Firefall Launches Open Beta

For those of you who have been eagerly anticipating the free-to-play first-person shooter MMO, Firefall, yet have been so far unable to get in on any of the closed betas, today is your lucky day. Red 5 Studios has today announced that the Firefall open beta is officially up and running.

If it feels like you’ve been hearing about this Firefall game for a few years now, it’s probably because that’s about how long buzz has been building up for this unique online shooter. Now, after months upon months of tweaking, polishing and adjusting, the developers are ready to unleash the game upon the masses, celebrating with the story trailer you can check out at the top of this post.

But a fancy little trailer isn’t the reason to be excited today. By many accounts, Firefall is an absolute treat to play, offering all of the questing and loot of an expansive MMO combined with skill-based shooting that can be enjoyed solo, cooperatively or against your fellow players.

Like any good MMO, the world of Firefall is massive and offers loads of variety, both in the types of gear you’ll be picking up and the kinds of baddies you’ll be pumping full of holes. Similar to the recently released Defiance, Firefall gives the players an epic story to experience and all of the usual MMO trappings but, instead of casting spells or swinging a sword, you’ll be blasting enemies to pieces with all sorts of high tech weaponry.

Now that Firefall has undergone a long and extensive closed beta period, the folks over at Red 5 are inviting anyone with a decent computer and an internet to finally get in on the game as the full open beta kicks off.

“Gamers from all corners of the globe can now log in to the game and enter a war-scarred world to battle against the deadly and mysterious Chosen, explore every corner of New Eden, and challenge each other in fast-paced PvP combat,” reads a statement from Red 5. “Players who enter the game can also take part in our dynamically-spawning ARES missions and experience the first piece of our story-driven content, ‘Blackwater Anomaly.’”

Today also marks the launch of Firefall Fest, a two-day livestreaming even including chats with developers, special guests and more. There will also be prize giveaways and a whole slew of other videos to dig into. To take part in that event, simply head on over to the Firefall Fest page on Twitch.TV.

In order to get in on the beta, all you have to do is head on to the Firefall official website and get to, well, downloading. That’s also where you’ll find information on the Beta Starter Packs, giving you access to a bunch of in-game goods to help get your adventure rolling. Buying the premium pack also nets you a personal teleportation device and an exclusive in-game motorcycle, so that’s certainly something to consider.

Finally, for those of you who are interested in the game but want a few pointers before diving into the world of Firefall, here’s a nice breakdown of the basics.