Former Maxis employee and outspoken developer Chris Hecker has received a steady stream of attention since debuting his independent creation, SpyParty, at GDC a few years back. Hecker has been showing off updated versions of SpyParty at various trade shows, including some fascinating-to-watch demonstrations at PAX, but the project moved one step closer to reality today, moving into a paid beta.

The paid beta (aka the Minecraft model) will cost you $15, according to Hecker.

"This will let you play the beta as much as you want as I update it over SpyParty’s development, and also get you a copy of the finished game when it’s released on PC," he said. "I still have a lot of work to do in figuring the details out, so this stuff could change, but $15 is what you should expect when you get your invitation."

Minecraft will transition from paid beta to final game in November. SpyParty isn't anywhere near that, with Hecker noting it's a "long way from the finish line," so a release date is the furthest thing from his mind.

If you'd like to sign up for the beta, head on over to the official SpyParty website.