UbiSoft has announced that beta invitations will be issued for Throne of Oblivion based on seniority, i.e. those who have played Shadowbane the longest will be the first invited. 

Starting next week, Beta Invitation emails will be sent out to the Shadowbane Community. Invitations will be sent out to long-term members of our community that have accounts in good standing first. This will work much like the Gifts of Appreciation, meaning those who have been playing Shadowbane the longest will be on the top of our list. These will be sent in stages so if you do not get one on the first day, that does not mean you will not get one at all. A couple of quick notes: Make sure your email address on your Account is up-to-date If you use Hotmail or similar email services, keep an eye on your "spam" bin Finally, please remember that Beta Testing is not for people to have a sneak peek at the game, it is to help the Shadowbane Team test the product and make sure it creates an enjoyable playing experience.

The announcement can be seen here.  Click here to visit the official Shadowbane site.