Overview
The Crimson Test (绯红测试 Fēihóng Cèshì) is the first closed beta test of Lord of Mysteries. Sign-ups for Mainland Chinese PC players opened January 15, 2026 at 09:30 China Standard Time and closed February 1, 2026. Selected testers received SMS invitations starting around January 20, 2026, and the test build went live on February 5, 2026 with a planned end window before February 23, 2026 (deliberately ahead of Chinese New Year on February 17).
The Crimson Test is described by SPARK NEXA as a limited, non-monetised, account-wipe beta. There is no in-game store, no premium currency purchase, and no progress carries over to the eventual launch build. The launcher is not publicly distributed: it ships only to confirmed testers to prevent leaks, and testers are bound by a confidentiality agreement on screenshots, footage, and detailed mechanics.
Sign-up summary
The official sign-up portal lives on the CN site at lom.sparknexa.com. Players choose 'Make an appointment to become an extraordinary person' (預約成為非凡者) and complete a questionnaire covering email, hardware specs, prior MMO experience, prior Beyonder lore familiarity, and gameplay preferences. WeChat verification is recommended over phone-number verification because the WeChat path tolerates shared landlines.
Although the test is officially restricted to the Mainland China region, international tooling like network boosters can stretch the eligibility. There is no English client in this build; menu strings, voiceovers, and quest text are Chinese only. A separate global beta phase has been signposted for later 2026 once the CN side stabilises.
Test scope
Six of the 22 Pathways are playable in the Crimson Test. Three are publicly confirmed: the Seer Pathway (the protagonist's path in the source material), the Apprentice Pathway (Door Pathway entry), and the Spectator Pathway (mind / dream specialisation). The remaining three are not yet officially named at the time of test launch. The Assassin Pathway and Hunter Pathway are explicitly excluded from the Crimson Test.
The Sequence ladder is capped at the lower three Sequences for testing purposes. Confirmed Sequence reach per pathway: Seer reaches Sequence 7 Magician through Sequence 8 Clown; Apprentice reaches Sequence 8 Trickmaster; Spectator reaches Sequence 7 Psychiatrist through Sequence 8 Telepathist.
World content covers Tingen and surrounding areas in the early novel arc. Specific landmarks playable in the test include the Iron Cross Street Market, the Gandren Department Store, and an Evildoers' Tavern variant of the canonical Diviners' Tavern. Backlund is built and previewed but is gated behind later progression and is not the focus of this test.
Test schedule
Key dates compiled from official announcements:
January 14, 2026: Official 'Tingen' promotional video released on the studio's WeChat channel.
January 15, 2026 09:30 CST: Crimson Test recruitment opens at lom.sparknexa.com.
Around January 20, 2026: First wave of accepted testers receive SMS invites.
February 1, 2026: Recruitment closes.
February 5, 2026: Crimson Test build goes live for selected PC testers.
Before February 23, 2026: Crimson Test concludes (deliberately before Chinese New Year on February 17).
Spring / Summer 2026: Subsequent closed-beta phases planned, including expanded pathway roster and broader regional access.
Late 2026 / Q4 2026: Targeted full release window.
Tester guidelines
Confidentiality is mandatory. Public footage, livestreams, screenshots, and detailed mechanic posts are prohibited unless specifically allowed in a streamer-program waiver. Bug reports and balance feedback are submitted through an in-game Feedback panel and a dedicated post-test survey.
Account data is wiped at the end of the test. Premium currency does not exist in the build, but cosmetic test items (free outfits, props, banner frames) are awarded for participation and removed at wipe. A small pool of testers receive 'Founder of the Crimson Test' commemorative cosmetics tied to their account, redeemable when the live game launches.
Platforms in scope
PC only for the Crimson Test. macOS is not supported in this build. The full game is developed for PC and mobile (iOS and Android) with cross-platform support; mobile testing is reserved for a later beta phase and is not part of the Crimson Test. See System Requirements for the published PC minimum.
Related
Release and Platforms covers the broader launch roadmap. Development History traces the path from announcement to first beta. Multiplayer and Dungeons and Raids describe the team-content systems being stress-tested in this round.