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Crimson Test - Version 16 vs Version 17
Aug 17, 2026, 09:47 PM
Corrected image descriptions to match what the pictures show
Aug 23, 2026, 07:39 AM
Rewrote the page as a completed February 2026 test, corrected the Warrior and Bard party roles, added the rule that beta data does not carry over, converted the Pathway list and schedule into tables, and removed the obsolete Phase 2 sign-up speculation
11Overview22The 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).3+The Crimson Test (绯红测试 Fēihóng Cèshì) was the first closed beta test of Lord of Mysteries. Sign-ups for Mainland Chinese PC players opened on January 15, 2026 at 09:30 China Standard Time and closed on February 1, 2026. Selected testers received SMS invitations from around January 20, and the build went live on February 5, 2026, finishing before February 23 so that the test wrapped up ahead of Chinese New Year on February 17.44The 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.5+SPARK NEXA ran the Crimson Test as a limited, non-monetised, account-wipe beta. There was no in-game store and no premium currency purchase, and no progress carried over. The launcher was never publicly distributed: it shipped only to confirmed testers to keep the build off the open internet, and testers signed a confidentiality agreement covering screenshots, footage, and detailed mechanics.66This page is a historical record of that February 2026 build, not a description of the live game. The game launched in Mainland China on August 21, 2026, and the rosters, caps, and rules below were the test's, not the launch client's. For the current game start at Getting Started.8+Sign-Up810The official sign-up portal lives on the CN site. 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.11+The sign-up portal ran on the official Mainland Chinese site. Players chose the 'make an appointment to become an extraordinary person' (預約成為非凡者) option and completed a questionnaire covering email, hardware specs, prior MMO experience, prior Beyonder lore familiarity, and gameplay preferences. WeChat verification was recommended over phone-number verification because the WeChat path tolerated shared landlines.1012An in-game host character named Susie introduces the recruitment survey in official communications, framing the test sign-up as the player's first contact with the Beyonder world.14+An in-game host character named Susie fronted the recruitment survey in official communications, framing the sign-up as the player's first contact with the Beyonder world. Susie has outlasted the test and is now a standing in-character mascot the studio uses across its official channels.1315Each test qualification is bound to a single device. A confirmed tester cannot share their access between two computers, and qualification cannot be transferred. The 'one device per qualification' rule is enforced at launcher-login time.16+Each test qualification was bound to a single device. A confirmed tester could not share access between two computers, and a qualification could not be transferred. The one-device-per-qualification rule was enforced at launcher-login time.1517Although 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.18+The test was restricted to the Mainland China region and shipped with no English client: menu strings, voiceovers, and quest text were Chinese only. That has not changed since. No release outside Mainland China has been announced, and the studio has published nothing about a schedule for one. See CN vs Global for the current position.1719Six Playable Pathways1921The Crimson Test makes 6 of the 22 Pathways playable. All six are now publicly confirmed:22+The Crimson Test made 6 of the 22 Pathways playable. The same six became the launch roster. Progression in the test was capped around Sequence 7; the launch client's ceiling has not been published. See Sequences for the full ladder.2123Seer Pathway: Sequence 9 Seer to Sequence 7 Magician. Ranged DPS.24+PathwaySequences Reached in the TestRoleSeer PathwaySequence 9 Seer to Sequence 7 MagicianRanged DPSApprentice PathwaySequence 9 Apprentice to Sequence 8 TrickmasterMagic-damage assassinSpectator PathwaySequence 9 Spectator to Sequence 7 PsychiatristHealerWarrior PathwaySequence 9 Warrior, Twilight Giant Pathway entryTank and frontline protection, plus melee damageBard PathwaySequence 9 Bard, Sun Pathway entryMelee physical DPS with purification supportHermit PathwaySequence 9 Mystery PryerDPS, mystery prying and occult knowledge25+Two of those roles are easy to get backwards. The Warrior is the party's frontline protection: mastery of weapons and armour, greatsword melee, damage reduction, blocking, and an area taunt to hold a boss. The Bard is a melee physical damage class built for sustained output and single-target execution, and its signature contribution is purification, which it can briefly grant to allies, plus a short death-immunity effect. The Bard does not tank. See Pathway Roles for the full party-composition mapping.2326Apprentice Pathway: Sequence 9 Apprentice to Sequence 8 Trickmaster. Magic-damage assassin.27+All six Sequence 9 Pathways received the Mr. Fool grafting treatment, which hands the player borrowed copies of higher-Sequence abilities at reduced strength. The Assassin Pathway and Hunter Pathway were explicitly excluded, and neither has shipped since. The studio has named the Monster, Lawyer, and Assassin Pathways as its stated priorities for post-launch development, without publishing an order or a timetable for the remaining sixteen.2528Spectator Pathway: Sequence 9 Spectator to Sequence 7 Psychiatrist. Healer.29+Class change (转职) was not in the Crimson Test and is not in the launch build either. It is reported to arrive alongside the Assassin Pathway and to require Sequence 4 or higher, so it sits well beyond anything the beta reached.2730Warrior Pathway: Sequence 9 Warrior. Melee DPS. Twilight Giant Pathway entry.31+World Content2932Bard Pathway: Sequence 9 Bard. Tank with melee sub-DPS. Sun Pathway entry.33+World content covered Tingen and the surrounding areas of the early novel arc. The campaign retraced the early novel through the player's own Beyonder, with Klein Moretti's history overlaid as Mr. Fool visions. The Tingen Nighthawks and the Church of the Evernight Goddess appeared as introductory faction contacts. Backlund was built and previewed but gated behind later progression, and it was not the focus of this test; it is still staged as post-launch content on the studio's four-year plan.3134Hermit Pathway: Sequence 9 Mystery Pryer. DPS. Mystery prying and occult knowledge.35+Testers built an original Beyonder through the Character Creation suite rather than playing as Klein. Around the same period the studio described the creator's time budget as roughly two hours on the face and a full day on outfits. Other systems it highlighted in this window were the dice-roll exploration checks, a Solo Mode toggle with AI teammates, and the Sanity System permadeath rules, most of which were already running in the Crimson Test build.3336All six Sequence 9 Pathways receive the Mr. Fool grafting treatment that gives the player borrowed copies of higher-Sequence abilities at reduced strength. The Assassin Pathway and Hunter Pathway are explicitly excluded from the Crimson Test.37+Test reports also described open-world PvP zoning in the contested areas outside the city, an early version of the systems documented under Faction Warfare and PvP.3538World Content3739World content covers Tingen and surrounding areas in the early novel arc. The campaign retraces the early novel through the player's own Beyonder, with Klein Moretti's history overlaid as Mr. Fool visions. The Tingen Nighthawks and the Church of the Evernight Goddess appear as introductory faction contacts. Backlund is built and previewed but is gated behind later progression and is not the focus of this test.39-Test Schedule4241Key dates compiled from official announcements:42+Key dates, compiled from official announcements, with the two milestones that followed the test:4443January 14, 2026: Official 'Tingen' promotional video released on the studio's WeChat channel.46-January 15, 2026 09:30 CST: Crimson Test recruitment opens online.48-Around January 20, 2026: First wave of accepted testers receive SMS invites.50-February 1, 2026: Recruitment closes.52-February 5, 2026: Crimson Test build goes live for selected PC testers.54-Before February 23, 2026: Crimson Test concludes (deliberately before Chinese New Year on February 17).56-Spring / Summer 2026: Subsequent closed-beta phases planned, including expanded pathway roster and broader regional access.58-August 21, 2026: Confirmed Mainland China public launch (公测), announced July 10, 2026. A global launch is signposted for later in 2026.60-DateEventJanuary 14, 2026Official 'Tingen' promotional video posted on the studio's WeChat channelJanuary 15, 2026, 09:30 CSTCrimson Test recruitment opened onlineAround January 20, 2026First wave of accepted testers received SMS invitesFebruary 1, 2026Recruitment closedFebruary 5, 2026Crimson Test build went live for selected PC testersBefore February 23, 2026Crimson Test concluded, deliberately ahead of Chinese New Year on February 17May 22, 2026Recruitment opened for the second closed beta, the Gray Fog TestJune 26 to July 5, 2026Gray Fog Test ran on PC, Android, and iOS, closing at 21:00 on July 5August 21, 2026Mainland China public launch (公测), announced on July 10, 20266145Tester Guidelines6246Confidentiality 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.47+Confidentiality was mandatory. Public footage, livestreams, screenshots, and detailed mechanic posts were prohibited unless a streamer-program waiver specifically allowed them. Bug reports and balance feedback went through an in-game Feedback panel and a dedicated post-test survey.6448Account 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.50+Account data was wiped at the end of the test. Premium currency did not exist in the build, but cosmetic test items (free outfits, props, banner frames) were awarded for participation and removed at the wipe. A small pool of testers received 'Founder of the Crimson Test' commemorative cosmetics tied to their account rather than to the wiped build.6751Platforms in Scope6953PC 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.54+PC only. macOS was not supported in this build, and mobile testing was held back for a later round. The Gray Fog Test in June 2026 was the first to open PC, Android, and iOS at once, and the launch client added HarmonyOS as a fourth platform alongside a cloud-gaming option. See System Requirements for both the beta specifications and the shipped launch requirements.7155Related56+What Happened to Crimson Test Data7357Release 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. Mr. Fool's grafting explains how Sequence 9 characters access higher-Sequence abilities.58+Nothing from the Crimson Test carried into the live game. The launch client is a newer version, the old test installers stopped working, and test progress was neither inherited nor shared in either direction. Before launch the studio asked everyone who had played the Crimson Test or the Gray Fog Test to uninstall their old client and clear its leftover files first. That is what makes this page purely historical: every account that played here started again from nothing on August 21.7559Followed By: Gray Fog Test (June 26, 2026)60+Followed By: The Gray Fog Test7761On May 22, 2026 SPARK NEXA confirmed the second closed beta as the Gray Fog Test (灰雾测试). Three details have now been published on the official Chinese site: the test ran from June 26 to July 5, 2026; it covers PC, Android, and iOS simultaneously (the first multi-platform public test); and it is structured as a limited-capacity paid wipe test (限量计费删档测试) rather than a free test. Sign-up runs through a questionnaire on the official CN site. The historical Phase 2 framing below predates this confirmation; the official name supersedes Phase 2.62+On May 22, 2026 the studio opened recruitment for the second closed beta, the Gray Fog Test (灰雾测试). It ran from June 26 to July 5, 2026, covered PC, Android, and iOS simultaneously as the game's first multi-platform test, and was structured as a limited-capacity paid wipe test (限量计费删档测试) rather than a free one. Servers closed at 21:00 on July 5, after a finale week that opened the test's capstone raid and its large-scale PvP modes. It was the last beta before launch.7963In May 2026 the studio confirmed that recruitment for a new round of closed-beta testing would open that month, signposting Phase 2 of the public beta program as the immediate next step after the Crimson Test. The announcement was made through the official Lord of Mysteries game channel under the byline of Susie, the same in-character host who introduced Crimson Test sign-ups. The recruitment opens this month framing in the announcement places the Phase 2 sign-up window in May 2026, several months ahead of the late-summer-and-autumn schedule that earlier roadmap statements had originally suggested.64+Related8165Phase 2 is positioned as a content expansion beyond the Crimson Test rather than a re-run of the same build. The dev statement that accompanied the recruitment announcement covered six confirmed playstyles, the dice-roll exploration system, the Solo Mode toggle with AI teammates, the Sanity permadeath mechanic, the customization time budget (two hours on the face, a full day on outfits) at Character Creation, and the reported open-world PvP zoning described under Faction Warfare and PvP. Most of these systems were already in the Crimson Test build; the Phase 2 framing positions them as polished, audience-ready features rather than test-only prototypes.83-Specific Phase 2 build details, the new Pathway roster, the new Sequence cap (a launch Sequence cap has not been officially confirmed, so Phase 2 may extend the test cap above the Crimson Test's lower-three-Sequence ceiling), the regional eligibility (Mainland China remains the lead region), and the per-device qualification rules, have not been published as of the May 6 announcement. The Phase 2 sign-up portal is expected to surface on the official CN site under the same 'make an appointment to become an extraordinary person' flow used for Crimson Test recruitment.66+Release and Platforms covers the launch platforms and the launch-week schedule. Development History traces the project from the studio's founding through to launch day, and Dev Roadmap sets both tests in the wider development timeline. Multiplayer and Co-Op and Dungeons and Raids describe the team-content systems this round stress-tested.
