The open beta for Gaia Online's new casual MMO "zOMG!" will open on Oct. 27 for Gaia community members. According to a press release, "8,500 lucky Golden Ticket holders will be the first entrants, scoring exclusive early playtime in the casual MMO before the first wave of Gaians flood the game’s gates."

zOMG! will most likely be out of beta later this year. Over 120,000 players applied to be a part of the closed beta, which launched in July.

The full press release can be found after the jump. More information on Gaia Online or zOMG! can be found on their respective Web sites.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Oct. 22, 2008 - Gaia Online, the world's most active online community, today announced its development team is making final preparations for the zOMG! Open Beta and will begin rolling out game access to Gaia community members on October 27th. 8,500 lucky Golden Ticket holders will be the first entrants, scoring exclusive early playtime in the casual MMO before the first wave of Gaians flood the game’s gates. zOMG! was created in response to requests from the Gaia community, and their feedback has been the principal driving element in every step of the game’s development. Fervent members participated in focus groups and closed beta testing sessions, and even held a contest to choose the game’s name. Now, the community is getting an opportunity to explore the zOMG! Open Beta before anyone else.

“We know users are anxious to get in and play, and we’re firing on all cylinders to ensure our servers can meet the incredible demand,” said David Georgeson, Senior Producer of zOMG! at Gaia Online. “We’re squeezing Gaians in as quickly as possible, but are 100% dedicated to delivering on our vision of a beautiful, immersive and entertaining casual MMO for players of all persuasions.”

Gaia has utilized Golden Tickets throughout the game’s development to increase community involvement and select participants for the zOMG! Beta program. Enthusiastic Gaians took part in booth promotions at NY Comic Con and Anime Expo during the Closed Beta, and purchased zOMG! Rumble Boxes in the virtual goods marketplace for a shot at Golden Tickets for the upcoming Open Beta. These dedicated virtual world denizens are thirsty for a taste of the action, and clamoring for the prestigious prize of first in-game access.

“We received over 120,000 applications for the Closed Beta from our virtual world community, but obviously couldn’t let them all in,” said Craig Sherman, CEO of Gaia Online. “Members complete hundreds of thousands of micro-transactions per day in the marketplace, and we think the Golden Tickets are a great way to choose which loyal users win this very cool opportunity.”

As Gaians begin lining up at the entry gates of zOMG!, the development team is busy making sure zOMG! can accommodate the rush of eager avatars. Everyone can’t possibly fit through the door at once, so seniority will pay off big-time for Gaians when zOMG! begins rolling out its Open Beta next week. After Golden Ticket holders, virtual world community members with the longest active accounts (4+ years on Gaia) get the first spot in line. The complete rollout schedule will be announced shortly, and general public access will be established once the Gaia community is safely in-game. zOMG! will likely be out of Beta later this year and will continue to grow and evolve over time, as members offer feedback and continue to shape their world.