Overview
The Vindictus: Defying Fate Alpha Test ran from June 8 to June 16, 2025 (Pacific Daylight Time) during the Steam Next Fest event. According to Nexon's official press release, the test drew 426,176 players from 189 countries and earned VDF the #1 spot on Steam's official "Next Fest: The 50 Most-Played Demos" list for June 2025.
Steam Next Fest rankings
Steam publishes an official ranked list of the 50 most-played demos during each Next Fest event. For June 2025, Vindictus: Defying Fate topped the list. The games it beat for the top position included:
Vindictus: Defying Fate (Nexon)
Wildgate
Jump Ship
Mimesis
Dead As Disco
Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive
Reaching #1 among hundreds of available demos during a Steam Next Fest is notable. The event draws heavy attention from the PC gaming community and press, and the top spots are highly competitive.
Aggregate statistics
Nexon released detailed aggregate data from the alpha test:
Metric | Value |
|---|---|
Total playtime | 1,151,621 hours (equivalent to roughly 131 years of continuous play) |
Total monsters defeated | 42,626,277 |
Total player deaths | 7,240,480 |
Deaths by rolling logs | 37,987 (a specific environmental hazard that caught many players off guard) |
Boss kill counts | The White Tyrant was defeated 351,674 times; the Blood Lord was defeated 154,426 times |
Deadliest boss | Gnoll Chieftain Crimsongale caused the most player deaths of any enemy in the alpha |
Most-played character | |
Most-chosen follower |
Available content
The alpha test provided a substantial slice of content for players to explore:
Playable characters
Four characters were available:
Lann: Twin sword fighter with dodge-based precision actions
Fiona: Longsword and shield fighter with Perfect Guard mechanics
Delia: Bastard sword fighter with parry-based counters
Regions
Two of the game's regions were accessible:
Northern Ruins: The starting area near Colhen, featuring gnoll enemies and early boss encounters.
Frozen Valley: A snow-covered region with Kobold enemies and environmental hazards.
Boss encounters
Several boss fights were available, including:
The White Tyrant: A large creature in the Frozen Valley that tested players' stagger system mastery.
The Blood Lord: An aggressive boss with complex attack patterns requiring precise defensive timing.
Regional bosses and mini-bosses across both areas.
Systems and features
Multiplayer Special Missions for up to 4 players in co-op boss fights.
Character Customization with detailed appearance editing.
The campsite system for mid-mission rest and preparation.
Photo Mode for capturing screenshots.
The Follower System for AI-controlled companions in solo play.
Weapon crafting and progression systems (limited scope in the alpha build).
Pre-alpha comparison
A pre-alpha test ran from March 13 to 18, 2024, roughly 15 months before the public alpha. The pre-alpha featured only two playable characters (Fiona and Lann) in a short segment recreating elements of the opening chapter. It had a smaller player pool and less public documentation. The jump from pre-alpha to alpha showed visible progress in content scope, visual polish, and system depth. The alpha's four-character roster, two full regions, and functional multiplayer were all improvements over the earlier test.
Community response
The alpha test generated strong community engagement. Key themes in player feedback included:
Theme | Details |
|---|---|
Combat feel | The Precision Action System was widely praised for its responsiveness and the satisfaction of landing Perfect Dodges and Guards. Many comparisons were drawn to other Soulslike titles, with VDF's lack of a stamina bar receiving positive attention. |
Visual quality | The Unreal Engine 5 visuals impressed players, particularly the character models, boss designs, and environmental detail. |
Character variety | The four playable characters were seen as meaningfully different from each other. Karok's Clash mechanic and Fiona's Perfect Guard stood out as unique compared to other games in the genre. |
Areas for improvement | Feedback also highlighted areas where players wanted changes, including combat system responsiveness (some attacks felt slightly delayed), performance optimization on lower-end hardware, and requests for more content (expected, given the alpha scope). |
Post-alpha announcements
Nexon responded to the alpha test's success with several announcements:
Announcement | Details |
|---|---|
PC performance optimization | Improving framerates and reducing input delays. |
Combat fluidity | Faster attack animations, more animation cancels, and better responsiveness based on player feedback. |
Hit feedback | Improved camera effects and recoil mechanics to make attacks feel more impactful. |
Ongoing development of the | Arisha character (confirmed October 2025). |
Nexon also acknowledged some incomplete elements in the alpha, including unfinished graphics settings and a Fitting Room that lacked cosmetics matching the game's setting. These were flagged for improvement before the next public test.
No release date or beta test date was announced following the alpha. The next major public milestone for the game has not been revealed.
Historical context
Reaching #1 at a Steam Next Fest puts VDF in strong company. The event has grown into one of the biggest public demo events for upcoming PC games. For an action RPG based on a 2010 MMO, the level of interest exceeded many expectations. The original Vindictus had a dedicated but niche playerbase, so VDF's broad appeal during Next Fest suggested the reimagined format and Unreal Engine 5 visuals successfully attracted players beyond the existing Vindictus community.