Dark Fantasy ExtrAction RPG Gods, Death & Reapers Launches Playtest; Available on Steam and FirstLook Until May 4

Nice, France (April 30, 2026) | Enter the isometric hack-and-slash from HELL! Wolcen Studio has officially launched the Closed Alpha 5 playtest for Gods, Death & Reapers, the studio’s Dark Fantasy ExtrAction RPG that blends genres for high-stakes loot runs through the shattered realms of the underworld.

After receiving valuable feedback from the community, Closed Alpha 5 comes with added player-requested matchmaking balances, plus a variety of new features, such as new map modes, abilities, upgrades, environmental hazards, enemy types, a new endgame entry, and more. The playtest runs from April 30 through May 4, and will be available for participants across North America, Europe, South America, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

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Players can request instant access to the Gods, Death & Reapers playtest on Steam here or join the Wolcen Studio Playtest Program for a chance to preview Gods, Death & Reapers and upcoming Wolcen Studio games here.

Map Updates‍

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‍Gods, Death & Reapers’ Closed Alpha 5 introduces Stable and Unstable versions of maps, Helheim and Midgard, designed to support different playstyles and levels of experience.

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Stable Maps are built for more casual PvE players, looking to provide an accessible space where they can explore, learn core mechanics, and gain battle confidence. Unstable Maps are designed for those seeking a challenge. They are high-risk, high-reward PvPvE battlezones. Surviving in the Unstable Maps requires stronger builds, better gear, and sharper decision-making.

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A First Look at the Endgame

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‍The first iteration of the endgame Arena mode is available now. Players will be able to unlock the PvP Arena for ruthless duels where they’ll need to show mastery in combat and efficiency in their build. In Arena, dying won’t cost players their gear, so they’ll be able to come equipped with the best loadout and compete for leaderboard points.

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Sanctuary Upgrades

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‍The Sanctuary is a base where players can craft, customize, and overall progress their characters. Closed Alpha 5 adds the capabilities of Tier 2 and 3 building upgrades to Sanctuary, including the Portal, which unlocks Unstable Maps at Tier 1 and unlocks the Arena at Tier 2.

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Additionally, players will be able to upgrade the Workshop and Smithy for item salvage and reroll options. Sanctuary upgrades come with one caveat: to keep the Sanctuary up and running, players will need to collect souls on maps and fuel the Power Source.

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Environmental Hazards

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‍Zones of hazardous weather will now appear at random places in maps, forcing players to adapt their strategy. Staying in these hazards for a while leads to inevitable death. You’ve been warned.

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New Weapon Abilities

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‍Closed Alpha 5 brings a fresh set of abilities to Longsword and the Staff, along with improvements to existing ones.

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The Longsword unleashes a variety of technical offensive and defensive abilities, including a lethal dash-and-strike combo, shooting a web of spinning wires that slashes everything in its path. The Longsword’s Chaincut Blitz teleports the user to their target, then strikes up to five enemies, and Null Ring creates a barrier that blocks enemies and projectiles. Additionally, the Blood Tether is an AOE attack that latches onto enemies while the Shieldbreaker detonates, damaging nearby enemies.

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The Staff harnesses dark magical powers to charge Mana and raise hell on the battlefield. Abyssal Pull creates a portal that fires a projectile, then boomerangs enemies towards the projectile as it returns. The Staff also features the Suffering Link ability that links two enemies together and creates a shared damage effect. At full Mana, the Staff gains Infectious Power, boosting the next ability based on stacks absorbed.

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New Enemy Types: Jotnar & The Champions

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‍Closed Alpha 5 comes with a new faction and enemy type, plus the hellish mythical beast that continues to gain power.

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‍Jotnar are elemental giants from Niflheim and Muspelheim, now invading the afterlife in the absence of the gods. Fierce and destructive, a single Jotun is as dangerous as a full enemy pack. The Champions are roaming mini-bosses that can appear anywhere on the map. Even trickier, any enemy can become one. What looks like a normal fight can quickly turn into a serious challenge. Nidhoggr, the Corpse Chewer of Helheim, receives new attack abilities and can now fly during combat!

Click here to read the full blog post

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The Closed Alpha 5 playtest of Gods, Death & Reapers runs from April 30, 2026 (1 AM PDT | 4 AM EDT | 5 AM BRT | 10 AM CEST | 3 PM ICT), to May 4, 2026, (9 AM PDT | 12 PM EDT | 1 PM BRT | 6 PM CEST | 11 PM ICT), and is open to participants across North America, Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, and East Asia.

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Gods, Death & Reapers will release on Windows PC via Steam Early Access. Players can wishlist the game on Steam. Anyone who joined earlier playtests retains access to all future regular Closed Alpha builds.

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Those who wish to enter death’s domain and experience a new realm of extraction-based gameplay in Gods, Death & Reapers, as well as be first in line for playtests for future Wolcen titles, can register today at https://playtest.wolcenstudio.com.

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For more information, follow Wolcen Studio on YouTube, and stay connected with Gods, Death & Reapers on BlueSky, X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and the official website.

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A press kit including key art, screenshots, and logos is available here: https://uberstrategist.link/WOLCEN-STUDIO-Press-Kit.

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About Gods, Death, & Reapers‍

‍Gods, Death & Reapers is an isometric Dark Fantasy ExtrAction RPG, a new sub-genre that blends high-stakes, PvP extraction gameplay with traditional PvE encounters, where players risk it all in ARPG-style, real-time combat. Guided by Death through realms inspired by various global mythologies, players take on objectives, confront dangerous enemies or rival Reapers, and attempt to escape with valuable loot. Each mission begins in the Sanctuary, a customizable base for upgrades and planning, and every run hinges on the same core choice: extract with rewards or fall and lose it all.

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As reapers, players will traverse lands filled with unfathomable dangers and precious secrets. Players can customize their own reapers before descending into Death’s domain and join factions that offer them new challenges to conquer (and souls to reap). Once in the underworld, they can unleash devastating techniques by experimenting with weapon abilities and ultimate skills — refining their playstyles through deeper skill customization and combat variety. A trip to the Sanctuary also blesses them with the ability to craft gear and manage resources before the next descent.

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About Wolcen Studio

‍Based in Nice, France, Wolcen Studio is a European game developer uniting over 150 professionals worldwide to create groundbreaking gaming experiences. Best known for the acclaimed 2020 action RPG Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, the studio is now building on that legacy with Gods, Death & Reapers, a dark fantasy extraction action RPG that combines deep ARPG progression with high-stakes, community-driven gameplay.

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PRESS CONTACT
‍CJ Melendez, Alun Lower, and Sean Walsh
UberStrategist Inc.
‍pr@uberstrategist.com
‍1-646-844-8388