The ArcheAge Chronicles demo has ended. XLGAMES ran its free Steam Next Fest test from 19 to 26 October 2026, giving PC players a chance to explore Diamond Shores, try all four classes and fight other players. The free test is over, and the next playable version will be the paid Steam Early Access release.
Early Access opens on Tuesday, 3 November at 11 PM GMT on PC through Steam. Your demo character, gear, quests and other progress will not transfer, so you’ll start fresh when the paid game launches. Here’s what happened to the demo and what you can expect next.
Can you still download the ArcheAge Chronicles demo?
No. The ArcheAge Chronicles demo opened at 10 AM PDT on 19 October and closed at 10 AM PDT on 26 October. The closing time was 5 PM GMT in the UK, because the clocks changed during the festival week. The public demo period is over, and XLGAMES has not announced a second free test.
During Steam Next Fest, the store page offered a free Download Demo button. That offer ended with the event. If the button has disappeared, you haven’t missed a setting in Steam: the test is no longer being offered as a playable download.
The full game can now be pre-purchased on Steam ahead of its November launch. That is a different package from the free demo, with a new Early Access character and separate progression.
What was included in the ArcheAge Chronicles demo?
The ArcheAge Chronicles demo focused on the Diamond Shores region and contained around two to three hours of introductory quests. The short story route gave players time to learn movement, dodging, blocking and their class weapons before trying PvP or exploring away from the main path.
There were four classes: Warrior for front-line melee, Ranger for mobile ranged combat, Berserker for aggressive close-range attacks and Mage for magic and control. Each had two available weapons. The launch version also starts with four classes and eight weapons overall.
This was also the first public build with PvP. XLGAMES made PvP channels accessible early: players could find a Nui Statue and switch into a PvP channel without finishing the main story. It was a chance to try parries, dodges and weapons against other people.
What happened to the Throne of Hinnon dungeon?
The ArcheAge Chronicles demo also featured Throne of Hinnon, an optional high-level dungeon tucked away from the usual quest route. Its hidden key was deliberately left for players to discover, and XLGAMES warned that it could be particularly difficult for characters with only a few hours of progression.
That was content in the October test, and XLGAMES hasn’t confirmed whether the hidden key or entrance will be identical at launch. Our Throne of Hinnon guide covers the clues and challenge from the demo build.
Does ArcheAge Chronicles demo progress carry over to Early Access?
No. Your ArcheAge Chronicles demo character and save data will not carry over when Early Access begins on 3 November. XLGAMES made that clear before Next Fest began. You will need to create a fresh character and start again, regardless of the quests you finished or equipment you collected in the trial.
That includes progress from optional activities such as PvP and Throne of Hinnon. You can use what you learned about weapons and movement, but there’s no official system to transfer a test character into the paid build. Reinstalling the demo or using the same Steam account won’t change that.
When does ArcheAge Chronicles Early Access begin in the UK?
XLGAMES has confirmed Tuesday, 3 November 2026 at 11 PM GMT for the Steam Early Access launch. That’s 3 PM Pacific Standard Time. The US pre-order price is $29.99, and Steam’s UK package is listed at £26.99 as of 28 October.
Early Access will open with Diamond Shores, Gylden Ruins and Astron Plains, plus four classes, eight weapons, dungeons, raids, PvP, crafting, trading and housing. Housing and trade weren’t playable in the Next Fest demo, so their absence there doesn’t mean they’ve been cut from the paid game.
If you decide to pre-purchase, you’ll also receive the Dawn Pioneer Outfit Chest. It can be claimed on one character once the servers open. Choose carefully, because the reward is a one-time claim that cannot be moved between characters.
The ArcheAge Chronicles demo has finished, but you can still see what the event included in our Steam Next Fest guide. The next important date is 3 November, when Early Access begins.
Official source: XLGAMES ArcheAge Chronicles announcements on Steam.
