Unity of Command 2 will be out in November, beta signups are open

Unity of Command 2 was announced earlier this year as a dramatically updated sequel to the outstanding 2012 strategy wargame Unity of Command. It pits the Axis and Allies against one another in Europe through the years 1942-45, with a new 3D engine that promises to give the battlefield a far more detailed and dynamic look. New systems, including HQ locations and bonus objectives, promise to add further depth to the experience.

Developer 2x2 Games said today Unity of Command 2 is now in the final stages of development, which means two things: One, that it will be out in November, and two, that a closed beta test will kick off later this month. The beta will include the scenario editor and support for hotseat multiplayer (but not online multi), and will be available through the Steam version of the game—Mac and non-Steam releases are planned, but aren't currently set for testing.

Everybody is welcome to apply, and participants will be chosen at random: 2x2 said the application questionnaire is in place mainly to weed out trolls. But it was also very clear that the test isn't just a free-to-play weekend.

"Before applying, please consider whether you have enough free time during the first week of the test. You will be needing several hours to familiarize yourself with the game, playtest, and then provide feedback and comment," the studio said. "We need all of this (including feedback) to happen during the first week of the test, otherwise it's of limited usefulness to the project."

A solid release date for Unity of Command 2 will be announced soon. For now, you can apply for the closed beta test here, and tack it onto your wishlist on Steam.