The beta is now available for download on the PSN for 741megs.

an open Metal Gear Online beta for Europe and will be available for download from April 17 and will be entirely open to everyone who downloads it until May 6

the beta features two of the full game's five maps - Blood Bath, a "kill house consisting of both surface and underground areas", and Groznyi Grad, a "now abandoned weapons factory that housed the Shagohod in Metal Gear Solid 3" featuring "open areas offering unobstructed views as well as indoor and rooftop locations".

Gameplay modes are deathmatch, team deathmatch, Base Mission (capture and hold) and Capture Mission (CTF) for up to 16 players, and the PlayStation Blog post also has a list of available items, including all your old favourites - claymores, stun grenades, magazines and cardboard boxes.

eurogamer

PSN Store Link here for sceens, details etc. I think at the moment it is just a preload - activated on the 21st.

Heh, once you download the 741megs theres a nice patch waiting as well. Downloads at about 100kb/s when I was doing it.

anyone having a problem with getting a konami id should try now, just tried it and worked fine, no slow loading pages no error messages

what the f*** is with this s***.
After downloading the system update to get to the store, i downloaded the demo. Then I download it, then another f***ing patch that goes at 14kb/s for some reason so I leave it on alnight.

Now I install the demo, then it asks for this f***ing registration bulls*** that takes forever, then, once trying to connect it just says 'cannot connect to server' without even attempting to.

GAH!

Because the launch has been delayed until Saturday aussie time. Agreed, it has been a painful process signing up. Luckily they figure all this crap out while it is in beta mode.