Starhawk closed beta taking wing Nov. 22

Sony and Lightbox Interactive are prepping Starhawk for an early 2012 launch, and the online multiplayer game's beta test is just around the corner. Today, Lightbox confirmed that Starhawk's closed beta test will begin next Tuesday, November 22.

In a post to the PlayStation Blog, Sony senior producer Harvard Bonin said beta invites will be progressively doled out. However, the studio has previously indicated that gamers can increase their odds of receiving a beta invite by ranking up in Warhawk and participating in the Warhawk community.

The initial phase of Starhawk's closed beta phase will feature the Capture the Flag game type. Participants will have unlimited access to this mode on "a couple" of different maps, according to Bonin. The testing phase will also be used to put Starhawk's match-making system through its paces.

Those who pick up a new copy of Uncharted 3 will find a voucher guaranteeing access to the game's open beta, which is slated to begin in early 2012. Bonin noted that this testing phase will include a wider variety of game modes, weapons, and other content.

Taking a sci-fi Western approach, Starhawk is a successor to 2007's PlayStation Network downloadable third-person shooter Warhawk. Unlike its predecessor, Lightbox Interactive's Starhawk will include a single-player campaign in addition to its multiplayer component. A new mechanic to the series will allow on-the-fly building of structures on the battlefield, and the jetlike Hawks return to join a host of other vehicles, including mechs and jeeps.

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