Anthem is giving players a preview of what to expect in the upcoming Cataclysm event through the new Public Test Server. This was made available on June 4 and for now, is limited to those who own the game on the PC or is a current Origin Access Premier subscriber.
Cataclysm is a season-long event that offers players new enemies to battle, powers to be gained, and mysteries to be solved. It was originally scheduled to be released in May, but the many problems that have since hounded the game forced BioWare to move the event to a later date. A lot has indeed happened, and BioWare needed to deal with issues like bugs, cheating, and recently, matchmaking. Even with all of these, BioWare back in March revealed that it continues to not only develop, but even provide support for Anthem.
This latest reveal appears as if BioWare is taking a lesson from its earlier mistakes. Through a Public Test Server, BioWare should be able to get feedback on the Cataclysm event before making it available to everyone. At the very least, this can lower any negative player reaction compared to if the event was released immediately.
As mentioned, the Cataclysm event has already started on the PTS, though BioWare has warned players that since this is new content being tested, they should expect occasional downtime for server restarts and maintenance. There may even be a need to download additional patches.
The PTS can be found in the game library on Origin.com. All a player needs to do is click on the tile to start the download and accept the PTS Agreement.
According to BioWare, those who play on the PTS "won't be able to bring their current javelins, currency, XP, or any other items into the Public Test Server, nor will you be able to take anything earned in the PTS back to your regular version of the game." Players begin at level 30 and have all the four javelins unlocked. This way, they can direct their attention to the Cataclysm experience instead of focusing on leveling up.
Players who manage to access the PTS and experience the upcoming Cataclysm event are requested to send feedback to the PTS Forums. As of this writing, there are 35 different topics under the Feedback thread.
