Empire: Total War Multiplayer Beta Begins

As promised, publisher Sega and developer Creative Assembly have kicked off the open beta to help test the multiplayer functionality coming to Empire: Total War (PC).

All owners of the historical strategy game, released this past March, are able to join in on the open beta by registering at the official website, after which they'll be e-mailed a key to download and play the beta client through Steam.

"Information and user feedback gathered from this Open Beta should help us getting the Campaign Multiplayer mode ready to be a regular feature in upcoming titles in the Total War series," creative director Mike Simpson noted previously.

A rundown of the open beta's features, as compiled by the developer, follow:

Empire multiplayer campaign beta features:

• Play on the entire Empire campaign map (All 3 theatres) against another player.

• Fight against far improved AI nations, overhauled by update 1.5.

• Work together or in competition to dominate the entire Empire campaign map.

• Play via LAN or the Internet through Steam.

• Engage in diplomacy with AI factions and another player.

• Betray or cooperate with a friend or enemy, the choice is yours.

• Fight real-time battles against the AI together, or have a friend take the AI's place in battle for the ultimate tactical challenge!