Grinding Gear Games announces today open beta testing is now underway for Path of Exile, their upcoming action/RPG. Since there will be no character wipes going forward, this can be considered a soft launch for the free-to-play game. Here's word:

Path of Exile is a PC online action role-playing game set in a dark fantasy world. Featuring ethical microtransactions, the game is free-to-play, but not pay-to-win. Playing as one of six character classes, players find themselves banished for their past misdeeds to the dark fantasy world of Wraeclast. There, they will encounter hundreds of species of opponents laden with loot and mysterious artifacts as they explore the abandoned continent.

Key features of Path of Exile:

• A dark and deep action RPG
• Build unlimited unique characters on a gigantic skill tree
• Combine over 110 skill gems to create unique combat strategies
• Explore a dark and gritty world rendered from a fixed 3D perspective
• Download and play for free, but never 'pay-to-win'
• Explore randomly generated levels for extreme replayability
• Craft weapons, magic items and even end-game maps to become more powerful
• Cooperate or compete with thousands of other exiles in a persistent online world
• Ascend online ladders in every game mode
• Battle in PVP tournaments for worldwide recognition