it out in a best of 3, and climb as high as you can before losses reset your run. It’s a great way to experiment with new builds and hone your skills in combat. 

New this patch is Learning Spires - a shorter, simplified version of the mode built specifically for new players who are just getting started. You’ll fight bots instead of other players, and it’s designed to introduce you to the item system and Eternals step by step, with the space to learn as you go. Enemy count scales to however many players queue up with you, so you can run it solo or with friends. 

[New] Cosmetics Progression Test

We’re also running a test of our cosmetics progression system during Closed Beta, which means for the first time in Arkheron, you’ll have the opportunity to unlock some rewards. 

Here’s how it works: play the game, earn Pages, and then spend Pages on whatever you want from the Closed Beta Collection. There’s no set order, so if you see something you love on day one, you can hit that first. 

One thing to know upfront: Because this is a test, most of what you unlock from the collection will reset when the test ends. We want to be clear about that. However, the collection includes a Prestige track, which are three items that are yours to keep once unlocked - a title, banner, and skin. You’ll earn progress toward these items as you unlock things from the main collection. Think of it as our thank you for helping us test this system out. 

Throughout this test, we’ll be paying close attention to how players move through the system, what they go for first, and how it feels. That will shape how we tune everything going forward. 

[Heads Up!] Full Account Reset 

As we move into Closed Beta and prep Arkheron for launch, we’re shifting from a test environment to a production environment. It’s a one-time thing, but it means everyone’s account will go through a reset.

When you login after the account reset, you’ll get a series of prompts to set up a new Bonfire Account - the first one asks if you’ve played in Arkheron’s Closed Beta before on another platform. This question exists to help us test cross platform progression with a limited group of players joining on console from the XBOX Insiders Program. If you’re not joining us from that group, make sure to click “no” to get your new account set up correctly.   

One last thing - your MMR will not carry over with you into this new environment, even if you’ve been playing with us regularly. Once you jump into game, it’ll take a few matches before matchmaking gets a solid read on your skill level. We expect it to settle quickly, but wanted to make sure it doesn’t catch you off guard as you jump into games. 

Share Your Feedback

Throughout the test, we’ll be keeping an eye on Discord, streams, videos, and social media, but if you have any feedback as you’re playing, we’d love for you to share that on the Arkheron Forums. We’re paying attention and genuinely want to hear what you think. 

See you in the tower! 

FAQ

How do I sign up for the Closed Beta?

Head to Arkheron’s Steam page to sign up for Closed Beta!

How do I get access? 

We’ll extend invites to Arkheron’s Closed Beta in waves. Those who have signed up for Closed Beta and are invited will receive an email from either Steam or FirstLook, depending on where you signed up.

If you signed up through Steam, you’ll see the “Arkheron Closed Beta” automatically added to your library - from there, simply download and play. If you signed up through FirstLook, you’ll need to follow your invite email back to FirstLook, complete your signup, then receive a Steam key to enter into the storefront.

I have access - can I invite my friends? 

Yes! When you get invited to playtest, you’ll automatically be granted three Steam friend invites to bring your squad along with you. 

Will my progress carry over to the final game? 

In Closed Beta, we’re running a limited test of our cosmetics progression system, which means that most of the collection will reset when the test ends. The Prestige track items - title, banner, and skin - are yours to keep once unlocked. 

What platforms will Closed Beta be available on? 

This Closed Beta test will be focused mostly on PC, with a limited group of players joining on console from the XBOX Insiders Program. We’re not quite ready to go wide with console testing just yet, but we will be in the not-too-distant future. So, stay tuned for console announcements!

What are the PC system requirements? 

Recommended

• Windows 10 or later
• Intel Core i7-9700K (or equivalent 8-core)
• Nvidia RTX 2070 8GB VRAM
• 16GB RAM
• SSD 35Gb

Minimum

• Windows 10 or later
• Intel Core i5-9600K (or equivalent 6-core)
• Nvidia GTX 1060 6Gb VRAM
• 12GB RAM
• SSD 35Gb

Is this Closed Beta under any sort of content NDA or Embargo? 

It is not! Feel free to share footage and gameplay from the playtest.

Building on last week’s reveal of a partnership with HYBE IM to publish Arkheron in Korea and Japan, Bonfire also secured new investments from Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund and Altos Ventures, among others, which will fuel the remaining development of Arkheron as the team readies it for global launch.

As Bonfire continues its work on Arkheron, the studio is growing, with open roles on its Engineering, Art, Audio and Publishing teams. Interested candidates can learn more and apply on the Bonfire website.

Arkheron is in development for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam).