Black Desert Online’s battle royale spin-off, Shadow Arena, enters beta this month
Registration for the beta is open now.
Shane Black 
The battle royale genre is getting bigger and bigger, and we have a new addition on the horizon: Shadow Arena, the game-mode-turned-spin-off of Black Desert Online, is set to be entering closed beta on Feb. 27.
As announced by developer Pearl Abyss, the original game mode has been expanded into a 40-player battle royale that places players in a fight to the death within the world of the MMO. Registration for the beta is open now and players will find out if they made it in be Feb. 25. If given access, players can take part in the beta from Feb. 27 to March 8.
With so many battle royales on the market right now, it is important for these newcomers to find their niche and find a unique style of play to hook players. For Shadow Arena, this hook seems to be the use of different characters.
Much like Overwatch and the other battle royale mainstay, Apex Legends, players will have the choice between specific characters to play as, with the beta giving them access to nine characters to experiment with. Each character will have special stats and abilities to use while in a match. Each player will be able to choose an ability when they land which they can work to level up and become more powerful as they play. The danger won’t lie in just the other players either; monsters and enemies will roam the battlefield for you to take down to get better loot.
Both solo and team play is available in the game, so don’t be worried if you are afraid of going it alone. Having a team makes a fight to the death a little bit less stressful.
The quest for battle royale dominance has, most likely, already been decided, with Fortnite continuing to dominate the market. While they may take the top prize for the genre, other games seem to find ways to carve out their own place in the fanbase. Apex Legends and PUBG, just to name a couple, each has its own dedicated player base that keeps the games alive. Hopefully, Shadow Arena will be able to find its community among the vast sea of battle royales. If nothing else, at least Black Desert Online continues to maintain its steady player base and community.
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