Uncharted 4 Gets Open Multiplayer Beta This Weekend, Yet Another Release Delay

While much of hype surrounding the upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive Uncharted 4: A Thief's End lately has been around the title's story, the game is also set to include an in-depth multiplayer mode. While a closed beta for the competitive modes was held back in December, Sony has revealed players around the world are invited to take part in another test period this weekend. Unfortunately, the bad news is that Uncharted 4's release date has been pushed back a few weeks, making it the latest in a number of delays for the game.

The goal of this weekend's beta, Sony says, is to conduct a Multiplayer Stress Test, which is why it's open to every PS4 owner, no pre-order or special purchase required. Even better is that those without a PlayStation Plus subscription, a requirement for normal multiplayer functions in games, isn't needed to try out Uncharted 4 this time.

As it's a stress test, Sony wants as many players on at the same time in order to make sure their networking and servers are up to par when the final version is released, as well as gather additional feedback on matchmaking and other gameplay elements. Also remember, because this is a beta, the multiplayer experience in the final release of the game may be significantly different from what we play this weekend.

So, when exactly can you start playing? From Friday, March 4 at 9:00 AM Pacific, until Sunday, March 6th at 11:59 PM Pacific. The Uncharted 4 Multiplayer Stress Test client should be available to download from the PlayStation Store on the PS4 now, so you can be ready to jump into some matches first thing on Friday morning.

Now, onto the disappointing news about the release delay. Sony has revealed that Uncharted 4 will now be released on May 10th, a full two weeks after the previous April 26th date. The company notes that the cause of the delay has nothing to do with development, but instead there's a need for additional manufacturing time to meet worldwide demand. The game is still on schedule to go gold later this month.

This marks the third significant delay for Uncharted 4, with the original launch last December pushed back to March, and then April. But hey, at least we'll get some playtime this weekend.

SOURCE PlayStation Blog 1, 2