A closed beta is a stage in software development that comes after any alpha testing. It is a type of beta testing where the testing is limited to a specific set of testers, which may be composed of current customers, early adopters, and/or paid beta testers. The amount of testers is still limited, as it is in alpha, but the limit is raised to hundreds or thousands of players in order to expand testing for gameplay and server stability. Closed beta is meant to be "closed" from the general public, meaning that you must sign up and be approved before you can download the software to test it. Closed beta testers are usually compensated with special rewards in appreciation of their efforts for testing the software. The main purpose of closed beta is to test the current build of the software, not to redesign it. Closed beta testing is also a chance to refine the positioning, marketing, and communication about the software, as these can be tested out against people who are now using it.