Gaia Online's previously unnamed MMO project has finally entered closed beta and yes, been given a name: "zOMG!" No, really, that's the name. I think it works; it's catchy, and parents will have a fit trying to pronounce what their kids are playing. Over 120,000 Gaia community members have already applied for the beta. zOMG!

San Jose - July 28, 2008 Gaia Online, the world's most active online community, has launched its upcoming casual MMO into closed beta. Over 10,000 community members will be able to participate in the beta program.Gaia Online proudly announces that the game's official name will be "zOMG!", a term generated from the virtual world's active community. In development since 2006, zOMG! is scheduled for release this summer, and will give the community a new way to play, socialize, and explore.

In April, Gaia Online announced that it would accept requests for entry into the beta program. Over 120,000 applications to enter the closed beta were submitted by community members. Players selected from Gaia Online's active community of over five million will get the chance to play in-game with the creators of zOMG! and provide feedback on the game.

"Our Gaian community is loyal, vocal and not afraid to ask for what they want," said David Georgeson, senior developer of zOMG! at Gaia Online. "It only makes sense for online worlds to place a huge emphasis on community involvement. In our case, they aren't just the people who will play the game; they're the ones who asked for it."

Designed in a flash-based environment that is free and requires no downloads, players will interact in zOMG! by engaging in quests, battling monsters, exploring the beautiful worlds and socializing with friends. As an extension of the Gaia Online virtual world, the MMO game extends the current Gaia Online offerings, like mini games, customizable avatars, forums, and numerous creative and social outlets.

Visit www.zomg.com for more information about the closed beta program and new images from zOMG!.