Sci-Fi Post-Apocalyptic MMO Shooter Cinder City Playtest Starts Soon
NC has opened registrations for Cinder City's upcoming U.S. pre-alpha playtest, giving players their first opportunity to experience the studio's ambitious open-world, cinematic third-person sci-fi MMO shooter set in a post-apocalyptic version of Seoul.
One of NC's most ambitious new original IPs is about to reach a major milestone. The company has officially opened registrations for the upcoming Cinder City pre-alpha playtest, giving U.S. players their first opportunity to experience the open-world, cinematic third-person sci-fi MMO shooter before launch. You can sign up here.
The limited test runs August 14–16 and focuses on gathering early gameplay feedback as development continues.
Previously known as Project LLL, the game was officially renamed Cinder City during gamescom 2025, where it also received its first large-scale public gameplay showcase. We covered some early details about it earlier this year.
Source: NC
Developed by BigFire Games, the project represents a notable departure from the fantasy MMORPGs NC is best known for, instead combining tactical third-person gunplay, persistent online progression, and large-scale cooperative PvE encounters inside a seamless sci-fi version of post-apocalyptic Seoul.
Rather than focusing solely on traditional MMO questing, Cinder City blends open-world exploration with cinematic storytelling and cooperative firefights against both mutated creatures and heavily armed mechanical threats. Players suit up as futuristic Cinderknights, exploring recognizable districts of Seoul that have been transformed by a collision between 21st-century Korea and advanced 23rd-century technology. The game supports both solo play and squad-based cooperation while emphasizing large-scale multiplayer PvE activities throughout its world.
We haven't tried the game for ourselves yet, but the Unreal Engine-powered visuals paint a very pretty picture from what we've seen. Hands-on previews often highlight the game's tactical cover-based combat, realistic firearm handling, detailed urban environments, and seamless world design. The emphasis on cooperative gameplay and persistent progression could help it carve out a niche in an otherwise crowded market.
Source: NC
The upcoming pre-alpha specifically targets U.S. players and will take place during the following windows:
- Friday, August 14: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM PT
- Saturday, August 15: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM PT
- Sunday, August 16: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM PT
Interested players can register now through NC's FirstLook program. Selected participants will begin receiving invitations starting August 12.
NC describes the test as an opportunity to help shape the game's cooperative experience while gathering community feedback ahead of future testing phases. According to the announcement, players will be able to experience early campaign content featuring several hours of gameplay while exploring the game's vision for large-scale multiplayer PvE combat.
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