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DarkSwarm Closed Alpha 3


Closed Alpha 3 – Now Live on Steam
[h2]Starting 16 February 2026 – Ending Sunday 22 February 2026[/h2][p]Closed Alpha 3 is now live, and we’re excited to welcome you back into the swarm.[/p][p]IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, MAKE SURE TO SIGN UP DIRECTLY ON THE STEAM STORE PAGE. ACCESS WILL BE GRANTED TO SELECTED PARTICIPANTS FROM THERE.

SIGN UP FOR THE PLAYTEST[/p][p]
Over the past months, we have been working extensively on improvements based on community feedback, while also preparing new systems that are not yet ready to be revealed. You will begin to experience more of these in Closed Alpha 4 and beyond.[/p][h2]
WHAT’S NEW IN CLOSED ALPHA 3[/h2][p]ONLINE, COMMUNICATION & SYSTEMS[/p]
  • [p]Voice chat (enable in Team Settings)[/p]
  • [p]Spectate mode[/p]
  • [p]Ping Wheel (Hold and release MMB / Left Bumper)[/p]
  • [p]Late-join screen allowing class selection before entering a match[/p]
  • [p]Redesigned Settings Menu with key bindings, toggleable audio sliders, and additional configuration options[/p]
  • [p]Graphics launch options: DX12, DX11, Vulkan[/p]
  • [p]Improved UI feedback during quick reload attempts[/p]
  • [p]Server browser now displays incompatible versions[/p]
  • [p]Performance improvements[/p]
  • [p]Cloud saves[/p]
[p]

GAMEPLAY & LEVELS[/p]
  • [p]Reworked sprint system[/p]
  • [p]Improved single-player experience (Auto Revive)[/p]
  • [p]XP and Credit rewards now scale with Threat Level[/p]
  • [p]Tendraal mission variation, including deeper underground segments[/p]
  • [p]Increased stimpack range[/p]
  • [p]New co-op mini-games[/p]
  • [p]Two mission types for Tendraal and Chryos[/p]
  • [p]Slippery ice areas on Chryos[/p]
  • [p]Improved UI clarity for current map and Threat Level[/p]
  • [p]More loot crate types[/p]
  • [p]Class-colored laser indicators[/p]
  • [p]Enemy and weapon balancing adjustments[/p]
  • [p]Improved crosshair visibility[/p]
[p]
[/p][p]ANIMATION & FLAIR[/p]
  • [p]Magazine discard animations on selected weapons[/p]
[p]
ART[/p]
  • [p]Upgraded lobby visuals[/p]
  • [p]Significantly more alien goo across levels[/p]
[p]AUDIO

A brand-new dynamic music system:[/p]
  • [p]Biome-specific exploration music during low-intensity moments[/p]
  • [p]Increased tension music during mid-sized encounters[/p]
  • [p]Intense action music during high-intensity objectives[/p]
  • [p]Extraction sequence music throughout the extraction phase[/p]
  • [p]Louder and more present enemies in the audio mix[/p]
  • [p]Additional mix improvements[/p]
[p][/p][p]GOAL OF THE TEST[/p][p]For this phase, we are primarily looking for:[/p]
  • [p]Overall gameplay feedback[/p]
  • [p]Bug reports[/p]
[p]Please complete the survey linked directly in the Closed Alpha on Steam.[/p][p]Bug reporting can be done via our Discord channel #closed-alpha-bugs or directly in the Steam discussions.[/p][p]Your feedback is critical to shaping the future of the game.[/p][p]For more detailed technical information, known issues, and configuration guidance, please refer to the following Steam discussion thread:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/2303200/discussions/0/814724712608351466/[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for supporting Closed Alpha 3[/p][p]Please note: Closed Alpha 3 does not represent the final quality or feature set of the game. Expect ongoing tweaks, balancing, system changes, and additional content as development continues.[/p][p]Your feedback, reports, and shared experiences are instrumental in shaping the next phase of development. Sign up on Steam, squad up, and let’s keep refining the experience together.[/p][p][/p]

DarkSwarm Closed Alpha Part II

[p]Dear SwarmTroopers,
[/p][p]The hive is stirring once more, and it’s finally time to jump back in! We’re beyond excited to officially announce that Closed Alpha II is going live tomorrow, Tuesday the 4th! You can still sign up for the playtest on the DarkSwarm Steam page:

SIGN UP FOR THE PLAYTEST[/p][p]
We’ve been digging through all your feedback since the first playtest, and we’ve been hard at work making major improvements across the board. From overhauled visuals to new features and fresh content, there’s a lot to dive into — and we can’t wait to hear what you think.[/p][p]Let’s take a look at what’s new:
[/p][h2]Chryos[/h2][p]Chryos, our ice planet, has received a lot of graphics overhaul as well as a complete redesign of the procedural algorithms. It feels more intuitive, and we’ll keep on improving it over time.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h2]More objectives and minigames[/h2][p]We have added some more objectives and minigames to the game, so there’s more interesting stuff to do. Behind the scenes, we are currently working on systems to make it easier to add more like it, so every level can contain more variation.

[/p][h2][/h2][h2]
Social features[/h2][p]We have added a bunch of cool social features like Steam friend invites, player kicking, private servers with password protection, and text chat. These features are all new and experimental, and we have a lot of improvements planned for all of them, as well as brand new social features that we would like to add later.[/p][p]Text chat can be activated by pressing ENTER in-game. This is only supported for keyboard players, but we will add a controller interface to it later so it’s accessible to everybody.



[/p][h2]Tactical crouching[/h2][p]We have made a dedicated effort for crouching to be of more tactical use in the game - especially in the narrow SpaceStation corridors, where players in front will now be able to crouch and not receive damage from their teammates behind them - unless they also crouch!


[/p][h2]Dismemberment[/h2][p]Have you always wanted to see alien arms fly off when you attack them? Well, even if you hadn’t, you still get it. Feedback is welcome, and we are planning to add more to this in the future.


[/p][h2]Trappers revised[/h2][p]A major point of concern was how the trappers were too punishing. And while we do want them to make the game more challenging, it’s always about finding that sweet spot between fun and tedious. Hopefully, you will like the changes made.
[/p][h2]
[/h2][h2]
And much more...[/h2][p]There are so many things, big or small, which have been improved upon or added to the game since our first Closed Alpha test. And, there is more to come. For now, we hope you will enjoy the game and continue sharing valuable feedback with us.[/p][p]
Much Love,[/p][p]The DarkSwarm Team[/p][p][/p]

DarkSwarm Closed Alpha Ends Tomorrow

[h3]
The DarkSwarm Closed Alpha will close on Monday September 8, 2025 at 09:00 CEST (UTC+2).[/h3][p]- US (PDT): 12 AM
- US (EDT): 3 AM
- UK (BST): 8 AM
- São Paulo (BRT): 4 AM
- Singapore / China (SGT / CST): 3 PM
- South Korea (KST)/Japan (JST): 4 PM
- Sydney (AEST): 5 PM[/p][p] A huge thank you to everyone who played, shared feedback, and streamed the game – you’ve helped make DarkSwarm better already![/p][p]We also know many of you signed up but didn’t get access this time. Don’t worry – the swarm isn’t done yet! The next test isn’t too far away, and you’ll have another chance to join in.[/p][p]That test will include fixes for many of the issues you’ve reported, and we’ll announce the details right here on Discord.[/p][p]So if you know someone who’d love DarkSwarm, they can still sign up for the next playtest on the DarkSwarm Steam page [/p][p]
See you in the swarm!
The Bitfire Team[/p]

Darkswarm is a terrifying new Helldivers rival, and alpha signups are live now

Part of the reason Helldivers 2 was my favorite game of last year was that it managed to maintain the frantic, pulse-pounding action of Arrowhead's original top-down entry. I've always loved the dynamic that the overhead perspective brings to co-op games such as Valve's fantastic, oft-overlooked Alien Swarm. As a result, I'm extremely interested in Darkswarm, built by Bitfire Games and published by Deep Rock Galactic studio Ghost Ship. Working with your friends to save humanity from certain doom, it's about to enter closed alpha, and you can sign up from today to join the playtest.


Read the rest of the story...

DarkSwarm Is A Creepy Helldivers-like, and Closed Alpha Sign-Ups Have Been Unleashed


A new debut title is coming from Bitfire Games, and it’s reminiscent of Helldivers without Democracy. DarkSwarm is approaching, and closed alpha sign-ups are now open.





It’s not news that Helldivers 2 is immensely popular. With high-octane spectacles reminiscent of being an action hero, Arrowhead unleashed a well-received live service extraction shooting experience last year, and with its port to Xbox arriving this month, it will reach a larger audience than ever before. However, what Bitfire Games is creating with DarkSwarm is similar to the original Helldivers in design, featuring a top-down aesthetic tied to gory visuals and the all-too-familiar brothers-in-arms feeling.





DarkSwarm brings everything fans enjoyed about the original Helldivers, except it brings a tense atmosphere, horrifying visuals, and operators who are only out for cash and not democracy. The latest recruitment trailer for DarkSwarm can be seen below.











Upon announcement of the closed... Read more