Yesterday, Funcom finally opened the official beta registration for The Secret World, the highly anticipated upcoming MMO game set in our modern-day world. Gamers can now register to be evaluated for participation in the upcoming phases of beta that will be running up to the launch of the game in April 2012. During the next months Funcom will be increasing the number of beta participants gradually.
The beta registration launch is just the first phase of The Secret War, which is an interactive online experience that will engage community members in the conflict between the three factions in The Secret World (the Templars, the Illuminati, and the Dragon) before the game is released.
“One of the most interesting features of The Secret World is the three profoundly different secret societies that players can join,” says Funcom SVP of Sales & Marketing, Morten Larssen. “Since we first announced the game, we have gradually revealed more details about them, and what we have seen is that thousands of gamers in our community have come to identify with them and form a loyal bond to other community members belonging to the same society. With The Secret War experience we are excited about the prospect of allowing for even more community interaction and engagement.”
The first phase has users take a unique personality test to determine which secret society they belong to (however, you have the option to skip the test and choose which society to join). After making their choice, the user is automatically registered as a beta candidate for The Secret World and will also be eligible to take part in the upcoming second phase of The Secret War. It should be noted that if you don’t have a Facebook account (and I have a feeling I’m the only one on the planet who doesn’t and I may or may not have thrown a Hulk-sized fit about this), you are not going to be able to take part in The Secret War experience because of what phase two entails; however, you can still register for The Secret World beta on the game’s website.
The second phase will allow users to expand the influence of their secret society through a social media connected, web-based game. Users can recruit friends and deploy them as agents for their cause, which helps in scoring points for themselves and their secret society. Users will also be able to share assets from and information about The Secret World to score more points. All this will allow the users to climb through the ranks of their secret society, unlock achievements, exclusive in-game equipment and weaponry, in-game titles, and even the much coveted guaranteed beta access reward. Because you have to work for that extra stuff, people. They aren’t just going to give it away for free!
Through The Secret War, users will also take part in weekly sweepstakes where they can win a trip to the Funcom Montreal studio, signed collector’s editions of the game, and even the opportunity to have their name integrated into The Secret World game. You know, just a few things someone like me would love the chance to win. Here’s hoping the rest of you fans aren’t old spinsters like me and can actually participate in The Secret War.
You might also like:
