The beta for the highly anticipated Destiny kicks off on July 17, Activision and Bungie announced today.
On July 17, gamers with a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 console can sign on at 10 a.m. PT. Those with an Xbox One and Xbox 360 can sign on beginning July 23.
The beta will run until 11:59pm PT on July 27, though it will be offline for scheduled maintenance on July 21 and 22.
The beta will include "a diverse sampling of major activities featured in the full game," the companies said. It is open to those who pre-order the game, though the Destiny website warns that beta access will be available "while beta codes last," so it's probably best to redeem your code as soon as possible. The code should be printed on your receipt, on a flyer you received at time of purchase, or in an email sent through a retail rewards program.
Destiny is scheduled for release on Sept. 9. As described by Bungie and Activision, "players are cast as Guardians of the last city on Earth, who will explore the ancient ruins of our solar system from the red dunes of Mars to the lush jungles of Venus."
"Gamers must battle humanity's enemies and reclaim all that was lost during the collapse of mankind's Golden Age," according to the companies, which are reportedly shelling out $500 million to make sure their game is a success.
The standard edition of the game will set you back $60 for all platforms. But Activision and Bungie today announced three other collectors' editions: The Destiny Ghost Edition ($149.99), the Destiny Limited Edition ($99.99), and the Destiny Digital Guardian Edition ($89.99).
Destiny Ghost and Limited Edition both include: a limited-edition SteelBook Case and Game Disc, a Guardian Folio, a Collector's Edition Digital Content Pack, and a Destiny Expansion Pass.
The Ghost Edition also adds a Ghost replica, featuring motion-activated lights and voice recordings from actor Peter Dinklage, voice of the Ghost character, the player's personal companion in the game. There's also a Letter of Introduction and Golden Age Relics, which include a Photo, Patch, Sticker and two Chrome slides of the Traveler.
The Destiny Digital Guardian Edition includes a digital download copy of the game, Destiny Expansion Pass, and the Collector's Edition Digital Content Pack. Gamers can pre-order the Destiny Expansion Pass individually for $34.99 now.
For more, check out the new Destiny beta trailer below.