Conan MMO game crushes open beta sign-ups

Barbaric online role-playing game now accepting applicants to help test pillaging, plundering; 500 slots reserved for GameSpot users, sign-up link inside.

Crushing your enemies, seeing them driven before you, and hearing the lamentations of their women is clearly best in life. So when the opportunity presents itself, it better go off without a hitch.

A debate between candidates for Governator of Hyboria.

It will be up to gamers, through a beta test, to help ensure that the upcoming PC version of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is worthy of the name. Publishers Eidos and Funcom today opened up registration to play the MMORPG months before it hits shelves, and GameSpot has 500 slots reserved for the most battle-ready.

The gates to Hyboria open up for the lucky chosen ones this spring, with more players added incrementally throughout the summer and fall. The full retail version is currently scheduled to be released on October 30.

To sign up for one of GameSpot's reserved slots, use the following link to Funcom's registration page. Funcom will then select qualified applicants and notify them via e-mail when they can begin their pillaging. Gamers may also sign up through the general registration page.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures was named GameSpot's Best Massively Multiplayer Game of E3 2006. The game is also headed to the Xbox 360, but no release date has been announced. For more information, read our previous coverage.

127 Comments

  • mrmime777

    Posted Apr 19, 2008 9:27 pm PT

    Woot! Got lucky and got the email this morning. Downloading this mother of a client, so hopefully I can play some on Monday. =)

  • Agulf

    Posted Jul 13, 2007 5:46 am PT

    Hopefully it will be cross platform. You know how awesome that would be?

  • trausen

    Posted Jun 14, 2007 11:09 pm PT

    now how am i supposed to choose between a nice comp and a nice xbox360....? lol, i like computers a lot tho....but 360 might be nicer for fighting....?

  • Gatorguy

    Posted Apr 12, 2007 7:15 pm PT

    Crom is Conan's God. Does anyone know how long it usually takes to get an acceptance reply for the beta?

  • Alcotamaysees

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 3:58 pm PT

    Congrats to anyone that signs up.

  • SpazH3d

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 6:16 am PT

    Who the hell is CROM(!!!!) anyway?

  • darkpresence

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 4:24 am PT

    hey frohlich! i got the comics too! lol. those comics were wicked. u have the orignal large black and white ones? those are the ones i have. id have to ask my dad who live in tennessee if he still has them. gotta go pick them up when i visit there next time. but good to see another person who has the comics. coolz man!

  • darkpresence

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 4:24 am PT

    hey frohlich! i got the comics too! lol. those comics were wicked. u have the orignal large black and white ones? those are the ones i have. id have to ask my dad who live in tennessee if he still has them. gotta go pick them up when i visit there next time. but good to see another person who has the comics. coolz man!

  • darkpresence

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 4:21 am PT

    i gotta admit i agree with shamankillers sentiments. WoW can keep their 8 mill wah wah babies. if we can hold an easy 1 million mature,and intelligent players, that is far better than having 3-4 million people.nothing ruins a game more than a 15 year old kid screaming "LEEEOOORROYYY JENNKINSS!!! and run into a swath of mobs and wiping the work your group fought to get to. If stores hold true to their ESRB rules and dont allow anyone under 17 years old to buy it. then its all good fight the good fight. this game is one of the few MMO's I am truly looking forward too. but I agree this game looks almost too good to be true, we all have been duped before, or ended up having too many expectations. but considering this is FUNCOM and their history they have done well on their part of shaping AO into a fine MMO. It would seem according to articles and interviews they have truly learned from some mistakes in the past. lets hope this holds true, if so, then my friends we will pillage, conquer and bow all men and women before us! BY CROM WE SHALL!!!!!

  • darkpresence

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 4:20 am PT

    i gotta admit i agree with shamankillers sentiments. WoW can keep their 8 mill wah wah babies. if we can hold an easy 1 million mature,and intelligent players, that is far better than having 3-4 million people.nothing ruins a game more than a 15 year old kid screaming "LEEEOOORROYYY JENNKINSS!!! and run into a swath of mobs and wiping the work your group fought to get to. If stores hold true to their ESRB rules and dont allow anyone under 17 years old to buy it. then its all good fight the good fight. this game is one of the few MMO's I am truly looking forward too. but I agree this game looks almost too good to be true, we all have been duped before, or ended up having too many expectations. but considering this is FUNCOM and their history they have done well on their part of shaping AO into a fine MMO. It would seem according to articles and interviews they have truly learned from some mistakes in the past. lets hope this holds true, if so, then my friends we will pillage, conquer and bow all men and women before us! BY CROM WE SHALL!!!!!

  • darkpresence

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 4:14 am PT

    By CROM! THe moment awaits as we sit in paradise drinking eternity away in the presence of splendor and women. WE await the moment that CROM see fit to release us of his bonds and conquer all those before us! lol.
    heheh man I can hardly wait, Roleplay FTW!!

  • ShamanKiller

    Posted Apr 5, 2007 3:47 am PT

    Hope this game delivers. It looks almost too good to be true on paper. Free combat, mounted combat, formations, spellweaving, head exploding if you're not careful while casting, city building and management, keep building and sieges, classes evolving from archtypes, prestige classes etc and best of all mature rating and no gay elves. I'm definitely looking forward to it. If even half of what it promises ends up in the game it will blow WoW out of the water. And i'm saying this as a long time WoW player.

    To the issue of this game not having a big player base, I say give me the game and another 999.999 mature players who actually know how to play and i'll be happy. WoW can keep it's 8 million players out of which 7 million are 10 year olds playing undead leet ninjas or mages or warlocks. They can stay there playing hide and seek and backstabbing themselves in the ass, or instant pyroblasting themselves or chainfearing while mashing 2 buttons. I'll be over in Hyboria actually having fun while listening to the sweet music of their "nerf" calls.

    Cheers

  • arangadillo

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 10:21 pm PT

    this game jumped the shark when it became a 360 release

  • darth-revan

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 9:31 pm PT

    it seems like it will be WoW crossed with God of War. hopefully this game will be as good as the ones mentioned.

  • EvoStvO

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 9:25 pm PT

    We will see..Eather way Im buying this game...LOL

  • MxO

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 7:47 pm PT

    For Crom?

  • GrimGravy

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 7:18 pm PT

    i hope this game is good

  • jimi_man

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 7:03 pm PT

    im looking forward to the 360 version

  • Rosset

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 4:19 pm PT

    Sweeeeeeeeeeeettttttt man. Thanks gamespot for this opportunity.

  • barlienb

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 4:08 pm PT

    Can't wait for this one. Looks good, and fun. And the single player aspect to it is brilliant. But most of all, i can't wait to see Hyboria! Looks awesome!

    People keep in mind that a Beta is not exactly something that will sell the game to you. Bugs ,latency issues and general weird and annoying things are very common. So keep that in mind.

  • racerx737

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 3:07 pm PT

    the screenshot looks good but I'm not an MMO player, just doesnt appeal to me that much.

  • Uraal

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 3:04 pm PT

    For me this game is on 50 - 50% situation. On other hand the visuals, overall bloody nature and low fantasy world are appealing and other hand I'm very consired of overall quality of game. The fighting, what little I've seen from videos has looked bit badly animated and dull. However, I did apply for BETA-key. Lets see how it goes and maybe I've got chance to test out if game's worth anything, myself.

  • Daytona_178

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 2:19 pm PT

    Itll suck!

  • SpazH3d

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 1:42 pm PT

    Blah, why do i have to post my Dxdiag? I have a good enough PC....In a couple of days

  • The-Psycho

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 1:40 pm PT

    HELL YEA

  • runstalker

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 12:20 pm PT

    Better have a strong machine.

  • Vampire_Turtle

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 11:45 am PT

    Crom, Give Me The Strength For Beta!!!! RAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!

  • GrimTalos

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 10:16 am PT

    lotro beta is neally over

  • Tollers

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 9:59 am PT

    Crom!

  • lolgubbe

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 9:46 am PT

    i have already sign me up for the beta now im really looking forward to the beta!
    i've also signed up for the lotr online beta

  • blackace

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 8:52 am PT

    It looks interesting, but I just don't have time to play it. I barely have time to play WoW.

  • shenron43

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 8:44 am PT

    Ah, seems interesting.

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 8:32 am PT

    Crom!

  • Agulf

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 8:00 am PT

    Attacking from a mount? Interesting.

  • frohlich

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 7:29 am PT

    Dude, i have all Conan Comics...
    This game will be incredible...!!!

  • Legacyoftain

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 6:51 am PT

    If you do nott let me into this beta Crom then to HECK with you!

  • ArchfiendKing

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 6:47 am PT

    Just out of curiousity. i Signed up for it already, but it wasn't the one that Gamespot referred. Can I sign up again, or not? >>

  • Unstoppable_1

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 6:42 am PT

    This game is gonna rip WoW PVP a new one.

  • zsc4

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 6:38 am PT

    Very interesting game, I might consider it... but not too sure.

  • stanislavski86

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 5:38 am PT

    Lol, at people who think this WON'T pass Million players! Are you out of your mind? If thge launch is successful there is no stopping for FC and the title. It will surely become one of the best MMOs of this decade! Mark my words.

    FC you rock and AoC is one of the best games. It is not a WoW killer because there is no such concept but it is surely a better game than WoW! (at least it promisses to be)

  • Brainkiller05

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 5:23 am PT

    Visually impresive, but I'm not interested.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 5:20 am PT

    not interested....

  • atlessky

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 4:16 am PT

    best multiplayer games sure makes me excited

  • Brother_Boney

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 3:01 am PT

    This could be the one game that makes me buy an X360 and also get me to finally play RPG's. I have a PC but it's not for games. Not interested in buying a new graphics card for a couple of good pc-games. Too much hassle.

    Conan had a huge influence in my childhood. S**t, he even was the original inspiration for the creators of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe -toy series. To be able to be a part of the world -even if a half ass creation of some game studio artist - is something not to be missed. The other Conan games don't really appeal to me.

  • iuns

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 1:19 am PT

    i signed up yesterday - within an hour of this appearing on here so *hopefully* i will get a place

  • NinjaFoot

    Posted Apr 4, 2007 1:05 am PT

    "The specs will be a bit high but for a game that will DESTROY WOW, I think it's worht it!"

    And what are you basing this little tidbit of wisdom on? Do you really think this game will ever surpass 1 million subscribers? Let alone 8 million. Doubtful...And that is putting it mildly.

  • 483paul

    Posted Apr 3, 2007 11:35 pm PT

    Oh man i want to play this game!

  • fierro316

    Posted Apr 3, 2007 10:48 pm PT

    I signed by CROM!!!!

  • F1sTDaCuffS

    Posted Apr 3, 2007 10:07 pm PT

    oblivion on crack. some people are going to lose there life.

  • Chainblast

    Posted Apr 3, 2007 8:56 pm PT

    Age of Conan is going into closed-beta, which is a phase where the developer lets enthusiasts (off company payroll types) into a closed environment to test a variety of aspects of the game and level feedback on their experiences. Not everyone will/can get into a closed-beta and they generally use your location and computer specification as a determining factor. For example, if the PC version of AoC only runs in DX10, anyone not sporting a DX10 enabled card probably won't get accepted. Similarly, anyone not running Vista will be omitted from the selection process.

    However, I have no idea whether AoC has a DX9 runtime mode or not, I was just using that as an example. Considering the PC version was originally designed for DX9 and the X360 version is said to be using a DX9 build, one can hope the retail PC build offers users both. Funcom would be alienating gamers if they didn't.

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