Prototype

Pre-Alpha: Only used in certain games for very early development
Alpha: All the development up to beta
Beta: All major game modes and features are closed; game is now being heavily tested for bugs by SOA's QA
Final/Gold: Finished and sold product

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A prototype is a stage of design before the final one. Prototype video games are created during development for playtesting and bug reporting purposes. Usually, a prototype game doesn't leave the developers' offices, but occasionally one finds its way out and onto the internet.