Dear Community,
The journey of SAW: Genesis has just begun, and we're truly humbled by your support. Your positive comments, passionate discussions on our rapidly growing Discord server, and fascinating lore theories you've been sharing have been thrilling to see!
Today, we are excited to share that the hour of judgment is almost upon our playtesters!
We’re working hard to prepare for our upcoming Closed Alpha Playtest, and we’re ready to begin onboarding.
Please note this is an early milestone in development and many features, systems, and content are still evolving. Your participation helps shape the future of SAW: Genesis. We are excited to build this community together and look forward to gathering your feedback as the game continues to grow.
🩸LET THE GAMES BEGIN. INVITATIONS ARE COMING!
The invitation process for the SAW: Genesis Closed Alpha Playtest is live now!
Our development and UX teams have carefully selected the first group of players based on the survey completed during sign-up. This will help us properly test the game during the Closed Alpha stage according to our needs in this stage of development.
This playtest is just the first in a series planned for the coming months. It serves as the foundation for testing our systems before inviting additional players to future playtests.
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the onboarding process:
🔹1. Invitation Email
- You will receive an invitation email at the address used during sign-up, or the one connected to your Steam or Discord account if you signed up using either of those services.
🔹2. Accept Your Invitation
- Your invitation email will include an "Accept Invite" button that will take you to the onboarding page.
🔹3. Confidentiality Statement
- During onboarding, you'll be asked to accept the Confidentiality Statement. By participating in the Closed Alpha, you'll gain access to an early development version of SAW: Genesis.
- Your feedback will play an important role in shaping the game, and we're placing our trust in you to keep this experience confidential until we're ready to share it publicly. Please read the statement carefully before accepting the invitation.
🔹4. Connect Your Steam and Discord Accounts
- If you haven't connected your accounts yet, you will need both Steam and Discord to participate in the playtest. Steam is required to access the build, while Discord will be used for playtest communication, updates, and support.
🔹5. Complete the Onboarding Process
- Once you've completed onboarding, simply wait for your Steam key and the server launch.
🔹6. Join the Playtester Discord section
- After completing onboarding, you'll gain automatic access to our private Discord section of Closed Alpha Playtest with channels for playtesters, where you'll receive updates and prepare for the start of the playtest.
🔹7. Receive Your Steam Key and PLAY THE GAME
- Our team will distribute Steam keys and launch the servers in the following days.
🩸CLOSED ALPHA PLAYTEST – GOALS AND CONTENT
🔸 MAIN GOALS:
- Networking test, checking stability of our servers and matchmaking
- Gathering overall user sentiment regarding core gameplay loop and minute-to-minute experience
🔸CORE FEATURES:
- Core gameplay loop for both sides of the match
- Basic meta progression layer (perks)
- In-game tutorial
- Voice chat
🔸LEVEL STRUCTURE:
- Procedurally generated map flow built around Anchor Rooms
- 3 Challenge Room types: Maze Challenge, Pest Challenge, Disposal Challenge
- Corridors containing clues and collectibles used to unlock Challenge Rooms
🔸PLAYABLE CHARACTERS:
- Judge (Doctor)
- Accused (Old Hand, Caregiver, Songbird)
- No cosmetic customization or skins will be available during this test.
🔸PERKS
Accused
- 2 of 8 personal perks available after unlocking
- 1 of 3 mastery perks available after unlocking
- Static guilt system
Judge
- 2 of 7 personal perks available after unlocking
- 1 of 3 level perks available after unlocking
- Static drop trap (Bear Trap)
🩸FAQ – CLOSED ALPHA PLAYTEST (JULY 2026)
🔸Do I need to sign the Confidentiality Statement?
Yes. You are required to sign the Confidentiality Statement, as this is a closed playtest and involves a development version of the game.
🔸How does the team choose players for the playtest?
Our development and UX teams select players based on the survey completed during sign-up. The information you provide helps us create a diverse group of playtesters and gather the most valuable feedback possible.
🔸How long does the invitation process take?
Invitations for the Closed Alpha Playtest will be sent simultaneously to all selected players. To make sure you don't miss your invitation, we recommend checking both the inbox and spam folders.
Our team will also send reminder emails to selected players who haven't accepted their invitation yet.
🔸How do I start playing during the Closed Alpha Playtest?
After completing the onboarding process, simply wait for your Steam key to be assigned and for the announcement regarding the server launch.
🔸How long will the playtest last?
The Closed Alpha Playtest will start next week and will last 4 days. The servers will be available for 4 hours each day separately for EUR (CEST), US EAST (ET), US WEST (PT) time zones. The exact playtest session times will be shared in the private Discord channels for playtesters.
🔸When will I receive my Steam key?
Steam keys will be assigned within a few days after invitations are sent. We will also give you enough time to preload the game before the servers go live.
🔸How do I submit my feedback during the playtest?
You will be able to submit your feedback through a survey linked both in-game and in the private Discord channels for playtesters.
🔸What should I do if I need help, have questions, or want to report an issue?
Our private Discord channels for playtesters include dedicated support channels where our support team and developers will be available to assist you throughout the playtest.
🔸Can I record or stream the game during the Playtest?
No. Recording, streaming, or sharing any part of the Closed Alpha Playtest is strictly prohibited under the Confidentiality Statement. You also cannot share or disclose your experience outside of the approved communication channels.
🔸Can I invite my friends to the playtest?
We’re doing our best to include individuals that were invited through the referral system within the waitlist sign-up process. Please bear in mind that not all referrals will be accepted. Each participant will need to accept the Closed Alpha playtest (first & foremost – the Confidentiality Statement) to be included.
🔸Can I team up with my friends in matchmaking?
For this playtest, our Matchmaking only supports parties of 3 players – so you can team up as Accused and start queuing up for a game. Our hope is to deliver a 4-player lobby for the future playtests, so players will be able to cycle through roles!
🩸MORE PLAYTESTS ARE COMING!
It’s just the beginning of our journey with SAW: Genesis, and our Closed Alpha Playtest in July is only the first step!
We are fully aware how crucial it is to shape an asymmetrical multiplayer game together with the community, and our goal is to organize more playtests before the Early Access launch. With every playtest, we plan to implement feedback, improve the game's balance and meta, polish the gameplay experience and provide more ways for pure fun.
If you didn't receive an invitation this time, don't worry - the hour of judgment is still upon you!
We're keeping track of our player database and waitlist, and we'll continue expanding the scope and quality of future playtests over the coming months to welcome more players into the game.
Let the games begin!