Biart’s upcoming Deep Black for the Xbox 360 and PS3 is scheduled to release later this summer, but the third-person shooter will soon turn into a MMOTPS for PC gamers and it will be free-to-play at that.

Konstantin Popov, Biart Studio's CEO commented in the press release, saying…

"We are using our own multiplatform technology biEngine while developing the Deep Black Online title. A player will have the same graphics quality as in the upcoming single-player game Deep Black." …. "Our company focuses on underwater themes in games and we are planning to demonstrate the full potential of Deep Black franchise in our MMOTPS project."

I think that Deep Black Online could be the first ever underwater based, MMO third-person shooter that also happens to be free-to-play. I’m just hoping they can bring enough creativity and originality to the table insofar that the game doesn’t feel like just another clone. The MMOFPS genre has become slightly over-saturated with a lot of the same military-themed shooters that all try to mimic Combat Arms and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

The upside to Deep Black Online is that customization plays a heavy part in player progress and there are more than 30 different undersea and above-ground weapons that will be featured in the game. Additionally, there will be three different game modes available at the game’s launch players will be able to face off against AI or each other in underwater environments, on the ground and up in the air. Most of the modes and maps will support anywhere between 8 and 24 players, so at least they’re moving above the standard-fare 16 player limit.

Deep Black Online is scheduled to head into closed beta testing starting in the fourth quarter of 2012. For more info or to keep up to date with the game, feel free to pay a kind visit to the Official Deep Black Website.