Hi-Rez Studios announced today that the first phase of the Tribes: Ascend closed beta will begin within the next few weeks. Players can apply to participate in the test on the game's official site. Here are some more details on the beta:

"During this initial beta phase, Tribes: Ascend players will experience 4 multiplayer maps, 2 game-modes and 3 vehicles as they progress thru 12 playable classes in fast-paced, high-flying online multiplayer matches of up to 32 people.

Hi-Rez Studios will continue to increase the number of beta participants through the end of this year in preparation for a general game release in Q1 of 2012."

If you haven't watched it yet, be sure to check out the recent Tribes: Ascend teaser gameplay video. The free-to-play shooter will pave the way for Hi-Rez's Tribes Universe, a persistent world MMOFPS that can handle large-scale combat.

Tribes: Ascend will be playable for the first time at QuakeCon next week, and Hi-Rez Studios has teased fans by releasing a new screenshot (seen above) that was taken from their recent playtest.

Although the game is still in closed alpha, QuakeCon attendees will get the first public hands-on with Tribes: Ascend at Booth 333 from August 4-7. Attendees can also register to win a limited number of keys to the Tribes: Ascend closed beta.

If you missed the first gameplay teaser trailer for Tribes: Ascend, you can watch it below. The free-to-play multiplayer shooter will pave the way for Hi-Rez's Tribes Universe, a persistent world MMOFPS that can handle large-scale combat.

IGN just posted the first gameplay teaser video for Tribes: Ascend! Hi-Rez Studios is bringing the Tribes franchise back to life with this free-to-play multiplayer shooter, which is scheduled to launch in fall 2011. It will pave the way for Hi-Rez's Tribes Universe, a persistent world MMOFPS that can handle large-scale combat.

While the game will be free-to-play, IGN explains that players will be buying loadouts, which determine characteristics like armor, movement and weapons. Hi-Rez plans to make new loadouts available regularly, much like champions in League of Legends.

Get you first look at Tribes: Ascend's gameplay below! So Tribes fans, what do you think? Does it look like Hi-Rez will do justice to the franchise?

Hi-Rez Studios hosted a Tribes: Ascend playtest today and have posted two screenshots from the event on the game's Facebook page. These are the first screenshots from the game that have been released. What do you think?

In celebration of surpassing 5,000 "likes" on the Tribes: Ascend Facebook page, Hi-Rez Studios has released concept art for the Shrike and GravCycle vehicles that will be appearing in the game.

Want to see the images? They're posted after the jump!

If you live near Alpharetta, Georgia and want to play and alpha build of Tribes: Ascend, you should fill out this application to participate in a playtest at Hi-Rez Studios' main office. If you're chosen, you'll need to sign a confidentiality agreement and promise to keep quiet about what you see during the test.

Hi-Rez Studios announced during PAX East last month that it plans to revive the Tribes franchise with Tribes: Ascend, a multiplayer shooter that will launch in late 2011. This game will pave the way for Tribes Universe, a persistent world MMOFPS that can handle large-scale combat.

Hi-Rez Studios announced during PAX East that it plans to revive the Tribes franchise with Tribes: Ascend, a multiplayer shooter that will launch in late 2011. This game will pave the way for Tribes Universe, a persistent world MMOFPS that can handle large-scale combat. 

To draw fans to the game's Facebook page, Hi-Rez has been releasing pieces of Tribes: Ascend concept art when various fan milestones are reached. Four pieces of art have been posted so far that feature the light and medium Blood Eagle and Diamond Sword. You can check them out after the jump.

Back in October 2010, Hi-Rez Studios announced that it was the proud new owner of the Tribes franchise and revealed that it is developing Tribes Universe, a persistent world MMOFPS that can handle large-scale combat. 

Well, the good news keeps coming for Tribes fans. Today at PAX East, Hi-Rez unveiled an announcement trailer for Tribes: Ascend, a multiplayer shooter that will launch in late 2011 and pave the way for Tribes Universe.

Hi-Rez Studios COO Todd Harris confirmed that the company is still committed to developing the Tribes MMO, but feels this move is the best way to reintroduce the sci-fi franchise to the world:

"Before Halo, before Modern Warfare, and before Battlefield, there was Tribes. Tribes fans appreciate the game's essence - athletic FPS combat combined with teamwork and strategy.  As we began development of Tribes Universe, we focused first on capturing that essence - refining and modernizing iconic elements like jetpacks, skiing, and vehicles. We’ve had tremendous fun play-testing and realized the potential of a multiplayer focused title ahead of Tribes Universe. The community has been waiting for a multi-player shooter that is the modern successor to T2. Tribes: Ascend is that game.”

Tribes: Ascend will be available as a single purchase digital download on PC and Xbox 360. Additional consoles are currently under consideration. Check out the teaser trailer after the jump!

Hi-Rez Studios has just announced that they are looking for alpha testers for the new Tribes Universe MMO. Gamers can register now by visiting TribesUniverse.com.The alpha is set to begin in early 2011.

"Tribes Universe is a persistent online shooter from Hi-Rez Studios, set inside the game universe popularized by such classic titles as Earthsiege, Starsiege, Starsiege:Tribes, Tribes 2 and Tribes Vengeance."

Hi-Rez just announced the game earlier this week. For more information, read our previous post.

Hi-Rez Studios CEO Erez Goren just announced on the Global Agenda forums that the company is the proud new owner of the Tribes franchise, which consists of a series of sci-fi first-person shooter games that were released between 1998 and 2004. Hi-Rez is currently working on Tribes Universe, an MMOFPS that should enter alpha testing in about three months.

This new endeavor will allow Hi-Rez to focus on large-scale combat, which the team admittedly can't do with Global Agenda. Tribes Universe will feature fights that consist of more than 100 players, as well as full vehicle support and jetpacks. The game will be comprised of a persistent world without any instances.

Hi-Rez now has two groups in the studio to work on both Global Agenda and Tribes Universe, and will soon be moving into a larger office space to accomodate the company's growth. Global Agenda players with level 50 characters will have priority in entering alpha and beta testing, so start leveling now if you're interested in Tribes Universe.

For more details, check out Goren's announcement after the jump.