UPDATE: Registration for the Cities XL beta is now closed.

According to an e-mail sent out by Monte Cristo Games, the first beta phase for Cities XL ended this morning at 11 a.m. Pacific time, and the launch of the second beta is right around the corner. An announcement on the Cities XL Web site states today is the last day you can register for the beta, so head over to the registration page if you'd like to get the chance to construct cities with thousands of players from around the world.

Also, if you haven't seen them yet, check out our exclusive screenshots from the Massively Multiplayer Online City Building Game, and keep an eye out for our exclusive interview with the Monte Cristo team and our hands-on demonstration write-up.