New high level dungeon introduced in Runes of Magic
The Origin leads players along the Elf kingdom’s sunken paths
The secret of the Elven folk in Runes of Magic has laid deeply hidden in the Aslan Valley for centuries. Yet dark demons have corrupted the Ents, the peace-loving guardians of this holy place, which is known throughout Taborea as ‘The Origin’. Beginning 15 September, brave adventurers can explore Runes of Magic’s high level group dungeon, ‘The Origin’ and support the Elves in leading the Ents back to the righteous path.
In the instance, players encounter opponents which are closely bonded to nature and have settled under the open skies in an abandoned Elven city. Together with elemental beings and the powerful Ents, players face mutant beetles and bloodworms, which have brought about the corruption.
Players will have to confront four bosses before they can unlock the secret of the Elves and bring the sacred tree, Falynum, back to its senses. The encounter with the giant tree presents a huge challenge: In the course of the combat, Falynum summons assistance. Later on, an opponent who was already believed to have been beaten returns to the fray.
After ‘The Origin’ goes live on 15 September, additional instances will be added to the new zones of ‘Chapter II – The Elven Prophecy’. With this, Frogster is ensuring that the second chapter of Runes of Magic will also give players a broad range of challenges in the high level areas.
Runes of Magic – A world full of magic and adventure
Runes of Magic has redefined the standard for free-to-play MMORPGs in terms of gameplay, fun and quality. The online role play game carries an exciting, multi-layered story, driven by more than 2,000 quests set in the atmospheric fantasy world of Taborea. To date, Runes of Magic has attracted more than 1.6 million registered users, making it one of the most successful titles in the free-to-play segment, and a must play game for all fans of MMOs and RPGs.
Runes of Magic features a unique dual class system enabling players to combine one of eight primary classes with a secondary class. The result is a deep player experience that expands upon the game’s deep customization offering. There are two different playable races, Elves and Humans, from which players can choose. Each dual class combination produces its own powerful elite skills. Another popular feature is the opportunity to furnish your own completely individual virtual home, and guilds can construct guild castles, which can be expanded with additional buildings. Thanks to comprehensive crafting and reputation systems, gripping PvP features, deep customization and demanding dungeons, Runes of Magic has something for everyone.
Taiwanese developer Runewaker regularly expands the game world with new free content and challenges.
Runes of Magic Features
- Dual class system with eight classes and unique elite skills
- Individual furnishing of player housing and guild castles
- In-depth story experienced through above 2,000 quests laced with epic quest-lines
- Gripping Player-versus-Player duels in arenas and on the battlefield
- Easy travel using portal stones and a wide range of rideable animals
- Challenging boss-combat in dangerous and extensive dungeons with up to 36 simultaneous players
- Entertaining mini-games offering variety to the hero’s routine
- Dynamic crafting and customization of items
- Regular comprehensive free updates with new game content
- Free-to-Play: No monthly subscriptions, free to download the game
Facts
Title: Runes of Magic
Genre: Fantasy MMORPG
Platform: Windows PC
Publisher: Frogster Online Gaming GmbH
Developer: Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.
Release:
19.03.2009 “Chapter I – Rise of the Demon Lord”
15.09.2009 “Chapter II – The Elven Prophecy”
USK: from 12 years
PEGI: 12+
ORDER OF WAR set to invade North America on September 22, 2009
Square Enix Announces Ship Date for Its First WWII Real-Time Strategy Game
Square Enix, Inc. announced that ORDER OF WAR(TM) will ship to North American retailers on September 22, 2009.
ORDER OF WAR is a brand-new IP set during World War II and is being developed exclusively for the PC platform by strategy game specialist Wargaming.net. This will be Square Enix’s first release of a western-developed game outside of Japan and kicks off the launch of upcoming titles being developed through partnerships, including SUPREME COMMANDER 2 by Gas Powered Games and FRONT MISSION EVOLVED(TM) by Double Helix Games(TM). These titles are part of Square Enix’s commitment to offer a broader variety of games across different genres.
As Square Enix’s first foray into the hugely popular genre of historical real-time strategy, ORDER OF WAR takes strategy games to new heights and features massive-scale battles brought to life with unprecedented cinematic intensity. Players will take command of an entire army including ground troops, artillery, tank divisions and aircraft in all-out strategic assaults. The single-player mode can be played out in two campaigns – American forces versus German forces in occupied France and German forces versus Soviet forces in Poland and versus American forces in France. Missions will be based on key historic events and operations from 1944.
The free, single-player demo – “Road to Paris” – is currently available for download at http://www.orderofwar.com/. In this introductory demo, players are tasked with commanding American troops in an attempt to destroy German outposts amid tank and infantry attacks and clear the road to Paris.
ORDER OF WAR
In the summer of 1944, the Second World War entered its endgame when the Allies launched two major operations that would drive back German forces on both the Western and Eastern Fronts at once.
In the ultimate test of military strategy, ORDER OF WAR will challenge you not only to lead America’s finest to victory in the west, but also place you in command of German forces charged with repelling the Red Army’s seemingly unstoppable offensive in the east.
Even the keenest military minds will find that it’s one thing to make history, but quite another to change it.
Do you have what it takes to command?
Features
– Experience WWII warfare on an epic, cinematic stage; that truly captures the intensity and scale of the battlefield
– Take command of an entire armed force consisting of up to 1,000 soldiers, tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and airplanes
– Players can choose between two different campaign modes offering completely different storylines, missions, objectives and environments
– Experience the unique dynamic camera that allows players to command troops over huge geographical scale whilst maintaining movie-like vistas and detail
– In-depth gameplay modes: two different campaign modes, multi-player, Deathmatch and Skirmish
For more information on ORDER OF WAR, please visit the official website at http://www.orderofwar.com/.
Atlantica Online enters Europe
Ndoors Begins Service for German Users
Ndoors Interactive announced that Atlantica Online, their premier free-to-play, strategic, turn-based MMORPG, will be published in Europe, in the German language, with a closed beta starting on September 3rd. Extensive efforts in localization and support have been underway for several months leading up to the German launch. Ndoors looks forward to entering the European landscape and has long-term plans to eventually provide service for additional languages.
In the past twelve months, Atlantica Online has successfully expanded from Korea into North America, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and China. With the addition of Europe, Ndoors will soon be operating globally.
“Players around the world have embraced the accessibility and uniqueness of Atlantica Online,” said Peter Kang, CEO of Ndoors Interactive. “The gameplay has proven to be universally enjoyed and we look forward to tailoring additional releases and content for European players.”
Atlantica Online is a strategic turn-based MMORPG that combines innovative combat with character/party development and city/country management. Players take on the quest to destroy the Oriharukon, a powerful energy source from the lost civilization of Atlantis that survived and is now endangering humanity. This journey will take players around the globe to locations like the Great Wall of China and the pyramids of Egypt where they will come face-to-face with monsters ripped from history and lore, such as the ruthless Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu and Dracula.
For more information on Atlantica Online, please visit: www.playatlantica.com/ao.
Combat Arms Europe enlists more than 800,000 registered players
Nexon Europe, the European publishing arm of the world’s leading Online Game Company NEXON Group, announced today that its popular free-to-play online first-person-shooter, Combat Arms Europe has surpassed 800,000 registered users since its open beta in December 2008.
Combat Arms Europe was commercially launched in February 2009 with the in-game cash shop “Black Market” that allows players to purchase gears and items for real cash to further customize their characters, while the game is free to download at http://combatarms.nexoneu.com.
With more than 800,000 registered players and an average con-current-user (CCU) number of 12,000, Combat Arms Europe takes part in becoming one of the fastest growing and most successful free-to-play FPS titles in Europe.
“We are thrilled by the figures and results that we see with Combat Arms Europe” said Sung Jin Kim, Director of NEXON Europe. “We receive great feedbacks from our players who love the great mix of fast-paced FPS and socialization features within the game. We are dedicated to providing an interactive and exciting gaming experience to all players at every level, and look forward to bringing far more new action through the updates we have in queue, and, consequently, to continuing with Combat Arms Europe’s great success.”
Combat Arms is a fast-paced, multiplayer shooter, designed for non-stop action on the grounds of various battlefields where players are recruited to get engaged with their enemies in multiple game modes. While integrating the traditional attributes of the FPS genre, Combat Arms advances further by evolving striking features such as character customization as well as weapon modification system, enabling the players to adjust their weapons with attachments such as scopes, silencers and extended magazines.
Moreover, the extensive community features within the game actively support the clan system, where players can easily recruit, manage, and communicate with their clan members.
64.9 million Chinese online gamers will spend $52 each on average in 2009
Niko Partners’ 2009 Chinese Gamers Study Provides Essential Information for Companies Interested in Selling Goods and Services to Chinese Gamers
Niko Partners, the leading market intelligence firm on China’s video game industry, today announced key findings from its latest report, the 2009 Chinese Gamers Study, a report on gamer demand, behavior, preferences and usage based on a survey conducted in 20 Chinese cities. Niko forecasts 64.9 million online gamers by the end of 2009 who will spend $52 per person on average, a growing audience who support the robust nature of the Chinese market for games and the mandate to offer a wider range of games to serve a broader and discerning Chinese gamer audience. The audience prefers free-to-play online games over the subscription model, but also spends a great deal of time on PC offline games.
The 2009 Chinese Gamers Study provides essential information for anyone interested in targeting Chinese gamers with games, digital content, hardware, or services. The report delivers an understanding of gamer demographics, Internet café, usage, spending patterns, and hardware awareness among Chinese gamers. 84 percent of Niko’s gamers sampled own a PC at home – far outpacing the national rate for all consumers.
“There’s no doubt that the market for games is growing at an incredible rate in China,” said Lisa Cosmas Hanson, managing partner of Niko Partners. “The economics of the market are shifting from supply-driven to demand-driven, which means that game publishers, hardware makers and service providers must understand their users behaviors and preferences in order to offer products and services that will be very popular in this hit-driven business.”
The 2009 Chinese Gamers Study is the second report in Niko’s 2009 annual market research subscription on China’s video game industry, or is sold alone for US $3,500. It is based on Niko’s broadest gamers survey of 1,850 gamers in 20 cities in four Chinese tiers and provides information that will enable decision makers to intelligently plan for success in China.
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning launches assault on Penny Arcade Expo 2009 from September 4th – 6th
Mythic Entertainment, the developer of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR), will be descending upon Penny Arcade Expo 2009 from September 4th – 6th to meet fans and showcase the latest and greatest new content and updates to WAR. Located at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle, Washington, the event will provide the opportunity for local players to hang out in the WAR Lounge and speak with members of the development team about WAR’s one year anniversary and the latest and deadliest Live Event players have ever seen: The Wild Hunt!
Where: Washington State Convention & Trade Center
Seattle, WA 98101-2350
EA / Mythic Booth # 332
When: Friday, September 4th – Sunday, September 6th
Don’t miss Mythic Entertainment’s Executive Producer, Jeff Hickman, discussing Game Design 101 during his Penny Arcade Expo panel session on Friday, September 4th from 10:30am – 11:30am in the Unicorn Theatre. Joined by other industry vets, Jeff and the panel will re-examine the basics of game design and explore what it means to design in today’s videogame industry.
Fans who visit the Warhammer Online booth will walk away with a limited-edition Empire Cherub t-shirt (while supplies last), exciting WAR giveaways, and valuable in-game items:
• Razored Skinning Knife – Sharp as a harlot’s tongue and twice as dangerous.
• Shroud of Imrathepis – Linens taken from the burial shroud of Prince Imrathepis, protecting its owner from harm by regenerating minor wounds and injuries.
• Chompin’ Teef – Exclusive Steel Jaw customization option for Orc Choppas.
• Snorri’s Spikes – Exclusive Spike Mohawk customization option for Dwarf Slayers.
For more information about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning at Penny Arcade Expo 2009, visit http://herald.warhammeronline.com/eventcalendar/.
Based on the popular tabletop war game from Games Workshop, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning features revolutionary Realm vs. Realm conflict that will provide players with an engaging battleground for years to come. Available now for PC, WAR will be available on Mac in the fall of 2009. WAR is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about the game and to download the 10-day free trial, visit www.warhammeronline.com.