As some of you may have realized, last night was the Video Game Awards. As well as handing out nice mementos to the winners and playing host to a large amount of bonhomie and back-slapping, the VGAs also showcased a few new and exciting things. One of these new and exciting things was a two-minute long cinematic for Bungie’s forthcoming Halo: Reach. Check it out.
See? We do love you. The multiplayer beta is rumoured to be going live at some point in the first half of 2010, so those of you canny enough to hold on to your ODST discs will be able to get in when it launches.
I think we can all agree that is a mightily enticing cinematic right there, and it underscores the improvements made now that Bungie has switched to a new game engine. This is especially impressive given that in this tweet Bungie confirmed the trailer seen here is made entirely using the in-game engine, and not prerendered graphics.
Alganon is scheduled for launch in less than a week, and has already released its first State of the Game address.
The first piece of information is good news: they are set for the December 1st launch with no delays in sight. The Alganon team has been working hard lately, taking the servers down more frequently to patch and update, which should help to minimize problems at launch. The address did mention the postponement of the original launch date, citing a desire for the most polished game possible — reasoning that we can certainly support.
The address sent out a big thank you to the Alganon community and beta testers, expressing appreciation for their enthusiasm in expressing feedback, opinions and suggestions, both in game and on the forums. Alganon didn’t hesitate to tackle the tougher questions either, specifically those dealing with a rocky ride for beta testers, and the oft-asked question “Why does this game look so much like WoW?“
The full address can be viewed at the official site, and we wish Alganon the best of luck on next week’s launch.
Welcome to Betawatch, Massively’s weekly report on the state of MMO betas. In each installment, we’ll report everything from the latest open betas, closed betas and even alphas in one convenient place. Plus, we’ll make sure to include as much info on each game’s current status, including projected release dates (if known) and links to the sign-up forms to get yourself into that beta you’ve been seeking.
Star Trek Online may launch on Stardate 63554.5 (February 2, 2010), but beginning January 12, fans can beam into the open beta. The intergalactic guinea pig session will take place from January 12 until January 26. Players interested in kicking the warp nacelles should head on over to startrekonline.com to enroll.
If you’re also interested in learning more about life in the 25th century, check out some of Star Trek Online’s videos and developer interviews.
According to a press release put out today,Star Trek Online will hold its open beta from January 12th through January 26th. There are some preorder deals that will give you an open beta key, and there are bound to be numerous opportunities to win one at various spots around the net.
Star Trek Online is currently in closed beta, which began last month. Champions Online six-month and lifetime subscribers have been told that they’ll be in the closed beta before the end of the year, so those folks should get at least a month of beta access before the game hits the retail shelves on February 2nd, 2010.
Once the open beta begins, you’ll likely see a flood of information and guides about STO since the NDA will have been lifted. This will provide everyone with key information as to the finer details of the gameplay mechanics.
