TrackMania2 Stadium now in open beta

Dust dust dust as far as the eye can see gets a little boring, unless you're a Counter-Strike player. (I'm here all week; try the lamb.) If you fancy somewhere new to express your TrackMania, developer Nadeo today launch an open beta test of TrackMania2 Stadium, bringing you in from the Canyon to that classic TM environment. And hey, ManiaPlanet has gone all Steamy, so you can activate TM2 and ShootMania on Steam.

To start racing around 15 of the full version's 65 stadiums, simply download the client from Nadeo or Steam and log in with your regular ManiaPlanet account.

Yes, good news, Steamateers! TrackMania2 Canyon is finally on Steam, and you can pre-order TM2 Stadium there too. Or pre-order direct from Nadeo. If you've previously bought TM2 Canyon or ShootMania Storm, Nadeo says you can activate them on Steam with your game key.

As well as the new (old) environment, Stadium brings a new lighting engine and full ManiaPlanet integration, which gives users loads more tools for making their own content.

TrackMania2 Stadium is due to launch this April, priced at $9.99, but Nadeo's also planning a limited free version. Also on its way this year is TrackMania2 Valley.