Metal Gear Online open beta starting in Japan on April 14

According to this, the Japanese MGO open beta is starting in Japan on April 14. The game has been in closed testing for several months. We still don't have any information on when the open beta's starting in the rest of the world, but hopefully we'll get something on this next week.

US gamers have been told that they'll get access to the beta by pre-ordering MGS4 - due for release on June 12 in both America and Europe - but Konami Europe has made no such confirmation as yet.

In the release date announcement press release, the company said only, "With the anticipation for Metal Gear Solid 4 and Metal Gear Online growing at a phenomenal rate, Konami will whet appetites with a public beta version of Metal Gear Online before the release of Metal Gear Solid 4. Full details of the public beta program will be announced shortly."