Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion arrives in June, pre-orders begin

Expect to see the next Sins of a Solar Empire this summer, when the standalone Rebellion expansion arrives on June 12.  Stardock and Ironclad confirmed the release date today, and pre-orders have begun at the Stardock Store, Steam, and Impulse.  The Stardock store will also give discounts to owners of previous Sins games.

Pre-ordering from any of the aforementioned outlets will grant you instant access to the second Rebellion beta, which launched just last night.  A new preview video goes through what the current beta entails.  The voice you hear belongs to Stardock's Brian Clair.

In the new beta, players can access the Advent race, who have been split by civil war into two playable factions.  The Advent Loyalists seek to indoctrine other races into the Unity, and possess the unique ability to enforce their will upon other ships and entire planets.  In the other corner are the Advent Rebels, who believe the Unity is corrupt and seek to maintain their purity through "the preservation of their ships and fleet."  They're not above sacrificing their own people either.

The first beta preview, if you're curious, focused on the game's combat and other basics.  Check it out here, or move on to the second beta video below.

Beta #2 preview - YouTube