The Open World update is finally complete and will be launched tomorrow at approximately 9am GMT (world reset time).
I previously stated that only new characters would be allowed into the Open World for testing purposes. However, because I've been focusing on the Open World there are now actually more issues with the old game. For this reason I now feel that there will be far less problems if I simply move all characters over at the same time.
When the update happens (9am GMT), you'll be disconnected and the servers will be completely turned off. Shortly after that, the client update will be available on Steam. Note that you may need to log out and back into to Steam to get the patch right away. The servers should be up again within 10 minutes, at which point you'll need the latest update installed in order to play. When you log back in you should find all your characters are now in the Open World outside Dallbow Police Department. Note that any outstanding missions you had prior to the update will be unavailable, just like after a normal world reset.
I'd like to take this opportunity to warn you that the Open World update is a *massive* change. I've literally rewritten about 1/4 of the game's code to make this happen, and therefore there are bound to be all sorts of issues, ranging from bugs, to lag and balancing issues. Therefore I imagine that things may be a little chaotic in the first few days. All I can say is please be patient, and know that whatever happens I'll be working round the clock to get the game stable & balanced ASAP.
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you all tomorrow morning :)