Players eagerly anticipating the co-op horror shooter Killing Floor 3 are voicing significant concern regarding the game`s current state, especially with its launch set for July 24. These worries stem from a recent playtest, conducted barely a week before the official release, which surprisingly mandated participants to sign a five-year non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to gain access.
The stress test took place on a Sunday, comprising two two-hour sessions. While players could apply for access via Steam, the stringent fine print of the required NDA quickly became a point of contention. As highlighted in a Reddit post, beyond the standard prohibitions on capturing screenshots or recording gameplay from Tripwire Interactive`s upcoming title, players were also explicitly forbidden from discussing any aspect of the test for a substantial period of five years.
Although NDAs are a common and accepted practice for early game builds, the requirement of such a lengthy agreement just days before the full game`s launch has genuinely taken many players by surprise. While it`s conceivable that the five-year stipulation is merely boilerplate legal language copied from much older, more preliminary playtests, its presence so close to release certainly does not inspire confidence among the fanbase.
Adding to the apprehension, Killing Floor 3 had already faced a delay from its original March 25 release date earlier this year. The demand for a protracted NDA for a playtest conducted so close to its revised launch has intensified fan fears that another delay might be on the horizon. Despite these mounting concerns, Tripwire, in a recent blog post concerning the stress test, reaffirmed its commitment to fans, stating that their primary focus remains on optimizing the game and integrating player feedback to “ship a great game to fans on July 24.”
Tripwire further clarified the rationale behind the recent test: “This test is designed to help our team and partners ensure that the multiplayer environment stays as stable as possible at launch.”
Beyond the immediate launch, Tripwire has already outlined several of its post-release plans for Killing Floor 3. These include anticipated improvements to character animations, the implementation of a flexible system allowing playable characters to select any perk, and the addition of a text chat feature for in-game communication.
Killing Floor 3 is confirmed to support six-player co-op and will feature cross-play functionality across various platforms. In a previous hands-on preview, the game was praised for “painting a terrific first impression” and appearing like “a killer co-op package.” However, the review also cautioned that “only time will tell if it can sustain itself in the long-term,” a sentiment now amplified by the recent NDA controversy.
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