# Palworld Closed Testing Program: How to Apply and Dates

How the Palworld Closed Testing Program works — where the application form shows up, what's known about test dates, what the first closed test put in testers' hands, and every raid boss and base management feature from that build that is live in your save today.

Source: https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-closed-testing-program
Updated: 2026-08-25

Pocketpair's **Closed Testing Program** hands unreleased Palworld content to a picked group of players early, in exchange for feedback before that content goes live for everyone. This guide covers how to apply, what is and isn't known about test dates, what the first closed test was built around, and every piece of that test build that is now sitting in your save.

## What the Closed Testing Program Is

It's a recruitment drive, not a public beta. Pocketpair opens an application form, selects a group from the responses, and gives those players a build containing content that hasn't shipped yet. There is no queue you can buy your way into and no early-access tier — you're either picked from the form or you wait for the update to release normally. The payoff for everyone else is that whatever the testers break gets fixed before launch, which is how [the Bellanoir raid fight](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-bellanoir-raid-boss) and the base Pal management rework both reached live in a usable state.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Who runs it | **Pocketpair** — the developer, directly |
| What you get | A build with unreleased content, ahead of its public release |
| What you give back | Feedback on the content you're handed |
| How you sign up | A **linked application form**, posted when a wave opens |
| Is it permanently open | **No** — applications open per test, then close again |
| Does it cost anything | No paid tier exists — selection comes off the form, not a purchase |
| Where it gets announced | Palworld's official channels, including the official Discord server |
| How many testers | **Never published** — the group size has not been disclosed |

The two rows worth reading twice are the last two. "Never published" is the honest answer to a lot of questions about this program — Pocketpair announces a wave, runs it, and ships the content, without publishing headcounts or selection criteria in between. And because announcements land on official channels rather than in-game, there is no notification inside Palworld telling you a wave opened. If you aren't watching, you miss it.

## How to Apply for the Closed Test

Applying is a single form, but the hard part is catching it while it's live. Waves have opened with no long lead-up, and the form is the only route in — there's no waitlist that carries over from a previous test, so being rejected once doesn't disqualify you and being accepted once doesn't auto-enrol you next time. Treat every wave as a fresh entry.

The steps, in order:
- **Watch the official channels.** The application link is posted to Palworld's official accounts and the official Discord server. That's where a wave is announced, and it's the only place a legitimate form link comes from.
- **Fill in the form while it's open.** Applications are collected through a linked form rather than a game account portal, so you complete it in a browser — nothing happens in-game.
- **Wait to be contacted.** Selection isn't instant and isn't public. If you're picked, you'll be told; if you aren't, there's usually no rejection notice at all.
- **Ignore any third-party sign-up page.** Nobody except Pocketpair can enrol you in a closed test, and no legitimate application for it will ever ask you for a payment or for your platform account password.

One practical note: because the form is a general application rather than a per-feature one, you don't get to pick which content you test. The group is chosen and then handed whatever build the wave was opened for.

## What the First Closed Test Covered

The program's first wave was built around two things that were both unreleased at the time and are both cornerstones of the game now — the raid boss system, and the overhaul to how Pals behave at your base. That pairing tells you what these tests are actually for: one is a hard combat encounter that needs a lot of players hitting it to balance, and the other is a systems change that only shows its problems after hours of a base running unattended. Neither is something a small internal team can properly stress on its own.

### Bellanoir, the Boss the First Test Was Built Around

[Bellanoir](https://palworld-db.com/pal/bellanoir) introduced the whole summon-a-raid loop: you build a Summoning Altar, burn a slab, and fight a boss that scales far past anything in the overworld. Its stat line explains why it needed testing — a **150 shot attack** is the highest ranged number of any raid boss in the game, ahead of both [Xenolord](https://palworld-db.com/pal/xenolord) at 120 and [Hartalis](https://palworld-db.com/pal/hartalis) at 130, so an underprepared team gets deleted at range before it ever closes distance. The fight also runs on a ladder: clearing one tier drops the slab for the next, which is the structure every raid added since has copied.

| Tier | Boss Lv. | Summon slab | Guaranteed drops |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bellanoir | **35** | [Bellanoir's Slab](https://palworld-db.com/item/PalSummon_NightLady) | [Dark Skill Fruit: Apocalypse](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillCard_Apocalypse) ×1, [Ancient Civilization Core](https://palworld-db.com/item/AncientParts2) ×1-3, [Training Manual (XL)](https://palworld-db.com/item/ExpBoost_04) ×3-5 |
| Bellanoir Libero | **45** | [Bellanoir Libero's Slab](https://palworld-db.com/item/PalSummon_NightLady_Dark) | Ancient Civilization Core ×2-4, Dark Skill Fruit: Dark Whisp ×1, Training Manual (XL) ×4-6, plus the Ultra slab |
| Bellanoir Libero (Ultra) | **80** | [Bellanoir Libero (Ultra) Slab](https://palworld-db.com/item/PalSummon_NightLady_Dark_2) | [Witch's Crown](https://palworld-db.com/item/HeadEquip001_purple) ×1, Ancient Civilization Core ×10, [Training Crystal](https://palworld-db.com/item/LvUP_01) ×10, another Ultra slab |

Every drop in that table is a **100% rate** — raid rewards aren't a lottery, which is what makes them the reliable way to stock [Ancient Civilization Cores](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-get-ancient-civilization-cores). The Ultra tier is the one to care about long-term: it pays 10 Cores and 10 Training Crystals per clear and refunds its own slab, so once you can beat it, it repeats forever at no material cost. The full fight breakdown lives in the [Bellanoir Libero (Ultra) guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-bellanoir-libero-ultra-raid-boss).

### The Base Pal Management Overhaul

The other half of that first test was the change that stopped base Pals from wandering off to the wrong job. The Monitoring Stand is the piece you interact with — it's where you set work priorities per Pal so a Handiwork specialist stops hauling ore, and the higher tiers widen what you can force. It unlocks absurdly early at **level 7 for 2 technology points**, which is before most players have a base worth managing, and that's deliberate: the whole point of the rework was that base control shouldn't be an endgame feature.

| Stand | Unlocks at | Tech cost | Materials |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | **Lv. 7** | 2 points | 30 Wood, 10 Stone |
|  | **Lv. 28** | 3 points | 100 Ingot, 30 Cement |
|  | **Lv. 71** | 5 points | 100 Soralite Ingot, 5 [Ancient Civilization Core](https://palworld-db.com/item/AncientParts2) |

The jump that matters is the middle one. The base stand costs 30 Wood and 10 Stone and you should build it the hour you unlock it; the **High Quality** version at level 28 is the real upgrade, and the Ancient tier at level 71 is a late-game luxury that eats 5 Cores you'd otherwise spend on gear. Full behaviour, including what each tier can actually override, is in the [Monitoring Stand guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/monitoring-stand), and if your workers are still idling, [Pals not working: 9 causes](https://palworld-db.com/guides/pals-not-working) covers the failures a stand can't fix.

## Every Raid Boss in the Game Now

Bellanoir was the proof of concept; four more raid lines followed the same slab-and-altar pattern. Every one of them ladders up to a **level 80 Ultra tier** that pays 10 Cores and refunds its own slab, so the practical progression is to clear each base tier once for the slab, then farm whichever Ultra your team handles best. Note that the level column is the boss's level, not a recommended player level — you want to be comfortably past the base tier's number with gear to match before you burn a slab.

| Raid boss | Base tier | Ultra tier | Signature Ultra drop | Fight guide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Bellanoir](https://palworld-db.com/pal/bellanoir) | Lv. 35 | Lv. 80 | [Witch's Crown](https://palworld-db.com/item/HeadEquip001_purple) | [Bellanoir raid guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-bellanoir-raid-boss) |
| [Blazamut Ryu](https://palworld-db.com/pal/blazamut-ryu) | Lv. 55 | Lv. 80 | [Horns of Supremacy](https://palworld-db.com/item/HeadEquip041) | [Blazamut Ryu (Ultra) guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-blazamut-ryu-ultra-raid-boss) |
| [Xenolord](https://palworld-db.com/pal/xenolord) | Lv. 65 | Lv. 80 | [Xenolord's head](https://palworld-db.com/item/HeadEquip044) | [Xenolord (Ultra) guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-xenolord-ultra-raid-boss) |
| [Hartalis](https://palworld-db.com/pal/hartalis) | Lv. 70 | Lv. 80 | [Crown of Salvation](https://palworld-db.com/item/HeadEquip046) | [Hartalis (Ultra) guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-hartalis-ultra-raid-boss) |
| [Moon Lord](https://palworld-db.com/item/PalSummon_YakushimaBoss002) | Lv. 50 | Lv. 80 | [Moon Lord Statue Schematic](https://palworld-db.com/item/Blueprint_YakushimaBoss002_Relic) | [Moon Lord raid guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-moon-lord-raid-boss) |

Moon Lord is the odd one out and gets an item icon rather than a portrait because it isn't a catchable Pal — it's summoned with a [Celestial Sigil](https://palworld-db.com/item/PalSummon_YakushimaBoss002) instead of a slab, and its loot table is the only one that isn't all guaranteed. Its Ultra tier is also the richest single clear in the game: 5-10 Diamond, 10-20 Ancient Civilization Parts, a guaranteed Carrying Lotus (L), and a 25% roll on each of four tier-4 crossover schematics. If you want raw materials, farm Moon Lord; if you want Cores and Training Crystals, farm any of the other four.

## Test Dates and What's Actually Known

There is no published calendar for the Closed Testing Program, and pretending otherwise would be inventing a date. What can be said honestly is how the program has behaved: it opens applications when a wave is being assembled, runs the test in private ahead of the content's public release, and then the content ships as a free update on its own schedule. The gap between a form opening and the tested content going live has been weeks rather than days, but Pocketpair has never committed to a fixed window.

| What people ask | Where it stands |
| --- | --- |
| Sign-up window | **Opens per wave**, closes without a fixed public deadline |
| Test start date | **Not announced in advance** to the public — testers are told directly |
| Test length | Not published |
| Platforms used | Not published |
| NDA or secrecy terms | Not published — assume unreleased content is not yours to share |
| Next wave | **Nothing currently announced.** Watch official channels |

If another wave does open, the obvious candidate for what it would cover is the next content build — [what's confirmed for Palworld 1.1](https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-1-1-update) lays out what has actually been said about it, and [the features ruled out of 1.1](https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-1-1-features-not-coming) is worth reading first so you're not waiting on something that was already taken off the table. That's a reasonable expectation, not a promise — treat it as such.

> **Tip.** The only legitimate application link comes from Pocketpair's own channels, and no closed test has ever asked for money or account credentials. If a "Palworld beta access" page wants a payment, a login, or a key purchase, it isn't the Closed Testing Program.

## If You Don't Get Picked

Missing a wave costs you early access to content, not the content itself — everything tested has shipped free to everyone. The useful move is to be ready when it lands rather than to chase the test. Three things actually help: know what's coming, keep your build current, and have your save in a state where new content is immediately playable.

Where to start:
- [Palworld patch notes and version history](https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-patch-notes) — every build that has shipped, so you can see the real cadence between content drops.
- [The Palworld roadmap after 1.0](https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-roadmap-after-1-0) — what's committed, what's only rumoured, and what was never on the board.
- [How to update your Palworld server](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-update-your-palworld-server) — if you run a dedicated server, every new build forces a client-server version match, and this is the error you'll hit first.
- [How to back up save data](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-back-up-save-data) — worth doing before any major version jump, tested build or not.

## Summary

The Closed Testing Program is a per-wave application form from Pocketpair, announced on official channels, with no permanent sign-up and no published schedule, headcount, or requirements. Its first wave produced the raid boss system and the base Pal management rework, which between them account for [five raid boss lines](https://palworld-db.com/raid-bosses) and the three-tier Monitoring Stand you're using right now. If no wave is open, there's nothing to apply to — bookmark the official channels, and spend the wait clearing the raids that came out of the last one.

## Related Guides

Hubs:
- [All Palworld guides](https://palworld-db.com/guides)
- [Palworld raid boss database](https://palworld-db.com/raid-bosses)
- [All base structures](https://palworld-db.com/structures)

Updates and versions:
- [Palworld 1.1 Update: What's Confirmed and Release Window](https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-1-1-update)
- [Palworld Roadmap After 1.0: Updates, DLC, and What's Next](https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-roadmap-after-1-0)
- [Palworld Patch Notes: All Updates and Version History](https://palworld-db.com/guides/palworld-patch-notes)
- [Palworld Multiplayer Guide: Co-op, Crossplay, and Servers](https://palworld-db.com/guides/multiplayer-guide)

Content the closed tests produced:
- [How to Beat Bellanoir Raid Boss: Weakness, Team, and Drops](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-beat-bellanoir-raid-boss)
- [How to Get Bellanoir Libero: Slab Locations and Raid Fight](https://palworld-db.com/guides/bellanoir-libero-raid-guide)
- [How to Use the Monitoring Stand and All Upgrades](https://palworld-db.com/guides/monitoring-stand)
- [How to Get Ancient Civilization Cores and Uses](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-get-ancient-civilization-cores)
- [List of All Bosses in Palworld 1.0: Levels and Locations](https://palworld-db.com/guides/list-of-all-bosses)

Official: the game's own pages are on [Pocketpair's Palworld site](https://palworld-db.comhttps://www.pocketpair.jp/palworld) and [Steam](https://palworld-db.comhttps://store.steampowered.com/app/1623730/Palworld/).


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Palworld Database — every number on this page comes from the game's own data files.