If not for you fine Medal of Honor beta testers, we would't be able to shoot a bullet through the opening between a guy's legs in the final game. We can thank you for other things as well, brave testers.
An EA man explains on the PlayStation blog how the developers of his company's next big first-person shooter have changed their game thanks to feedback from a public multiplayer beta of the game .
For example:
Improved Hit Detection
This was a very big issue and came up many times in the forums. We are glad to say that hit detection has been vastly improved. We really tightened up the mechanics and essentially, wherever the bullet hits on the body - that is where the hit registers. It is even possible to shoot and have the bullet go between someone's legs – it is that precise!
and
Major Graphic Overhaul
The graphics have been overhauled and upgraded. We are happy to report that the game looks even more spectacular than before.
Let's assume that they would have implemented a graphics overhaul even without any beta feedback. Let's not assume that all these betas are just marketing stunts. This particular beta, according to the post, influenced changes in the game's tech tree and the frequency of support actions. Here's hoping these betas, like this one and that Halo Reach one in the spring, actually improve the games we play. Medal of Honor will be released in October, so we can find out then.
Beta Feedback: How You Helped Shape Medal of Honor's Multiplayer [PlayStation Blog]