Euro MGO beta to run from April 21-May 6, two maps included, DLC promised
Konami Europe just announced that the Metal Gear Online beta - confirmed this morning to launch on April 17, will run from April 21 to May 6.
We're reading this from a German press release, so we're assuming this means you'll be able to download the demo on April 17 as part of SCEE's content pack - confirmed this morning - but play won't start until April 21. We're trying to get hold of a Konami rep for clarification now.
Two maps, Blood Bath and Groznyi, will be included in the demo, while five levels will make the full version on June 12.
Konami has also announced commitment "to the release of additional Expansion Packs to be released throughout the year."
Read the full thing after the link. Many thanks to Norman Gerlach of PS3-Talk.de for the heads-up.
Update: The English press release is out. We've added it after the link.
Metal Gear Online: Open Beta in Europe confirmed
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH announced Metal Gear Online Premiere Beta for Kojima Productions' online epic
Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced its plans for a public beta program across Europe for its forthcoming Metal Gear Online title for PLAYSTATION®3. Konami will release Metal Gear Online Premiere Beta via the PlayStation Store from April 17th, with online tests running from April 21st through May 6th. An all-new Metal Gear title specifically designed as a multi-player online experience, Metal Gear Online will be released worldwide as part of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on June 12th.
The beta program will offer players a unique chance to sample the innovative multi-player experience of Metal Gear Online, which emphasizes cooperative team-based play. Those downloading the beta will be invited to explore two maps – “Blood Bath” and “Groznyi Grad” – each of which requires unique strategies in order to achieve victory.
Metal Gear Online will launch as part of Guns of the Patriots in June as a Starter Pack, comprising five unique stages: “Ambush Alley,” where trenches and sandbags litter an arena built for close and medium range combat; “Blood Bath,” a two-tier battle setting; and “Groznyi Grad,” the expansive Shagohod development complex from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater which features human catapults that propel players to different areas of the environment. Rounding out the five stage set are the dusty, Middle Eastern alleyways found in Guns of the Patriots entitled “Midtown Maelstrom,” and the rooftop settings of “Urban Ultimatum.” Konami is committed to the release of additional Expansion Packs to be released throughout the year.
Up to 16 people can play simultaneously, with game worlds created using Guns of the Patriots’s incredible 3D engine. Retaining the classic stealth combat gameplay of the Metal Gear series, players are dropped in a series of war zones wherein different challenges await. Five game modes await players on stages that span the globe and the history of MGS: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture and Base and Sneaking missions. Additional information on Metal Gear Online and the beta program can be found at www.konami-mgo.com.
Machine translation:
Metal Gear on-line one: Open beta starts in Europe Konami digitally Entertainment GmbH announces premiere beta for Kojima Productions ' Metal Gear on-line one Konami digitally Entertainment GmbH communicates the details of publicly accessible and European-wide beta of program for the coming PLAYSTATION®3-Titel Metal Gear on-line one. The Publisher publishes the Metal Gear on-line premiere beta over the PlayStation net curtain on 17 April; the test phase lasts from 21 April to 6 May. The title presents itself as a completely new part of Metal Gear solvent and as a play experience, which was developed particularly for multi-player-on-line matches. Metal Gear on-line one appears world-wide on 12 June as part of Metal Gear solvent 4: Guns OF the Patriots. The beta program offers the unique chance to players to try the new and singularly team-oriented player driving of Metal out Gear on-line one already now. Two maps can explore user, whom download the demo, - Blood Bath and Groznyi degree -, which demand completely in each case different abilities from the players. Metal Gear on-line one is published in June as part of MGS4 in form starters of an edition and covers five varied play areas. Among them Ambush Alley, an arena durchzogene of contactor ditches and sand bags, are which is suitable particularly for close-in engagements and engagements on middle distance, Blood Bath, an area, and Groznyi degree, many players still as the Shagohod the development complex from Metal Gear solvent 3, put on on two levels: Snake Eater to know might. In order to overcome far distances, in addition human catapults are to the players here at the disposal, with whose assistance they can be shot fast at high buildings. The bent lanes of Midtown Maelstrom from Metal Gear solvent 4 and the swindle-exciting roofs of the play section Urban ultimatum round starters the luggage off. After the start Konami will publish further expansion of luggage to Metal Gear on-line one. Up to 16 players go into Metal Gear on-line one simultaneously along and against each other into combat, which becomes play worlds thereby using the high performance Metal Gear solvent 4 3D-Engine produced. The players appear in a set of combat zones, where they must master different challenges. The red thread, which pulls itself thereby by all engagements, is celebrated Stealth Combat Gameplay of the Metal Gear series. Five different play modes wait for the participants: Deathmatch, team Deathmatch, Capture, cousin as well as Sneaking missions. Further information to Metal Gear on-line one and the beta program is under www.konami mgo.com.