Wizardry Online Open Beta Begins October 7th

I'm not sure if any languages other than Japanese will be supported, but VG247 brings word via Famitsu that Gamepot's Wizardry Online will enter open beta testing on October 7th in anticipation of a May 2012 release. Even if the world's most popular languages are supported, it's hard to say how many long-time Wizardry fans would even be interested in a Japanese-developed, free-to-play MMORPG:
Famitsu reports five playable races will feature human, elf, pokaru, dwarf, and norm. The latter two are gender restricted blokes only for dwarves, sheilas to the norm queue.

The auto-translation is a little unclear, but it looks like the full, free-to-play game will release in May next year. The Japanese retail release will go for ¥3,990 and include 30 days premium subscription including expanded inventory, increased experience gain and unique equipment and items.

Wizardry Online is based on the venerable Wizardry series, which began life in the early 1980'²s as one of the first graphical Dungeons and Dragons style role playing games. The tongue-in-cheek humour went over well with Westerners but was largely lost on the Japanese, who took the franchise and spun it out to around 40 quite serious titles.