My Time At Sandrock's multiplayer beta next week will be set in a simulation
You'll need to own the game to jack in
Snazzy Stardew Valley-like town simulator My Time At Sandrock is running its first open beta for multiplayer next week, allowing owners of the game to hop into a separate multiplayer area set in a "semi-fictional" version of Sandrock's past that includes "compressed stories happening 50 years before single-player events". A pseudo prequel is an interesting form for a multiplayer mode to take, especially considering this is the pseudo sequel to My Time At Portia.
The beta will run from January 12th - January 20th, after which any progress you've made will be wiped.
Developers Pathea Games include more details in their Steam post, where a screenshot reveals the multiplayer mode actually takes place in a simulation created by Sandrock's resident nerd, Qi. You'll enter multiplayer by using the "special equipment" he gives you.
This open beta follows a closed alpha test from last September, so Pathea's post mostly talks about what they've added since then. They've expanded the commerce guild, added farming, introduced shared quests via the co-op commision board, and improved multiplayer management so you can kick idle players and set up private rooms. You'll be able to venture into multiplayer dungeons this time, too.
Steve Hogarty took to Sandrock life in his My Time At Sandrock review, calling it "a compelling and lusciously detailed life simulator with an endlessly rewarding mine-and-build loop, and a set of diverse career paths so richly designed that it’s difficult to pursue them all".
Sandrock is 20% off on Steam until 6pm GMT/ 1pm ET tomorrow, putting it at £16/$20/€17. It's still in early access, which the devs have said they hope to leave sometime around May.