The whole Monte Cristo team, developer and publisher of CITIES XL™, is delighted to announce you that the game’s official closed Beta begins today!

The regular Cities XL website and forums will be back online later today in order to face the current amount of visitors.

Those who were successful in their applications to join the CITIES XL Beta have just received their exclusive game keys and can begin playing the full beta version of the game right away! But don’t worry if you hadn’t applied yet or were unlucky during the draw: you can still get a key and download the Beta Client from the following partner websites:

• JeuxOnline
• MondesPeristants
• Strategy Informer
• SimCityPlaza
• Simtropolis

You may also be able to win Beta keys from these other sites:

United States:

• Fileplanet
• Gaming Excellence
• Facebook
• BigDowload
• GameSpot
• MMO fury
• MarkeeDragon
• Worthplaying
• FileFront
• Destructoid
• Twitter
• MMO Life
• Rejected Gamer

French:

• JeuxVideo.com
• Gamekult.com
• JeuxVideoPC.com
• JVN.com
• FactorNews.com

German:

• Gamestar.de
• PcGames.de
• OnlineWelten.com
• Gamers.at
• 4Players.de
• GamingXP.com
• Eurogamer.de

UK:

• ComputerandVideoGames
• Total PC Gaming
• MMO zine
• Altern8
• Games Radar

To be eligible for the Beta test, make sure your computer meets the following system requirements:

Minimal Configuration 

Desktop

• CPU: Intel Pentium 4 @ 2.5 GHz and AMD equivalent or higher
• RAM: 1 Go (XP), 1.5 Go (Vista)
• Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 6600GT / ATI Radeon X1600 or higher (256 Mo video memory minimum
  

Laptop    

• Platform: Intel Centrino 2 with Intel graphics chip
• RAM: 1.5 Go(XP), 2.5 Go (Vista)
  

All Support    

• Sound: DirectX compatible
• DVD ROM: 2x
• Hard Drive: 8 Gb Free
• OS: Microsoft Windows XP SP3 or Microsoft Windows Vista SP1
• DirectX: 9.0c

Recommended Configuration 

Desktop    

• Processor: Intel Core 2 or higher RAM    1.5 Go (XP), 2 Go (Vista)
• Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 8800 / ATI Radeon HD 3850 or higher (512 Mo video memory minimum)
  

Laptop    

• Platform: Intel Centrino 2 w/ nVidia or ATI GPU w/ 512 MB VRAM
• RAM: 1.5 Go (XP), 2.5 Go (Vista)
  

All Support    

• Sound: DirectX compatible
• DVD ROM: 2x
• Hard Drive: 8 Gb Free
• OS: Microsoft Windows XP SP3 or Microsoft Windows Vista SP1
• DirectX: 9.0c

We are looking forward to welcoming new members to the Beta program and wish all the Beta testers lots of fun playing Cities XL before everyone else!