Free PC Gaming Blog

MLB DUGOUT HEROES OPEN BETA GOES LIVE TODAY, MARCH 19th AT 3PM

The Game Can Be Downloaded at www.mlbdugoutheroes.com

About MLB Dugout Heroes

MLB Dugout Heroes is the first fully licensed and online-based PC baseball game in North America, featuring all Major League Baseball players and stadiums from the past and present. GamesCampus, the publisher of the game for the North American market, drew great public attention when they announced that they had signed an online interactive licensing agreement with MLB Advanced Media, LP (MLBAM) in November 2008. Based on this agreement, GamesCampus holds the right to incorporate official Major League Baseball league and club marks and logos, MLB ballpark images and more in this micro-transaction based game.

In addition to the MLB-licensed game features, the game has many unique gameplay attractions. It’s unique and realistic leveling system allows players to grow stronger and better as they continue through the game.
In addition, special points are given to players as they complete baseball missions (quests) given daily or weekly, and these points can be used to purchase new players, uniforms, items, and more!

MLB Dugout Heroes is sure to be a smash hit for all baseball fans young and old. More information about the game can be found at http://mlbdugoutheroes.gamescampus.com/

Product Features

Draft and create your favorite players from any MLB year - Choose your favorite players from any MLB era and create the best team!

Play Online or practice by yourself - Play against your friends online to see who’s the best!

Level up your team and players - By playing against people online, your players level up and become stronger and trained!

Unique items - Users will be able to purchase new player draft cards, uniforms, bats, pitches, and much more!

Features animated versions of real MLB players - See your favorite players as cartoon versions of themselves!

Easy learning curve - Fun for both beginner and expert gamers alike!

Frogster reveals new Runes of Magic trailer
Video opens the first chapter - ‘Rise of the Demon Lord’

Berlin, March 6th 2009: Frogster today revealed the evil super villain from Runes of Magic’s first chapter: Rise of the Demon Lord’. The new in-game trailer tells the story of the Demon Lord’s dark powers as he unleashes a wave of chaos and destruction upon Taborea. Runes of Magic is scheduled for a full launch on March 19th.

The game’s opening chapter marks the beginning of a struggle against a new deadly enemy. To coincide with the full launch of March 19th, Frogster will release a huge content update including new tasks, a further epic quest series, three new instanced locations – including ‘Kalin Shrine’, as well as new elite skills.

Frogster and the developer Runewaker are also working flat-out at building in new features and content for the post-launch period. There are firm plans for integrating a complete new region shortly after the start. Free updates every four to five months will continue the story of ‘Chapter 1: Rise of the Demon Lord’ and expand the game world at regular intervals.

The new in-game trailer is available as of now on the official website, see http://www.runesofmagic.com/en/videos,id9,rise_of_the_demon_lord.html.

Runes of Magic started the open beta with an English and a German version in the middle of December 2008. All interested players can now download the online-role playing game and enter into the fantasy world after creating an account for free on www.runesofmagic.com.

Runes of Magic – a world full of wizardry and adventure
With an extensive range of features Runes of Magic prepares to redefine the standard of free2play MMO games. Runes of Magic conveys an absorbing story through more than 1.000 quests embedded in an atmospheric fantasy setting. Players can choose between six main classes and combined with a secondary class they present 30 individual combinations of character classes over all. All characters possess unique skills with impressive combo attacks and can use mounts like war horses and more. A particularly attractive feature for guilds and players is the possibility to arrange their own virtual homes with individual furnishing. Thanks to an extensive crafting and reputation system, thrilling PVP, as well as demanding dungeons and boss-monsters, no wishes remain unsatisfied. The Taiwanese developer Runewaker has developed Runes of Magic according to western MMO standards within a time frame of three years. The studio will provide new challenges for players every three to four months with free add-ons and updates. MMO fans can find more information, pictures and videos on the official website www.runesofmagic.com.

Features
- Free2play: no monthly fees, free download
- Extensive dual class system (six primary and secondary classes)
- Versatile spell- and attack-combinations
- Enthralling background story
- More than 1.000 quests and quest series on launch
- No zone boundaries thanks to seamless architecture
- Dungeons: Instanced and tile based as well as persistent
- Individually developable skills and spells
- Armour sets with special bonuses
- Dynamic item system with hundreds of runes for upgrading
- Optional PvP system with arena battles and guild wars
- Ranking system with player-ranking lists
- Multitude of unique mounts
- Epic crafting system with the chance to improve existing items
- Personalization of player houses through individual furnishing
- Reputation system
- Customisable user interface with the option to use Add-Ons
- Map and radar system to find dealers, resources and quests easily
- In-game auction houses for trading items
- Teleport-Runes for instant travel
- Mouse and keyboard controls for movement
- Regular updates with new content
- Cross-server fights in three-server-battle in development
- Guild houses in special zones in development

About Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.
Runewaker Entertainment was founded in August of 2004, with the headquarters located in Taichung, Taiwan. The founding members are all very experienced in the field and decided to come together to pursue their own dream. Currently Runewaker employs over 40 highly skilled programmers, designers and artists and is constantly expanding. Runewaker specializes in making massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG). The company has built their own engine from scratch that rivals some of the best that is available out on the market. Their first product, Radiant Arcana (Runes of Magic), is already completed and currently in Open Beta Phase in China. Runewaker is currently producing more content for Runes of Magic. Webpage: http://www.runewaker.com/

Bombs Away! OGPlanet’s BB Tanks Begins Open Beta Testing

El Segundo, Calif.-March 2, 2009- It’s all-out war at OGPlanet as the BB Tanks open beta test goes live today. Starting today, OGPlanet members can download the game client software at www.ogplanet.com and start blowing up new friends from around the world.

“While the game had been in an informal open beta before,” explained Don Choi, COO of OGPlanet, “we recently took the game offline to do a major revitalization through an internal closed beta. The result is a streamlined, user-friendly version of our cartoony tank game. The players will be thrilled with how BB Tanks is shaping up.”

BB Tanks - a cult favorite among OGPlanet’s free-to-play line-up - offers a fun twist on turn-based strategy tank shooter combat. These cute, cartoon tanks have a wide range of quirky personalities that are only matched by their wide array of weaponry. Players must match their skill at setting the angle and power of each shot with weapon selections that range from homing missiles and satellite shots to poison gas and water balloons.

During the open beta, players who have registered for free OGPlanet accounts can hop into combat with up to 7 friends from across the globe. While the game’s premium items will not be added until the official consumer launch, there will be several fun surprises, including various open beta events where players can win OGPlanet Astros.

About BB Tanks
BB Tanks is a guaranteed blast for gamers of all ages. Players take control of a zany cartoon tank with their own range of quirky characteristics and devastating weapons. Simple, turn-based strategy gameplay, but dominating the battlefield with its ever-changing map conditions and up to 7 opponents from around the world is anything but simple.

Galaxy Online: Limited Alpha Key Giveaway

The GO Team has another exciting opportunity for our players. We are very happy to announce that we have given away a group of Activation Codes for the Galaxy Online , the upcoming free-to-play strategic online game (MMOG) designed by IGG. All players are welcome to claim a code now and activate the game on the activation page.

Get Your CD-Key at http://go.igg.com/event/activation/.

Key Instruction:
1. Go to http://go.igg.comand either login or register for a free new account
2. Use the CD-Key to activate your Galaxy Online account at http://www.igg.com/member/actigame.php
3. Each Key contains an additional 30 Mall Points as a gift for new players. Enjoy!

NOTE A: The alpha test does not begin for this game until Feb 23rd, 2009.
NOTE B: All characters created during the Alpha Test will be saved for future use.

What is Galaxy Online?
Galaxy Online, designed by IGG, is a strategic online game combining a powerful battle system and abundant battle expressive force. The game is set across the vast universe, and players from different forces can PK freely. Battles rage constantly and in this galactic sphere, the law of the jungle rules. Players must promote their strength ceaselessly to maintain their position, and only the bravest and wisest commander can be the King! Players may like the many thoughtful design elements in the game, such as smart client, convenient galaxy trustee system, individual and intelligent Plug-ins system, all of which let players experience wonderful feelings whilst playing the game!

G4BOX INC. AND WICKED INTERACTIVE LTD. ANNOUNCE THE OPEN BETA LAUNCH FOR MILITARY SHOOTER, CROSS FIRE

The Record-Setting First-Person Shooter Opens Tomorrow for All to Play at: http://crossfire.subagames.com/

Toronto, CANADA-January 29, 2009- G4BOX Inc and Wicked Interactive Ltd., North American publishers and distributors of interactive entertainment media, together announced today the open beta launch date of their free online military first-person shooter, Cross Fire.

The Open beta will go live tomorrow, Friday, January 30, 2009 at 12 PM EST. In the open beta, anyone and everyone is invited to play the game for free, without any download or subscription fees. At 12 PM EST on January 29, 2009, the Cross Fire servers will go down in preparation for the open beta launch.

“We are very proud to be taking Cross Fire to the next level by launching the open beta,” said Stanley Yu, Chief Executive Office of Wicked Interactive. “We have invested a tremendous amount of time and energy in bringing Cross Fire to this stage, in order to provide players with the best possible game experience,” added Howard He, Chief Executive Officer of G4BOX, “The Cross Fire Open Beta will deliver a wealth of new features we know players will enjoy.”

The open beta launch marks the beginning of Cross Fire’s persistent military-ranking and stat-tracking features. Player-progress will be tracked from the open beta onward so that players may accurately gauge their skills against the rest of the Cross Fire community. The Cross Fire open beta will also introduce in-game friends lists and clan formation features, in addition to numerous new maps, weapons, and items.

To celebrate Cross Fire’s open beta launch, Subagames is hosting a number of events and promotions. During the first week of open beta, players will enjoy a 50% increase in the amount of GP earned in-game. This will allow Cross Fire players to purchase more of the new open beta weapons and items. In addition, the first 30 clans to register during the open beta will do so for free, at absolutely no GP cost!

Cross Fire is an online military first-person shooter for the PC, developed by SmileGate and Neowiz, and co-published by G4BOX and Wicked Interactive. Players assume the role of either a Black List or Global Risk mercenary, and then join an online team that must work together to complete objective-based scenarios. Cross Fire supports four modes of play including, Team Death Match, Search & Destroy, Elimination, and the exclusive Ghost Mode, in which you become an invisible stealth assassin! Cross Fire also includes a military ranking system, in-game friends lists, a clan formation system, and deep character customization options. Cross Fire is free-to-download-and-play. http://crossfire.subagames.com

Now part of the Subagames library of free MMOs.
http://www.subagames.com

PHENOMIC REVEALS OPEN BETA DETAILS FOR BATTLEFORGE

Gamers Worldwide Get Ready for the BattleForge Open Beta on November 7th

Redwood City, CA. – October 31, 2008 – Phenomic™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) studio, today announced that the Open Beta for BattleForge™ will begin on November 7th. In the open beta, fans from all over the world will be able to start collecting their favorite cards and experience magically-charged battles online. Players can register for the open beta at www.battleforgecardhunt.com. In North America, players are guaranteed access into the beta by pre-ordering BattleForge from participating retail partners.*

Developed in Ingelheim, Germany, BattleForge is an epic real-time strategy (RTS) fantasy game that combines the elegance of RTS gameplay with the collectability of trading cards in an online environment where friends can play together. BattleForge pioneers strategy gaming with its online multiplayer design and robust community. Players can get in the game by purchasing the title at retail in early 2009 and then take their game online to play with the larger BattleForge community.

”After three years in development, we are very excited to open the game to a mass audience and see how people play. It’s going to be a great process watching players experience the revolutionary concept of creating their own armies and teaming up on a massive scale in RTS,” said Volker Wertich, Creative Director.

In BattleForge, players use virtual trading cards to build the perfect army and lay waste to their foes. The cards are the tools of war each representing a unit, building or spell that is conjured directly onto the RTS battlefield. They enable you to customise and combine factions, and play with a unique army of your own design. With no base building and production queues BattleForge players are instantly immersed into fast-paced RTS action.

BattleForge features single-player and cooperative scenarios as well as Player vs. Player ranked duels. Co-op battles are played in teams of two or four, or players can hurl themselves into epic 12 player battles for the greatest rewards. Players must work cooperatively to fulfill the mission and be victorious.

Featuring action-packed co-op and PvP, the ability to build your own army, and robust community features like auction hall, direct trade and in-game mail, BattleForge offers unique RTS gameplay that is easy to learn, but hard to master.

Developed at Phenomic, BattleForge will ship in Early 2009 for the PC. This product is not yet rated by PEGI or ESRB. For more information about the BattleForge open beta, visit www.BattleForge.com.

*Requires online connectivity.
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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 Freestyle™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 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 Freestyle, POGO and BattleForge are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Gaia Online Golden Ticket Holders Gearing Up for Exclusive Early Entry into zOMG! Open Beta

Gradual Gaian Rollout Gives Community Members Play-Dates for Casual MMO

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Oct. 22, 2008 Gaia Online, the world’s most active online community, today announced its development team is making final preparations for the zOMG! Open Beta and will begin rolling out game access to Gaia community members on October 27th. 8,500 lucky Golden Ticket holders will be the first entrants, scoring exclusive early playtime in the casual MMO before the first wave of Gaians flood the game’s gates. zOMG! was created in response to requests from the Gaia community, and their feedback has been the principal driving element in every step of the game’s development. Fervent members participated in focus groups and closed beta testing sessions, and even held a contest to choose the game’s name. Now, the community is getting an opportunity to explore the zOMG! Open Beta before anyone else.

“We know users are anxious to get in and play, and we’re firing on all cylinders to ensure our servers can meet the incredible demand,” said David Georgeson, Senior Producer of zOMG! at Gaia Online. “We’re squeezing Gaians in as quickly as possible, but are 100% dedicated to delivering on our vision of a beautiful, immersive and entertaining casual MMO for players of all persuasions.”

Gaia has utilized Golden Tickets throughout the game’s development to increase community involvement and select participants for the zOMG! Beta program. Enthusiastic Gaians took part in booth promotions at NY Comic Con and Anime Expo during the Closed Beta, and purchased zOMG! Rumble Boxes in the virtual goods marketplace for a shot at Golden Tickets for the upcoming Open Beta. These dedicated virtual world denizens are thirsty for a taste of the action, and clamoring for the prestigious prize of first in-game access.

“We received over 120,000 applications for the Closed Beta from our virtual world community, but obviously couldn’t let them all in,” said Craig Sherman, CEO of Gaia Online. “Members complete hundreds of thousands of micro-transactions per day in the marketplace, and we think the Golden Tickets are a great way to choose which loyal users win this very cool opportunity.”

As Gaians begin lining up at the entry gates of zOMG!, the development team is busy making sure zOMG! can accommodate the rush of eager avatars. Everyone can’t possibly fit through the door at once, so seniority will pay off big-time for Gaians when zOMG! begins rolling out its Open Beta next week. After Golden Ticket holders, virtual world community members with the longest active accounts (4+ years on Gaia) get the first spot in line. The complete rollout schedule will be announced shortly, and general public access will be established once the Gaia community is safely in-game. zOMG! will likely be out of Beta later this year and will continue to grow and evolve over time, as members offer feedback and continue to shape their world.

About zOMG!
Explore the epic adventure within the Gaia Online MMO,zOMG!. Discover interesting and beautiful worlds, engage in combat with monsters, interact and play with friends, and more in this casual online massively multiplayer game. Designed for the PC as a free to play game with no download requirements, the MMO is accessible and easy to navigate for everyone. More than a game, zOMG! incorporates elements of social networking and entertainment for community members. Featuring streaming music, a unique storyline and characters, and engaging gameplay, zOMG! is an open environment for people of all ages to play games, meet friends, and explore. Visit www.zomg.com for more information.

About Gaia Online
Founded in 2003, Gaia Online is the leading teen hangout on the web. More than seven million visitors come to Gaia every month to make friends, play games, watch movies in Gaia Cinemas, Gaia’s virtual theaters, and participate in the world’s most active online community. Gaia provides a fun, social environment that inspires individuality and creativity. With everything from art contests to discussion forums on poetry, politics, celebrities and more, to fully customizable profiles, digital characters and cars, Gaia is a place where teens can create their own space and express their individual style. For more information, visit www.gaiaonline.com.

Santa Clara, Calif. (Sept. 23, 2008) – North American game publisher Aeria Games has announced the open beta release for the Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMORPG), Cronous.

Cronous is a Free-to-Play action MMORPG with game play that resembles the feel of Diablo. Players can choose from a variety of classes including Fighters, Valkyries, Magicians and Savages. Characters gain special attacks and magic spells specific to their classes through leveling.

Players will embark on a large array of quests and explore over 100 different maps and dungeons. More information about Cronous can be found through the Aeria Games website at http://cronous.aeriagames.com

Special Open Beta Promotion:
To celebrate the launch of open beta, Aeria Games announced they will award a Nintendo DS Lite to one lucky player of Cronous. To participate, players are required to log into Cronous during the open beta period. Full details and official rules can be found on the Cronous website.

About Aeria Games:

Aeria Games is the dynamic gaming community where players of all backgrounds and interests can connect, share, and enjoy an unparalleled variety of Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) games from all over the world.

Our vision is to provide the best Community Gaming Experience and Service to each and every one of our players and best of all, every game is FREE to Play! Start playing our games today by registering for your Aeria Games accoun t at http://cronous.aeriagames.com.

Founded in 2006, Aeria Games & Entertainment, Inc. is based in Silicon Valley, California.

WICKED INTERACTIVE’S ACE ONLINE STARTS CLOSED BETA ON SUBAGAMES.COM TODAY

Set In An Exotic Intergalactic World, this Free to Play MMO Combines Strategy, Role Playing and Aerial Combat Into One Amazing 3D Space Shooter

Toronto, CANADA-August 18, 2008-Wicked Interactive (www.wickedinteractiveltd.com), a North American MMO publisher, today announced its first game, ACE Online, has gone into closed beta and is being hosted on its web portal: www.subagames.com. Starting today, 08/18/08, gamers can obtain a closed beta key for ACE Online by going to www.subagames.com and registering for a SuBa games account.
Registration is limited to the first 5000 players to join.

ACE Online is a 3D space shooter that combines action and MMORPG elements. Developed by Yedang Online, one of Korea’s most renowned gaming enterprises, the game puts players in the role of fighter pilots and behind the controls of ships known as “Gears”. As the player battles in this intergalactic world at war, they will complete missions and engage other players in intense aerial dogfights.

ACE Online injects action and shooting elements into the traditional MMORPG formula. Players have complete control over their gear and must engage enemies directly in combat - relying on quick shooting and skillful maneuvering in order to survive. As players progress through the game, they acquire credits which can be used in the game’s item shop to purchase hundreds of customizable weapons and add-ons for their “gear”. Players can then fly their “gear” into immense online space battles as part of ACE Online’s “Nation Wars” PvP system. These RPG elements add a layer of personal customization and multiplayer strategy to ACE Online’s already action-packed gameplay. Through the blend of these two gameplay genres, ACE Online offers a fully unique and unrivaled MMO experience.

Key Features of ACE Online:

- Free to download and free to play, no monthly subscription fee
- Inventive mix of MMORPG strategy and social elements with action-packed aerial combat
- Four unique “Gears” to choose from, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses
- Deep leveling and gear customization systems - literally hundreds of customizable weapons and add-ons
- Nations Wars PvP Combat - engage other players and nations in massive air battles
- Voice Chat - communicate with squad-mates in-game

For more information about Wicked Interactive, ACE Online or SuBa games, please visit www.wickedinteractiveltd.com or www.subagames.com.

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About Wicked Interactive
Wicked Interactive LTD. is a video game publisher, founded in 2008, and based out of Toronto, Canada - the tech capital of Ontario. Through its SUBA Games platform, Wicked Interactive plans to create a centralized destination where North American gamers can access a range of Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game experiences.

The Wicked Interactive Mission is to provide an exciting and robust MMO game experience that is free and enjoyable to everyone.

Shred The Slopes in the Project Powder Open Beta

Outspark Announces Next Phase of New Multiplayer Snowboarding Game

SAN FRANCISCO - August 7, 2008

Outspark, a leading publisher of free-to-play online games, is proud to announce the open beta of Project Powder. The newest addition to Outspark’s Virtual Playground, Project Powder is an immersive snowboarding adventure for gamers of all experience levels. Featuring intense multiplayer action, gnarly tricks and hundreds of ways to customize your experience, Project Powder promises plenty of fun for gamers interested in racing their friends for five minutes or several hours. To learn more and download the game, register now for free at www.project-powder.com.

“Project Powder utilizes all of the benefits of online gaming to make an extreme sport a community experience,” said Susan Choe, Outspark CEO and founder. “Our overarching goal is to expand our free-to-play Virtual Playground into a diverse entertainment destination, and Project Powder is a great addition to our game portfolio.”

The open beta of Project Powder is available now with an official launch for worldwide audiences set for the end of summer. Features of the game include:
- 33 monster courses(10 available exclusively for open beta)
- 3 challenging game modes
- Intense multiplayer action with up to 7 opponents
- Premium gear including new snowboards, clothing and accessories for your character
- Dozens of unlockable tricks

Outspark will also be hosting a number of exciting community events during the Project Powder open beta including a user-generated video contest. For complete information visit www.project-powder.com

About Outspark
Outspark is an entertainment services company that publishes and operates engaging online multiplayer games. Featuring a portfolio of immersive free-to-play games and related content, the company is building an online destination where members come for the games and stay for the community. Backed by Tencent, Altos Ventures and DCM, Outspark is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with a subsidiary office in Seoul, Korea. For more information, visit www.outspark.com.