Defiance second closed beta event starts Feb. 8, Trion Worlds launches Ark Hunter rewards program

Trion Worlds will hold a second closed beta event for its transmedia open-world shooter MMO Defiance on Feb. 8 through 10, the developer announced today.

The "Advanced Mission Beta 2," available for PC players only, begins on Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. ET and will end on Feb. 11 at midnight ET. Interested participants can sign up at the game's official website.

This second beta will take place in a futuristic version of the San Francisco bay area and will focus on the Ark Hunter role, a genetically enhanced mercenary tasked with recovering alien technology and treasure hunting.

Trion also launched the Ark Hunter Rewards program this week, a way for Defiance players interested in pursuing the Ark Hunter role to get a head start on mastering the profession. Among assets for the game that have been released to the public, Trion has hidden six digit alpha/numeric codes that can be redeemed online for in-game rewards. These goodies include higher-level weapon skills, in-game titles and early access to vehicles. All rewards found through the Ark Hunter program will be made available when Defiance launches in April.

Defiance will be released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC alongside the tie-in television show, which will debut on the Syfy Network on April 15.