Guardians of the Wall Playtest
How to request Steam access and what the first test is for.
The first Guardians of the Wall playtest is the only public way to play before the Q1 2027 Steam launch. Boiling Bits posted a Steam news item on 28 August 2026 titled “Playtest starts on September 3rd,” and the store page carries a persistent Join the Guardians of the Wall Playtest module with a Request Access button. This guide is the practical version of that banner: how to click it, what it does not guarantee, and how to spend the test if you get in.
This is not a review of a finished 1.0 build. It is a field manual for an upcoming co-op action RPG that is still collecting players.
Confirmed dates and what they mean
- 28 August 2026 — Steam news announces the first playtest.
- 3 September 2026 — announced start of that playtest.
- Q1 2027 — planned full release on Windows Steam.
Steam’s playtest widget still says you will be notified when the developer is ready for more participants. That sentence can stay on the page even after a wave has started. Do not treat a grey button as a closed test, and do not treat an accepted request as a lifetime key. Playtests open and close in waves. If you were not in the first hour, request anyway and watch the September 2026 playtest notes.
How to request access
- Install Steam and sign in on a Windows PC. The game is not listed for macOS or Linux.
- Open the Steam store page (also linked from our links hub).
- Wishlist the game if you have not. Wishlist is separate from playtest access, but it is how you hear about later waves and the Q1 2027 launch.
- Find Join the Guardians of the Wall Playtest and choose Request Access.
- Wait for Steam to grant the playtest app. When it does, it appears in your library as a playtest entry, not always as the main game tile.
- Before you download, compare your PC with the system requirements. Minimum is Windows 10, an Intel Core i5-10600 or Ryzen 5 5500, 12 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB-class GPU, DirectX 12, and 25 GB of storage.
If the button is missing, you are probably looking at an age-gated or region-cached storefront. Sign in, switch the store to English if the page fails to load the playtest module, and try again. We keep a shorter click-path on Steam wishlist and access.
What you should actually test
Boiling Bits is a two-developer team. They asked for combat feedback on Reddit when the Steam page launched: does mixing melee and firearms feel right, or does it feel off? That is still the most useful thing you can send them.
Use a short loop:
- One run as a frontliner, one as a ranged specialist if the playtest build allows a swap. Notes on those jobs sit on the Guardian roster.
- One run where you never fire a gun, one where you never commit to melee. You will feel which half of the kit is getting the animation budget.
- One four-player raid if you can. Hosting, late joins, and “who picks up the essence” are the bugs that store copy never mentions. Prep with the co-op guide.
- One wipe where you greed a mid-run weapon mod. The raids and bosses page explains why that greed is the design, not a mistake — unless it strands the team in a doorway.
Write Steam notes while the run is still in your hands. “Combat felt like God of War with a shotgun” is a trailer comment, not a bug report. “Dash recovery let a runner grab me through a block” is a bug report.
What the playtest is not
It is not a promise that your unlocks carry to the Q1 2027 release. It is not a console preview — Steam lists Windows only, and trailer comments already complained about that. It is not an English-plus-everything localization test; the store currently lists English interface and full audio only. It is not a ranked ladder. If the build includes a Bastion vendor, assume the prices will change.
NDA language, if Steam or the client shows any, beats this wiki. If the playtest client forbids streaming, do not stream. If it asks you not to share unreleased hero names, do not paste them into our comments either; we will wait for an official post on the updates hub.
Hardware and comfort settings
Steam lists partial controller support, custom volume controls, stereo and surround, and “playable without timed input.” That last flag matters if you want to pause your brain between waves, but do not assume a full photo-mode or an easy-mode story route. The mature-content text is explicit about violence and possible decapitation. If you are turning the game on in a shared room, use the volume sliders and know the gore is the point.
If your GPU is under the recommended GeForce GTX 2080 8 GB line, drop effects before you drop resolution. This is an Unreal Engine 5 dark-fantasy title with fire, fog, and particle blood. A slideshow in the village is not a fair combat test. The tools hub exists so you can check that before you burn a playtest evening on settings.
After you get in
Play two raids, then read Getting Started and Combat and Controls with actual muscle memory. Update your own build notes. If Boiling Bits opens a feedback form or a Steam discussion thread, use it. The studio’s site is boilingbits.com; we will not invent a Discord that they have not posted on the store page.
If you never get a key, stay on the wishlist. Upcoming games rotate playtest waves. The Wall is still scheduled for Q1 2027, and this wiki will keep the access steps current when the button text changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
When does the playtest start?
Steam news dated 28 August 2026 says the first playtest starts on 3 September 2026. Waves can still be staggered after that date.
Where do I click Request Access?
On the Steam store page for app 3575220, in the playtest module. Our wishlist and access page repeats the click path.
Does playtest access mean I own the full game?
No. A playtest is a separate Steam entitlement. The full game remains upcoming for Q1 2027.
What should I report to the developers?
Combat feel, co-op desync, and whether melee-plus-guns reads clearly. That is the feedback Boiling Bits asked for when the Steam page launched.