Alpha Test Weekend

The ***Satisfactory Alpha Test Weekend*** was a special release of *Satisfactory* that was made available for free to everyone who signed up for a closed alpha key, making the first publicly available build of the game. It was annouced by an e-mail, and the key alongside more info in a second e-mail. Both e-mails can be viewed below.

The weekend ran from the 8th of March to the 11th of March 2019 from/to 5pm GMT. After this date, Epic Games Launcher would update the game, making it impossible to launch. This could, however, be prevented by disabling automatic updates or copying the game files elsewhere.

The build of the game contained only Tiers 0 to 3 and excluded the Caterium research chain (at the time, the MAM wasn't divided into research trees, Sulfur and Quartz research chains weren't implemented). Multiplayer was supported between players also playing on the Alpha Weekend, but not with Closed Alpha builds. No official patch notes were released, but there are mentions of the Test Weekend in the patch notes of previous Closed Alpha builds.

The full version and build that appeared in-game was `++FactoryGame+rel-main-alpha-weekend-slim-CL-94852`. This reveals that it was released between Patch Closed Alpha 4.1 and Closed Alpha 5.

## First e-mail

### Alpha Keys for All Sign-ups

If you are getting this mail you will get a key for the **Alpha Test Weekend.**

It will **start** around 5pm GMT on **Friday** March 8.

It will **end** around 5pm GMT on **Monday** March 11.

Feel free to stream, record and do anything you can with the game.

The NDA will be completely lifted and gone, forever.

More information and your key will arrive when it starts.

We hope you'll enjoy the alpha test weekend!

#### Early Access Coming March 19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLhfdULPj8A

#### Early Access

Read more about the state of the game.

Read More

#### Road Map

Read more about our plans ahead.

Read More

## Second e-mail

### Welcome to the Alpha Test Weekend

There is a lot of information! Please read the entire email.

#### When does the Alpha Test Weekend Finish?

The Alpha Test Weekend ends on March 11th at 5pm GMT. After the Alpha Test Weekend ends your key will be revoked and you can no longer play the game.

#### What about NDA?

NDA is completely removed. You can upload videos, stream - whatever! The NDA will not return after the Alpha Test Weekend.

#### Limited Content

The Alpha Test Weekend version will contain limited content (Research Tiers 1-3). Early Access will launch with Tiers 1-6.

You will also only be limited to 1 starting area. Early Access will launch with 3 starting areas. But... there's nothing stopping you from running to a new starting area...

Some of you may complete the available content! COOL! GO YOU! You may feel you've run out of things to do...

But there is more to do than just building a factory for Research Tiers:

* Search for collectable resources to analyse
* Optimise your factory to 100%. Try overclocking buildings?
* Build cool looking structures and factories like Blanket Man did (one of our Alpha Testers!)
* Find and pet Lizard Doggo
* + more

#### Multiplayer

Multiplayer is in! You can play with your friends. It is not as stable as we would have liked, but it's still pretty good.

We officially support 1-4 players, but we will not limit it! So if you want to try with more players go for it. The game will probably break but it will be funny.

Save often.

#### Save files

Everybody's save files will be compatible with the Early Access launch version (March 19th).

#### Previous Alpha Testers

Here is some information for our previous Alpha Testers (the ones who got keys before this weekend):

* Your keys will not be revoked after the Alpha Test Weekend
* Your keys will be revoked when Early Access launches (March 19th)
* You do not receive a free copy of the game when Early Access launches
* You continue to have access to tiers 1-6, but we please ask you not to stream or upload videos of it - but we can't stop you
* Your watermark will remain
* You are unable to play multiplayer with people on the Alpha Test Weekend version of the game. This is because multiplayer requires the same version of the game

#### How to install the game

You need to install Epic Games Launcher to download the game.

Make sure to download the launcher here.

```
<<Secondary Diesel key>> (this is where the key was written)

```

Once you've installed the Epic Games Launcher and logged in, click on your user name in left bottom corner. A menu will appear where you can find the "Redeem Code" button.

**If the game doesn't appear in the library straight away, please try reload the page/restart the launcher.**[*sic*]

#### Questions, Bug Reports, and Feedback

Play the game and give us your honest feedback.

Bring up anything from minor bugs that annoy you to design-flaws regarding the game, we want to hear it all!

Weird crashes and game blockers should be extra highlighted!

We've set up a forum where you can up-vote items that you deem important or things you've encountered.

https://questions.satisfactorygame.com/

Please, I, Jace Varlet, I beg you. Please. DO NOT message me with feedback or bugs. There is nothing I can do for you, unfortunately. Please use https://questions.satisfactorygame.com/

#### Join our Discord to discuss the game

We'll keep you updated with known issues, potential work-arounds and any other immediate update through discord [*sic*].

**Join Discord**

## References

1. ↑ File:20190309 393015387 Mercer Sphere dialog.png
2. ↑ YouTube - March 9th, 2019 Livestream Snutt Talk: Lizard Doggo work name