Hi-Rez Studios is planning to kick off the closed beta of Tribes: Ascend within the next few weeks, and has opened up registrations for interested testers. They promise that beta testers will number in the thousands, and more will be added through the end of the year as the company ramps up its testing in preparation for an early 2012 launch.

You can register through the game's official site. The beta will include four multiplayer maps, two game modes, three vehicles, and 12 playable classes. Matches support up to 32 players at a time. An Xbox 360 version is planned, but the game's "initial focus" is on the PC.