MultiVersus alpha sign-ups are here, so throw your name in the hat

Running from May 19–27 on PC and consoles

Next week, fighting game fans will be able to call dibs on Batman, Tom & Jerry, and Shaggy, among other eclectic pop-culture characters. Warner Bros. Games is hosting a closed alpha test for MultiVersus, a world-colliding platform fighter, from May 19–27.

You can sign up now — just scroll to the bottom of this FAQ page and tap the “Closed Alpha Sign Up” button. That said, you’ll need a WB Games account to participate.

While MultiVersus has been playable before in a limited capacity, this is a chance to try the game on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, as well as PC. If you were in the prior (NDA’d) test on PC and want to play the console version, you’ll need to re-register.

If you’re selected — not everyone will be! — you’ll get an email on Tuesday, May 17. That’s when the first wave will go out, though WB Games notes that “additional confirmation emails and codes may be distributed throughout the Closed Alpha period.”

Everyone who makes the cut will be able to invite up to three friends, using the Beta Management menu. No need to tune into Twitch for a code drop. Not this time, anyway.

Cross-play and cross-gen are supported, and the MultiVersus alpha will be available in the Americas, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, according to WB Games.

Playable characters, maps, and modes

• Character roster: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Shaggy, Bugs Bunny, Arya Stark, Jake the Dog, Finn the Human, Steven Universe, Garnet, Tom & Jerry, and Reindog. “Please note, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Arya Stark, Steven Universe, and Garnet will be initially unavailable, but can all be unlocked over time through gameplay.”
• Map selection: The Batcave, Tree Fort, Scooby’s Haunted Mansion, Trophy’s E.D.G.E., Trophy’s E.D.G.E. 2, Classic 3 Platform, and Training Room.
• Game modes: 2 vs. 2 team-based cooperative mode, 1 vs. 1 matches, 4-player free-for-all, and The Lab (practice mode).

A few other housekeeping notes: stats won’t carry forward, so don’t get too hung up on wins and losses, and PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold are not required for the alpha.

It’ll be at EVO, too

MultiVersus also has plans for EVO 2022, which will be back in Las Vegas from August 5–7. At the event, WB Games will be hosting a 2v2 tournament with a $100K prize pool.

While I’ve avoided most of the fighting games that have tried to pull off the Smash Bros. formula with different IPs, I’ve gotta say, the sheer absurdity of some of these MultiVersus lineups is kind of calling my name. The game’s free-to-play nature can and probably will put me off long-term, but it’s certainly an easy way to get a foot in the door.

My expectation is that Smash will continue to be the one true king, now and maybe forever. Everything else feels like an “all the brands are here!” novelty until proven otherwise, MultiVersus included. We’ll see how long the honeymoon period lasts.