Pirate101 Closed Beta Release and Beta Questions Answered

I'm back! And it's Beta time! Glue those eyes to your inbox, because beta invitations are being released... right now! Don't be upset if you don't get one today, though! They're sending them out in sets every day! Did you catch all of the articles? The information? The Facebook updates? They're all here for your reading enjoyment!

Here's the official word on Beta!

Pirate101 has entered Closed Beta testing. Over the next several weeks, we will update this page with information about all the ways that players can sign up for a chance at gaining Closed Beta access. 

How can I get a Closed Beta key? 

You can sign-up to be considered for ongoing beta-key drawings. If you are selected, we will send you an invitation! 

Be sure to like and keep a close eye on the Pirate101 Facebook page. We will be giving away special prizes over the next several weeks. More details coming soon! 

Our friends at AMD are giving away a limited number of Closed Beta keys! Check out their blog or Facebook page for more information.

And here are a few words from J. Todd Coleman on the Beta release!

Hey gang,

This morning we announced the official start of the “Beta Test” for
Pirate101. This is a big moment for us here at KingsIsle, and I wanted to write you a quick note to thank you for helping us make it happen. 

As you can imagine, Pirate101 has come a long way from it's inception a few years ago. Over the past few years, I have had the distinct pleasure of watching this game grow from an idea, to a sometimes-playable/sometimes-wonky prototype, to a fully functional virtual world and many hundreds of hours of fantastic content.

Our team has put in decades -- literally, if you laid them end-to-end -- of combined effort to bring you this fantastic new addition to the 101 universe. The art, the technology, the game systems, the story -- countless days and nights were spent dreaming, building, testing, breaking, ripping apart, rebuilding and then polishing to a (near) shine every aspect of this game.

As you know (or will find out shortly, if you haven't gotten in, yet) our work isn't done yet. We aren't quite there, but... we are close! Beta is an unbelievably exciting milestone for us -- we finally get to show off what we've been working on, and it's scary and exhilarating, all at the same time. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I am fairly certain it isn't a train.

To our testers: I wanted to drop you a quick note to thank you for helping us test this game before we share it with the world. In helping us knock out the final kinks, you are taking a part -- and vital part -- of the creation of this world.

To our community: without you, and the unbelievable amount of support that you have shown Wizard101, we wouldn’t be here today. Because of you, I get to wake up every morning and spend my days thinking up funny stories about Ninja Pigs and Monkey Conquistadors (Monquistadors!), and working with the best team on the planet making games that I love. I cannot express to you how thankful I am for these opportunities that your love of Wizard101 has given to me and my team. 

We made this game for you, our players, and we hope that you'll love playing it as much as we enjoyed crafting it for you. 

Our goal for Pirate101 was simple: we wanted to create a worthy companion game (not successor!) to Wizard101.

Easy to say, harder to achieve. Wizard101 is our first love, so it's a pretty lofty goal.

but I think maybe -- just maybe -- we might have pulled it off.

At the end of the day, that's for you to decide. 

See you in the Spiral! 

J Todd Coleman
Co-Creator, Wizard101 & Pirate101 

Question: "when will we know if we have been selected for participation in Beta?" 

Answer: Invitations have already started going out! We will be inviting more players -- every few days we'll send out a round of invites, and the groups will get larger and larger as we move towards release.

Make sure you sign up at www.pirate101.com, and keep an eye on your email. (You might also want to check your spam filter periodically, so make sure the invite isn't lost!)
Also be sure to like the @Wizard101, @Pirate101 and J Todd Coleman pages to keep up with how Beta is progressing, and find out about new opportunities to get Beta Keys as they become available.

Keep your eyes on your favorite gaming websites for updates, too!

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/loadNews/25140/Beta-Invites-On-the-Way
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/pirate101-sails-into-closed-beta/

And, of course, stay tuned here for the latest updates and information! Now for some new answers to Beta questions!

When is Closed Beta?
A closed Beta phase for Pirate101 will occur later this year.

Is there an Open Beta?
Currently, there are no plans to hold an open Beta.

When will I know if I can play in the Closed Beta?
We will make an announcement through the Pirate101 website and Facebook page before we send out official Beta invitations. If your account is selected for participation in Beta testing, you will receive an official email from KingsIsle.

How do I get selected for Closed Beta?
To enter into our Closed Beta drawing, all you have to do is login to Pirate101.com with your existing Wizard101 account. If you’re new to KingsIsle Entertainment games, register for a Pirate101 account and you’re in the running!

Will anything prevent us from being considered for Beta or guarantee a spot?
Those who have been banned in Wizard101 will also be banned in Pirate101 and thus not eligible for Beta. If your account is in good standing, you’ll have no worries about your chances being diminished by things like accidentally double-registering your character for beta.

Will Beta players be under NDA?
Since there will be no “open Beta” for Pirate101 and instead only a “Closed Beta,” yes those who play in our beta must agree to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This means you will be responsible for keeping your play experience in Pirate101 confidential by not publishing information, screenshots, video, or any other game data that is not already published on the Pirate101.com website or in an article that discusses Pirate101. Any infractions could be grounds for legal action and having sanctions levied against your account.

Will there be a character reset after Beta when the game launches?
Characters will be reset after the Beta period ends and you will need to make your characters again when the game launches. This is a common industry practice and will be necessary to bring our players into a live game environment. Don’t worry! It’ll be fun to see everybody leveling in the game and having fun together.

Thanks for reading, and see you in the Spiral! More updates to come today!