Microsoft and Fasa announce Battletech 3025, a new multiplayer addition to the MechWarrior family said to support over 50,000 simultaneous players. Here is the full press release, and here is a portion of it which describes sign-ups for beta testing currently underway:

New Online Game Supports Over 50,000 Simultaneous Players

GEN CON® GAME FAIR/MILWAUKEE, WI -- Kesmai Corporation, the world leader in online games, today announced development and publishing plans for MultiPlayer BattleTech: 3025, an online game developed with capacity to support the largest game community at more than 50,000 simultaneous players. As the much-anticipated sequel to Kesmai’s MultiPlayer BattleTech: Solaris‘, MultiPlayer BattleTech: 3025 brings a persistent, role-playing world -- the battle for the Inner Sphere -- to the BattleTech universe.

Beginning today, BattleTech fans can register exclusively for MultiPlayer BattleTech: 3025 beta testing at http://www.battletech3025.com. The game will soon be available on Kesmai’s Internet games network, GameStorm at http://www.gamestorm.com. MultiPlayer BattleTech: 3025 is based on FASA Corporation and Microsoft“‘s popular BattleTech property, which encompasses a rich universe of stories, games and characters.

MultiPlayer BattleTech: 3025 is a large-scale military game that takes place in a persistent universe, where every day, the game dramatically changes and evolves. Players select their BattleMechs“ and battle on 3D, first-person battlefields for domination of one of the five great Houses to gain control of the Inner Sphere. The results of these battles determine territory won or lost for a specific House. Victorious players gain access to new, more powerful BattleMechs and rise in rank. The player’s ultimate goal is to become a House leader and win the war.