Is the arena shooter finally back? I sure hope so, and Nexon America and Final Strike Games kind of agree. That’s why they're launching a 3v3 first-person shooter called Rocket Arena for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Rocket Arena has all the bearings of an arena shooter, much like Quake, but presented in this vibrant, quirky art style that reminds me of Fortnite. I don’t know if that will work to its advantage or not, but it’s going for more than just the overall aesthetic to draw in players. Players are pitted together in three versus three scenarios, and equipped with various weapons that don’t deal any damage.
How do you eliminate enemies in this game, then? This is where Rocket Arena becomes interesting. Well, you don’t try to kill them for starters. You don’t try to knock them down, but rather blast them off into the sky, like Super Smash Bros. Damage players over time and they will end being hurtled farther and farther, until of course you push them out of the arena completely. It’s a very interesting concept, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
To spread the word around, Nexon America, Rocket Arena’s publisher, will launch a closed beta test within the Nexus launcher from May 23 to May 29, and you can sign up for that right over here.
The closed beta has three phases to ensure the smoothest launch possible at a later date. Here is the schedule for all three phases, which also vary in length:
- Phase 1 is scheduled for 12 hours and will run from 1:00 p.m. Thursday, May 23 to 1:00 a.m. Friday, May 24.
- Phase 2 is scheduled for 12 hours as well and will run from 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 24 to 1:00 a.m. Saturday, May 25.
- Phase 3 is scheduled for four consecutive days and will be final phase of the closed beta. It will run from 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 25 to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 29.
The closed beta sign-ups will end at 1:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 22. You can opt into the beta by going here. To find out more about Rocket Arena, check out its website here.
Rocket Arena is expected for release sometime in the near future. Crossplay is being worked on for all three platforms.
