MechWarrior Online secures $5 million in Founder's Program funding

MechWarrior Online's Founder's Program, a pre-order promotion which granted exclusive mechs and other bonuses for purchasers of the still-in-development title, has raised $5 million for the title, developer Piranha Games announced today.

The promotion, which concluded October 14th, allows users to choose between three tiers of pre-orders — a $30 "Veteran" package, a $60 "Elite" package, and a $120 "Legendary" package — to unlock increasing amounts of in-game currency and exclusive mechs for when the game launches.

"The Founders are helping us fund, develop and support the game in order to deliver the best online gaming experience," said Kelly Zmak, president of MechWarrior Online publisher Infinite Game Publishing. "The tremendous success of the MechWarrior Online Founder's Program demonstrates how passionate the fans are for the MechWarrior franchise and reflect our management team understanding the rapidly changing online game industry, the fastest-growing sector of digital entertainment."

According to the press release, the open beta — which has been delayed from its original start date of today — will start allowing participants access "soon."