Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Beta: 5 Things to Know

Rarely are there games the size of Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare that capture the hearts and minds of gamers. The Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 beta begins this week. It’s a reminder of just how rabid the franchise’s fan base is.

Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 is a third-person shooter and tower defense game. Developed by Pop Cap and published by Electronic Arts, the original game for Xbox and PlayStation was a huge hit. Armed with the latest in comical weaponry, plants and zombies battle each other out for supremacy in large maps that are just as colorful and zany as they are.

Here’s what you need to know about the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 beta that’s available today for die-hard fans of the original game and new-comers alike.

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Beta Release Is Here

Again, the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 beta starts today, January 14th, for members of Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. Electronic Arts is opening the beta to everyone, meaning you don’t need to have pre-ordered the game or acquire a code to participate. The game will make it to Windows PCs too, but it doesn’t look like Origin will play host to the beta for some reason. A listing for a PC beta is missing from the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 bulletin that EA recently posted.

EA has said publicly that it’ll wrap up the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 beta on January 18th.

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Beta is on Xbox One and PlayStation 4

With the PC edition still missing, there are only two places to experience the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 beta right now. They are on Microsoft’s Xbox Live service for Xbox One and PlayStation Network and Sony’s PS4 console. Again there’s no purchase required, but participants can expect a hefty download.

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Beta Game Modes & Characters

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 is a hugely ambitious sequel with tons of different modes and changes for users to experience. A lot of those changes – like the single player experience – is being saved for the game’s final release in February.

What you’ll get during the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 beta is a robust sampling of what you’ll get when you purchase the final game. Starting the game takes you to what EA calls the Backyard Battleground. This area serves as a common area, a place where players can go to get action started quickly and admire all that they’ve accomplished in the game so far.

Flag of Power, the Quest Board and the Stats Room are accessible from the Backyard Battleground. Flag of Power is basically players battling over territorial control and raising their flags. Players get experience bonuses for completing tasks that are listed on the Quest Board. The Stats Room is where players go to learn about their kills and achievements they’ve unlocked so far. Accessory unlocks also surface here.

EA says that users won’t have complete access to the Backyard Battleground until the full game launches, but doesn’t say exactly which features will be missing during the beta.

Massive battles with 24 players each will take place on Moon Base Z and Seeds of Time. Moon Base Z players will get to play Herbal Assault, a game mode that forces team members to kill as much of the opposing team as possible. Players on Seeds of Time will get to experience Gardens & Graveyards. In that mode zombies attack while plants play defense. Electronic Arts plans to make the Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare beta more interesting by rotating in new content and modes every day that it’s available. Team Vanquish, Vanquish Confirmed, Gnome Bomb and Suburbination are all confirmed. Two other maps, Z-Tech Factory and Frosty Creek, are coming too.

Besides the characters returning from the original game, there are new additions that’ll be available during the beta.

Kernel Corn, Rose, Citron, Imp & Z-Mech, Super Brainz and Captain Deadbeard are all included in beta, Electronic Arts says. Kernel Corn is for offensive play and has rapid fire cob busters. Rose can transform opponents into goats using her magical powers. CItroncan travel through time. Imp & Z-Mech deal tons of damage using missiles.

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Beta Trailer

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 Release Date

If you like the Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 beta, remember to pre-order the final game ahead of its February 23rd release. Those that pre-order game get extra emoji packs and access to the Grass Effect 27 Mech armor set.

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2 costs $59.99 directly from the Xbox Store, Origin and PlayStation Store. Video game retailer GameStop offers physical copies of both the Standard and enhanced Deluxe Edition that costs $69.99.