The closed beta for Master X Master, the new free-to-play MOBA from NCsoft that Tom really wishes you'd pay attention to for a minute, is now underway. The beta is scheduled to run until April 27 and includes PvE stages, different PvP modes, minigames, and access to giveaways, contests, and promotions.
Three "Founder's Packs" are available for purchase, ranging in price from $20 to $100, but NCsoft emphasized that it is not necessary to purchase one to get access to the beta. If you do, however, you'll have access to whatever Masters, skins, and other such stuff are in it during the test period. The servers will be wiped after the test is over, but "fresh" Founder's Packs will be handed out at launch.
Tom got some hands-on time with Master X Master at PAX East, and even though he acknowledged that another free-to-play MOBA isn't likely to set anyone's heart aflame with excitement, he found it to be "a high-quality MOBA with a unique tag-in mechanic straight out of Marvel vs. Capcom and a full co-op PvE dungeon crawling mode that looked more like Diablo than Dota." That's a pretty solid-sounding recommendation, and for the price of "free" it's hard to go wrong.
He also said that, based on what he'd heard, if you sign up for the beta you'll "very likely" get in. Put your name on the dotted line at playmxm.com.
