There was a point at which I would have told you I would never be excited for any MMO again. I put my time in with many in the past (and by "put my time in", I mean "countless hours on end"), but by the time I was done I felt I had gotten the MMO bug out of my system, and preferred to focus on games that left time for, oh, I don't know, REAL LIFE.

Then, of course, came the announcement that my beloved Shin Megami Tensei series was being adapted into an MMO. Surely just for Japan, I thought, clutching my handkerchief for dear life. But no -- for North America as well.

It was announced today that signups for the closed beta are now open at the Aeria Games website. The beta will run through December 1st, and the game will be completely free to play upon its release. I usually regard this as a harbinger of doom when it comes to finding a quality MMO, but considering what the content is based on, I am going to give it a spin anyway.

We'll give you a full preview on the beta after we've gotten some hands on time with it, but in the meantime I will be waiting with bated breath to see if this game lives up to its legacy.

Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online Closed Beta Signups Are Open

Santa Clara, Calif. - November 4, 2008 - The highly anticipated MMORPG published by Aeria Games, Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online began closed beta signup applications for North American and European members.

English-speaking fans of the Atlus Co., Ltd owned Shin Megami Tensei series (Persona, Digital Devil Saga, among others) are encouraged to register in order to preview the game before it is made available to all members of the public.

Registration and membership to the game is free.  All titles by Aeria Games operate on the "free-to-play" business model where revenue is generated from the sale of optional virtual items that can be used in the game.

The closed beta application phase is scheduled to run until Dec. 1, at which point, select players will be given access to play the game.

Interested players can access the signup website at: http://megaten.aeriagames.com/signup

About Aeria Games: Aeria Games is the dynamic gaming community where players of all backgrounds and interests can connect, share, and enjoy an unparalleled variety of Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) games from all over the world. Our vision is to provide the best Community Gaming Experience and Service to each and every one of our players and best of all, every game is FREE to Play! Start playing our games today by registering for your Aeria Games account at http://www.aeriagames.com. Founded in 2006, Aeria Games & Entertainment, Inc. is based in Silicon Valley, California.