Game testers wanted for LEGO Universe online multiplayer

LEGO Universe, the latest and most ambitious Lego-themed video game, has flung open its doors to those who want first go on the game while it's still in testing.

Initially, free trials were only on offer to fans that visited LEGO's display at the Consumer Entertainment Show in Las Vegas this January.

Now, the announcement of a public beta phase means that the full game is likely to be less than six months away. Successful applicants will be able to play on a pre-release and in return help the developers improve the game before it goes on sale.

Recently, other games emphasizing online interaction such as Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Star Trek Online, and MAG started their public beta tests between four and five months prior to launching.

The LEGO toy line started life as a wooden toy company in the 1930s, and by the 1950s had grasped hold of a new technology - plastic.

The modern recreational shift to video games prompted LEGO to involve themselves in cross-over titles following up on popular films: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Batman have all found their characters given the LEGO treatment.

One major difference between LEGO Universe and previous LEGO video games is that it's not thought to make use of characters licensed from other franchises. Instead, the citizens of LEGO Universe are original LEGO creations.

Link: LEGO Universe public trial sign-up