Namco Bandai will launch a closed PlayStation 3 beta program for Dark Souls 2 on October 5, the publisher announced. Sign-ups for the beta will start after September 5, at which point players will see a registration announcement on the game's official Facebook page.

Though the beta program is locked to PS3 owners, Dark Souls 2 will launch in March 2014 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Our co-opinion of the game from our time with the E3 demo was positive, though we reluctantly admitted that we're gluttons for the game's unrelenting punishment.