If you're desperate for punishment this fall, you're in luck: the folks at Namco Bandai have just announced that a closed beta for Dark Souls II will launch in October for the PlayStation 3.
To access the beta, which begins October 5, you'll have to check the Dark Souls Facebook page over the next month or so. That itself is a form of punishment worthy of the Dark Souls name.
Here's the full press release, via Namco Bandai:
SAN JOSE, Calif. – (August 21, 2013) – NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. is excited to confirm a special Closed-Beta-Test forDARK SOULS™ II; scheduled to begin on October 5, 2013 for players in North America and Europe on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system via the PlayStation®Network. Anxious fans will want to pay close attention to the DARK SOULS™ Facebook page beginning September 5th for continual DARK SOULS II news and updates regarding the registration process and details pertaining to theDARK SOULS II Closed-Beta.
The depth of the DARK SOULS II Closed-Beta experience will truly test players’ skill, intestinal fortitude, and their sheer will to survive. The DARK SOULS II Closed-Beta will delve into one of the most treacherous areas of the DARK SOULS II world; players will not only get an opportunity to explore an entirely new area of the game, but also experience overwhelming enemy encounters, diabolical challenges, and the unrelenting difficulty that only the developers at FromSoftware can deliver.
Dark Souls II is out in March for current-gen consoles and PC.