Paradox Interactive announces that closed beta testing will commence today for The Showdown Effect, the 2.5D multiplayer shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios (Magicka). The game will also go on sale later today on this page, and those who pre-order are guaranteed immediate access to the beta, though they are also accepting applications from those willing to leave such things to chance. There's a live stream of the game planned for today at 2:00 pm EST on Twitch, which will show a tournament from PDXCon in Reykjavik, Iceland. Here's word on further bonuses for pre-ordering:

Combatants will also have the chance to size up the competition by watching a tournament of The Showdown Effect, streaming live from PDXCon in Reykjavik, Iceland on January 31, at 4 p.m. GMT (8 a.m. PST) on http://twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive .. The stream promises to be an unforgettable event, starring a handful of special guests; including YouTube personalities Angry Joe, NorthernLion, and Rage Gaming as well as Arrowhead’s Johan Pilestedt. It may (but probably won’t) be the last thing you ever see.