On the war-torn planets of tomorrow, mankind's greatest battle is about to begin. With its frontier colonies devastated by a growing insurrection, Earth dispatches the elite 8th Armoured Infantry (nicknamed "Section 8") to repel the coming onslaught.

The nickname refers to a discharge from an old United States military regulation for reason of being mentally unfit for service. The near-suicidal missions this division volunteers for brands them as insane by all other military units.

Section 8 deploys directly into battle from their orbital dropships, utilizing the most advanced arsenal of military hardware known to man. Their mission: to scout and secure difficult objectives, and smash the enemy defences in lightning-quick assaults.

Section 8 is an intense first-person shooter that allows players to dynamically alter the flow of combat as they see fit. Employing tactical assets and on-demand vehicle deliveries, players are given unprecedented strategic control over epic sci-fi battlefields.

The open beta will offer a look at the multiplayer mode with one of the maps from the final game, as well as all the weapons and a variety of vehicles, deployables, dynamic combat missions, and equipment. Players will immediately get to experience custom loadouts and the sensation of burning-in from 15,000 feet as they survey the battlefield.

More information about the open beta and sign-up details can be found at the official Section 8 website.

Features:

• Customize your loadouts like no other FPS
• Use Burn-In spawning to drop into the action from 15,000 feet
• Transform the battlefield with tactical assets and vehicle drops
• Battle across epic sci-fi landscapes
• Adapt to ever-evolving team, squad, and player strategies

So get ready to drop, Trooper! The war begins on Xbox 360 and PC on Sept. 1, 2009.