Everybody hates it when they want to play a game, but can't. This was just a test, nothing but a test. If it were a real disaster, people would be dying, society collapsing, and total anarchy... Good thing it was just a test.

Official Sea of Thieves Developer Update: Scale Test

even if you won't/can't read....

When we get closer to launch there will be another beta.

For anyone who just wants to play at all, wait for the last 6 hours. This is just from my past experience with stress tests, but usually at this point they just let people in and out at a trickle to fine tune login and matchmaking. Most stress tests end with a sort of "free-for-all" period though where they just go for maximum population to see what breaks.

No guarantee by any means, but chances are you will at least be able to get on towards the end.

@mistavanvleck I expected difficulties, but I also expected I'd be able to enter a game. I didn't ask for any advice, explanations, blah blah. thanks though

Exactly what @Mad-Jack-Ketch said. The Scale Test's purpose is to get data from their servers. Another Beta is confirmed and will be here somewhere around March. That will be the best time for your friend to try out the game :)

@ph1x406 thats what the stress test is for. expect difficulties because rare is using this session to test the capability of their servers.

@cpt-rex-ct75670 Stress test was only to stress the servers, they have all they need and it's done a pretty good job. Look out for the next upcoming beta! :)

If only Rare notified us that there would be planned outages ahead of time through Email, the forum and Twitter. :(

made me download another 15gb, soon as I'm done forum says "temporarily unavailable please wait". So I trust, and wait. Now you say "well, you may or may not be able to join". thanks so much, I couldn't possibly think of a better way to spend a precious day off. (Mod Edited)