Back in January, we told you about the closed beta for QUAKE Live - and we haven't really heard much about what's going on (I guess that's what happens in a closed beta...). However, we have just received news that the closed beta has ended! Even better than that, the open beta has started!

If you haven't yet had a chance to try out the "rehashed version" of Quake III Arena, now's the time - remember, this is all available in your browser for free! It's an ad-supported version of the game, built on the id Tech 3 engine, and focussing primarily on "gameplay speed" rather than necessarily the most flashy graphics.

id Software executive producer Marty Stratton explains:

"We've given it t the accessibility you would expect from a Web game. That enables us to do a lot of things you would expect from a sports site, in the way we present the statistics and information, and a social networking site, in the way we connect people and let them know what their friends are doing."

Based on the incredibly popular Quake III, it's hoped that the old-school fans will check out this new version - QUAKE Live - as well as gathering an all-new player-base of casual gamers. The new, custom engine promises in theory to balance teams properly, avoiding stacking - but at this stage, early beta testers are a little wary of how well it all works in practice. (It's important to remember this is a beta version, so you should probably expect a few bugs!)

If you want to check this one out, you'll need to head over to QUAKELive.com and sign up. Be prepared for some waits, every man, his dog and their neighbour are trying to log in right now, but you'll get there eventually!