New Delhi, India 27 July’26: ARC, the Indian gaming hardware company building a premium accessible handheld gaming ecosystem, today announced the launch of its pre-launch beta testing programme for the ARC X1. The initiative will provide selected members of the ARC community with an opportunity to experience the handheld ahead of its official launch and share structured feedback that will help refine the product before it reaches gamers across India.
The beta programme builds on ARC’s philosophy of building in public – a transparent approach that has seen the company openly document the development of the ARC X1, from early prototypes and design decisions to engineering challenges and product evolution. With this next phase, ARC is inviting its community to move beyond following the journey to actively participating in it.
The first phase of the programme will be open exclusively to existing members of the ARC X1 waitlist, giving early supporters who have followed the project from the beginning the first opportunity to participate in beta testing. Starting August 1, new users joining the waitlist will also be called in to the programme and will be considered for participation as part of Phase 2.
Selected participants will receive access to the ARC X1 before launch, enabling them to test the device across a variety of real-world gaming scenarios and provide feedback on performance, controls, software experience, ergonomics, battery life and overall gameplay. The insights gathered will complement ARC’s internal testing as the company prepares the handheld for commercial launch.
“Building a gaming handheld isn’t just about engineering great hardware – it’s about understanding how gamers actually play,” said Kaustubh K. Jadhav, Co-founder, ARC, “From the very beginning, we’ve believed in building in public by sharing our journey openly with the community. This beta programme is the next step in that journey, giving gamers an opportunity to experience the ARC X1 before launch and contribute feedback that helps us build an even better product.”
Unlike conventional early-access programmes, the ARC beta initiative is designed as a structured product testing programme rather than a promotional campaign or giveaway. Participants will be selected based on testing requirements and to ensure representation across different gaming preferences, play styles and usage patterns.
Gaming hardware is ultimately shaped by the way people use it beyond controlled testing environments. Different games, playing styles and usage habits often reveal insights that are difficult to replicate internally. Through this programme, ARC aims to gather meaningful real-world feedback that can help identify opportunities for further refinement before the product reaches a wider audience. While product decisions will continue to be guided by engineering feasibility, product vision and development timelines, community feedback will play an important role in strengthening the overall gaming experience.
Since unveiling the ARC X1, ARC has consistently shared the realities of building gaming hardware from sourcing components and refining industrial design to overcoming technical challenges offering gamers an uncommon level of transparency into the development process. The beta programme represents the next chapter in that journey, allowing selected community members to experience the product while it is still evolving.
Where appropriate, ARC also plans to share learnings from the beta programme with its wider community, reinforcing its commitment to openness and collaboration as development progresses.
Gamers interested in participating can join the ARC X1 waitlist, where eligible members will be considered for the limited beta testing programme.
About ARC
ARC is the Indian gaming hardware company building a premium accessible handheld gaming ecosystem. Through its flagship device, ARC X1, the company is creating a premium handheld gaming experience designed for modern gamers, while embracing a transparent, community-first approach to product development. Guided by its philosophy of building in public, ARC is bringing gamers closer to the process of creating the products they want to play on.
