The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin Closed Beta – Hype, Hurdles, and What Actually Matters

Why The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin Caught My Eye at gamescom 2025

Let’s face it: flashy anime games are everywhere these days, and most barely register as a blip on my hype radar. But when Netmarble dropped their new trailer for The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin during gamescom 2025 Opening Night Live, it actually made me pause. I’ve followed this manga (and its wild ride of anime adaptations) for years, and the promise of a full open-world RPG-one that doesn’t just rehash the story-sounds like exactly what this franchise has needed. Then again, as someone who’s been burned by gacha-laden adaptations, I’m not diving in headfirst without some healthy skepticism.

• Global closed beta for PS5, PC, mobile: first real chance to see if this lives up to the hype
• Original multiverse story, not just a rehash of saga fans already know
• Actual open-world freedom and exploration-underwater zones, flying, and more
• Customization and hero collection systems with potential to veer into “gotcha” (pun intended) trap

Breaking Down the Announcement: Substance or Just Flash?

Netmarble knows how to put on a show—this trailer is a highlight real of shimmery visuals and action. You’ve got Meliodas narrating as players swim through Britannia’s rivers, take to the skies, even mess around with fishing and puzzles between demon battles. If your first thought is “Genshin Impact but with King and Ban,” you’re not alone. The ambition here is clear: go beyond the usual mobile gacha limits and deliver a real open-world experience, across console, mobile, and PC all at once.

The big news is the original multiverse storyline—possibly the smartest move Netmarble could make. Fans know The Seven Deadly Sins inside-out, so actually shaking up the narrative and mixing in Four Knights of the Apocalypse characters promises something genuinely new. The pitfalls? Well, “expansive open world” and “collect and customize heroes” are so often shorthand for a grindy currency system and pay-to-win walls. Netmarble’s past with The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross was fun… until the gacha fatigue set in. Will this be different?

Industry Context: Does the Anime Open-World Formula Still Work?

The Genshin Effect is real—every major publisher wants a slice of that cross-platform, anime-inspired open-world pie. But the market is getting crowded, and the difference between “another flashy anime ARPG” and a game with real staying power is in the details. Netmarble has a proven track record with big IP adaptations (MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds), but polish and initial content drops can’t make up for shallow, grindy gameplay. Strategic bet: if Origin gets the moment-to-moment exploration right, doesn’t wall players behind energy systems, and genuinely lets you shape your adventure, it could finally give Sins fans the experience we wanted from the messy Grand Cross story mode.

The crossplay angle is huge—the game aims for a simultaneous global launch on PS5, PC, and mobile, with support for 12 languages. That’s a technical ambition most anime adaptations don’t even attempt, and it speaks to Netmarble’s aspirations. But unless the console versions avoid feeling like mobile ports (with cloggy menus and tap-to-win combat), I foresee the usual split between hardcore RPG fans and the “auto-play” crowd.

The Gamer’s Perspective: What to Watch as Beta Approaches

I love the core promise—exploring a Britannia that actually feels alive, discovering new stories, building a custom party of heroes. But here’s what I’ll be looking for once the CBT opens up:

• Real exploration vs. “fake” open world (do those underwater/flying areas matter, or are they set dressing?)
• Combat depth: Are we getting satisfying skill-based battles, or is it all auto-attack and numbers to chase?
• F2P vs. Paywall: How far can you get before stamina systems and gacha mechanics take the fun hostage?
• Respect for the IP: Does the story (and those character interactions) do justice to Suzuki’s world, or does it fall into the generic anime trap?

We’ll know soon enough. Closed beta is open for sign-ups, and Netmarble has smartly made it a true global event—no region-locking, real feedback potential before the 2025 launch. If you love Seven Deadly Sins or crave that next anime open-world fix, it’s worth keeping an eye on. But I’d caution veteran RPG fans: remember, looks can be deceiving.

TL;DR

Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is making all the right promises—real open world, original multiverse story, crossplay for everyone. But with Netmarble’s history, the difference between an epic Sins adventure or another grind-fest will come down to those core gameplay choices. Eyes on the beta: that’s where the truth will show.