In the US, GameStop pre-order customers will get access on October 4, though some pre-order holders are being invited in today. Additionally, Sony will give beta access to "select" PlayStation Plus subscribers on October 4.

The beta includes two gameplay modes, Wanted and Alliance, though the latter will have to be "unlocked by the community." Similarly, two maps will be available from the start with a third unlocked by the community, presumably through playtime and kills.

Wanted - Adversarial mode: From six to eight players

• Objective: Obtain the highest possible score by killing assigned targets.
• Game session: 1 round of 10 minutes
• In this game mode, players have 10 minutes to reach the higher score by assassinating other players. A target is assigned by the system and players can only kill that specific target. Interaction with the other players is not permitted unless they are either a target or a pursuer. If players kill innocents they will trigger an 'open conflict'. The position of the player will be revealed to their target and then will have the ability to escape or to cancel the contract. If the target has identified one of his pursuers, he can stun him to cancel the contract and score points.

Alliance* - Cooperative mode: Three teams of two players

• Objective: Obtain the highest possible score with your teammate by killing the assigned team. The teammates share the same character.
• Game session: 2 rounds of 4 minutes
• At the beginning of the round, a target team is assigned to each of the three teams. Those targets will not change for the entire round. During the round, players can switch between their two targets at anytime. Players will score by killing targets or escaping or stunning pursuers, but in addition, are rewarded by helping their teammate or performing cooperative actions like multiple kills in a row. At the end of the first round, all players will respawn and a new target is assigned to each team. The game session ends at the end of the second round.

*Alliance Mode will be unlocked by the community.

Both modes will be playable on two different maps (Rome and Castel Gandolfo), with a third map to be unlocked by the community (Siena).

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood continues the story of Assassin's Creed II protagonist Ezio along with the described multiplayer offering. It will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on November 16. A PC version will follow in early 2011.