Stardew-like MMO Palia enters open beta this August

When free-to-play MMO Palia was first announced a couple of years ago, we described it as the love child between Zelda and Stardew Valley - or at the very least, the result of some clear and obvious DNA splicing between those two games. In any case, we'll soon be able to see if that comparison holds up, as Palia is getting a beta on PC next month, so you can test out the wholesome farming, exploring, gliding, and friend-making elements soon. Check out the new trailer below.

Those who register an account on Palia's website now will be able to get closed beta access from August 2nd, developers Singularity 6 have announced, but that closed beta will then become an open beta for everyone from August 10th. Closed beta players will also be able to maintain their account progress once both betas have concluded, too.

Palia’s basic bones are familiar ones. You’ll be fishing/mining/farming/hunting for resources, and then using said resources to craft/upgrade/buy better items, which you can then use to scour for more valuable resources. And repeat. You’ll also be able to customise your character’s wardrobe, hairdos, and home for some added life simulation goodness.

A recent press release also surprisingly emphasises the game’s “meaningful story,” which we haven’t seen much of yet. The devs say the game’s “persistent shared world” and story are always evolving, and the progression systems are similar to “what’s typically seen in MMO games.” What’s happening in Palia’s world? Who knows? But the devs are chucking about words such as "wholesome" and "playful" in their marketing for it, so don't expect a world-ending calamity to fight against.

Palia’s life sim bits seem like they’ll provide enough stories all on their own, though. Other MMOs have dabbled with more mundane life-sim-ish elements such as jobs, marriages and mortgages before. Palia seems to be making that the point. There’s no word on whether or not you can marry others in Palia yet, although that seems inevitable at some point. When that option's avaialble, my main source of income will come from marrying friends and divorcing them for all they're worth. Truly min-maxing my relationships.

To gain access to the closed beta (starting August 2nd) and the open beta (starting August 10th), you’ll need to register an account on the official Palia website.