Killzone 3 Multiplayer Open Beta update, new chance to win a Limited Helghast Edition for US and Canada

Killzone fans! It’s less than a week since the Killzone 3 Multiplayer Beta hit PlayStation Store, but already you’ve racked up some impressive numbers. There’s been a staggering 62 million – million! – kills, of which around 10% have been Brutal Melee kills. Some 400,000 games have been blitzed through, with well over half a million players appearing on the Killzone 3 leaderboards. And two of those players have stormed through the one million XP barrier already.

Your dedication to the cause hasn’t gone unnoticed over at developer Guerrilla Games. Far from it: the team has been working around the clock to analyze and act upon your feedback. Below you’ll find a round-up of issues discovered thanks to your hard work, and the solutions Guerrilla is working on to refine your experience.

High level issues discovered:

• Connection problems
• High load caused the database to fall over
• Score posting
• Flickering screens
• Ribbon stats not updating
• Vulgarity filter

Solutions underway:

• Guerrilla has already released a patch. At the time of writing this has gone live in the US and the EU. The other territories will follow shortly. We have no ETA on that.
• Guerrilla has made improvements for the server connection issues. The server was brought down and back up for that on Monday, February 7th.
• The problems with the vulgarity filter should be fixed now.
• Guerrilla will continue to update the servers and patch the Beta if needed. We’re watching your feedback closely on Killzone.com.
• Score posting issues have been resolved.
• Ribbon stats updating issue has been resolved, known issue is that 1 ribbon (the faster reload ribbon) does not update yet.

From Guerrilla Games: “We are happy that we are encountering these issues now, during a Beta, instead of after launch. This will help us get ready for the huge amount of people that are expected to go online for Killzone 3’s launch.

This Beta also gives us the opportunity to change Killzone 3 based on feedback that we get. Although we’ve already gone gold, we can and will make server-side adjustments to things like weapon damage, balancing issues, and more. So this is not a demo, it is meant to be a Beta — a way for us to test the game.

Thanks for your continued patience and help in getting this tested properly.”

Last week, we held a sweepstakes to give away 60 Killzone 3 Limited Helghast Editions (not sold in stores) to players who participate in the Multiplayer Open Beta. We had such a great response that we are running the sweepstakes again! Members of the Killzone 3 team will log on to the Multiplayer Open Beta throughout the sweepstakes and randomly select players in matches. We will not select players more than once during the sweepstakes, and we will notify the winners via the email address associated with their PSN account.

So, log on and play the Killzone 3 Multiplayer Open Beta from Friday, February 11th through Sunday, February 13th. We will be randomly selecting 20 participants each day who are playing in the Open Beta and notify winners via the email address associated with each entrant’s PSN account between February 17th, 2011 and February 25th, 2011.

Check out the full rules below.

And for all of our Canadian residents reading the PlayStation.Blog and wondering where their contest is, don’t worry! Our Canadian colleagues are holding a contest as well! From Friday, February 11 to Sunday, February 13, five Canadian participants playing in the Killzone 3 open beta will be randomly selected each day. All potential winners will be notified through their email address associated with their PSN account. Please note that you must be over the age of 18 to participate and the contest is not open to residents of Quebec. Click here for full rules.

Log on and good luck this weekend!

KILLZONE® 3 MULTIPLAYER OPEN BETA SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

By participating in the Killzone® 3 Multiplayer Open Beta Sweepstakes (the “Promotion”), each entrant (or his or her parent or legal guardian if the entrant is under the age of majority in his or her state of residence) unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (“Sponsor”), which shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor is responsible for the collection and scoring of entries and the overall administration of the Promotion. Entrants should look solely to Sponsor with any questions, comments or problems related to the Promotion.

1. ELIGIBILITY: Killzone 3 Multiplayer Open Beta Sweepstakes (the “Promotion”) is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Sponsor and its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and related companies, and agencies (collectively, the “Promotion Entities”) and immediate families (defined as parents, children, siblings and spouse and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and those living in the same household, whether or not related, are not eligible to enter or win. Void in all U.S. territories and possessions and overseas military installations and where prohibited or restricted by law.

2. TIMING: The Promotion begins February 11, 2011 at 9:00AM Pacific Standard Time (“PST”) and ends on February 13, 2011 at 8:00PM PST (the “Promotion Period”).

3. HOW TO ENTER: Internet access, a PlayStation®Network account and a PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system is required to enter this Promotion. To create an account go to the PlayStation®Network menu from a PS3™ XMB and choose “Sign up for PlayStation®Network”. Create an account by entering the required information. Once an account has been created, Entrants should log on to the PlayStation®Network and go to the PlayStation Store, sign in with your PlayStation Network ID and download and play the Killzone 3 Multiplayer Open Beta to your PS3™ system. Each time you play the Killzone 3 Mulitplayer Open Beta you are automatically entered into the drawing.

4. ENTRY CONDITIONS: Entrants may play the Killzone 3 Mulitplayer Open Beta as many times as they like during the Promotion Period but may only win once. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same email address. If there is a dispute regarding registration, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register will be deemed to be the entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned to an email address by an internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder.

5. PRIZE: Twenty (20) winning Entrants will be selected each day for a total of 60 winning Entrants in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received for each day during the Promotion Period to each receive a copy of the Killzone 3 Limited Helghast Edition game. Entries are good only for the day of entry and will not carry over to any remaining days. Approximate retail value is (“ARV”) $199.99. Please allow 6-8 weeks for prize delivery. Taxes on prize, if any, are solely the responsibility of the winner. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if a prize is unavailable. Sponsor may disqualify a winner and select an alternate winner if any prize is returned undeliverable. Prizes are non-transferable. Sponsor need not substitute a prize based on the winner’s request.

6. ODDS OF WINNING: The odds of winning depend on the total number of eligible entries received.

7. WINNER SELECTION:

7.1. Winner Notification: Drawings for all three days will be held at approximately 12:00P.M. (noon) PST on February 17, 2011. Prize fulfillment is based on availability. Sponsor will notify each winning Entrant via the email address given when they signed up for their PSN account. Each potential winning Entrant must respond to Sponsor’s notification within 7 days to claim their prize. If a potential winning Entrant does not respond within this time period, Sponsor may select an alternate winning Entrant from a daily pool of 20 back-up entries and notify those potential winning Entrants per the process described above. Prizes will only be awarded to those back-up Entrants who have responded to Sponsor’s notification within 7 days to claim their prize. All prizes not claimed from the back-up Entrants will not be awarded.

7.2. Required Documentation: The potential winning entrant must complete an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release (“Affidavit”) in accordance with the instructions listed in the notification correspondence. Sponsor must receive the completed Affidavit within 7 days of the date stated on the notification correspondence or Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, disqualify entrant. Any entrant who fails or refuses to sign and return the required documentation within the time period as specified by Sponsor will be disqualified. If a potential winning entrant is considered a minor in the legal jurisdiction in which the entrant resides, then that entrant’s parent or legal guardian will be required to execute and return the Affidavit. Non-compliance with these Official Rules or failure to return all required documentation by the stated deadline or Sponsor’s inability to contact an entrant (using the contact information provided in his or her registration) within a reasonable time period, as determined by Sponsor’s sole discretion may result in disqualification and the forfeiture of the prize.

8. PUBLICITY: Except where prohibited, participation in the Promotion constitutes entrant’s consent to Sponsor’s and its agent’s use of the entrant’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or compensation.

9. GENERAL CONDITIONS: Potential winning entrants are subject to Sponsor’s verification. Sponsor’s decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the Promotion. Potential winners must comply with the Official Rules, and receipt of prizes is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware or software failures, malfunctions, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions or unforeseen schedule changes that may limit an entrant’s ability to participate in the Promotion, even if caused by Sponsor’s negligence. Sponsor has the sole discretion to modify, cancel or suspend this Promotion should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control affect the administration, security or proper play of the Promotion or Sponsor otherwise becomes incapable of running the Promotion as planned. Sponsor is not responsible for changes to entrant’s contact information. Sponsor has the sole discretion to disqualify entrants who violate these Official Rules, tamper with the operation of the Promotion or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to Sponsor, the Promotion or any other entrant.

10. RELEASE: As a condition of participating in the Promotion, entrants release the Promotion Entities from liability, for loss, harm, damage, injury, cost or expense whatsoever including property damage, personal injury and death that may occur in connection with, preparation for, travel to, or participation in the Promotion, or possession, acceptance or use of prizes or participation in any Promotion-related activities and claims based on publicity rights, copyright or trademark infringement, defamation or invasion of privacy and merchandise delivery.

11. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Sponsor and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, parent corporations, advertising and promotional agencies, and all of their officers, directors, shareholders, employees, and agents are not responsible for: any incorrect or inaccurate entry information; human errors; technical malfunctions; failures, omissions, interruptions, deletions, or defects of any telephone network, computer online system, computer equipment, servers, providers, or software, including any injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s computer relating to participation or inability to participate in the Promotion; inability to access the Site or upload information or data; theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries; data that is processed late or incorrectly or is incomplete or lost due to telephone, computer, or electronic malfunction or traffic congestion on telephone lines or the Internet or any website (including the Site) or for any other reason whatsoever; printing or other errors; or any combination thereof. Proof of uploading information or data or entering information at the Site is not considered proof of delivery or receipt. Illegible, duplicate and incomplete entries will be disqualified. False, fraudulent, or deceptive entries or acts shall render entrants ineligible and all associated entries will be void.

12. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION: Information collected in connection with the Promotion will be collected in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, available at http://www.us.playstation.com/Support/PrivacyPolicy. By participating in the Promotion, each entrant agrees to the terms of Sponsor’s Privacy Policy.

13. GOVERNING LAW: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules or the rights and obligations of entrants or Sponsor in connection with this Promotion shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of California or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of any other state’s laws. Each of the parties hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the Federal and State Courts in San Mateo, California and waives any claim that is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of said courts or that any such suit or other proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or improper venue.

14. WINNER LIST: To obtain a winner list by mail, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to “Killzone® 3 Multiplayer Open Beta Helghast Edition Sweepstakes”, Attn: SCEA-PSN, 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City, CA 94404. Sponsor will send requested winner lists within 4-6 weeks after all prizes are awarded. Requests for the winner list must be received by April 17, 2011.

15. SPONSOR: Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC, 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404.