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The Alpha Playtest is the closed, backer-only test of My Time at Evershine that began on October 24, 2025 and continues until the game's release. It exists because of a crowdfunding decision: after passing $2.5 million, Pathea Games skipped Early Access entirely and committed to testing the game privately with backers rather than selling an unfinished version. The alpha runs under a non-disclosure agreement, so no screenshots, video, or detailed accounts of its content are public. This page covers only what official posts say about it.

Eligibility and access

Alpha access went to campaign backers at the $35 tier (Adventurer) and above, and the test runs on PC only. Keys were distributed on October 21, 2025, three days before the start, through the campaign's reward-management portal. The alpha key is separate from the full-game key, which backers will receive closer to release. Backers who had chosen a console version could request a switch to PC for alpha access, with switch requests processed in batches every two to four weeks; once a PC alpha key is assigned, the platform choice is locked.

The test is governed by closed-alpha rules: no public streams, screenshots, videos, or text leaks outside official channels. Feedback goes through a dedicated QA email address and a channel on the game's official community server.

Scope of the build

Pathea set expectations clearly and low. The launch build's stated focus was testing the core gameplay loop, with limited story content, placeholder visuals, and incomplete features expected. Most players were told to plan on around 1-3 hours of content, with playtime varying by playstyle. The build shipped without voice acting and supported only keyboard and mouse at launch. Combat difficulty and animations were flagged as still being adjusted, and the team specifically asked for ideas on recruiting NPCs and city building, both due to grow substantially in later builds. The launch posts confirm a ruin exploration quest and a blacksmith quest involving the settler Hua were part of the initial content.

Known issues at launch

The October 24, 2025 launch post listed the build's known problems openly:

• Occasional frame drops during certain story cutscenes

• In rare cases, unresponsive controls after loading a save

• In rare cases, a black screen or freeze after completing the ruin exploration quest

• The blacksmith quest with Hua could loop indefinitely under certain conditions

• Overall performance optimization still ongoing, with possible lag or stuttering on lower-end hardware

Alpha hardware note

The launch post recommended a GTX 1060 (or equivalent) with 4GB of VRAM or higher for the alpha build only, warning that systems below 4GB of VRAM might lag or stutter, and suggested lowering anti-aliasing and texture quality as the most effective fix. This is a recommendation for an unoptimized test build, not a spec sheet. My Time at Evershine has no official system requirements; none have been published for the finished game, and the alpha figure should not be read as one.

Updates

Alpha V00.05.00, released December 18, 2025, added controller support along with quality-of-life tweaks drawn from backer feedback, and came with a survey asking how the controller experience felt. The full changelist went out through the backer-only update channel. The alpha later reached version 0.6.1, with a message about that update posted for backers in mid-2026; its contents are likewise restricted to backers.

A March 2026 devlog said the next alpha update was in its "final sprint" at the time and laid out changes responding directly to tester feedback: staged construction replacing instant building, a top-down build camera with grid and free placement modes, and warmer NPC introductions complete with welcome gifts. That post remains the main public record of what alpha testers actually criticized.

Feedback and influence

For a closed test, the alpha has visibly steered development. Pathea's 2026 devlogs credit testers with the three biggest criticisms of the early build: instant construction that broke immersion, settlers who behaved like task-bots rather than people, and imprecise, floaty building placement. The team says it documented every one and answered with the redesigns described on the Building System page. Alpha feedback also pushed the hair-rendering rebuild covered under Development. The playtest will continue until full release, currently targeted for 2027.