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Blizzard dispatches Warlords of Draenor closed beta invites
Blizzard has begun sending out the first wave of closed beta invitations for World of Warcraft's upcoming Warlords of Draenor expansion. Overnight, WoW Community Manager Bashiok tweeted, First #Warlords beta invite wave on its way! Check your account for flagging. Targeting first wave toward WoW veterans. (Realms up tomorrow) Players can check their Battle.net accounts to see whether their accounts have been flagged prior to the arrival of the emails. Bashiok further reminded followers that additional waves of invites are coming; this first round targeted "accounts that have been playing recently, with a long history of active subscription." The closed beta itself begins today at 5 p.m. EDT.
Swordsman opens up sales of its Hero's Pack
Swordsman is currently in closed beta, but it's moving into open beta soon, and as is now the tradition, that means it's time to offer players a chance to buy the game. Sort of. The game is free-to-play, but if you feel like dropping $60 on the game before it launches, you can pick up the Hero's Pack, filled with all sorts of nice little prizes for your future martial artist characters. Purchasing the Hero's Pack nets you a special mount, costume, and apprentice. You also nab 10 Mithril (which can be sold for a mountain of in-game currency), 600 East Sector Treasures (used for summoning a boss), and a ring (used for wearing a ring and getting a stat boost). Players who purchase now will get early access to the open beta as well. If you're enjoying the closed test or just like the idea and really want to buy into the game now, the option is open. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
Elite: Dangerous heading into Premium Beta 2 on June 24th
The next stage of Elite: Dangerous' premium beta is coming next Tuesday. In newsletter #28, Frontier Developments said that Premium Beta 2 will begin on June 24th and include several new features, including gameplay optimizations, three new star systems, high-resolution screen capture, German localization, and the Zorgon Peterson Hauler trading ship. Premium Beta 2 will begin with a wipe, although Frontier will be giving players in-game credits that correspond to progress made to date. Players can buy into the premium beta only through July 15th, which could indicate that the standard beta test is slated for later this summer. [Thanks to Cotic for the tip!]
Get a feel for Civilization Online with this beta video
The first round of closed beta testing for Civilization Online has wrapped up in Korea, and the folks at XLGAMES have put together a video showing off this online spin-off from the classic strategy series. The nine-minute video shows the collaborative efforts to build up a town and the equally collaborative efforts by enemy forces to destroy it. Also there are Dalek tanks, hot air balloons, and large mosh pits of Roman citizens. See for yourself after the break!
Swordsman gracefully leaps into closed beta
Sharpen your blades, for Swordsman has started closed beta and there's no going back. Perfect World Entertainment announced today that the free-to-play martial arts MMO has begun closed beta testing in the West. The closed beta will take place only for a limited time, ending on June 27th, but for those who get into it, there will be opportunities to unlock items for the launched game. The team is on top of known issues for the closed beta so far. Interested testers can register for a chance at a key or lurk on Swordsman's Twitter feed. [Source: Perfect World press release]
Watch Swordsman's gameplay trailer
Eighty million Chinese players can't be wrong, right? If numbers can't impress you, perhaps seeing Swordsman in action might. Perfect World Entertainment released a new gameplay trailer for Swordsman today, giving a quick overview of the game, its world, and especially its fast-paced combat. It will begin a limited-time closed beta test on June 16th. Check it out after the break and let us know what you think! Is this a title that could steal your martial arts affections?
Armored Warfare accepting applications for closed beta testing
Guys, Armored Warfare is totally not a World of Tanks clone. Guys? Guys? C'mon, don't give me that look. It's not! Well, maybe it is a little bit. The question is, then, will it be better or worse than its competition? Armored Warfare is a "tanktical" (their words, not ours) shooter that features all sorts of heavy combat vehicles. One key difference between it and World of Tanks is that Armored Warfare's lineup is more current, ranging from the 1950s to present-era tanks and other armored trucks. Obsidian Entertainment is pushing Armored Warfare hard these days in preparation for its E3 showing. The title has begun to accept closed beta applications and has put out a new trailer that you can check after the break.
Swordsman announces closed beta dates
Eagerly anticipating a chance to dive into Swordsman testing? Then you're in luck -- the closed beta is kicking off next month. Beta will start on June 16th at 5:00 p.m. EDT and run until June 27th at 5:00 p.m. EDT, giving players a first look at the game. Registering for beta appears to mean a definite spot in the testing, and it also means getting some bonus in-game items once the free-to-play title goes live. So if it seems like your sort of thing, now's the time to go sign up and get ready for some action-based martial arts mayhem.
See MapleStory 2's bubbly 3-D in action
"Oh yeah," you think, looking at the headline. "They are working on a MapleStory 2. I forgot about that!" That's right, buckaroos: Nexon is charging ahead with a sequel (well, technically a prequel) to the colorful 2-D MMO, and today the publisher has a gameplay trailer to prove it. In the trailer, you can see the transition to chunky 3-D graphics as characters boogie, battle, and be Little Bo Peep to a flock of sheep. MapleStory 2 will be throwing a "Supporter's Day" for select fans in late June and should enter Korean closed beta later this year. We've got the new trailer for you after the break. [Source: Nexon press release]
PlayStation Now streaming service enters PS4 beta tomorrow
The closed beta phase of PlayStation Now for PS4 will begin tomorrow, Sony announced. The service's beta program has been available for PS3 after invites went out to players in late January. PlayStation Now was announced in January as a service that allows players to stream PS3 games to their compatible systems like they would a video on platforms like YouTube and Netflix. The service was originally expected to include PS One and PS2 games, though Sony has since been mum on the ability to stream classics. A previous rumor indicated that backwards compatibility for those consoles could be added to the PS4. PlayStation Now will launch this year for PS4, PS3, Vita and "select" 2014 Bravia TVs. Sony is expanding its PS3 beta program to a "broader audience" soon, so those interested in testing the streaming platform can register on Sony's site. [Image: Sony]
Landmark Live showcases tool and template upgrades, offers sneak peek of water
As announced in the latest livestream, Landmark's weekly beta update was pushed out until Thursday in order to get new systems ready to deploy into the game. (Sadly, none of them includes water, although players did get a sneak peak of it!) Today, players will be able to utilize the new tool upgrading system, the new detailed template interface, and the claim gallery. The tool upgrade system adds a level of depth to crafting, allowing players to increase the stats of all tools made after the update launches. Unlike the initial craft that has elements of RNG dictating the final product, the upgrade system shows players exactly how the tool will be altered. The template interface provides many more details, including which and how many materials are needed for each build and which props are involved, and even it provides a screenshot for ease of reference. Also utilizing the screenshot feature is the new gallery section of the showcase; in or out of game, players will be able to search and view claims by tag or owner name, see where they are located, and upvote them. If you missed the special sneak peek of the first phase of water (oceans) or you want to hear even more details about the impending update or other tidbits (like upcoming changes to the EQ Worlds app, including Landmark-themed games and exclusive Jeremy Soule music), you can watch the entire livestream below.
Zombies Monsters Robots closed beta coming to get you in May
Zombies, monsters, robots, oh May! You'll have the chance to kill 'em all next month, when En Masse Entertainment's Zombies Monsters Robots goes into closed beta. Along with PvP deathmatches, the beta will feature two additional modes: Kill Every Thing, a wave-based survival mode, and Assault, a humans vs. aliens mode. Kill Every Thing will only have one map for beta players, but Assault and PvP will feature two maps each. For your chance to enter the beta, you'll need to register on the Zombies Monsters Robots website. Doing so will also enter you for a chance to win a First Blood Pack, which contains exclusive in-game items. Although the press release announcing the beta doesn't specify what said items are, an image on the game's website shows two characters decked out in shirts reading "First Blood," as well as red and black tiger-striped bandanas and rifles with the same red and black design. ZMR was announced at last month's GDC, and has been dubbed a spiritual successor to iOS shooter Mercenary Ops. [Image: En Masse Entertainment]
Black Gold's closed beta getting 'major changes,' new classes
Snail Games says that fans of steampunk MMO Black Gold Online can expect "a newer, smoother, updated version" of the title when closed beta testing starts "soon." The game's UI, graphics, battlefields, and vehicles will be tweaked, and Snail says that "major" combat system, quest line, and PvE changes are already happening. While there's no date on the closed beta just yet, today's press release reveals that it will feature four new classes. You can click past the cut to read the full notice. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Norrathian Notebook Extra: Get the scoop on the opening of EQ Next Landmark's closed beta
EverQuest Next Landmark's alpha is not only over, it's gone. As in gone gone. As in the world has been officially destroyed and nothing remains (except for your templates, Founders Pack goodies, and purchased items, of course!). But that was all a necessary step in the direction of closed beta, which is opening today! Now, even more fans -- from those who bought Settler Packs to those who acquire a beta key from Trailblazers -- can get in on the new experience that is EQN Landmark. And a new experience it is, even from alpha. Alpha players may have a one-up on folks as far as manipulating the building tools, but this closed beta adds more to the game, so there is plenty of new to go around. Even the very progression has altered. So to give yourself a boost in your new journeys and take a look here at what you can expect when you log in. And don't forget, if you don't have a key yourself, you can watch our livestreams on Massively TV tonight when the servers come up and tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. EDT for a chance to grab one! [Update: SOE just announced that every attendee of SOE Live 2013 will be sent a Settler Founders Pack via email. Because these packs are not tied to accounts, if players already have another pack, these can be given away.]
WildStar's gameplay is all too familiar to MMO vets
WildStar has a lot going for it. I might tell you it is the new RIFT, which was the new World of Warcraft, which was the new EverQuest, and I'd almost feel done for the day. Now, I don't buy an MMO and subscribe to it unless I intend to play it regularly for at least three months, and I rarely subscribe to multiple MMOs. Since WildStar is coming out in a year already packed with solid MMO releases, I'd like to consider at the pros and cons of the game in relation to the rest of the industry through the eyes of an MMO veteran.
First Impressions: Nosgoth is all right, but that might not be enough
Let me begin with a somewhat tortured analogy: Nosgoth is sort of like discovering an obscure bit of British nobility of dubious importance. Those intimately familiar with the relevant lineage will be somewhat perplexed by this stranger, who is not really at all what they expected. Everyone else will just see someone showing up in a crowded field without a whole lot to say. In a way, that would almost be easier, since then you could just write it off altogether. It's just not terribly unique. Nosgoth is the sequel to the long-running Legacy of Kain series, which eventually moved over into the Soul Reaver series and kind of petered out in 2004 or so. A lot of people really enjoyed it, and there have been rumors about another sequel coming out pretty much forever. Instead of being an in-depth RPG, however, Nosgoth is a class-based asymmetrical shooter. So it's not really as much a sequel as it is a thorough pillaging of an existing IP layered onto another sort of game altogether.
Trials Fusion entering closed beta this week ahead of PC launch
Players who pre-order the Windows PC version of RedLynx's motorcycle stunt sim Trials Fusion can get a head start on the competition in a closed beta test prior to the game's launch next month, publisher Ubisoft announced today. Starting March 21, players who pre-purchase Trials Fusion at GameStop, Amazon, and other retailers can download a beta version free of charge. Trials Fusion is also slated for release on the PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One, though Ubisoft's beta offer is available exclusively for the upcoming PC release. Trials Fusion will be priced at $19.99 when it premieres digitally on April 24. [Image: Ubisoft]
EverQuest Next Landmark going into closed beta next week [Updated]
SOE announced today that EverQuest Next Landmark will be transitioning out of alpha next week and into closed beta on Wednesday, March 26th. During the transition, all progress on the alpha servers will be wiped except for saved templates, character names, and Founder's Pack purchases. Landmark also got an important update today, the biggest part of which is the addition of a party system. While there is no specific UI for it yet, players can invite friends to a group through slash commands, via a friends list, or by right-clicking on them in the world. Groups earn a 20% bonus to harvested loot. The update also added in-game email, social media integration, and the ability to teleport to the continent hub or to your friends. [Update: The Landmark team has also posted to explain the differences between time-limited beta keys and founder packs.]
Hands-on with MOBA Dawngate's closed beta
Dawngate. Another day, another MOBA, right? So why bother with this one? What does it do differently? What does it do better? Why play this over something else? I can't be the only gamer asking these questions, especially in such an oversaturated market, so I spent my weekend playing EA's Dawngate closed beta for that very reason. Here's how it all works. When entering a match, you'll choose your character and then your preferred role to help coordinate with your group. This isn't just an "I'm going to jungle" icon; it actually provides you certain benefits for playing your role correctly. For example, a "hunter" does bonus damage to jungle NPCs and is healed for a portion of their total health after you kill them.
Marvel Heroes brings closed beta access for Mac players
Gazillion Entertainment has released Game Update 2.31 for Marvel Heroes, and with it comes a special gift for Mac enthusiasts: closed beta access. Said access will be open to Mac players throughout the rest of the development process until the game's launch later this spring. An open beta is also planned.
