PotBS - Dev Journal @ MMORPG.com

Producer, John Scott Tyne, talks about the Pirates of the Burning Sea beta testing in his latest developer journal at MMORPG.com.

Operating an MMO beta is fantastic. You get all the fun of interacting with real players who are really playing your game, but you're still below the radar enough that the pressure isn't overwhelming. It's a great opportunity to learn what it's going to be like to run a live service.

We started our beta program a year ago, in late 2005. Players who tried the game back then and then tried it again more recently are amazed at how much has changed. But that's what a year of development gets you! The game has come a long, long way in that year and is much better than ever before.