14 DAY TRIAL // By far one of the most important topics in the gaming industry in the last few weeks has been the upcoming beta stage of Titanfall, the new online multiplayer shooter from Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts.
While the actual game is set to launch next month, on March 11, in North America, and March 13, in Europe, for the PC and Xbox One, and on March 25 and March 28, respectively, for the Xbox 360, the beta stage is set to begin sometime next week, between February 15 and 18, if a previous leak was right.
Developer Respawn has shared quite a lot of new details this week, so let's take a quick recap and see everything you need to know about the beta stage.
First up, the Titanfall test period will be available only on the PC and Xbox One platforms but, while it's a global beta, it won't be open to all those interested in the game. Respawn has confirmed that it wants to make sure that the game will remain operational, so it will allow participants to play in consecutive waves.
The actual mechanism of entry into the beta stage is still a mystery, but Respawn did emphasize that a pre-order of the game isn't necessary in order to get to test the game.
On PC you'll need an Origin account and make sure that your computer meets the minimum requirements of the game, including running a 64-bit operating system excluding Windows XP. On the Xbox One, it's not mandatory to have an Origin account.
PC gamers will be able to use a Xbox 360 controller and they'll even have access to a form of aim assist. While the Xbox One edition will have support for the Xbox Smartglass tech, it's unclear if the beta will feature such a functionality. One thing it won't have, however, is a splitscreen mode.
In terms of actual content, expect to see a quality and rather recent build of the game, as Respawn wants to impress participants with the multiplayer experience, especially since they'll be able to take screenshots, make videos, and share their impressions without worrying about repercussions like with the recent Xbox One alpha stage.
Just like the alpha, you can expect Respawn to roll out updates for the game through the cloud system, meaning there shouldn't be downtimes. However, you won't be able to continue with your rank and unlocks from the alpha stage on the Xbox One.
An anti-cheat system has also been confirmed but it's unclear if it will be included in the beta.
Last but not least, don't worry if you're not pleased with the amount of content inside the game, especially since Respawn has confirmed that it's going to keep on supporting Titanfall after its launch via DLC.