So you want to demo the game help Sega find faults and report bugs in the Beta, do you? Well you can, now! The official site updated itself recently with details about how to sign up to it.
This post will also summarise other information relevant to the tests.

I was one of the cool people who got into the alpha tests!
Lucky you. You don’t need to do anything if you were either in the first test at all and/or you got at least 1 character to level 10 in the 2nd alpha.
So where do I start?
You will need to create a SEGA ID first,so you can start that by going here.
Ugh, but I can’t be arsed to fake being a Japanese person..
Errr.. Not that anyone did that anyway! But you don’t have to. All you need to supply is an email and a date of birth. That’s it.
Note: Japanese date format is yyyy-mm-dd.
It should be noted that while technically speaking the test is JP-only, Sega don’t seem to mind letting foreign players on board..
Help! I can’t use the website because it says a Japanese browser is required!
Naturally the page is in Japanese, but even if you have Japanese text support installed you may have issues viewing the page. You can resolve this by going to Firefox -> Options -> Options -> Content -> Choose Language -> Add Japanese using the dropdown menu.
How the hell am I supposed to solve a CAPCHA in JAPANESE!?
Well, if you have the Japanese IME installed you can just type in the katakana in that way, referring to a chart if you don’t know the symbols by heart. If you have no idea what an IME is or you can’t or don’t want to install one, you can just use this handy tool here. Even with these things helping you, it is a CAPCHA with all its inherent difficulties so er, good luck!
Update: So it seems that capcha might not be relevant to the sign-up process, however it is relevant when you want to log in later! As such, leaving this section in.
Right so I have an account, so what now?
If you can see the profile information you entered, you’re at the right spot. Click on a link underneath a blue button in the top corner (サービス選択へ), this will take you to account services. Click on the button below the 4th link on that page (it’s the longest one there, ファンタシースターオンライン2 クローズドβテスト参加申し込み) and you should be taken to the PSO2 Beta sign-up page
All you need to do then is click on the first button to agree to the terms and conditions.
That’s it, you’re in!
Beta Information
- The recruitment period is 3/26/2012 16:00JST ~ 4/16/2012 18:00 JST
- The test is scheduled to take place at the end of April, specific date yet to be announced
- Successful applicants will be informed at least a week before the tests take place
The character level cap is set to 30 this time.Subsequently this was set to level 20 due to uspecified balancing issues.- Up to 100,000 players may take part in this test
- Getting your character to at least level 10 will earn you a free room decoration for release, namely the “Weapon Hologram.”
- Data from the closed beta will not be carried over the open beta
- Data from the 2nd alpha tests will not be carried over to the closed beta
- Data from the open beta will be carried through to release
- Participants in the closed beta should automatically qualify for the open beta.
- The open beta test schedule will be announced after the closed beta tests end
What is in that’s new:
- Mags
- Symbol Art (the new improved symbol chat!)
- City area
- The city area boss,Dark Ragne
- New weapon types, Partisans, Launchers, Talis
- New photon arts of all combat types
- New character outfits
- New Arks Lobby
- Story content
- Matter-Board functionality
- Client orders
- Emergency Quests
- Arks Cash functionality
- All players will be given 10,000 Arks Cash to spend in the store however they please
- New room decorations
What may be in:
- Team functionality
What isn’t in:
- Researching…
Minimum Specs
- OS: Windows XP/Vista/7 32 bit OR Vista/7 64 bit
- CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
- RAM: Windows XP:1.5GB
- RAM: Vista/7:2GB
- HDD: 8GB
- RESOLUTION: 1280×720
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 7800GT
- SOUND: DirectX 9.0c
Be aware that the release version of the game may have different specs, however it should be noted that these specs have basically remained the same since the first Alpha test.
[Source: Bumped and PSO2 Official Site]