Breaking Light and Night, Tencent's beloved otome dating sim and one of the Big 6 Chinese otome titles, is finally making its way to Southeast Asia — and the wait is almost over. The game's first closed beta test (CBT) for the SEA region kicks off on May 20, 2026, available on both Android and iOS.
❖ ANNOUNCEMENT ❖ CLOSED BETA TEST SCHEDULE
— Light and Night SEA (@lightnnightsea) May 10, 2026
The Closed Beta Test kicks off on May 20, 2026. Blue Star is here to guide Designers on how to participate and join in on the fun!
✨Test Information:
❖ Test Platform: Android, iOS
❖Test Type: Limited-access test with top-up… pic.twitter.com/nRPQrVls9q
What Is Light and Night?
Light and Night (also known as 光与夜之恋) is a female-oriented otome love simulation mobile game developed by Aurora Studios and published by Tencent Games. It was officially launched on June 24, 2021 in China on all platforms, and has since expanded to Taiwan and South Korea before now targeting the SEA region.
Light and Night ranks among popular Chinese otome games like Love and Deepspace, Tears of Themis, and Mr. Love: Queen's Choice, earning its place in what fans call the Big 6 Chinese otome titles.
The game creates a vast world that combines reality with fantasy elements. Players assume the role of a budding designer in Guangqi City, where they encounter various male characters and gradually establish deep connections. However, behind ordinary daily life lies a mysterious secret world. In the SEA version, the city is referred to as Hwimyeong City.
Gameplay Highlights
As an aspiring designer, your daily life quickly fills with romance and mystery. Light and Night stands out among otome titles with its blend of realistic modern interactions and a hidden darker narrative. Here's what you can look forward to in the SEA version:
- Realistic interactions including texting, video calls, and daily check-ins with your love interests
- Multiple charming male leads, each with an independent storyline and romantic route
- Strategic card-based battles to advance the story and pursue the game's various male characters
- A branching main storyline where your choices affect the game's ending through "light" and "night" attributes
- High-quality voice acting and cinematic cutscenes throughout your romance journey
Official SEA Trailer
How to Join the Light and Night SEA Closed Beta Test
The CBT is limited-access, meaning once the expected participant cap is reached, both pre-registration and download access will close. Here's the step-by-step process to secure your spot:
- 1 Visit the official Light and Night SEA website pre-registration page.
- 2 Tap the PRE-REGISTER NOW button on the page.
- 3 Enter your Designer Nickname and email address, then select one of the six available SEA countries from the dropdown.
- 4 Agree to the terms and conditions, then tap Confirm. You're all set!
Light and Night's Journey to Southeast Asia
Light and Night was originally released in China on June 24, 2021 for Chinese Android and iOS users, following a closed beta test that ran from April 9 to April 12, 2020 and April 7 to April 14, 2021. The servers later opened for Taiwan on June 16, 2023 and for Korea on June 18, 2024.
The road to a global release was not without drama. In March 2026, the developers launched an English PV across the game's social platforms, sparking significant excitement from a community that had long anticipated an English localization. Despite the hype, some fans remained cautious, as a similar launch of global social media accounts in November 2025 was later revealed to be fan-made. Thankfully, the SEA announcement and this closed beta test confirm this is the real deal, with the official @lightnnightsea Twitter/X account now active.
Developed by Aurora Studios and published by Tencent, as Light and Night currently focuses on its SEA region launch, its developers have not yet addressed the prospect of a future global release. For now, fans across Southeast Asia are the lucky ones getting early access.
Why Otome Fans Shouldn't Miss This CBT
If you're already a fan of otome games like Love and Deepspace or Tears of Themis, Light and Night offers a complementary yet distinct experience. Its standout features include:
- A darker, layered narrative — beneath the romance lies a mysterious secret world that sets it apart from typical dating sims
- Top-tier production quality — from voice acting to animated cutscenes, the game rivals premium console titles
- Proven commercial success — on its first anniversary in 2022, Light and Night ranked fourth in the iOS China Game Bestseller list and fifth overall
- Active SEA community — with six supported SEA countries, you'll have a local player base from day one
- Top-up enabled during CBT — giving you a head start on in-game currency (though data will reset at launch)
