Free PC Gaming Blog

This is great! EA will be entering the free to play PC game arena this summer with Battlefield Heroes! When the biggest publisher in the game industry decides to move into a new business model, you know that it’s got to be working. More free pc games for us! Huzzah!

Check out the full press release:

BATTLEFIELD HEROES LEADS THE WAY FOR EA’S NEW ‘PLAY 4 FREE’ BUSINESS MODEL

Unique Cartoon Shooter Introduces a New Way to Play Battlefield

Munich, Germany, January 21, 2008 – At the Digital, Life, Design Conference (DLD) in Munich, Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) today unveiled Battlefield Heroes™, an all-new Play 4 Free cartoon-style shooter that will bring classic Battlefield gameplay to an all new mass audience. Available for download at www.battlefield-heroes.com this summer, Battlefield Heroes is EA’s first title that is offered completely for free, and features a built-in matchmaking system to ensure that players of equal skill are paired together for fair play. Developed by DICE in Stockholm, Battlefield Heroes is leading EA’s new web-focused free to download, free to play business model which generates revenue through advertising and micro-transactions. With zero barriers to entry, now anyone can be a hero on the battlefield!

“Online gaming garners a massive audience,” said Gerhard Florin, EVP Publishing Americas-Europe at EA. “People want to play games in new ways, with easier access that is quick to the fun. With Battlefield Heroes, EA brings its first major franchise to North America and Europe with a new distribution model and pricing structure adapted to the evolving way that people play.”

Battlefield Heroes is a brand new game from the team behind Battlefield 1942™ and Battlefield 2™. It’s fun cartoon-style graphics and gameplay caters to players of all skill levels. It is easy to pick up and play but with robust character customization and a deep online meta-game, gamers can spend hours building up their characters and conquering the world.

“We put a different twist on this Battlefield game going with the cartoon-style graphics and gameplay,” added Ben Cousins, Senior Producer at EA DICE. “There’s something here for all types of players — be it our core Battlefield fans or casual gamers. With the new online model, we will continually add new content to keep the game fresh and keep players engaged, while integrating player feedback in real time. As a game developer, it is such a cool new way to make games.”

Battlefield Heroes will be released for the PC as a free download in summer 2008. This product is not yet rated by PEGI or ESRB. For more information on EA DICE, please visit www.dice.se or www.ea.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.  Battlefield Heroes, Battlefield 2 and Battlefield 1942 are trademarks or registered trademarks of EA Digital Illusions CE AB.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

America’s Army has always been one of my favorite free pc games… well, free if you don’t count the fact that it is payed for through our taxes! Anyway, it looks like someone actually saved a life because of the medic training they learned while playing America’s Army. Check it out…

America’s Army Player uses In-Game Medic Training to Help Save Life

Silver Spring, MD (January 17, 2008) - A longtime America’s Army player became a first responder at a tragic car accident last November by employing life saving techniques he learned by playing the America’s Army game. Twenty-eight year old Paxton Galvanek credited the combat medic training he completed in the popular America’s Army online PC game with teaching him the critical skills he needed to evaluate and treat the victims at the scene. This is the second time an America’s Army player has reported successfully using medical skills learned through playing the game to respond in a life-threatening situation.

In order to assume the role of combat medic in the America’s Army game, players must go through virtual medical training classes based on the actual training that real Soldiers receive. The creators of America’s Army developed the training scenarios with young adults in mind, recognizing their need to be able to respond in emergency situations. Through the game, players learn to evaluate and prioritize casualties, control bleeding, recognize and treat shock, and administer aid when victims are not breathing.

Because of the training he received in America’s Army’s virtual classroom, Mr. Galvanek had mastered the basics of first aid and had the confidence to take appropriate action when others might do nothing. He took the initiative to assess the situation, prioritize actions and apply the correct procedures,” said Colonel Casey Wardynski, America’s Army project director. Paxton is a true hero. We are pleased to have played a role in providing the lifesaving training that he employed so successfully at the scene.”

After the incident, Galvanek wrote the America’s Army team to thank them for including the medical training in the game. He said, “I have received no prior medical training and can honestly say that because of the training and presentations within America’s Army, I was able to help and possibly save the injured men. As I look back on the events of that day, the training that I received in the America’s Army video game keeps coming to mind.”

I remember vividly in section four of the game’s medic training, during the field medic scenarios, I had to evaluate the situation and place priority on the more critically wounded. In the case of this accident, I evaluated the situation and placed priority on the driver of the car who had missing fingers. I then recalled that in section two of the medic training, I learned about controlled bleeding. I noticed that the wounded man had severe bleeding that he could not control. I used a towel as a dressing and asked the man to hold the towel on his wound and to raise his hand above his head to lessen the blood flow which allowed me to evaluate his other injuries which included a cut on his head,” said Galvanek.

Galvanek’s Story
On November 23, 2007, Galvanek was driving West-bound on I-40 in North Carolina with his family. About 25 miles south of Raleigh he witnessed an SUV on the east-bound lanes lose control of the vehicle and flip about five times. While his wife called 911, he stopped his vehicle and ran across the highway to the scene of the accident.

Assuming the role of first responder, he quickly assessed the situation and found two victims in the smoking vehicle. Needing to extract them quickly, he helped the passenger out of the truck and noticed he had minor cuts and injuries. He told the man to stay clear of the smoking car and quickly went to the driver’s side where he located a wounded man. He pulled the driver to safety on the side of the road.

Galvanek immediately noticed the man had lost two fingers in the accident and was bleeding profusely. The victim had also suffered head trauma. Galvanek located a towel, put pressure on the man’s hand, and instructed him to sit down and elevate his hand above his head while pressing the towel against his lost fingers. Galvanek then attended to his head cut and determined that injury was not as serious as his hand.

Roughly five minutes later, an Army Soldier in plain clothing arrived on the scene of the accident and informed Galvanek that he was medically trained and could take over until the paramedics arrived. He looked over the injured men and told Galvanek that he had done a great job. Once the Soldier assured Galvanek that the two men were in stable condition and there was nothing more he could do to assist until the paramedics arrived, Galvanek left the scene and continued on his journey.

About America’s Army
Launched on July 4th 2002, America’s Army is an innovative PC action game that provides young adults with an inside perspective and a virtual role in today’s high-tech Army. Through the America’s Army game, players take a virtual “test drive” of Soldiering in the U.S. Army from basic training to the battlefield in the Global War on Terrorism.

With users having invested over 211 million hours virtually exploring the Army from Basic Training to operations in the War on Terrorism, America’s Army ranks among the top ten online PC action games played worldwide. The game provides a unique, interactive experience allowing players to gain a perspective into Army occupations and values by assuming virtual roles as U.S. Army Soldiers. Players navigate through challenges real Soldiers confront. As they dominate these challenges, they expand opportunities for advancement and development in roles from Special Forces to combat medic.

Since July 2002 the Army has released 24 major updates to its America’s Army game for the PC. These releases, which are available at www.americasarmy.com, feature new technologies, missions, Army units and occupations. The most recent updates are part of the America’s Army: Special Forces (Overmatch) series that focuses on the central role Special Forces play in the Global War on Terrorism and highlights technologies that provide small U.S. Army units with the ability to overmatch much larger enemy forces. The America’s Army game also features the America’s Army Real Heroes program that offers a glimpse into the accomplishments of Soldiers who have distinguished themselves in combat and earned citations for bravery and valor.

About the Army
Through the teamwork of the more than 1.2 million Soldiers in the active Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve, the U.S. Army is the world’s premier land force. Today, Soldiers of the U.S. Army are the front line in the Global War on Terrorism. For more information on the U.S. Army, go to www.goarmy.com or www.army.mil.

It looks like one of my favorite online free game publishers are going to be releasing a new free to play fantasy MMO this summer:

Nexon America Unveils the Highly-Anticipated Fantasy Role-Playing Game, Mabinogi

Exclusive Closed Beta to Launch January 30

January 16, 2008 – Los Angeles, CA – Nexon America Inc., the U.S. division of Asia’s leading online entertainment company Nexon Group, announced today the launch of Mabinogi, its free-to-play, massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). Slated for release later this summer, users can get a taste for this thrilling fantasy by taking part in the closed beta service scheduled to launch January 30.

Mabinogi offers a robust, online universe where people can experience all facets of fantasy life from fighting to harvesting. The game’s radiant 3-D graphics are infused with an art style based in Celtic and Welsh mythology, which also gives Mabinogi its name and foundation. Mabinogi provides a new experience with its variety of gameplay, unique combat system, and orderly time element and age component, to provide additional depth to Nexon’s latest free-to-play offering. In addition to traditional MMO features—challenging adventures, exciting group quests and a plethora of fearsome monsters—Mabinogi offers a much fuller “life” for its players. Players can increase experience by taking jobs, such as cooking, shearing sheep or other farming duties. The game’s unique music program allows users to write and share music in MIDI formatted files. Players even have the option of getting married, so don’t be surprised if married life leads to some cooking and dungeon raiding whenever the urge strikes the two of you!

“Playing Mabinogi is about more than just fighting and normal MMO fare,” said John H. Chi, president and CEO of North America. “This is a chance for gamers to live a fantasy life in a place where communities build mutual beliefs of family, friendship and hard work.”

The upcoming closed beta test will allow users to tap into a world that has already birthed a civilization of fans in Asia. It will offer players an opportunity to discover enthralling characters in a beautiful 3-D, cell-shaded art style, featuring anime-type characters and gruesome monsters.

Mabinogi’s traditional mouse and keyboard functions unite with its distinctive combat, and anthology of game-play styles, that should excite the most hardcore gamers. Players will also quickly discover Mabinogi requires more finesse and strategy during combat than just pushing a few buttons and haphazardly attacking everything in sight. The unique fighting system adds another degree of complexity. Characters develop skills in three categories—Life, Combat and Magic—so users can not only gain experience by fighting a giant spider but also by cooking dinner and learning a new spell. Players acquire Ability Points as they gain experience in the game to help show progression. This gives players more freedom to play Mabinogi however they choose.

Additionally, Mabinogi’s time is standardized and as users play longer they are awarded different “daily” bonuses as incentives to play on a regular basis. Plus, avatars age on a weekly basis and get taller as they get older (up to 21). Avatars gain ability points up to the age of 25 as well. Plus, players will see their avatars’ diet affect appearance. Mabinogi also features a long-term storyline that is revealed over a series of generations and weaves its way throughout the game. Using these unique features, as well as the heavy socialization aspect present in all of Nexon’s games, gives Mabinogi a unique placement in the world of MMOs. And like Nexon’s previous offerings, the game is free to play.

The closed beta will last just a short time. Interested players can learn more at mabinogi.nexon.net.

About Nexon America Inc.
Nexon America Inc. is the North American publishing arm of Nexon Group, a pioneer of interactive entertainment software and the world’s leader in massively multiplayer online games. Based in Los Angeles, Nexon America was founded in 2005 to bring the best of online entertainment to the North American audience. The company’s growing library of titles includes the world famous franchise MapleStory, the online multiplayer dance game, Audition and the new racing sensation KartRider. The foundation of all Nexon America titles is the Item Selling business model, in which users access the full game for free and can later opt to pay for game enhancements.

Two of the Free to Play OGPlanet Games Albatross18 and Rumble Fighter have announced new events and in game items available to start off the new year…

OGPlanet Rings in 2008 with Contests, New Items

El Segundo, Calif.- Jan. 10, 2008- OGPlanet, an innovative provider of multiplayer online games, today announced two events and a number of new in-game items for Albatross18 and Rumble Fighter, two of its popular massively-multiplayer online games.

Beginning Jan. 12, Albatross18 players will compete for prizes in the Birdie Marathon 500. For one week, OGPlanet will keep track of the numbers of birdies hit in the golf role-playing game. At the end of the Birdie Marathon 500, players will be rewarded with in-game items according to the number of birdies they’ve hit. Prizes will include Mulligan Roses (redeemable for a free second chance if a swing doesn’t go well in a tournament), Power Boosts (used to increase distance by 10 yards for one swing), and Pang Mastery potions.

The Play Hard Get More event in Rumble Fighter will reward players who play a total of more than seven hours between Jan. 10 and Jan. 16 with a +200 Turtle Shell, which will protect them from rear attacks for 200 hits. Prizes will be awarded on Jan. 17.

New items abound this month in both Albatross18 and Rumble Fighter. Albatross18 players will have access to SWAT-like Tactical Gear for Max, cozy Knit Sweaters for Arin, and a Crimson Ring that increases distance by 4 yards. In Rumble Fighter, new in-game items this month include a Martial Arts ExoCore, Silver Earrings, Rocker and Corset Tops, Hardvard Schoolgirl Skirts and Bigger Afro, a huge new hairstyle.

About Albatross18

Albatross18 incorporates fantasy role-playing game elements to bring an entirely new spin to the timeless game of golf. This massively multiplayer online game is set in the magical kingdom of Pangya, and features colorful costumes, unique clubs, memorable characters and a multitude of special shots and courses.

About Rumble Fighter

One of the most unique fighting games around, Rumble Fighter allows up to 8 players to battle it out online in simultaneous melee action. Featuring an advanced combo attack skill system with multitudes of real fighting styles to choose from, Rumble Fighter allows players to build the fighter they’ve always wanted to be.

About OGPlanet

Based in El Segundo, California, OGPlanet focuses on bringing popular multiplayer PC games to U.S. gamers. Built on an innovative business model, our games allow anyone to play for free, but offer the opportunity to enhance their experience by purchasing game pieces, clothing, and accessories. These "Virtual Economy Games" have already attracted tens of millions of players in Asia and are building a large audience in the U.S. Co-founded by Jack Liu, Chief Creative Officer, and Sangchul Park, President, the company is funded by a team of experienced gaming and digital media executives. For more information, visit www.ogplanet.com.

I took a trip to New York City last week over the holidays with the fam. I love New York! I almost moved up there a few years ago and have visited the big city many times since. We took some relatives from out west who had never been to NYC to all of the tourist sites in the 3 days we were there. When we got to Time Square, I had to snap the shot above… I was surprised to see a gigantic advertisement for one of my favorite free to play online games KartRider! I guess the business model is paying off if Nexon can afford that kind of prime advertising space! Rock on Nexon…