Closed Playtest Waves
The developer's "Playtests Are Underway" post began inviting players in limited waves. The schedule ran from Friday, September 11, 2026 at 6:00 PM PDT to Tuesday, September 15. Anyone who had requested access on Steam was in the pool.
The developer also distributed extra playtest keys through its official Discord community. More invites were sent over time. This was the first chance for the public to play.
Timeline at a Glance
Every public test so far, in order.
- Sept 11–15, 2026: closed playtest waves.
- Sept 23–28, 2026: Open Playtest (20k+ testers).
- Oct 12, 2026: demo announced to start.
- Oct 14, 2026: Demo Patch 1.
- Nov 2, 2026: Early Access launch.
The Open Playtest
The Open Playtest let everyone deploy without an invite. It ran from Wednesday, September 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM PDT to Monday, September 28 at 5:00 PM PDT. Players were free to stream, capture and post gameplay.
The same post hoped to run the first Xbox Insider playtest that weekend, pending certification. It called this the first test of any significant size on Xbox. The developer later thanked Xbox Insiders for their feedback.
Playtest by the Numbers
The developer shared telemetry in its demo announcement. It is one of the few sets of official numbers about the game.
- More than 20,000 testers took part in the Open Playtest.
- Total playtime was just shy of 50,000 hours.
- Average time per player was around 2 hours 24 minutes.
- Average mission success rate was around 70%, with Purrmafrost just over 50%.
- Zane was the most popular character, picked by about 30% of players.
The October Demo
The developer announced the demo for October 12, 2026. TheSixthAxis reported it ran through October 18 alongside Steam Next Fest. It included 2 solar systems with 7 planets and four Gravhounds: Selene, Zane, Dozer and Finn.
The official post did not give an end date, so check Steam for current availability. Demo Patch 1 followed on October 14 with crash, turret and UI fixes. Players can still discuss the demo on the Steam forums.
What Changed From Playtest to Demo
Dev Log #1 listed the main changes made from playtest feedback. The headline addition was the Mod Deck Builder, which controls what reward pods drop.
- Multiplayer no longer requires the tutorial; solo still does.
- Free ground dash and smoother pipeline grinding.
- Stronger grenades and weapon rebalancing.
- Reworked Research Point rewards for faster progression.
- Steadier multiplayer, better performance and less COSMO chatter.
What Playtesters Said
Most hands-on videos found the game fun, especially in co-op. One reviewer called it messy but fun, and another said it runs great at medium settings. Comparisons to Deep Rock Galactic and Helldivers 2 were common.
Common criticisms included slow solo resource jobs, frequent low-impact reward pods, clunky turret placement and limited weapon variety. Several reviewers asked for clearer tutorials. The developer addressed some of these in the demo.
Demo Patch 1
Demo Patch 1 arrived on October 14, 2026, focused on stability. It addressed crashes involving turrets, the multitool and the compass. It also fixed Skitter enemies jumping back and forth repeatedly.
- Build Kit details now show when you look at or hold a kit.
- Turrets no longer smoke endlessly when joining a session in progress.
- Two turrets can no longer share one pipeline node.
- Payout animation fixes and a safeguard against it getting stuck.
- Hive Bomb on-screen overlay fixed.
Giving Feedback
The developer repeatedly asks players to share feedback and bug reports on the official Discord. The Steam discussions are also active, with threads on difficulty, controls and accessibility. Requests include FOV and camera zoom options and a screen shake toggle.
The demo's changes show feedback has an effect: the Mod Deck Builder came directly from playtest comments. Early Access will continue that process. The developer expects it to last about six months.
Will There Be Another Playtest?
No further playtest has been announced. The next step is Early Access on November 2, 2026. Playtest and demo progress will not carry over.
The developer FAQ says Early Access progression is intended to carry into 1.0. Feedback still goes through the official Discord and Steam discussions. See our release date guide for launch details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GRAVHOUNDS playtest still running?
No. The Open Playtest ended September 28, 2026. A demo followed in October, and Early Access starts November 2.
How many people played the GRAVHOUNDS playtest?
More than 20,000 testers, according to the developer.
Does playtest progress carry over?
No. Playtest and demo progress reset for Early Access.
Was there an Xbox playtest?
The developer planned an Xbox Insider playtest and later thanked Xbox Insiders for feedback.
Is the demo still available?
The official post gave no end date; press reported it ran through October 18. Check Steam for current status.
Official Trailer
Sources and Further Reading
- GRAVHOUNDS official Steam news (Demo Patch 1, playtest posts)
- The Gravhounds Demo is Coming! (official, Oct 7, 2026)
- Dev Log #1 – Playtest to Demo Changes (official, Oct 7, 2026)
- TheSixthAxis – Gravhounds demo drops with improvements
- GRAVHOUNDS FAQ (pinned Steam discussion)