MechWarrior Online Open Beta Date

Michael Dunaway
By Michael Dunaway, News Editor Posted:
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Last week we gave you our first impressions of the MechWarrior Online closed beta and we also held a closed beta key giveaway. For those of you poor souls who weren't able to get a beta key you are in luck. In less than a week Piranha games will be opening up MechWarrior Online to the public with the start of the open beta.

The game just recently received its last large patch before open beta which added graphical improvements, new particle effects, and other UI tweaks among other things. With the launch of the open beta, the mech warfare simulator will get its first set of cosmetic customization options that include exterior camo skins, interior cockpit items (fuzzy dice and bobble hula girl confirmed!), and decals.

The decals might actually be one of the cooler cosmetic items since its hinted that players will be able to create their own art to display on their mech. Finally my MS-Paint skills will come in use! Fear my poorly drawn stick figures!

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In this article: MechWarrior Online.

About the Author

Michael Dunaway
Michael Dunaway, News Editor

Michael Dunaway has been part of the MMOBomb team for years and has covered practically every major Free-to-Play MMO title since 2009.

More Stories by Michael Dunaway

Discussion (6)

Sco 11 years ago
worst game i ever played in my life !
and i like mech shooter games!

HurDerp 11 years ago
cool story bro

Dreamcaseal 11 years ago
Just stoppnig by to say this game sucks.

View 1 reply
Edge Damodred 11 years ago
I so wanted to love this game but now...it's not ready for open beta, especially with such a sweeping change to the graphics engine with the patch just released. On top of that the game's content is still minimal, just 8v8 assault a la World of Tanks. This wouldn't be so bad except there's only 4 rather small maps(jenners can basically reach the other side in less than a minute). Out of the still limited array of weapons available only a handful are viable. Matchmaking doesn't do any kind of skill balancing, a good portion of the time it can't even get 8v8 right(i've been in matches where it's been 4v8 or worse).

...Then there's the economy and trial mechs. Most of the mechs have abysmal heat problems where even firing single weapons in a conflict will cause massive heat generation, leading to overheating(and then most likely being killed) or having to back off from engagements for an extended amount of time, basically providing no use to your allies whatsoever. The fun part is you get to spend about 20-30 matches with these things(go with the Atlas, it's the only mech I'd deem a balanced teaching mech due to it's weapon setup of engaging at multiple ranges and high armor to get use to the controls) to get the Commando which...is almost as painful to use(if not more) than the trial mechs. Except now you have to pay for repairs and ammo so your net CBill(in game currency) may actually be less than using a trial. Which leads to the afk'ers farming CBIlls.

You can choose to skip the trial mechs but...the payment system uses a point system where the more points you buy at once the more you get, encouraging you to pay more. You can buy points in the following increments: 1250-$10, 3000-$15, 6500-$30, 12000-$50, or 25000-$100. When you purchase a mech you just get one variant and while the game tells you how many of each weapon type hardpoints there are, it still doesn't tell you where they're located exactly. Current mech in MC(the cash points) are as follows: Commandos1125), Jenners(1575), Ravens(1575), Centurions(2250), Hunchbacks(2250), Dragons(2700), Catapults(2925), Awesomes(3600), Atlas(4500). Together these systems are blatantly designed to award people you pay a lot upfront instead of people who pay as you go.

Now is it pay-2-win? Honestly no ironically because no amount of money is going to change how much you suck. Skill and a head for tactics will greatly win out over mech design(mind you, mech design still counts but it should compliment, not determine your ability). Even the much hated Gausspalts can be defeated if you don't act like a total dumbass. This so far is really the one redeeming quality the game has at the moment. Keep in mind, lonewolfing is going to get you killed, I highly encourage you to find a regular group with voice comms if you're going to play. The game itself doesn't really do much to encourage or even direct teamwork. It is truly a bare-bones minimal game.

Again I really wanted to love this game and it has spectacular potential but it certainly is not ready by any means for release(which is what Open Beta really is as they no longer reset purchased items. Yeah they were accepting money for things during the closed beta outside the Founder's Pack. This was an alarming red flag and sadly it seemed my fears have come to fruition).

In all honesty I'd have to say down load Mechwarrior 4 Mercs(The MekTek verison) if you really want to play a MechWarrrior game. You can alternatively try the MechWarrior Living Legends mod for Crysis Warhead, though the game lacks a mech lab. Right now unless you really want a shiny looking game(provided they hammer out the problems before next week), I really can't recommend even trying it.

FalaqTHEBUTCHER 11 years ago
First...................:D


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