T3 Entertainment's relaunch of the online multiplayer demon hunting PC game Hellgatekicks off its open beta phase today, inviting players in North America do help rid the world of the hellish hordes starting tonight at 7:30PM Eastern.
The closed beta test for the soon-to-be-revived Hellgate kicks off next month, and T3 Entertainment has your closed beta keys. Hit up the Hellgate website to secure one for yourself and relive the horror.
Korean publisher HanbitSoft is finally ready to reopen Hellgate, Flagship Studios' online multiplayer tale of demonic invasion, in North America. Closed beta for the free-to-play game launches in early June, with a full release coming later this year.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--mcwc6Hup--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hesqxegrfxdjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--vodeydp4--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hesqxegrfxdjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dDAcjU3k--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hesqxegrfxdjpg.jpg, (large)])
Proving you can't keep an ill-conceived MMO down, the Hellgate series is back. And it's moved on from London. And the English language. And now finds itself in Japan. Speaking Korean.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Z_kzRR1j--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j58yp6qbhsvjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ybEDNDFV--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j58yp6qbhsvjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0wGgk2so--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j58yp6qbhsvjpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Mn1i4Jrf--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j591022oq5qjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2BuBciIb--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j591022oq5qjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--s8ZaIkVQ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j591022oq5qjpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--j5I0JV2F--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18hhdvmp19q5qjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kDyhgway--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18hhdvmp19q5qjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--nypAbcaj--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18hhdvmp19q5qjpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--C_kP1R-6--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/18j59m5o2w0htjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--InjLYK34--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/18j59m5o2w0htjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--g7n8IcVc--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/18j59m5o2w0htjpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dRiCG-5w--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17n0ngvojah0njpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--DEVswM27--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17n0ngvojah0njpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--4-yqV7Rr--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17n0ngvojah0njpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0Z8bA51x--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17n03ueo5keupjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ErX_HCaw--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17n03ueo5keupjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--M5GVkZnV--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17n03ueo5keupjpg.jpg, (large)])
You might recall the demise of Hellgate developer Flagship Studios from last month, and the subsequent shutdown of Mythos and IP fight over Hellgate. Now Flagship's former Seattle team has reconstituted itself as Runic Games, continuing its focus on action-MMORPG games.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2pUuHkF---/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17mzse36pyvqjjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--EH7Oc1ma--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17mzse36pyvqjjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--0CWfnHi1--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17mzse36pyvqjjpg.jpg, (large)])
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Dxa86DZz--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17mzf9dd23xg0jpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--aMIEaDnZ--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17mzf9dd23xg0jpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Vzy9Dz4p--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17mzf9dd23xg0jpg.jpg, (large)])
Namco-Bandai may be stepping in to rescue Hellgate: London from embattled Flagship Studios, who recently suspended private testing for Mythos in the wake of widespread reports that the studio was shutting down.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--XsVyvt_R--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17mz1xj1ldhurjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--6PLEGw6D--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17mz1xj1ldhurjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--2-l6togZ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17mz1xj1ldhurjpg.jpg, (large)])
Word started passing yesterday that Flagship Studios went caput, and now multiple sites are reporting that the Hellgate developer is indeed no more.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--NDnBU5j6--/c_fill,g_north,h_358,w_636/17mxub4csug3cjpg.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--maDtLueb--/c_fill,g_north,h_180,w_320/17mxub4csug3cjpg.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Jv3AtkU5--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/17mxub4csug3cjpg.jpg, (large)])
What happens at the studio when a game doesn't sell as well as was hoped? Imagine being at Flagship Studios after Hellgate: London's launch stumbles, which 1UP identified as "one of the top 5 worst PC game launches of all time." Angry PC gamers even invented a special term, "Flagshipped," to refer to when a company…
