The third closed beta event for Aion kicks off today at noon PDT and runs through Monday. According to the announcement, "dedicated testers will focus on the first 20 levels of both the Elyos and Asmodians, including brand new localized content for both factions." You can read more about the third test, as well as view the schedule for upcoming beta events, after the jump.

Players participating in this weekend's beta can also enter a contest to win a four-day trip to Seattle to attend the Aion launch party in the Seattle Space Needle. All you need to do is reach level 3 during the third closed beta test. More details and rules can be found on the official contest page. If you're not currently in the beta, you can still preorder the game to get immediate access to all current and future Aion beta events.

Take part in the sizzling action in Aion this Fourth of July/Canada Day weekend! The third closed beta event starts with a bang this holiday weekend on Thursday, July 2 (12:00 PM PT, 9:00 PM CEST, 8:00 PM BST) and ends Monday, July 6 (12:00 PM PT, 9:00 PM CEST, 8:00 PM BST).

For this event, it's time to choose where your loyalties lie in the explosive war for Atreia. Dedicated testers will focus on the first 20 levels of both the Elyos and Asmodians, including brand new localized content for both factions.

Are you playing in this weekend's hottest event? Drop by the official beta forums beginning on July 1 at 8:00 AM PST to share your experiences while testing Aion.

Thanks to the continued diligence from the first two closed beta events, the third event includes several updates and changes in the game content:

- Added GameGuard beta file for Windows 7; please note this file is still in testing and is not yet an official public release
- Added a new full installer (found on FilePlanet)
- Added new launch quality content for the following zones: Poeta, Verteron, Altgard and Morheim
- Various text changes that fixed broken quests and trainers
- Various text changes that fixed minor grammatical errors in quests and NPC dialogues

Don't forget about even more closed beta events coming your way this summer!

Upcoming Closed Beta Events:

Closed Beta Event #4 - July 17-July 20 Focus: Elyos and Asmodian levels 1-25
Closed Beta Event #5 - July 31-August 3 Focus: TBD
Closed Beta Event #6 - August 14-August 17 Focus: TBD

As always, stay tuned to the official web site and the Aion team Twitters (@aion_ayase, @aion_amboss, @aion_liv, and @aion_xaen) for more news and your chance to be a part of the closed beta.

Happy Fourth of July! And Happy Canada Day! from the Aion team, and we'll see you in Atreia this weekend!