Free PC Gaming Blog

Anarchy Online celebrates ten amazing years

- The world’s first and longest-running science fiction MMO turns ten!

- Funcom celebrates ten years of groundbreaking innovation, with one of the first games ever to feature in-game advertisement, instancing, massive player vs. player combat, in-game concerts, virtual items and more

Durham, USA – June 23, 2011 – This month Funcom is celebrating the ten year anniversary for ‘Anarchy Online’! On the 27th of June 2001 the world’s first science fiction- based massively multiplayer online game launched, and now, a decade later, thousands of players still call the world of Rubi-ka their home.

The history of ’Anarchy Online’ is one of innovation and pioneer work. The development started as early as 1995, in an age when the Internet was reserved for hardcore adopters. The initial design document even questioned whether the Internet had a future, and the stated hope was to get at least 2500 players. For Funcom, ‘Anarchy Online’ has always been a proving ground for new and exciting ideas, both in terms of gameplay, technology and business models. Instancing, massive player vs. player combat, digital download of games, in-game advertisement, virtual world radio, concerts, virtual items, ‘freemium’ business models - the list goes on. These are but some of the areas where ’Anarchy Online’ has served as an initiator and innovator.

Now, millions of gamers and many innovations later, Funcom are ready to throw down the biggest party on Rubi-Ka to date.

“When Anarchy Online launched ten years ago nobody would have predicted where it would go, and that we would even see this day are all thanks to the dedication of our players and our community”, says Colin Cragg, Game Director on Anarchy Online. “I have so many fond memories from the years with Anarchy Online, and there are so many people to thank. The span of time and the way our world has touched the lives of so many is something we will always cherish. The fact that the kids of couples who met in AO are now playing our game says it all. I feel incredibly grateful to have been a part of Anarchy Online, and can’t wait to see what the future holds in store for us all.”

As a part of the celebration Funcom is adding new content to boost the festivities. Ranging from an all new birthday raid to new vehicles, clothes, gear, action figures and pets, players will have tons of new content to play around with. Players who choose to re-subscribe during the festivities will even get a special “Heckler of Celebration” social pet, and many other benefits. The Heckler is known as one of the most notorious monsters in ’Anarchy Online’, and it comes complete with a rocky personality and a 10th anniversary Birthday Hat.

And of course, no celebration would be complete without a grand party, and we’re featuring music from the founders of the world’s first virtual game radio. The combined efforts of Funcom, in-game volunteers and Gridstream Productions is going to bring it to you live with one of the biggest AO parties ever. Running over three days on two dimensions, this is the Anarchy event of the decade. The party starts this Friday, and a complete list of times can be found on the official site.

We hope you will join us for the party, and if you have not been to Rubi-Ka for a while we are certain that you have a lot of exciting new content to catch up on.

See you on Rubi-Ka!

Note: if you have uninstalled the game, or want to try Anarchy Online for the first time, please go to http://www.anarchy-online.com/download

CABAL Online Announces Legacy of Darkness Update

Sheffield, June 24th, 2011 – This summer the citizens of Nevareth, the online world of the free-to-play MMO CABAL Online, face their greatest threat yet, as the dark lords of the Metal Clan get set to rise. With the forthcoming release of the latest free expansion for the award-winning fast-paced online game, Episode 6: Legacy of Darkness throws a series of challenging encounters at players of all levels, including new outdoor bosses, a dungeon point system, a revamped upgrading system and a brand new time-based instance Maquinas Outpost.

The new group dungeon will challenge even the best gamers, with fast-paced gameplay, hard-hitting bosses, and a unique time-extension system where players have to kill bosses in order to extend the dungeon timer. Great rewards, including the powerful Drei Frame armour, await those brave and strong enough to fight their way through the gruelling encounters.

Players completing Maquinas Outpost will not only have the chance to earn some highly rewarding loot but, for the first time, will earn Dungeon Points through the brand new DP system. These points will be earned in all of the games major dungeons and will be exchangeable at a brand new NPC for some incredible rewards. Never again will a hero’s efforts be in vain!

The challenges are not just confined to the deepest dungeons of Nevareth and a series of new bosses will roam the beginner level maps. These dangerous monsters are vying for blood, creating a unique opportunity for lower level players to hunt them down, save the world and find some powerful equipment!

Episode 6 adds a whole host of exciting new content and other significant additions include:
- Revamped upgrading system, giving the player greater control over the process.
- New Pets
- New Class-binding Armour
- New upgrading system for Astral Bikes
- New Astral Bike customisation items
- Improved Boss droprate
- Improved dungeon droprate
- Increased success rate for crafting Blended Runes
- New Damage Amplifiers for the Mission War
- New SP-dice when completing a dungeon
- Added ability to rejoin a solo-dungeon even after a disconnect
- Renamed Epic Items

More information, including the official trailer, screenshots and a full feature list, can be found at the official website http://www.cabalonline.com.

ATLUS ONLINE LAUNCHES NEW SECOND WORLD, BARBATOS, FOR MMORPG PANDORA SAGA; CELEBRATES WITH NEW EVENTS, QUESTS, ITEMS AND MORE!

A whole new world…

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22, 2011 - ATLUS Online this week launched a new second world, Barbatos, for its latest massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Pandora Saga. In honor of the momentous occasion, a steady flow of new events, quests, and items will offer current players hours of entertainment, while at the same time offering those taking a break the perfect reason to jump back in.

A wealth of Barbatos-exclusive special events provide all sorts of rewards and new adventures for players: the “Double EXP” event (6/21-7/5) gives players a chance to get twice as much done in half the time; The “Protect a GM” weekend (6/25-6/26) challenges parties to try and slay opposing GMs in raucous PvP action; the beginner-friendly “Hide & Seek” events (6/21-6/23) helps newcomers find key locations, NPCs, and more. There are also a number of events and content additions that affect Astaroth, the existing world, including Zero-risk upgrades, the Astian Bounty Hunts, and a slew of new shop additions.

The new content and ongoing events demonstrate ATLUS Online’s continued tradition of putting community first, maintaining a constant schedule of events and activities. Active adventurers, returning players, and newcomers to Pandora Saga are all sure to find something new and exciting with the launch of Barbatos!

To register, play, and find more info about Pandora Saga, the newly launched Barbatos, and all the current and upcoming events, visit the official website at http://pandorasaga.atlusonline.com.

About ATLUS Online
ATLUS Online is the online interactive entertainment division of ATLUS, renowned for its proud tradition of publishing exceptional role-playing games with strong niche appeal. ATLUS Online’s flagship title Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent, a unique steampunk free-to-play MMORPG, complements the existing library of critically-acclaimed ATLUS video games, including: Demon’s Souls, 3D Dot Game Heroes, Odin Sphere, the Trauma Center series, and the award-winning Shin Megami Tensei series. More information can be found at www.atlusonline.com.

ACE Online Takes Aerial PvP Combat to the Next Level with 4v4 Tournament

June 3, 2011 — TORONTO, ON — PvP combat is a key aspect of gameplay in ACE Online http://ace.subagames.com/landing.aspx , but SubaGames http://www.subagames.com/ is taking it one step further with the announcement that they are implementing a 4v4 tournament! Fans of the popular aerial shooter MMORPG can now team up with three of their friends and battle other teams in organized matches in a ladder-style tournament that will both reward an enhanced gaming experience and a combination of in game items and physical merchandise!

From June to July, ACE Online will play host to some of the most unique player versus player combat ever experience in a Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. Players will be signing up with a leader that is responsible for leading their team to victory, as well as signing up their team http://ace.subagames.com/tournamentlist.aspx. Battles consisting of Best of 3, 5 and 7 matches will take place amongst teams of the same nation. This will all lead to the eventual winning teams of in game nations Arlington National Influence (ANI) and Bygeniou City United (BCU) facing off in a heated rivalry match that will leave only one victor.

Variety is the spice of life, as each team will have to use one of every gear type. This includes the A Gear (the tank-like airframe), B Gear (the bomber airframe), I Gear (stealth speeder airframe) and M Gear (medic and support air frame). The balance of the team’s gears means players must use their playing skills if they hope to be the best and come out on top of the pack!

Tournament Prizes

• 1st Place Team: Nox Specialist Headset, 3 Hyper Enchant Protects, 2 Prefix and 2 Suffix Super Gambles (for Standard and Advanced Weapons and Armors), 6 Prefix Wipes, 6 Suffix Wipes and 3 Tokens for each player on the team.
• 2nd Place Team: 2 Hyper Enchant Protects, 1 Prefix and 1 Suffix Super Gamble (for Standard and Advanced Weapons and Armors), 3 Prefix Wipes, 3 Suffix Wipes and 2 Tokens for each player on the team.
• 3rd Place Team: 1 Hyper Enchant Protect, 1 Prefix and 1 Suffix Armor Super Gamble, 1 Prefix Wipe, 1 Suffix Wipe and 1 Token for each player on the team.
• Every team that doesn’t place will receive 1 Weapon Machine Token and 1 Token for each player.

Sign Up
Download ACE Online for free from the Official Game website: http://ace.subagames.com/landing.aspx
After that, if you are signing up your team, do so “here!” (http://ace.subagames.com/tournamentlist.aspx)
For complete rules and details about this tournament, visit the “Tournament Page!” (http://forum.subagames.com/showthread.php?t=28684)

BATTLE OF THE IMMORTALS CELEBRATES ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH EPIC LOOT

Pieces of epic gear, pets and more to be given to players

May 4, 2011 - Foster City, Calif. - Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned US subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), today announced its one year anniversary of its action MMORPG, Battle of the Immortals. Based on the premise of international dungeon raiding, players will find themselves in exotic locales ranging from the Lost City of Atlantis to deep within the Mayan jungle to find rare and epic loot.

In celebration of one year of dungeon crawling fun, Battle of the Immortals’ players can look forward to getting their hands on a piece of Soul Gear, the most epic gear available in the game, as well as a chance to win a Flame Kirin, a highly sought after pet. Register today to claim your exclusive loot: http://BOI.PerfectWorld.com.

“One of the key inspirations that Battle of the Immortals takes from single-player action RPGs is getting great loot and extends it online. Now when players get an epic drop, they can show it off to their friends and foes alike,” said Thang Phan, Product Manager for Battle of the Immortals. “One of the most epic loot drop in Battle of the Immortals is Soul Gear, which is why we’re pleased to be offering pieces of it to players in celebration of our one year anniversary milestone.”

For more information on the Battle of the Immortals’ one year anniversary, visit: http://BOI.PerfectWorld.com.

GAMESCAMPUS BLAZES INTO A FANTASY WORLD WITH SCARLET LEGACY

The New Action MMORPG With A Simple & Quick Fighting System Blends Art and Magic

Sunnyvale, Calif. (April 28, 2011) - - Leading online game publisher, GamesCampus.com (www.GamesCampus.com) and award-winning developer InterServ, announced today the newest addition to the growing Games Campus portal of quality titles with the upcoming addition of Scarlet Legacy. This vibrant and addictive new action MMORPG immerses players into a fantasy world where their quest is to save Princess Scarlet in a seamless and striking blend of eastern style mythos. To learn more about Scarlet Legacy and to read the latest news leading up to its Summer 2011 release, players can visit www.ScarletLegacy.com

Scarlet Legacy is a massively dynamic and addicting MMORPG that takes players through a journey of thousands of quests to save Princess Scarlet while utilizing the most effortless in-game mechanic on the market today! No more having to spend hours deciphering complex control combinations, players can just jump straight into the fray alongside their friends and enjoy.

“It is very exciting to bring gamers such a great spin on Eastern magic and mayhem,” said Kevin Kim, CEO at Games Campus. “Scarlet Legacy is a whole new take on the fantasy MMO genre and we’ll be looking forward to seeing how much gamers love our blend of game play, quests, equipment, and more.”

The game features an in-game engine that allows for a effortless system. This action MMORPG also boasts innovative technology that will allow players to spend more time questing, rather than just running aimlessly. The new “Auto-Pilot” fighting system allows players to have complete MMORPG-style control with a non-targeting combat system, giving the freedom of true control-driven and action-oriented game play.

“We are very happy to be working with Games Campus to bring Scarlet Legacy to the North American audience. Using InterServ’s latest proprietary 3D MMORPG engine which boasts the highest quality graphics and network efficiency, the development of Scarlet Legacy has been a labor of love,” said Sheree Tsao,CEO of InterServ. “We pledge to work closely with Games Campus to fine-tune our title to the needs and desires of North American players, and believe the game will be a great success with the strong support shown by Games Campus for their other titles.”

For more information about GamesCampus.com or Scarlet Legacy, please visit www.GamesCampus.com or www.ScarletLegacy.com

Prepare for the Mutated Phoenix Tower in Grand Fantasia

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – April 14, 2011 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of free-to-play online games, has just released its Mutated Phoenix Tower content update for one of its most popular free-to-play titles, Grand Fantasia.

Buried deep with the Lost Highlands, the Mutated Phoenix Tower is now accessible for players who seek to destroy the deadliest monsters and earn the best items in the game. This 10-man raid dungeon is suitable for only the highest level players looking for a challenge.

Grand Fantasia new content update includes:

· Conquer the enemies in the dungeon for your chance to face the Mutated Hateful Witch, the Blue Scorpion Queen!
· This new Raid dungeon will drop materials allowing players to craft the highest quality level 80 armor and weapons!
· In addition to this great new dungeon, the Item Buyback feature has been released. Any non-junk item sold to the Merchants can now be purchased back!

For more information on Grand Fantasia, please visit http://grandfantasia.aeriagames.com.

THREE KINGDOMS BRAWLER COMING TO PC THIS SPRING FROM THE9 INTERACTIVE , INC.

San Jose, Calif. – February 25, 2011 - The9 Interactive, Inc., an interactive entertainment publisher, today announced their first title, Three Kingdoms Brawler, will be released this Spring as a free-to-play action MMO for Windows PC.

Three Kingdoms Brawler takes the classic side-scrolling arcade beat-em-up and updates it for a new generation of online gamers. Inspired by the events and battles of the Three Kingdoms era in China, players take control of legendary warriors fighting to determine the future of the country. By choosing their guiding spirit and hero class, players can customize their fighting experience to their own personal skills. As they progress they will upgrade their combo moves, armor, and weapons, becoming even more powerful and able to face the challenges ahead. The fight cannot be won alone, however. By joining and fighting together, the heroes will be able to face ever increasing odds and emerge victorious.

Joining together in factions and guilds, players have a vast world to explore and conquer. A robust crafting system allows players to create unique weapons and armor that enhance their personalized combat skills. The online marketplace and auction house allows players to buy and sell their creations with thousands of players. With thousands of different weapon, skill, and armor combinations, each player will have their own unique experience tailored to their personal choices.

Player vs. player combat adds a new twist to the action, with players competing for victory against each other in arena combat. Players can prove they are the mightiest warrior by defeating all their opponents or teaming up in tag-team matches. Leaderboards and in-game honorary titles will show the world who has the most skill.

For more information or to register for an upcoming Beta, please visit www.threekingdomsbrawler.com

Bigpoint Launches Battlestar Galactica Online; Humans and Cylons Battle for Control of the Universe

Tactical Space Combat MMOG Based on Syfy’s Hit Television Series Sets New Benchmark in Browser-based Gaming; Available Worldwide in Partnership with Syfy

Hamburg – February 8, 2011 – Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com) – the global market leader in browser-based massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) – today launched Battlestar Galactica Online. Based on the internationally popular Syfy television series produced by Universal Cable Productions, Battlestar Galactica Online (http://battlestar-galactica.bigpoint.com/) is a free-to-play, browser-based space combat MMOG that combines high-quality, 3D graphics with intense gameplay. Following a successful closed beta period that started in late 2010, the free-to-play game can now be enjoyed by players worldwide.

David Eick, Executive Producer of Battlestar Galactica, said, “Bigpoint has successfully embraced the spirit of Battlestar Galactica’s aggressive ship design, tactile physics, and its signature, vérité-style combat aesthetic, and taken it all to an entirely new level. Playing this game is like watching the most highly-adrenalized, nail-biting episodes of the series while chewing on a hunk of uranium. I highly recommend it – just make sure you don’t have anything else to do for a few days…”

Battlestar Galactica Online is based on the acclaimed Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television series Battlestar Galactica, which aired for four seasons on Syfy. Set during the latter part of the show’s second season, the game takes the form of a previously untold chapter in which both the Colonial and Cylon fleets are stranded in an uncharted area of space. Heavily damaged and low on critical supplies, both fleets must fight for control of the resources in the nearby star systems as the Colonials desperately search for a way to escape before the Cylons regain enough strength to destroy them once and for all.

“Our team’s passion for the series, and their dedication to maintaining its authenticity, enabled us to extend Battlestar Galactica’s iconic IP into a world-class MMOG,” said Heiko Hubertz, CEO and Founder, Bigpoint. “We are confident that a new standard has been achieved – no longer should browser games be considered subpar to their console or PC-installed counterparts.”

A blend of tactical space combat, exploration, and mission-based gameplay provides an engaging experience. For accuracy, assets from the television production have been integrated into the game, including Bear McCreary’s original score, select talent likenesses, and a number of ships modeled from schematics provided by the show’s creators.

At the start, players select a side – human or Cylon – and then are guided through a series of introductory tasks to learn basic flight controls and weapon systems. Once completed, players can customize their in-game avatars, receive situation and mission briefings, and begin to explore the vast universe. As players gain experience, they can unlock additional ships and learn a variety of skills. Inside capital ships and outposts, players can access the in-game market and customize all aspects their current ship – including weapons, engines, hulls, computers, and mining equipment.

For a period of six weeks, Syfy is Bigpoint’s exclusive distribution partner in the US (http://www.syfy.com/) and UK (http://www.syfy.co.uk/battlestar-galactica-game). In addition to Bigpoint’s game sites around the world, Syfy will also make the game available through its other international sites in Germany, France, Spain, Poland, and Russia, with more sites to be added in the weeks following launch.

Currently in open beta, Battlestar Galactica Online was developed by Artplant (http://artplant.no), a Norwegian studio that specializes in MMOGs. Post launch, Bigpoint will continue to add new content and features, paying close attention to community feedback. Battlestar Galactica Online is licensed through Universal Partnerships & Licensing on behalf of NBC Universal Television Consumer Products Group.

WALK THE PLANES OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING - TACTICSTM ON JANUARY 18th

The Free to Download and Play Strategy Game Invites Players to Join a New World of MagicTM

WHAT:
Sony Online Entertainment LLC is scheduled to release Magic: The Gathering - Tactics™, a free-to-play game, on the PC this January 18th. Players worldwide will experience a new dimension of Magic: The Gathering® as Wizards of the Coast’s legendary trading card game and its iconic creatures, characters and spells come to life for the first time in a fully realized 3D environment. Free to download and play, registered players will be able to compete online against opponents around the world or take on the challenging opening chapter of the game’s story-driven campaign. In the game, players will be able to build more powerful spellbooks by purchasing booster packs and taking on additional campaign chapters through the game’s integrated story.

ABOUT MAGIC: THE GATHERING - TACTICS:
A free-to-play online tactical strategy game, Magic: The Gathering - Tactics invites players to take on the role of a Planeswalker, a powerful mage commanding devastating spells and incredible creatures. Players will take their skills into intense online tactical battles as they fight in richly illustrated environments with all five colors of Magic. Magic: The Gathering - Tactics brings the challenge, collectability and community of Magic to the PC with the ease and access of a free-to-play downloadable client. Gamers can freely join the fun and open the door to a whole new dimension of Magic!

KEY FEATURES:

• Experience a New Dimension of a Classic Favorite: Characters, creatures, spells and settings from the rich world of Magic come alive in this free-to-play online game.
• Unleash the Power: As a commanding Planeswalker, players cast devastating spells such as Fireball, Doom Blade, Pacifism and Lightning Bolt, and control incredible creatures like Serra Angel, Lord of the Pit or Reya Dawnbringer.
• Connect and Combat: Join legions of gamers for intense battles of thrilling strategy in casual and tournament formats.

WHEN:
Magic: The Gathering - Tactics is scheduled to release for digital download on the PC platform January 18, 2011 and is expected to be available for the PlayStation ® 3 computer entertainment system later in 2011.

ESRB Rating: Teen with content descriptors Mild Blood and Mild Fantasy Violence. For more information on Magic: The Gathering - Tactics, visit www.magicthegatheringtactics.com and www.facebook.com/MagicTheGatheringTactics.