Arkheron Crossplay Beta: End Time, Ascension Schedule and Steam/Xbox/PS5 Access

This is not a launch. It runs for one weekend and has a firm end time, so anyone who wants to play needs to know when it closes.

When it ends​

According to Bonfire's own schedule, across all regions, the Crossplay Beta will end at 11:59pm PDT on Sunday, September 27. The studio's official play page describes it as this limited Beta starts on Friday, September 25 and ends on Sunday, September 27 at 11:59PM PDT.

Earlier coverage from Gaming Nexus said the test had no end date currently announced. That is now out of date. The studio has confirmed the Sunday night cutoff.

Summary: The beta is live now and closes at 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sunday, September 27. In Europe, that is early Monday morning.

What Arkheron is​

For Windows players who haven't met it yet, Bonfire's Steam page describes a fast-paced, isometric PvP where every item you grab rewrites how you play mid-fight. Dork describes it as a team PvP game set in a haunted Tower, where players collect Relics that can change their build during a match. Bonfire Studios is the studio founded by former Blizzard chief creative officer Rob Pardo, so plenty of people are watching its first game.

The two modes​

The beta has two modes, and they are available at different times:

• Spires (3v3): Spires pits two teams of three against each other in smaller competitive matches. Bonfire's official page says the Endless Spires game mode runs 24 hours a day, all weekend.
• Ascension (up to 45 players): Ascension expands the scale with matches supporting up to 45 players. The studio's live announcement describes it as 15 teams of three climbing a Tower, looting Relics, fighting monsters and other teams, with only one team reaching the top. Ascension opens nightly during peak hours for each region, running alongside Spires rather than swapping it out.

Bonfire also says the tutorial, training room and bot modes are live 24/7, so you can practise outside the scheduled windows.

Regional schedule​

Bonfire published these times, which were also carried in its September 25 "Crossplay Beta is Live!" post:

Dork's reporting matches the official Ascension times: European sessions begin at 6pm BST, South American sessions at 7pm AST / 8pm BRT, and North American sessions at 4pm PDT / 7pm EDT. Some pre-launch coverage, including DayOne, listed South America: 6 p.m. AST / 7 p.m. BRT for Ascension. That is an hour earlier than the studio's schedule. If you play from South America, go by the official 7 p.m. AST / 8 p.m. BRT time.

The published minimum length of each Ascension window has also changed. The studio's September 21 notes promised at least three hours a night. The September 25 live post says Europe and North America get at least five hours and South America at least three. In every region, queues can stay open longer if enough players are waiting to keep matchmaking balanced.

Summary: Spires runs around the clock. Ascension opens once a night on the regional schedule above. For South America, trust the official times over older previews.

How to get in​

Access is invitation-based for newcomers. You can't just download it and play.

• Returning testers: If you played through the "Arkheron Playtest" app on Steam, or as an Xbox Insider in the earlier closed beta, Bonfire says you should already have access. Update to the newest build and play. GameFragger also reported that if you already have access on Steam or Xbox from the earlier test, you do not need to sign up again.
• New players: Sign up on the Arkheron website. Bonfire says invites go out in waves by email, and you choose your platform when you accept the invite.
• Link your platform account: The studio's FAQ says connecting your Steam, Xbox or PlayStation account confirms your platform choice and your store region. GameFragger notes that this cuts down on people farming keys with throwaway emails. Bonfire says region matters most on PlayStation, where keys are region-locked.
• Bring friends: After you accept an invite and redeem a key, you also get extra invites to pull friends in. Bonfire says Steam sign-ups get friend invites for Steam, and invites from its FirstLook dashboard can be redeemed on any platform.

Common problems​

• Console "key already redeemed" error: Bonfire suggests starting the download from your console's store app or website instead. Look under your "Collection" or "Purchased" games for Arkheron. If that doesn't work, contact Bonfire support by email.
• You're outside the supported regions: You can still queue into a participating region, play bot games or run custom games. The studio warns that ping will be poor, so expect lag.
• You want a different platform: Bonfire says it will provide a code for another platform if you ask through its Discord or support email.

What changed in the build​

The beta runs the 0.23 build. Bonfire says the September 15 patch reworked the new-player experience, changed the Spires economy, added a Bot Spires mode and fixed performance problems found in earlier tech tests. Some of those tests also chased crashes on certain AMD graphics cards. On September 21, a 0.23.0a hotfix toned down two heroes' abilities (Rynshi's Rampage and Dahla's Curtain Call). It also changed how the Bashing Shield's Block & Bash works and fixed text chat disappearing between matches. Another fix stopped players using teleports to jump the arena wall between Spires rounds.

Why Xbox and PC players should care​

Xbox has been part of this for a while. GameFragger reported that the test is the next step after a PC-focused closed beta that later opened to Xbox Insiders in July. The same outlet summed up the hard part: matching PC and console players in the same matches without turning the fight into a keyboard advantage or a thumbstick disadvantage.

Bonfire says it has tailored console controls to the game's fast pace. That is the studio's claim, not an independent result. Fast isometric PvP tends to reward precise aim, and a mouse is more precise than a thumbstick. This weekend is the first real test of whether the tuning evens things out. Players can check for themselves, because there is no NDA and no content embargo. Clips from mixed PC and console lobbies should show up quickly.

The limited regions are also a deliberate choice. Bonfire says it kept the test to three regions so its team can stay online and fix problems while queues are live. Earlier weekend tests were limited to North America and Europe because there weren't enough players in Asia-Pacific and South America for good matchmaking. That makes South America's inclusion this weekend worth noting.

The bottom line​

The Arkheron Crossplay Beta is a free, invite-based weekend test on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Steam. Spires runs all weekend, Ascension opens nightly, and everything closes at 11:59 p.m. PDT on September 27. Bonfire also says anyone who logs in this weekend gets crossplay cosmetics to keep. If you're a PC player curious how controller players will fare against you, or an Xbox player wondering the reverse, now is the time to try it.