City of Heroes Pre-Order, Beta, and Launch Info

Cryptic Studios’ official City of Heroes website has been updated with information about getting into the beta, pre-ordering the game, and details about the game’s launch. A full rip to follow:

1) What’s in it for me if I Pre-order City of Heroes?
We’ve gone to great lengths to (reward) gamers who reserve City of Heroes. Here’s a quick list of all the perks:

GUARANTEED entry to BETA
A head start on the Production Servers early! All Pre-order customers will get to jump in the weekend before Launch!
Cool concept art, e-comic, screen shots and trailer on the limited-run pre-order bonus disc.
Receive a special (Sprint Prestige Power) (type varies by retailer)
Reserve a Character Name for Launch! (see details below)
Most importantly-You don’t want to miss out on the most novel, exciting experience to hit the MMORPG market.
2) I want to get into the beta-what can I do to increase my chances of being invited?
The only way to GUARANTEE entry into the Beta is to reserve a copy of the game and receive a free Pre-order bonus disc (this typically requires $10 down payment, but is subject to variation based on the specific retailer)

3) How soon will Pre-order customers be invited to the Beta?
Starting March 22nd we will be randomly adding Pre-order customers by the thousands. All customers are guaranteed entry to Beta by April 7th.

4) Are there other ways to receive a Beta invite?
Absolutely. We’ll be hosting a Public Beta Sign-up within the next couple of weeks. Also, keep any eye out on all the major online gaming sites as they will be hosting Beta account contests and giveaways. However, the majority of the people to be added to the Beta between now and launch will be pulled from the pre-order registration pool.

5) How does the character name reservation system work?

To reserve a Character Name for Launch, a player must have participated in the Beta.
The Character Name in the first slot of the in-game (character selection screen) will be reserved.
These names will only be reserved for two weeks after launch, at which time the reserved name lists will no longer be valid.
6) Will I be able to use my Beta Character in release?
We will be wiping the Beta databases before launch. However, ONLY Pre-order customers will be given a 3-day head start on the production servers.

7) A Re-cap of Dates to Know:

March 22nd Begin Adding Pre-order Customers to Beta
March 29th Host Public Beta Sign-up
April 7th All Pre-Order Customers Invited to Beta
April 14th Randomly Selected Public Beta Invites Sent Out
April 22nd Beta shutdown to prepare for Launch
April 25th 3-Day Pre-order only Head Start
April 28th Launch!