Free-to-Play APB Open Beta Goes Live

[John Funk]

Free-to-Play APB Open Beta Goes Live

If you want to see how failed MMO APB will live on as a free-to-play game, grab your guns.

For those of you out there who don't remember cops-and-robbers MMO APB, it officially became a savior appeared [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/stolen-pixels/8135-Stolen-Pixels-228-All-Points-Bu] in the form of GamersFirst, who bought the rights and planned on relaunching the game as a free-to-play title, which is really what it should have been all along.

After a hiccup or two getting it up and running, GamersFirst says that the APB Reloaded open beta is officially online. We're taking their word for it, but I just spent five minutes scouring the official wesbite [http://www.gamersfirst.com/apb/] and couldn't find a download link anywhere.

The beta adds new rating systems and skills, and supposedly improves APB's notoriously clunky vehicle handling and gunfights. Reloaded will also offer clan-vs-clan fights and a retuned matchmaking system for missions.

"From the start of the development of APB Reloaded last fall our focus has been to remove obstacles preventing players from having fun," said GamersFirst CEO Bjorn Book-Larsson in a statement.

"While our development and design teams have done an amazing job improving driving, shooting, skill ratings, witnessing and other key elements of the game, I am also thrilled with the changes slated to be released during the latter part of open beta."

"We expect APB Reloaded to set a new bar for what is possible to achieve in a free to play MMO game, and the open beta represents another big step in that direction."

If you're intrigued (and can figure out where to download the damn thing), here's the official site [http://www.gamersfirst.com/apb/].

Edit: There it is. Download the client here [http://www.gamersfirst.com/index.php?q=download]. I'm apparently blind - thanks to everyone on the forums who helped.

(Via CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/302648/news/apb-reloaded-open-beta-launches/])

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[Mehall]

If you download GamersFirst LIVE! then there's an option to download the APB thingy there. It's taking me kinda a while though. It's only 5GB odds, but it's by no means maxing my connection :/

 

[Fuselage]

I wonder if Aussies can play it now, because they lost a huge portion of Aussies...
EDIT: OMG, In the background of the pic, it looks like the Sydney opera house!!

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

I think you've gotta go to http://www.gamersfirst.com/index.php?q=download (it will automatically begin the download from that page), download the client and install from there.

OT: I'm gonna try it out, I played the original Beta and thought it was decent enough. I don't know how it'll work as a FTP game though, I fucking hate cash shops.

 

[Who Dares Wins]

To download click on the Gamersfirst logo on the bottom of the page. It leads to their site: http://www.gamersfirst.com/

You can download it there.

 

[Kopikatsu]

http://www.gamersfirst.com/index.php?q=download

Download that client, then use it to download APB.

I'm interested...I'm not sure how long it'll last, though. (Either as a game, or being free-to-play)

Edit: I got mega ninja'd.

 

[w1ndscar]

If only those who actually enjoyed and supported the game from before it was released to its final days could actually get anything special in this re-boot. :/ Me and my dad both spent over 120$ all together for us both to play in the beginning, and now everyone can play what we payed for for free.

 

[Rigs83]

I checked the forums and found a link to get the Gamesfirst downloader. APB is listed as downloadable
http://www.gamersfirst.com/index.php?q=download

 

[Art Axiv]

I still don't know why did APB fail so fast.

 

[John Funk]

I got in the Closed Beta, it's good, they changed quite a few things, but most issues will remain forever, narrow minded players who accuses anyone who wins of cheating, QQers and Rage Quitters, in any case, it's good.

The G1 installer install the game once you click on the "install" button in the APB section.

 

[w1ndscar]

I still don't know why did APB fail so fast.

Because the game was getting raped by hackers and exploiters, and wasn't generating enough money, as people started to leave do to the ease of people to hack.

There was a huge exploit where 3+ people would get together as criminals and enforcers, and one side would keep taking missions against the other, and win over and over again, till they were 5 stars, and work together to kill randoms that tried to collect bounties as they farm their friends. If you saw the same person constantly getting 5 stars, and they were always in a single spot in the corner of the map, that was what they were doing. And most of them used wall-hacks and things of the sort. I was their worst enemy

 

[Dr. wonderful]

I'm sign in as drwonderful234.

Hope to see some Escapist members.

 

[Reveras]

Laser eyes =.=

On their site (game site) to go Forums and there you will find a Download section with all their games in the top left on the bar somewhere.

 

[Art Axiv]

I still don't know why did APB fail so fast.

Because the game was getting raped by hackers and exploiters, and wasn't generating enough money, as people started to leave do to the ease of people to hack.

There was a huge exploit where 3+ people would get together as criminals and enforcers, and one side would keep taking missions against the other, and win over and over again, till they were 5 stars, and work together to kill randoms that tried to collect bounties as they farm their friends. If you saw the same person constantly getting 5 stars, and they were always in a single spot in the corner of the map, that was what they were doing. And most of them used wall-hacks and things of the sort. I was their worst enemy

Thanks, I've learned something thanks to you today!
The lesson is: QA is God.

 

[Korten12]

Been playing the Closed Beta, it is a lot of fun.

 

[w1ndscar]

*Snip*

*Snip*

Thanks, I've learned something thanks to you today!
The lesson is: QA is God.

No problem Oh yeah another problem was, every time Real Time Worlds made a patch or update, it was ALWAYS one sided towards the enforcers, I don't think there was a single patch that really helped or fixed the criminals. :/ And the enforcers stuns were way over powered, and you could actually get them at any level as long as you had the money for it off the auction house.

 

[Norris IV]

You know what I may actually give this a try, I didn't before because of my main principle of any MMO games, do not buy if you have to pay monthly to play, now it's free its worth a look

 

[Kopikatsu]

I'm sign in as drwonderful234.

Hope to see some Escapist members.

I'm AkuTheDemon. When it finally finishes DLing, I'll wreck you! Fun for all! (It's only at 6%. SO SLOW!)

I'll be making a female Enforcer, though.

...STOP JUDGING ME!

 

[Yoh3333]

I wish it didn't fail so early. They tried alittle bit too much innovation with the economy and ended up with a failing program.
Good thing is that now that it's free i can easily persuade my friends into giving it a go!

 

[josemlopes]

I also got in the closed beta and played about 20 hours, still had stuff to unlock and it was fun. Some bugs here and there (mainly the one that makes the cursor stutter, and also the textures having poor quality).

Keeping me interested for 20 hours is very good, especially for a MMO, if I find the game "meh" I will only play it about 2/3 hours. Its all about what the game has to offer and if it can give new fresh stuff to do to keep the player engaged.