@Gothix said in If you buy BETA 2 access, can you play NOW: Well betas are usually "open" for longer periods than "alphas". Alphas in MMOs tend to go down much more often for increased maintenance and updates. Generally as you come closer to release, play testing periods last longer and longer. It's not that they're going down for downtime, they're only available for those specific testing periods. I believe they started that they want everyone to test the new features together and avoid burnout during content lulls. It allows more focus from the players instead of just opening the doors and keeping them open.