Ironclad Games' next micro-expansion for their hit space-based RTS game Sins of a Solar Empire, titled Diplomacy, is about to begin its first beta test. A note on the game's official web site has announced that the first beta release of Diplomacy will begin sometime on Monday. While the beta won't be feature complete nor "fun" to actually play (as per publisher Stardock's warning about their beta tests) it will go live for anyone who has pre-ordered the $9.99 expansion.

As we reported during PAX 2009, this will be the final micro-expansion for Sins of a Solar Empire with the final version to be released sometime this spring. Plans for a third micro-expansion have been canceled but it looks like Ironclad and Stardock have major future plans for the game franchise.