Nope, no open beta. I had thought the same thing, but ANet is only conducting three Betaweekend events. The last this month.
Then! Game on in Aug!
Yes but can 3 beta weekends (+day stress test that I knew about) hammer all post launch issues and bugs? I don't think so but who knows.
In answer to your question-apparently they have. These open beta weekends are not the "closed beta" you think of. There are a seperate group of players on the closed beta for years that have taken on issues and bugs.
The open beta weekends is just to see how everything in the game is working. Analysing the end result of the beta weekends plus closed beta and making the game work.
That's why the Aug release! As you know though, no game is in its final disposition with release. There are always going to be upgrades and tweaks to the game.
A.Net said no open beta other than the next BWE3. I am sure there will be key giveaways but I never understood totally open betas. It basically gives haters pause to come into the game and disrupt it rather than people who want to play, just playing. Also with buying a box and no monthly fees, pay once play as much as you like versus trying to hook you in for the sub. Different type of business model requires different wyas of testing.
As best i can gather anet likely will not be offering a public open beta weekend prior to release..
And i cant really fault them for it being that this game already has a huge following and is worth every penny..
It would get bigger with a open beta. Wouldn't it? This is one of the things that has bothered me about the run up to this game. 99% of the people who have played had bought the game. Give me a weekend to see if I like it.
Just grab a free key from a site or even mmorpg. They do toss out keys for the events.
Its a B2P game, so i dont see any reason for an open beta... The game is good enough to sell by mouth to mouth addvertisement.
There might be free trials a few months after release tough
All the more reason for there to be one, B2P relies more on box sales than any other model so an aggressive marketing campaign would make sense.
I don't know, nor really care, if they will have an open for all look at the game before it goes live but if they do i imagine it'll only be for a day or two. I'm almost glad that what i've seen so far has been limited as i'm usualy only a month off being burnt out by the time a game goes retail. These few and far between BWE's are a godsend.
Exactly the opposite... Since it's B2P game it relies on sold boxes (as you said)... But then offering people the chance to try the game without buying it is just loosing the cash
Exactly as Bachus said, I don't see a reason for an open beta in a B2P games... And so far I never seen a B2P game having an open beta.
The only way it would be loosing cash due to trying out before you buy is because the game wasn't good enough to get you to buy it.
Its a B2P game, so i dont see any reason for an open beta... The game is good enough to sell by mouth to mouth addvertisement.
There might be free trials a few months after release tough
All the more reason for there to be one, B2P relies more on box sales than any other model so an aggressive marketing campaign would make sense.
I don't know, nor really care, if they will have an open for all look at the game before it goes live but if they do i imagine it'll only be for a day or two. I'm almost glad that what i've seen so far has been limited as i'm usualy only a month off being burnt out by the time a game goes retail. These few and far between BWE's are a godsend.
Exactly the opposite... Since it's B2P game it relies on sold boxes (as you said)... But then offering people the chance to try the game without buying it is just loosing the cash
Exactly as Bachus said, I don't see a reason for an open beta in a B2P games... And so far I never seen a B2P game having an open beta.
Diablo 3... and I'm glad they did it so I changed my mind and didn't buy the game. at least for a while.
Almost like it didn't even have that... I passed that crappy part of act1 in 30ish mins or so... Sucked XD But well... Forgot about it. That's probably the only game which I remember right now, with "limited" beta access prior release.
"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life." -------------------------------
Nope, no open beta. I had thought the same thing, but ANet is only conducting three Betaweekend events. The last this month.
Then! Game on in Aug!
Yes but can 3 beta weekends (+day stress test that I knew about) hammer all post launch issues and bugs? I don't think so but who knows.
In answer to your question-apparently they have. These open beta weekends are not the "closed beta" you think of. There are a seperate group of players on the closed beta for years that have taken on issues and bugs.
The open beta weekends is just to see how everything in the game is working. Analysing the end result of the beta weekends plus closed beta and making the game work.
That's why the Aug release! As you know though, no game is in its final disposition with release. There are always going to be upgrades and tweaks to the game.
I know there is internal closed testing and focus testing. But lets be honest LAST BWE for some showed more issues than the first... Like the whole 3 servers marged to one side Red for us. Not only did we end up against 3 servers all BWE but the bug also made it so we could not enter WvWvW because Red was taking all slots from the 3 servers some kind of bug zone was full with 20 guys in on our side. I really hope they have fixed this now. I am only playing for WvWvW could not care less about the rest of the game.
I would guess they are going to do what EVERY mmo has done latly. With the last BWE you will need a key, but they will release a crap ton of keys to various web sites. The last MMO I remember haveing a complete "open" beta was WoW. EVERY one else just gives keys to various websites. Hell, I would bet at lest 75% of the people here are here because they signed up to get a key to some MMO that was in beta and just stuck around. I would bet my last cookie that getting a key to BWE3 will not be all too hard. Keep your eyes open and make sure to be quick about it.
I believe there was some indication on the ArenaNet blog against having an open beta. I wish they would - I have several friends who are curious about the game but aren't ready to commit. If they only knew!
Guild wars 2 will have a beta, they will just called it a preview weekend. NOT open beta because that is assuming everybody will be let in and the game is still being tested. I foresee them having it 2 weeks before head start.
Arenanet hve said that BWE3 is the final Beta Weekend Event. That doesn't preclude some sort of event with much wider access than the previous BWEs, sometime between BWE3 and launch.
They also said that there won't be an open beta, as in a beta event where everyone with an internet account and a PC will be able to log in and play, but they may do an event where they give out a ton of keys. They could still do this for BWE3, but I really think it makes more sense to do it as a seperate event(s) a couple weeks before launch.
At the very least, they could have a 24 hour stress test, or two, between BWE3 and launch, with a large number of keys distributed for each event. The servers could use a real stress test with a couple hundred thousand non-pre-purchasers to hammer the infrastructure and this is definitely a game that will hook most people who get to try it, so it makes sense from a marketing perspective.
The only way I can see them not doing this is if their roll out plans are based on grabbing a first wave of purchases from people who are fans of the game, with ongoing marketing and limited trial events to build sales over time. I've always felt that this game will be the rare MMO that grows significantly after launch, so maybe a million or so sales at launch is fine with them. We'll see. If they really want to pump up box sales for launch, we will probably see some sort of promotional event, accompanied by a media blitz. If the advertising is sort of subdued for the game, that may signal a "growth over time" strategy.
Is there gonna be an open beta for everyone after the end of BWE at 22 July? I dont think not, because after that we have like 1 month before the release
No word on any open beta. As far as been announced, the final BWE will be it until launch.
Open beta would mean a chance to test the game which many can try and not like it so it wouldn't play to their advantage. Its better people don't try it, buy it, then find out they don't like it and leave after having given them $60.
Yes I know I know, sounds devious but no matter what company it is, its something that makes sense for the extra profit and people can't justly complain due to the fact open beta is not nessisary.
BWE1&2 were open betas. "Open beta" doesn't mean "free demo", it is a period of testing prior to release. The gaming industry seems to use it as a marketing tactic these days, glad to see Anet isn't cheesing out like that.
Console games don't let you try them out free, they just cost $60 (or whatever) and if you don't like it, too bad.
Comments
In answer to your question-apparently they have. These open beta weekends are not the "closed beta" you think of. There are a seperate group of players on the closed beta for years that have taken on issues and bugs.
The open beta weekends is just to see how everything in the game is working. Analysing the end result of the beta weekends plus closed beta and making the game work.
That's why the Aug release! As you know though, no game is in its final disposition with release. There are always going to be upgrades and tweaks to the game.
A.Net said no open beta other than the next BWE3. I am sure there will be key giveaways but I never understood totally open betas. It basically gives haters pause to come into the game and disrupt it rather than people who want to play, just playing. Also with buying a box and no monthly fees, pay once play as much as you like versus trying to hook you in for the sub. Different type of business model requires different wyas of testing.
Just grab a free key from a site or even mmorpg. They do toss out keys for the events.
BOOYAKA!
The only way it would be loosing cash due to trying out before you buy is because the game wasn't good enough to get you to buy it.
Almost like it didn't even have that... I passed that crappy part of act1 in 30ish mins or so... Sucked XD But well... Forgot about it. That's probably the only game which I remember right now, with "limited" beta access prior release.
"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life."
-------------------------------
They said it themselves there won't be an open beta... And it kinda makes sence to me since it's B2P game.
"Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life."
-------------------------------
I know there is internal closed testing and focus testing. But lets be honest LAST BWE for some showed more issues than the first... Like the whole 3 servers marged to one side Red for us. Not only did we end up against 3 servers all BWE but the bug also made it so we could not enter WvWvW because Red was taking all slots from the 3 servers some kind of bug zone was full with 20 guys in on our side. I really hope they have fixed this now. I am only playing for WvWvW could not care less about the rest of the game.
I would guess they are going to do what EVERY mmo has done latly. With the last BWE you will need a key, but they will release a crap ton of keys to various web sites. The last MMO I remember haveing a complete "open" beta was WoW. EVERY one else just gives keys to various websites. Hell, I would bet at lest 75% of the people here are here because they signed up to get a key to some MMO that was in beta and just stuck around. I would bet my last cookie that getting a key to BWE3 will not be all too hard. Keep your eyes open and make sure to be quick about it.
I believe there was some indication on the ArenaNet blog against having an open beta. I wish they would - I have several friends who are curious about the game but aren't ready to commit. If they only knew!
Show me what she looks like before offering me "mouth to mouth" advertising.
Guild wars 2 will have a beta, they will just called it a preview weekend. NOT open beta because that is assuming everybody will be let in and the game is still being tested. I foresee them having it 2 weeks before head start.
Arenanet hve said that BWE3 is the final Beta Weekend Event. That doesn't preclude some sort of event with much wider access than the previous BWEs, sometime between BWE3 and launch.
They also said that there won't be an open beta, as in a beta event where everyone with an internet account and a PC will be able to log in and play, but they may do an event where they give out a ton of keys. They could still do this for BWE3, but I really think it makes more sense to do it as a seperate event(s) a couple weeks before launch.
At the very least, they could have a 24 hour stress test, or two, between BWE3 and launch, with a large number of keys distributed for each event. The servers could use a real stress test with a couple hundred thousand non-pre-purchasers to hammer the infrastructure and this is definitely a game that will hook most people who get to try it, so it makes sense from a marketing perspective.
The only way I can see them not doing this is if their roll out plans are based on grabbing a first wave of purchases from people who are fans of the game, with ongoing marketing and limited trial events to build sales over time. I've always felt that this game will be the rare MMO that grows significantly after launch, so maybe a million or so sales at launch is fine with them. We'll see. If they really want to pump up box sales for launch, we will probably see some sort of promotional event, accompanied by a media blitz. If the advertising is sort of subdued for the game, that may signal a "growth over time" strategy.
Want to know more about GW2 and why there is so much buzz? Start here: Guild Wars 2 Mass Info for the Uninitiated
No word on any open beta. As far as been announced, the final BWE will be it until launch.
Open beta would mean a chance to test the game which many can try and not like it so it wouldn't play to their advantage. Its better people don't try it, buy it, then find out they don't like it and leave after having given them $60.
Yes I know I know, sounds devious but no matter what company it is, its something that makes sense for the extra profit and people can't justly complain due to the fact open beta is not nessisary.
BWE1&2 were open betas. "Open beta" doesn't mean "free demo", it is a period of testing prior to release. The gaming industry seems to use it as a marketing tactic these days, glad to see Anet isn't cheesing out like that.
Console games don't let you try them out free, they just cost $60 (or whatever) and if you don't like it, too bad.