NCsoft and BigFire Games have opened sign-ups for the closed alpha test of CINDER CITY, an open-world cinematic third-person shooter set in a fallen near-future Seoul. The PC playtest runs on Steam from December 4 to December 6, 2026, with players across North America, Europe, and Asia invited to apply for a slot.
- Game: CINDER CITY, developed by BigFire Games and published by NCsoft
- Test: closed alpha on PC via Steam, December 4 to 6, 2026
- Sign-ups: November 12 to 30, 2026, for players aged 18 and older
- How to apply: Steam store page in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, FirstLook in the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France
- Rules: testers are picked by email and bound by a strict non-disclosure agreement
How to apply for the CINDER CITY closed alpha
Applications are open from November 12 through November 30, 2026, and only players aged 18 and older can take part. The sign-up path depends on where you live. Players in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan can apply directly through the official CINDER CITY Steam page, while players in the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France must register through FirstLook. NCsoft says selected testers will be notified by email, and everyone picked must agree to a strict non-disclosure agreement that bars public sharing of footage or impressions.
The regional split is worth noting before you apply, since signing up through the wrong channel could cost you a slot. If you live in one of the three Asian territories, the Steam page is your route. Everywhere else on the list, FirstLook handles registration. NCsoft has not announced how many testers will be picked, so applying early in the window is the sensible move.
A bigger map, new boss, and co-op dungeons
The December build is shaped by player feedback from the August pre-alpha, and the headline change is scale. The playable map quadruples to 2.4 by 2.4 kilometers, with new districts filling out the ruined Seoul setting. A new field boss called the Rampage Mech headlines the added content, giving squads a large scale target to take down in the open world.
The test also pushes the main story into Chapter 3 and adds two cooperative squad dungeons with matchmaking. That last detail matters, because it means solo applicants can still experience the squad content without rounding up a full team first. For a game built around fighting alongside allies to reclaim the city, per the Steam listing for CINDER CITY, backed up co-op from day one of the alpha is a strong sign.
Combat changes shaped by pre-alpha feedback
NCsoft is also rebalancing combat for the December test. Ammunition drops are higher, aiming gains a shoulder-swap option, and early-game difficulty is smoother than the August build. Each of these reads as a direct answer to pre-alpha complaints about running dry on ammo, awkward cover angles, and a harsh on-ramp for new players.
The timing puts CINDER CITY in a busy December for Steam playtests. DARK MACHINE runs its own Steam playtest from December 18 to 25, so shooter fans have back to back chances to try unreleased games this month. NCsoft itself is coming off a strong run on Steam, after NCSoft shares jumped 12 percent on the Aion 2 Steam launch, and a well received CINDER CITY alpha would keep that momentum going.
What CINDER CITY is
CINDER CITY is an open-world cinematic third-person shooter from developer BigFire Games, published by NCsoft. Set in a fallen near-future Seoul, it asks players to fight alongside allies, push back against overwhelming threats, and reclaim the city from the forces tearing it apart. The Steam page lists single-player and multiplayer support, including online co-op, with a full launch date still to be announced.
Closed alphas at this scale usually serve two goals at once, stress testing servers under real load and checking whether the core loop holds up across a wider skill range. The quadrupled map, the Chapter 3 story push, and the matchmade squad dungeons all point to NCsoft wanting answers on both fronts before the next phase. If you want in, the window closes on November 30, and the NDA means the only impressions that count will be your own.
When is the CINDER CITY closed alpha test
The CINDER CITY closed alpha test runs on PC via Steam from December 4 to December 6, 2026. Sign-ups are open from November 12 through November 30, 2026, for players aged 18 and older.
How do players apply for the CINDER CITY closed alpha
Players in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan apply through the official CINDER CITY Steam page. Players in the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France must sign up through FirstLook. Selected testers are notified by email.
What is new in the December CINDER CITY alpha build
The December build quadruples the map to 2.4 by 2.4 kilometers with new districts and the Rampage Mech field boss. It advances the story to Chapter 3, adds two cooperative squad dungeons with matchmaking, and rebalances combat with higher ammunition drops, shoulder-swap aiming, and smoother early-game difficulty.
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