Psyonix’s Nosgoth, a competitive multiplayer title spun-off from the Legacy of Kain series, has been cancelled.

The Square Enix title was available in Steam Early Access and while the decision to cancel it wasn’t easy, the publisher noted that the “audience hasn’t grown enough to sustain ongoing operations.” Nosgoth servers will be up until May 31st after they go offline. You can’t purchase anything in the game going forward and if you spent any real money since March 1st, you will be refunded.

Fortunately, this cancellation won’t affect future projects in the series. A spokesperson told Eurogamer that future games will be “considered independently of Nosgoth and on the merits of the proposals alone.” Developer Psyonix also won’t be wanting for things to do – it’s busy with Rocket League, which is soaring to new heights of success on Xbox One, PS4 and PC with new content planned for the future.

What are your thoughts on Nosgoth’s cancellation? Let us know in the comments.

Legacy of Kain spin-off Nosgoth will finally be heading into open beta on PC, allowing everyone a chance to experience the free to play multiplayer title for themselves. The beta will be available on January 21st at 6 PM GMT/7 PM EST.

Director Corey Davis was upbeat about the open beta. “Thanks to our highly dedicated and very passionate community, we’ve had an amazing journey so far.

“Our goal for the Open Beta is to deliver a fun and engrossing metagame and we realize that working closely with our community is the best way for us to balance and deepen the experience going forward. We are thrilled to see what the future brings!”

Nosgoth functions very much like a squad-based multiplayer shooter with humans, who control the guns, facing off against vampires, who favour hack and slash melee combat. Each successive round sees both teams switching sides until one has the most points and wins. Stay tuned for more information on the game as it enters open beta.

Square Enix will be at Gamescom 2014 from August 13th to 17th and will be bringing in tons of different titles to show off. These include Lara Croft and The Temple of Osiris, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call, Nosgoth and much more. This includes Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King.

This will reportedly be Square Enix’s biggest showing yet as it will have more than 180 hands-on stations for players to try out games. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn fans will not only be able to play with 48 players in real time to fight off epic bosses but will also be able to experience the frontline PvP mode which sees 8 team of three squaring off against each other. Lara Croft and The Temple of Osiris will also be able to play and you can try out the new four player co-op in the process.

Sound good? Let us know in the comments below.

Update: Giveaway now closed.

GamingBolt is giving away 20 beta keys for the upcoming free-to-play multiplayer action game, Nosgoth. The game is under development by Psyonix and will be published by Square Enix.

We previewed the alpha version not too long ago and our every own William Borger liked what he played. “While the game still has minor technical problems, I’m impressed by what Psyonix has been able to do here, and how fun it is so far before release. Perhaps fittingly, one of my teammates summed up my thoughts very well as we were waiting on players for our next match. “Man,” he said, “this game is fun.” And indeed it is. It may not be the Legacy of Kain game many were hoping for, but if its alpha is anything to go by, it may be the one we need,” he said in his preview.

So, how do you get one of those beta keys? Simple. Just simply make a comment on this news post and tell us why you should win a code.

So get started!

Special thanks to Square Enix and Bender/Helper Impact for sending us the codes.

Square Enix’s Nosgoth, a free to play MMO set in the Legacy of Kain universe, is currently in the closed beta stage but the published has revealed that consumers can avail of various Founder Packs for the same to gain access.

There are six types of Founders’ Packs available – which you can view the details of here – but each pack promises exclusive content to weapon skins, character skins, friend invites, boosters, early access to advanced classes and of course, access to the closed beta. If you avail of any of the Founders’ Packs till April 2nd, 4 AM PDT, you’ll receive a 10 percent discount on the same.

Meanwhile, Nosgoth continues to receive support as new classes, abilities, modes, maps and much more on the way including a league ranking system, challenges, support for controllers, etc. If you’re in the Nosgoth closed beta already, let us know how the experience has been thus far.

In large part, it was the perfect storm, and Eidos seemed more than content to let the series rest in purgatory while they worked on better known franchises such as Deus Ex, Thief, Hitman, and Tomb Raider. Fans had reason to rejoice when Square Enix purchased Eidos and expressed interest in reviving all of the latter’s dormant brands, but little came of it where the Legacy of Kain franchise was concerned.

"Gameplay itself is standard four on four team deathmatch, but that’s not what makes the title special. What does make it special are the differences between the two factions."

At least, not until recently, when Square Enix registered a number of trademarks and domain names that made reference to the series, and there were a number of leaks that hinted that a new Legacy of Kain title could be in development. While many fans were no doubt excited, it’s fair to say that few were expecting the next title in the franchise to resemble a game like Nosgoth.

Unlike previous entries in the series, Nosgoth is not a single-player game. Instead, it is a free-to-play multiplayer title. Developer Psyonix has likened the title to a MOBA, but such terminology will likely have most picturing games like League of Legends and DOTA 2, and Nosgoth is simply not that type of game. Frankly, Nosgoth doesn’t fit into any one category, and the game is all the better for it.

The game pits humans against vampires. Gameplay itself is standard four on four team deathmatch, but that’s not what makes the title special. What does make it special are the differences between the two factions. Humans are smaller and relatively weak up close, relying on bows, crossbows, and grenade launcher-esque weapons, as well as flash grenades, fire bombs, and other tools of the trade to take the vampires out at range. The vampires, on the other hand, are close range monsters with the ability to fly, barrel through entire teams, and pounce upon unsuspecting humans. The game is played from a third person viewpoint, and alternates between the two styles quite easily. As a human, you’ll feel like you’re playing a third person shooter. As a vampire, you’re in the middle of a hack n’ slash.

"The Alchemist, however, is the most interesting. She carries a hand cannon that fires explosive concoctions, can drop a line of fire on the ground for quick escapes, and blind her enemies with flash grenades."

Classes add another layer of depth to the proceedings, and the vampires are easily the more varied of the two factions. As a Tyrant, you’ll be able to barrel through human enemies and send them flying, pound the ground and briefly stun your opponents, and protect yourself with a short burst of armor that prevents you from attacking. Choosing a Sentinel will allow you to fly, create powerful gusts of air with your wings, pick up your enemies and drop them from great heights, and dive onto unsuspecting humans. The quick and agile Reaver is at his best when he’s lurking in the shadows and pouncing on his enemies, dealing huge damage before he escapes through a haze of poisoned smoke at great speed, dodging everything you shoot at him.

That’s not to say that the humans are unprepared, however. The Hunter has access to crossbows, incendiary arrows, and a bola, which can incapacitate foes for a brief period of time. The Scout specializes in hit and run tactics, and can charge shots from his bow for more damage, use throwing knives, and call down a hail of arrows. The Alchemist, however, is the most interesting. She carries a hand cannon that fires explosive concoctions, can drop a line of fire on the ground for quick escapes, and blind her enemies with flash grenades.

The differences between each class makes each match exciting, and you’ll have to use each one, and work with your team if you hope to win, especially since you’ll have to play as both factions to win a match. The team with the best overall score wins, so you can play poorly in one round and still have a chance in the next. As such, mastering your classes is essential to victory, but you’ll have to learn the differences between the races, too. Vampires have the ability to scale walls, giving them access to more of the map, while humans can sprint, which makes it easier to get out of tight corners. Even health is handled differently. Both sides regenerate health after they’ve spent some time out of combat, but neither fully recovers on their own. Vampires will have to seek the corpses of defeated foes and drink their blood if they hope to stay healthy, while humans must make use of various caches scattered around the levels, which can also be used to restore ammunition.

"The game is surprisingly well-balanced given the differences between the factions, and matches are often decided by one good engagement. The graphics and sound are equally impressive, and little things, from the armor on the characters to the way they taunt one another after a kill, go a long way toward selling the setting."

Maps themselves are well designed, if a little samey, and offer a lot of verticality, so you can approach a situation from a variety of angles in any given encounter, especially as a vampire. On the flip side, humans have enough room to move as a team, and easy access to health and ammo reserves, though there’s never enough available to cause an imbalance. As such, gams are usually an intense game of cat and mouse. Humans will stick together, hoping to win the day through range and superior firepower, while vampires stalk the shadows looking for an opening, or if you’re a Tyrant, the opportunity to make one.

The game is surprisingly well-balanced given the differences between the factions, and matches are often decided by one good engagement. The graphics and sound are equally impressive, and little things, from the armor on the characters to the way they taunt one another after a kill, go a long way toward selling the setting.

Doing well in-game unlocks gold for the shop. Here, you’ll be able to buy new weapons, perks, and abilities, such as a leaping attack for your Tyrant or a flamethrower for your Alchemist. There are also experience boosters and vanity items for sale, and while all of this will require serious farming or real-world cash to unlock permanently (you can also rent items for a week for a fraction of their purchase price), none of it seems unbalanced, especially since most upgrades are marginal, and can only be equipped in certain slots.

While the game still has minor technical problems, I’m impressed by what Psyonix has been able to do here, and how fun it is so far before release. Perhaps fittingly, one of my teammates summed up my thoughts very well as we were waiting on players for our next match. “Man,” he said, “this game is fun.” And indeed it is. It may not be the Legacy of Kain game many were hoping for, but if its alpha is anything to go by, it may be the one we need.

Square Enix has announced that they are planning on re-opening the doors to testers once the development of their upcoming free-to-play multiplayer game, Nosgoth moves from closed alpha to a closed beta. As things stand currently, the game is still closed off in its alpha testing phase while developer Psyonix are ascertaining feedback from the first wave. This news seems to indicate that their current stable of testers is not providing sufficient feedback, necessitating more varied opinions.

In a recent statement regarding the status of Nosgoth, Square Enix wrote: “Unfortunately, we’ve had to limit the number of players during closed alpha to be able to test the game’s network infrastructure, but this will change soon once we get into closed beta and start letting more players in,”

Nosgoth is a massively multiplayer title set in the same universe as the Legacy Of Kain. It features intense PVP combat and is the first game related to the series since the 2003 title, Legacy of Kain: Defiance. A release date is still to be decided.

Source: Polygon

Square Enix’s free to play multiplayer title Nosgoth, which is a spin-off from the Legacy of Kain franchise and set in the same universe, is still a ways off from release. In fact, the title is in closed alpha testing and only accessible via invite. A trailer has nonetheless emerged off the same, showcasing the vampires within the game going to war with the humans. Check it out above.

Nosgoth is your typical RPG-esque title which will feature several classes among both races each with their own abilities and weapons which can be customized. You’ll also have branching skill sets and two vastly different play styles depending on which race you go for. While the vampires are up close and personal with melee attacks, the humans rely on ranged weaponry to fend off the forces of darkness.

As of now, Nosgoth has no release date. Stay tuned for more details, including platform availability, in the coming months.

Square Enix have announced that gamers in North America and Europe will now have access to the previously exclusive closed alpha of their upcoming title, Nosgoth. In commemoration, several screenshots have been released, which depict some action from the Nosgoth Alpha sessions that began last week.

Nosgoth allows players to partake in the ongoing war taking place between humans and vampires, pitted against one another in a fight for land control. Gamers will have the option of playing as either a human or a vampire in Nosgoth, and will be able to influence the tide of the war.

For which ever race you chose, there will be a number of character classes for you to pick between, each with their own inherent abilities, skills, strengths and weaknesses. It’s up to you to decide which character type is most effective for you.

Developed by Psyonix for release on PC via Steam, Nosgoth will see humans taking on vampires with the former using special equipment and hunting tools while the latter relies on close combat and supernatural powers. Gameplay will be from a third person perspective.

In a statement on the official blog, the developer has stated that, “At Psyonix, we’re passionate about team-based multiplayer games. When Square Enix approached us to help create Nosgoth, we were excited to use our experience working on titles like Bulletstorm, Gears of War, Mass Effect 3, and Unreal Tournament 2004 to deliver something unique in the multiplayer genre.

“We made the decision to go to free-to-play to break down barriers and let as many players into the game as possible. One of the key goals has been to create a fair experience that doesn’t penalise players who don’t spend money in the game, as such Nosgoth doesn’t include items, weapons or abilities that are inherently better (aka supremacy goods).”

Those interested can sign up for the closed beta here.