The upcoming open-world, third-person shooter Cinder City is offering players a chance to test its systems with a pre-alpha playtest scheduled for August 14-16. This event provides an early look at the game, which previously raised eyebrows with a reported 64GB RAM recommendation, later clarified as a mistake. However, the corrected minimum requirement of 32GB RAM remains significantly high, exceeding the capacity of most PC configurations according to recent Steam Hardware and Software Survey data.
This high memory requirement has led to speculation about the game's optimization. As noted by PC Gamer, either other system specifications contain errors, or the game is poorly optimized. The upcoming playtest aims to give players a practical understanding of how the game performs on current hardware.
Participation in the pre-alpha playtest is restricted to individuals within the United States who are at least 16 years old. All participants must adhere to a strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA), prohibiting the sharing of any gameplay, screenshots, or streams related to the test. This measure is standard for pre-release testing to prevent the spread of unpolished content.
Despite the limitations, the playtest represents a valuable opportunity for participants to experience Cinder City in a live environment and assess its performance on their own systems. It is important to remember that this is a pre-alpha build, and the final system requirements at launch may be adjusted. The publisher, NC, has indicated that optimization efforts are ongoing. Successful performance during this test could be a strong indicator of how the final game will run, while any significant issues might highlight areas needing further development.
For those who cannot participate in this initial round or find the performance unsatisfactory, further playtests are planned. These future events are expected to be open to a wider range of regions and will offer additional insights into the game's ongoing optimization progress. The playtest also offers the possibility of experiencing a well-made game, a welcome prospect for any player.