Want to try out WildStar, the upcoming PC MMO from a team for former Blizzard designers, before its release later this year? You're in luck, as developer Carbine Studios has announced that it will hold an open beta for WildStar beginning May 8 and running through May 18.

　　Starting Thursday, you can visit the WildStar open beta page and request a key. If you've already participated in another WildStar beta event, you're already good to do. The WildStar beta lets you advance through the game up to level 30.

　　To mark the release of the WildStar open beta, Carbine Studios will host a 30-minute livestream at its Twitch channel on Thursday starting at 11 a.m. PDT. Developers will provide a "state of the game" update, talk about why they think WildStar will shake up the MMO space, and answer fan questions.

　　A second WildStar livestream will be held on Friday, May 9, also starting at 11 a.m. PDT. Developers will talk about the challenges of getting WildStar ready for release, provide a first look at higher level open beta content, and even potentially reveal "post launch content gameplay." The WildStar team will also field questions from social media.

　　WildStar launches June 3 for PC, and it went gold last month. The game's business model is a hybridized. Carbine Studios will sell a monthly subscription for $15, while you can also use an in-game item called C.R.E.D.D. to earn game time. You can do this through buying it from other players using in-game gold or you can purchase it directly from Carbine Studios at the WildStar website for $20.