With formidable fleets of starships, players will explore and conquer nearby planets and distant solar systems by applying brute force, cunning strategy, elegant diplomacy, economic mastery, and researched technology. Battle hardened capital ships advance in level, improving their core offensive and defensive systems, and unlocking their unique abilities. From research facilities to weapons platforms, planetary structures built on land and in orbit add to their planet's strategic and economic value.

Sins of a Solar Empire is an epic RT4X strategy game, providing grand-scale strategic gameplay in a real-time environment. Beta 2 once again allows would-be galactic commanders to play through single-player sandbox games as the Trader Emergency Coalition (TEC), acting as high-level strategists to conquer new planets and to manage diplomatic relations, then seamlessly moving to the role of battle commander — directing individual ships to attack priority targets — via Sins’ breakthrough 3D game engine.

Powered by Ironclad's proprietary Iron Engine and the Forge Tool Suite, a galaxy of intriguing aliens, powerful starships, and colossal planets comes to life with stunning 3D graphics, unparalleled sense of scale, and a cinematic musical score. Up to ten players can battle for galactic supremacy on IroncladOnline, the company's upcoming matchmaking, player ranking and statistics tracking service.

Sins of a Solar Empire puts players in charge of one of three distinct factions as they explore star systems, expand their empire, exploit conquered planets and exterminate their rivals, all in an intuitive real-time environment. The game’s unprecedented scale allows players to zoom from a view of multiple solar systems right down to a single fighter in the midst of a massive space battle, while the sophisticated interface ensures they’re not overwhelmed by their vast empire. Stunning visuals and remarkable artificial intelligence are among a massive number of features that help immerse players in this innovative strategy game that had PC Gamer warning its readers to “Expect to play into the wee hours of the night (and enjoy it).”

Features of Sins of a Solar Empire Beta 3 include:

• Multiplayer for up to 10 players via LAN or Ironclad Online (ICO), as well as 14 custom maps to accommodate various multiplayer game types
• New artifact/planet exploration system allowing players to spend resources to have analysts and scientists survey a planet's geography, indigenous wildlife, and core industries to determine how best to exploit the natural wealth of the planet
• Introduction of the ominous Pirate Base, all new pirate ships and new pirate behavior allowing players to influence pirate factions by economic means through new additions to the Bounty System
• New environmental features, including space anomalies, a new planet type and planetoids that factor heavily into players’ tactical choices and overall strategies
• The revolutionary Smart Zoom to Cursor camera, upgrades to the cultural system that allow players to intimidate enemies with capital ships, improved research mechanics, tons of new artwork, and many more improvements, updates and fixes

Sins of a Solar Empire is scheduled for release in February 2008.