What time does the Splitgate 2 alpha start, and how to access?

The Splitgate 2 alpha lets you play the next iteration of Halo with Portals for a brief period before its release later in 2025.

If you missed the first game, Splitgate really is as close to a multiplatform Halo as it gets, right down to the burst-fire “battle rifle” being a carbon copy of Master Chief’s signature weapon. The gimmick is that you can traverse maps by creating reality-bending portals, a la Portal. This sequel further dials things up with a mode featuring three times the number of players as a traditional deathmatch (and yes, it’s playable in this alpha).

Here’s when the Splitgate 2 alpha starts in your time zone, how you can play it, and what you should expect from it.

Splitgate 2 alpha start time and schedule

The Splitgate 2 alpha begins Thursday, Feb. 27, at 12 p.m. ET. Here’s when that is in your time zone:

• 9 a.m. PST for the West Coast of North America
• 12 p.m. EST for the East Coast of North America
• 5 p.m. GMT for the U.K.
• 6 p.m. CET for West Mainland Europe
• 2 a.m. JST on Friday, Feb. 28 for Japan
• 4 a.m. AEDT on Friday, Feb. 28 for the East Coast of Australia

The alpha ends on Monday, March 3, at 12 p.m. ET, according to a social media post from developer 1047 Games.

How to access the Splitgate 2 alpha

You’ll be able to play the Splitgate 2 alpha on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X (though when the game launches in full later this year, it will also be available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One). Splitgate 2 is free-to-play and this is an open alpha, so all you need to do is download the file and hop in.

If you’re playing on Windows PC, you can see a list of the recommend minimum specs here.

What to expect from the Splitgate 2 alpha

The Splitgate 2 alpha offers eight modes across six maps. Let’s break it down:

• The big addition to Splitgate 2 is a new suite of 24-player modes called “Multi-Team Portal Warfare,” where three eight-player teams compete in larger versions of Splitgate’s Domination, Deathmatch, and Hotzone modes. All of these modes are played on the Glacier map, which 1047 Games says is “20 times” the size of its standard arena maps.
• Splitgate’s traditional four-vs.-four arena modes, Hotzone and Team Deathmatch, will be playable alongside two new modes: Firecracker and Splitball. All four of these will be played on the Bypass, Eden, Frontier, Ozone, and Zenith maps.
• There are three playable factions in the Splitgate 2 alpha: Aeros, Meridian, and Sabrask. Each faction comes with five primary weapons and three secondary weapons. In addition, four power weapons will be available in the alpha. Bring on the rockets!

As of this writing, no original Splitgate cosmetics, nor in-game currency, will carry over to the sequel.

That said, 1047 Games acknowledge in a statement on its website that it’s looking for ways to reward original Splitgate players in Splitgate 2 when it launches in full later this year. And the Haunt Cadence weapon skin (shown above) will be available as a Twitch drop during the during of the alpha.