Just so we're on the same page, here's a quick recap of the more recent developments involving the soon-to-be revived MMO APB.
In November, reports snuck out that K2 Network, an organization that specializes in supporting and bringing Asian MMOs to other markets, purchased the rights to APB after the game went up for sale. Those reports were accurate--Reloaded Productions, a subsidiary of GamersFirst (which is a part of K2) confirmed the purchase a week or so later with a press release.
In the very same release, Reloaded Productions said it was turning APB into a free-to-play MMO that would be supported by micro-transactions. It also revealed plans to re-release APB as APB: Reloaded in Q1 2011, which happens to be, well, right about now. Got all that? Great!
Today's news is that the re-release appears to be on track for release. A closed beta for the new APB is scheduled to begin as early as "late February," according to the official APB Reloaded Twitter feed, which has yet to release any meaningful details about who can get in. More information, though, is slated to come next week, no doubt via email as well as other means.
Reloaded will, at the least, make APB a more cohesive experience. As Joystiq notes in its article about this forthcoming beta, there are plans to open up all of APB's zones to everyone, as well as, obviously, a plan to institute the usual free-to-play trimmings across the board--not just in starting zones or whatever. It almost goes without saying, but it'll be interesting to see how APB does the second time around. Surely, most of the jank and kinks have been worked out by now, right?
Right?