Pearl Abyss has launched the closed beta for its new arena fighter, Shadow Arena. It is currently available on PC Steam, open until 8 March.

40 players go head to head in a ruthless fight to be the last person standing on the battlefield. Nine playable characters are available to choose from in the beta, possessing their own unique fighting style. Get to the top of the pack and stay there by slaying monsters and collecting loot to upgrade their gear and gain buffs. Impeccable skill execution and well-timed evasive tactics are needed to ensure victory.

Badal the Golden is a new hero added for this global beta test. A fierce melee fighter, he possesses the ability to give himself a variety of powerful buffs in combat. For those who like to play around with stylish bare fist combat and fantastic combos, jump right in with Badal the Golden.

A two-man mode is available in the beta test, pairing two players to combine their skills during tactical battles. Learn the basics of the game or test out new tactics in the practice mode. Private matches are also possible, where players can host and allow up to 40 players for a custom game experience.

Matchmaking is entirely skill based. Perform better to find stronger opponents when you reach a new tier. This system is designed to ensure the most balanced PvP experience possible. Initially a mode in Black Desert, Shadow Arena has now developed into its own stand-alone game. It may be inspired by Black Desert, but still carries its own unique style drawn from MOBA, battle royale and MMO genres to be its own arena fighter game.

Go solo to flex your skills, or bring a team to craft your strategies to win in team mode. Enjoy a distinctive co-op experience in team mode with a new style of PvP action.

Current language support for the Shadow Arena closed beta includes English, German, Spanish, French, Russian, Polish, Turkish, Portugese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.

Shadow Arena will be released in the first half of 2020 for PC, and will receive a console release at a later date.