Xbox 360 Medal of Honor MP beta delayed

LOS ANGELES--Electronic Arts devoted a substantial chunk of its 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference on Monday to Medal of Honor, its long-awaited Afghanistan-set installment in the shooter franchise. And as has become de rigueur for first-person shooters, Medal of Honor will feature a suite of online multiplayer options, with EA showing off an 18-player online bout set in a besieged Afghani town.

Closing out the presentation, EA announced that the game's multiplayer beta testing period will open up on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on June 21. Unfortunately, that date won't be holding true for gamers on Microsoft's console. According to the official Medal of Honor Web site, the Xbox 360 version has been pushed beyond June 21, though EA still plans for it to launch that week.

"The Medal of Honor beta for the Xbox 360 is delayed, but it is expected to be available next week," the site reads. "We are extremely disappointed about this, but want to assure you that we are dedicated and determined to delivering all of you this awesome multiplayer experience as soon as possible."

EA went on to note that as a result of the delay, it would be extending the multiplayer beta test. Though, again, the publisher was light on specifics as to when the beta is now expected to end. The publisher also affirmed that the PS3 and PC testing windows are still expected to begin on June 21, with Battlefield: Bad Company 2 preorderers gaining access on June 17.

For more on Medal of Honor, check out GameSpot's E3 preview.