advertisement

APB beta begins next week - Report

Realtime Worlds CEO Gary Dale said to have confirmed imminent launch for testing window of large-scale online PC shooter.

Realtime Worlds has been slowly ticking off the days until the beta-testing period for APB gets under way. Having solicited beta sign-up applications in August, the Dundee, Scotland-based studio said in September that the testing period for its large-scale online shooter would begin in a matter of weeks. Now, those indeterminate "weeks" have apparently been whittled down to just days.

GI.biz reports today that Realtime Worlds CEO Gary Dale confirmed during the Tech Media Invest conference at the Emirates Stadium in London that APB's beta test will officially begin sometime next week. No mention was made of how large a pool of beta testers would be initially invited to participate, though the studio has previously stated that it will grow the tester base in the lead-up to APB's launch in March 2010. Realtime Worlds had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Though the game was announced in 2005, APB's development largely operated under the radar, up until creative director and Grand Theft Auto creator Dave Jones offered the first substantive showing during the 2008 Game Developers Conference. As part of the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Electronic Arts announced that it would be publishing the third-person PC shooter through its EA Partners program.

Though it accommodates up to 100 players in an open-world environment, APB won't be a massively multiplayer online game in the traditional sense. It also will apparently not follow the norms of an MMOG when it comes to payment models. Realtime Worlds' Web site explicitly notes that the game "won't be the traditional monthly subscription model."

For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of APB.

31 Comments

  • partytimekegs

    Posted Oct 5, 2009 11:26 am PT

    Rah rah rah.
    Audiobullys are a good group.
    They mention a lot of good bands in that song.
    Not saying metal sucks.. but uh.. its not entirely rap.
    Or at least I wouldn't call it rap.

  • Willceace

    Posted Oct 3, 2009 4:54 am PT

    I'm guessing it will be free to play. But you'll have to buy your guns, customisation items and cars using real money / microsoft points.

  • ch4os1337

    Posted Oct 2, 2009 7:36 pm PT

    Its not really a MMO, I mean theres only 100 people per sever. You could have more on Battlefield 2 if you modded it. So its no shoot that theres no monthly price unless we get our own private servers. Which would be retarded. Looks fun though, il be getting it.

  • gameweasl posted Oct 2, 2009 8:37 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    gameweasl

    Posted Oct 2, 2009 8:37 am PT (hide)

    When are MMOG going to reach the console market? Can anyone recommend a good affordable graphics card?

  • ProVail

    Posted Oct 2, 2009 8:30 am PT

    I hope this does not have its own on line fee besides the x-box live fee ces that will suck big time

  • Blade8Aus

    Posted Oct 2, 2009 4:13 am PT

    @earlthecannibal
    hell yeah

  • 02sfraser

    Posted Oct 2, 2009 2:27 am PT

    this will be an interesting one to keep an eye on. they seem to have a great model. i live next door to Realtime Worlds now so maybe i should go ask them haha

  • Evilnator

    Posted Oct 2, 2009 1:19 am PT

    Great, about time!

  • _Elite_Bushido_

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 8:47 pm PT

    "won't be the traditional monthly subscription model."
    micro transactions pretty damn obvious, or maybe even a yearly subscription. thats not a "traditional" monthly payment method

  • Darkmoone1

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 5:55 pm PT

    None of that monthly pay? Im in...

  • colo734

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 4:04 pm PT

    Can't wait

    Loved the trailer... especially the ending.

  • radar2670

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 3:28 pm PT

    "won't be the traditional monthly subscription model."

    So exactly what kind of model will it be? will we be charged for virtual bullets? or maybe virtual gas for the vehicles?

  • earlthecannibal

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 2:36 pm PT

    Looks great minus the rap music. My crew will listen to metal only... or be killed

  • Agent_S14

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 2:36 pm PT

    Reason im finally building a gaming PC. Cant wait.

  • kvan33

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 2:29 pm PT

    Seems like a good concept. It'll be interesting to see if the game world keeps a tight law/gang group structure or if everyone just starts going rogue and killing everything in sight. Somehow I see the later happening.

  • Katakalypto

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 2:20 pm PT

    here to hoping that one of my 3 applications get accepted.

  • metalkid9

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 2:06 pm PT

    I already registered so hopefully I'll get to play it. If not then I'll just wait for the game to release.

  • firedrakes

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 12:49 pm PT

    cant wait

  • zaqcdebgt9513

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 12:48 pm PT

    Pick me! Pick me!

  • number posted Oct 1, 2009 12:41 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    number

    Posted Oct 1, 2009 12:41 pm PT (hide)

    heard about this game back in 2005, i win u guys lose, i get to call myself an APB GENERAL, and DONT YOU FORGET IT!

advertisement
advertisement
Click Here

Related Unions

Game Stats

  • Rank:
    627 of 79,010
    (down by 83)
    PC Rank:
    216 of 12,644
    Highest Rank:
    3 in 2009
    Tracking:
    1,766 Track It»
    Wishlists:
    746 Wish It»
  • Number of Players:

    Massively Multiplayer, Massively Multiplayer

  • Top 5 User Tags:
    1. apb
    2. mmo
    3. realtime worlds
    4. gangs
    5. webzen
  • Mature Rating Description

    Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language. Learn more

Also on

Games you may like…

Users who looked at content for this game also looked at these games.

See More Similar Games