LADY DEATH PLAYTESTS: THE DESCENT

Paint the Town Dead

Join the official playtests for Lady Death: Demonicron and help shape the final game on the road to launch. This journey follows Hope's fall—and Lady Death's rise—through exclusive playtests and a public demo release at Steam Next Fest.

Pre-order the game today to secure your access, then compete in monthly challenges to win exclusive physical prizes, Discord roles, and a place in our hall of fame.

Note: Kickstarter Backers automatically have VIP access to all playtests. Check your email for instructions.

Pre-order for Access Join the Discord

PLAYTEST SCHEDULE

Playtests shaped the descent. The free Steam demo opens to everyone on 15 June 2026.

Completed

Test 1: First Blood (Completed)

The Death of Hope

Experience Lady Death's origin story. Witness Hope's transformation as she rises from the Corpse Pits with vengeance in her heart.

Completed

Test 2: First Blood (Co-op Edition) (Completed)

Return to the Pits | May 15 (12:00 PM UTC) – May 22 (12:00 PM UTC), 2026

This round features a stack of improvements to combat, enemy AI, and of course lots of other goodies that were taken from the feedback after round 1. Pick up right where you left off, grab a friend, and brutalise the demons with some killer combos.

Coming Soon

Demo Release

Steam Next Fest | 15th June 2026

The free public Steam demo—a taste of Hell for everyone on Steam. Our playtest community helped shape what you'll play.

HOW TO JOIN

01

Pre-order the Game

Pre-order Lady Death: Demonicron via our official store to become eligible for playtest access.

02

Watch Your Inbox

Before each playtest wave, we will email eligible players to confirm their interest and participation.

03

Enter Hell

Receive your Steam key and build access instructions via email.

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Play & Compete

Jump into the latest build with co-op, reworked combat, and Ravenheart—compete in challenges, and share your best clips using #LadyDeathDemonicron.

05

Submit Feedback

Join our Discord feedback channels to help us tune combat, couch co-op, and polish.

Pre-order the Game

PLAYTEST 2: CLOSED

Test 2: First Blood (Co-op Edition)

May 15 (12:00 PM UTC) – May 22 (12:00 PM UTC), 2026

This playtest window has ended. Thank you to everyone who jumped in, tested couch co-op, and sent feedback. Winners for the Test 2 competitions will be announced in Discord shortly. Stay tuned for the free Steam demo on 15 June 2026—sign up below or wishlist on Steam to get notified.

This round featured a stack of improvements to combat, enemy AI, and lots of other goodies taken from feedback after round 1. Players picked up where they left off, grabbed a friend, and brutalised the demons with killer combos.

What's changed?

  • Ravenheart — Added as a playable character.
  • Couch co-op — Two-player local co-op is in.
  • Combat & controls — Major overhaul of the combat system and controls.
  • Polish — A million small improvements, with many more to come…

Note: We will not be implementing online 2-player through Steam for this playtest—it is too buggy. Please focus your testing and feedback on couch co-op (local two-player).

TEST 2 COMPETITIONS & REWARDS

Submissions for Test 2 are now closed. Winners will be announced in Discord. Thank you to everyone who entered.

How Entries Were Submitted

Each bounty required proof submitted in our official Discord during the playtest window.

🎨 Media Showcase

Community Showcase

Create and share videos, streams, or highlight clips showing off your best co-op moments, crazy combos, or most aesthetically striking screenshots.

Reward: $25 Steam Card + "Cover of Carnage" Discord Title.
Verification: Post your screenshot or video publicly on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or YouTube using the hashtag #️⃣LadyDeathDemonicron. Then, drop the link to your post in the #️⃣media-showcase Discord channel. The winner will be chosen by community emoji votes!

🐛 Bug Hunter Challenge

Bug Hunter Challenge

Find the most spectacular, game-breaking, or hilarious bug. Help us polish Hell, with a special focus on couch co-op, combat, and controls.

Reward: $25 Steam Card + "Pit Whisperer" Discord Title.
Verification: Submit your findings with a description and a screenshot/video link in the #️⃣bug-reports Discord channel. The winner of this category will be hand-picked by the Dev Team based on the most helpful and reproducible report.

Closed: Submissions closed on May 22 at 12:00 PM UTC. Winners will be announced shortly in Discord. (Note: In the event of any major issues in selecting a winner, the Dev Team reserves the right to choose the winner in a fair and reasonable manner).

KICKSTARTER VIP: THE SWORN NATION

🔱

Your Pledge Secured Your Place in Hell

To our original backers: you are the vanguard. Your Kickstarter pledge automatically grants you VIP status and elite access to every playtest in The Descent. No further purchase required.

Your Exclusive Perks:

VIP Access:

Private Discord channels (#sworn-nation-vip).

Legend Status:

Earn exclusive roles like "Architect of Hell" for top feedback.

How to Access: Check your inbox for your VIP briefing and build instructions. If you haven't received your key, please contact support immediately.

Join the VIP Discord Channel

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I participate in the playtest?

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Pre-order the game to secure your playtest access. You'll receive instructions via email before each test begins. Make sure to join our Discord server for community updates and competition submissions.

When do the playtests run?

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We ran two exclusive pre-order playtests: Test 1 "First Blood" (March 20–23, 2026) and Test 2 "First Blood (Co-op Edition)" (May 15–22, 2026)—both are now complete. Next up is the free Steam demo on 15 June 2026 (available to everyone), followed by digital launch on 30 July 2026 and physical shipping from 30 October 2026. Sign up below or wishlist on Steam to hear when the demo goes live.

Can I compete in multiple competitions?

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Yes! You can enter both bounties for this playtest (Media Showcase and Bug Hunter). However, you can only win one grand prize per test. If you place in multiple categories, you'll receive the highest-tier reward and runners-up will receive the other prizes.

How are winners selected?

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The Media Showcase winner is chosen by community emoji votes in Discord. The Bug Hunter Challenge winner is hand-picked by the development team based on the most helpful and reproducible report.

What platforms are supported?

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Currently, playtests are PC (Windows) only. Make sure you have Steam installed, as that's how we verify participants and distribute builds. Console testing may come in later phases.

How do I receive my prize if I win?

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Winners will be contacted via the email they registered with. Discord roles are assigned immediately. Physical prizes (comics, prints, pins) will be shipped after the test window closes. Digital rewards (color palettes, early access) are granted directly through Steam or Discord.

How do I provide feedback and report bugs?

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Join our Discord server where you'll have access to dedicated feedback channels: #bug-reports for technical issues, #general for overall feedback, and competition-specific channels for your submissions. We read every message and your input directly shapes development.

I'm a Kickstarter backer. How do I access VIP benefits?

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Check your email for VIP access instructions. You'll receive a special Discord invite link and early access codes 48 hours before each public test. If you can't find your email, contact us through Kickstarter or our support email.