Earth and Beyond Online stress test update

Today Westwood Studios announced that its upcoming massively multiplayer online space role-playing game, Earth and Beyond Online, is ready to begin a large-scale internal stress test. According to the developer, this initial test will include Electronic Arts employees from around the world, and if it goes well, there could be an open test of the game in the "near future".

Earth and Beyond Online will include a huge persistent universe filled with hundreds of planets. Players will explore, inhabit, and fight for control of territory. They will assume the role of one of three groups--Progen warriors, Jenquai explorers, and Terran traders--and they can gain experience points and currency through a variety of quests. Players will be able to use currency to add upgrades to their ships.

Earth and Beyond Online is scheduled for release in early 2002. For more information, take a look at our previous coverage of the game.