Matrix Online Stratics had some questions concerning yesterday's pre-release beta and release date announcements. We asked the Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) public relations department, who kindly responded to our questions this afternoon. Here's what they had to say.

MxOS: There is a set date of November 18th for the pre-order beta testing. Will everyone who pre-ordered be allowed to login on this date, or will it be a "rolling beta" as the current phase of beta has been? Does this date apply for European gamers as well? If not, when can they expect to get in?

WBIE: The entry is 11/18 for everyone who is in the pre-order beta. It is not a rolling beta. We will comment on Europe when we make a seperate announcement and the deal is finalized.

MxOS: How finished can we expect the game to be when the November open beta swings it's doors wide to the public? Will there still be a lot of bug finding and reporting yet to be done? How helpful and extensive has the closed beta experience been so far?

WBIE: The game's mechanics and abilities will be fully available to players in November, but the storyline will commence in January with the launch.

Beta testers will be able to experience many of the things that MxO is doing to take MMOs in new directions. The combat system is going to give players a much more tactile experience than anything they've seen in other MMOs. Another big improvement is the mission system, which will allow players to select how deep an experience they want each play session. MxO allows players to get in and out of the Matrix in 15 minutes and actually accomplish something or play for 20 hours of intense gaming.

Because there are so many innovative features in MxO, we wanted to give the pre-order group some time to really explore them. Then, when the story goes live [in January] they will have a pretty good idea and a sense of direction they want to take.

MxOS: Many people feel that Monolith and WBIE have not done all they can to communicate with the community surrounding the game in regards to things like the pre-order and release date. Fans are often not sure what to think about the secrecy surrounding this title. What would you say to those people? Are this announcement and the impending open beta steps towards a more open relationship with the fan base?

WBIE: A live team at Monolith is working closely with the players that are currently in the beta to implement feedback and make the necessary changes in order to make the game as tight as possible. There is also web support for players as they explore the game. We will be increasing the level of community interaction as we approach launch.

We always try to get information out as soon as possible. As you know, during the closed beta period many things can change in a game. We've been careful to only communicate information that we're confident will be accurate in the long term. Also, certain items about the storyline will be kept under wraps until launch in order to make it more exciting for the players.