It's been a long time coming for Final Fantasy XIV. After a failed launch a few years ago, developer Square Enix has significantly overhauled their MMO and plan to re-release it later this month as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.

However, before the MMO's proper release, Square Enix has announced a few early opportunities for gamers to get in on the world-saving action. And it starts with an open beta.

From August 17th to August 19th, gamers will be able to hop onto the Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn servers for open beta testing. There, gamers will be able to experience the radical (and subtle) changes Square Enix has made to the game. Not only that, but this also will be an opportunity for PS3 players to see how the game works in a console atmosphere.

And then, those gamers that choose to pre-order Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn after their beta experience will be granted early access to the game on August 24th, three days before it officially launches. Those who pre-order will ostensibly be the first to play A Realm Reborn.

In addition to pre-order incentives, Square Enix also announced a few in-game incentives for players to enjoy. First up is something Square is calling 'Veteran Rewards,' which give players special bonuses based on their subscription.

For example, players that have a 90-day subscription will unlock more bonuses than someone with a 30 or 60-day subscription. What those bonuses might be we can't say, but we'd suspect they are new inventory items.

Shortly after launch (about a week), Square Enix will also be launching a new companion app called 'Final Fantasy XIV: Libra Eorzea', which will keep players up to date on the lore in A Realm Reborn. As with any Final Fantasy, A Realm Reborn's story and universe were built from the ground up for this game.

And finally, Square Enix is rewarding any early Final Fantasy XIV adopters (a.k.a. those who registered for this MMO the first time around) with free playtime from launch until September 9th. It must have certainly been disappointing to invest in an MMO only to watch it come crumbling down, so Square Enix wants to reward those gamers for their commitment.

With a lot riding on this second effort, Square Enix wants to ensure that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn doesn't fail again. The Final Fantasy series has waned quite a bit over these past few years, and it could really use a boost. We'll find out later this month whether this MMO is it.

Will you be participating in the Final Fantasy XIV beta on August 17th? Do you plan on jumping into the game proper when it officially launches?

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn releases August 27, 2013 for the PS3 and PC. Monthly subscriptions will cost $12.99 after a free 30-day trial for new accounts.