Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – First Assault Online Beta Begins this Week

The first beta test for the recently-announced first-person online tactical shooter set in the Ghost in the Shell universe First Assault will begin on Thursday, Oct. 1 and end on Sunday, Oct. 4, publisher Nexon announced today.

Those who partake in the beta and reach level 2 will be rewarded with an exclusive weapon skin in the final release of the game. Additionally, playing during the stress test windows (1-3 p.m. PDT on Oct. 2-3) will be entered into a sweepstakes to win a Logitech Ultimate Hardware Bundle.

Maps included in the beta are inspired by the 2002-03 anime Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, such as Public Security Section 9 (PSS9), the headquarters of Section 9, the protagonist group from the anime.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – First Assault Online was announced earlier this month. An official description can be found below:

"First Assault references the anime source material while advancing the dark near-future universe and bringing it to a frenetic but tactical first-person shooter game environment. As an elite, augmented soldier, players will advance and master their character with upgrades and unlocks as they succeed in combat. Each character has exclusive attributes that reflect features of the original franchise, such as Motoko Kusanagi’s ‘Therm-optic Camouflage’ cloaking technology or Saito’s ability to enhance his vision and highlight enemy soldiers."

First Assault will launch in 2016 on PC. You can sign up for the closed beta here.