It's been three months since Metal Gear Solid V's competitive multiplayer component hit consoles, so espionage obsessives will be pleased to hear that it has finally been dated for PC: today, January 12. At least, that's when it will be entering a short beta phase to put Steam through its paces, hopefully avoiding the unstable matchmaking that accompanied the console launch.

Community manager Robert Peeler announced the beta on Twitch, stating that they're aiming for a 10pm PST launch but warning that it may slip by a couple of hours. To participate, simply opt in under your Steam Metal Gear Solid V beta preferences.

In addition to the three staple modes of Cloak and Dagger, Comm Control and Bounty Hunter, Metal Gear Online will shortly be joined by an unnamed Mother Base-inspired map, and we're being invited to christen it according to Metal Gear convention: a colour, followed by "a proper noun for a structure". For example, Red Fortress, Jade Forest, Black Station and so on. You can send suggestions via the @MetalGearOnline Twitter account.