Game Power 7 [Official Website]

Vanguard FREE Play December 18th to January 3rd [Curse.com]

City of Heroes / City of Villains - Issue 11: A Stitch in Time

First details of the latest free expansion pack, A Stitch in Time.

Wednesday 3rd October/... NCSoft Europe proudly brings you the the eleventh free expansion to the City of Heroes® universe, introducing a whole new level of depth, gameplay and excitement to the franchise.

SUMMARY
Issue 11: A Stitch in Time reveals that all that is and was is not as it should be! The mysterious Ouroboros organization, a group of beings from the ends of time, enlists the aid of Heroes and Villains to rewrite the past. Heroes and Villains are able to travel through time using the new Ouroboros System, which opens the gates to both new and existing content for players. Issue 11 also unleashes two brand new power sets: Dual Blades and Willpower, giving Heroes and Villains a slew of new power options. Additionally, Dual Blades offers Weapon Customization - taking the "City of" Character Creator to the next level! And the Inventions system is enhanced with new "Very Rare" Purple invention sets.

OUROBOROS SYSTEM
Through the mysterious Menders of Ouroboros, players gain the ability to "Flashback", that is to travel through time and relive major events from the history of Paragon City™ and the Rogue Isles™. Heroes who travel back in time will embark on missions such as preventing the Circle of Thorns from unleashing a devastating demon on a defenseless world, a story originally presented in the City of Heroes comic book. Villains who journey through time will get the chance to assist Lord Recluse™ in his initial campaign to conquer the Rogue Isles, and much more.

Heroes and Villains also use the Ouroboros System to return to story arcs that they may have missed and replay hundreds of missions from earlier in the game. Players will even get to set mission parameters for these missions to earn special badges. Heroes and Villains will be auto-exemplared to the appropriate level for each story arc to ensure the challenge level remains constant.

WEAPON CUSTOMIZATION
Sometimes an assault rifle just isn't the right tool for the job, or character, especially when he or she should be using a sniper rifle instead. Players can now change their weapons in the same way that they change their costume parts! From within the costume creator and tailor screen players select the new "Weapons" region. A number of new options are now available for appropriate power sets. Current power sets that benefit from this upgrade include Assault Rifle, Mercenaries/Assault Rifle, Bow, Broadsword, Claws, Villain Claws, Dual Blades (see below), Katana, Ninja Blade, Mace, Robotics/Pulse Rifle, and Thugs/Dual Pistols.

TWO NEW POWER SETS
The City of... universe expands with two new amazing power sets: Dual Blades and Willpower.

DUAL BLADES
With a flashing blade in each hand, the Stalker made quick work of the Coralax hybrids guarding the shipwreck.
Now Heroes and Villains can wield paired weapons to devastating effect! Use the new Weapon Customization interface to choose from several types of weapons. Dual Blades also uses a brutal new Combo system, where the order of your strikes can create new advantages for you to take down your foes! Dual Blades is available to Brutes, Scrappers, Stalkers and Tankers!

WILLPOWER
Available to Tankers, Scrappers, Brutes and Stalkers, the Willpower set offers a strong mix of resistance, defense and regeneration powers. This is the perfect power set for those characters who have the mental will and determination - the willpower - to ignore pain and press on through insurmountable odds!

NEW INVENTIONS
Issue 11 brings with it new invention sets including "Very Rare" Purple sets, as well as brand new invention sets for Taunt, Buff and Debuff powers, among others

Death Knight Interview [World of Warcraft]

"We are ecstatic to be in a position now to release ArchLord as an entirely FREE MMORPG and this marks a milestone in the games ongoing development. Since its release, ArchLord has grown consistently and we are excited to throw open the doors to players across N.America and Europe looking to play a premium 100% FREE MMORPG. "

Play ArchLord For Free [Official Game Website]

Codemasters Online Announce Huge MMORPG Free Game Giveaway!

Codemasters Online announces ArchLord free game giveaway across Europe & N.America

Thursday 16th August - Codemasters Online is pleased to announce that ArchLord is now completely free-to-play with the full game now available for FREE download with no monthly subscription and an all new FREE expansion, Episode 2: Season of Siege. This epic fantasy is one of the few premium MMORPG's that offers a 100% fee free gaming experience.

It's time to raise an army and compete to rule the world as players from around the globe rise from pretender to contender and fight to become the games first all-ruling, all-conquering ArchLord. The first ArchLord will not only rule the world for a month, but they will control the lives of thousands of players and also win a full suit of real ArchLord armour* designed and developed exclusively by Codemasters Online.

Ed Relf, Director of Marketing, Codemasters Online commented "We are ecstatic to be in a position now to release ArchLord as an entirely FREE MMORPG and this marks a milestone in the games ongoing development. Since its release, ArchLord has grown consistently and we are excited to throw open the doors to players across N.America and Europe looking to play a premium 100% FREE MMORPG. Players are now only a download away from entering one of the most rich and rewarding PvP experiences in MMO gaming!"

To download ArchLord for FREE and take part in the race to become the games first ArchLord* visit www.archlordgame.com

CODEMASTERS ONLINE AND TURBINE UNVEIL

Major Content Update to Hit MMO to be Available on August 21st

Monday, 13th August (2pm GMT) - Codemasters Online and Turbine, Inc. announced the details of the second free content update for subscribers to The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™. Book 10: The City of the Kings continues the epic story, adds over 100 new quests, implements significant enhancements to monster play and introduces the Reputation and Bartering systems. Book 10: The City of the Kings will be available to subscribers of The Lord of the Rings Online on August 21st, 2007.

"Our first update significantly expanded the world of Middle-earth with new story arcs, quests, and exciting new kinds of gameplay," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "For Book 10 we continue the epic story and introduce a ton of new content, but we also are introducing legendary play, a completely new way to experience monster play that enables you to play as a powerful Ranger of the North or a terrible Troll."

Beginning August 21st, heroes can join the battle in Book 10: The City of the Kings, the second of many free updates to The Lord of the Rings Online.

NEW FEATURES:
„« The Epic Continues! — Amarthiel, introduced in Book 9: Shores of Evendim, has reclaimed the palantir of Carn Dûm and is now seeking to make Annúminas her new seat of power as she searches for her lost ring of power: Narchuil. The Dúnedain stands against her as the Rangers mount a last, desperate attempt to wrest the palantir from Amarthiel. Before she can find Narchuil, a most dangerous opportunity presents itself that may give the Dúnedain the advantage they need to blind the eye of Angmar.
„« Legendary Play — Once in the Ettenmoors, players can experience monster play in a completely new way by spending their Destiny Points to play as a powerful Ranger of the North or a terrible Troll to offer a strategic advantage to their allies in the battle for control of the Ettenmoors.
„« Critter Play — Friendly barnyard animals love squawking around the landscape, exploring chicken coops, hunting for worms and more! Players can now explore Middle-earth from a different - and sometimes unexpected - viewpoint as a chicken, the first of many new playable critters that will be added to the game in the future.
„« New Reputation and Bartering Systems — Book 10 introduces the Reputation and Bartering systems. The Reputation system enables players to earn positive and negative standing with different races and groups in Middle-earth based on both monster kills and quest completions. The Bartering system allows players to trade trophies earned in battle for rewards such as armor sets or mounts.
„« Over 100 New Quests — The story continues for players as they aid the Fellowship and encounter new adventures, new dungeons and over a dozen new monsters.
„« Enhanced User Interface — The game's UI is now customisable. In addition to being able to skin your UI with a unique look, Book 10 will enable players to access sliders in their 'Options' panel to scale the size of individual elements of the UI to their liking.
"We are working very hard to deliver the most content and best experiences to our subscribers and it is extremely satisfying to see such a large number of players embracing the game and joining us in Middle-earth," added Anderson. "We intend to continue our long established reputation of delivering frequent and substantial updates to our players with the release of Book 11 this autumn which will offer players the opportunity to live in their very own house in Middle-earth!"

While I can't speak for 9Dragons, BOTS!! is a hell of a good time, and the only thing that has kept me from installing it on my new PC at home is both the download time and the fact that I download so many things I often lose track. Perhaps a shiny CD in the mail would help, or maybe I'd just toss it out thinking it was an AOL disc. Either way this is definitely a triumphant day for digital delivery.

Atlanta, GA (June 29th, 2007) - Acclaim Games and SwiftCD.com have partnered to offer on-demand physical delivery of Acclaim's multiplayer online games on CDs and DVDs. In addition to being able to download the game for free, both BOTS!! (www.botsgame.com) and 9Dragons (www.9dragonsgame.com) games can now be obtained on a free CD or DVD shipped worldwide to the Acclaim Games customer (shipping & handling fees apply). The large file sizes of the games (e.g., 9Dragons is over 700MB) prompted many Acclaim customers to request a physical delivery option. Acclaim has now made quick and easy physical delivery available via the SwiftCD partnership.

"SwiftCD gave us exactly what we wanted; a turn-key solution incorporating all aspects of the order taking, on-demand production and worldwide fulfillment", said Howard Marks, Chief Executive Officer of Acclaim Games. "SwiftCD has a reputation for excellence and reliability along with unparalleled service. They made the implementation on our side almost effortless."

The BOTS!! and 9Dragons download pages are now live with the SwiftCD-powered physical delivery options. On-demand CDs/DVDs are free to Acclaim players and available for only a nominal shipping and handling charge. The CDs/DVDs are shipped worldwide, normally within 24 business hours of receiving the order. Since the CDs and DVDs are made 'on-demand', Acclaim customers are assured to always get the latest software versions. As a bonus, the 9Dragons DVD also contains BOTS!!.

"Acclaim Games is one of the most recognized brands in the world of online gaming. We're thrilled to have been selected to power the Acclaim physical media solution", said Jason Foodman, Chief Executive Officer of SwiftCD.com. "Offering a physical delivery option ensures that everyone who is interested in experiencing the magic Acclaim has created will have the chance to play these amazing games."

Acclaim plans to offer a CD or DVD for each of the downloads on its website so that consumers always have the option to have the large files delivered rather than downloaded on their PC. Customers with slow connections, as well as those who desire or prefer having media backup, will benefit from this new option making all of Acclaim's free to play multiplayer online games easily accessible to all.

All of Acclaim's multiplayer online games are fun, addicting, and best of all free to play. Simply register for a free account at www.acclaim.com and download the games (or order game software on CD/DVD from SwiftCD) to play now!

Prestige items like the luxury apartments once given only as a preorder bonus for the Shadowlands expansion. The luxury apartment I ended up paying 300 dollars on because my girlfriend at the time couldn't live without one. There is so much spite in me. New items being sold include new hoverboards and jetbikes, which go for roughly $3 a bike. Pay to play subscribers will receive monthly stipend of points based on the length of their subscription.

Buried in the press release for this new is this spicy morsel from game director and producer Craig Morrison.

At the same time we also want to show our commitment to taking the overall gameplay experience forward. I am therefore glad to announce that we are developing a new graphics engine for the game, replacing our entire server farm, as well as developing exciting booster packs which include new playfields and more."

Funcom introduces virtual item sales in Anarchy Online

-Additional business model introduced as the world's first sci-fi MMO celebrates six years -

Durham, USA - June 27, 2007 - Funcom is proud to announce the introduction of a additional business model for Anarchy Online, exactly six years after the launch of the world's first sci-fi MMO. Set to launch this summer, Funcom now introduces a point-based system where players can purchase selected virtual items, as well as new content and services. The new approach comes as an addition to Anarchy Online's existing business models, and it is a current Funcom focus to only introduce items which do not affect gameplay balance.

The first virtual items to kick off the program will be the introduction of jetbikes and hover boards, giving players the chance to cruise around Rubi-Ka in an all new fashion. In addition Funcom will offer previously released scout-mechs, luxury apartments, Leet pets and various sets of social clothing. By using points the players can also get access to previous and upcoming expansion and booster packs, as well as new services like changing in-game names or moving to another server.

"Funcom has long been a pioneer on new MMO business models, and with the introduction of virtual item sales we are once again moving our game in an exciting new direction," said Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom. "Selling virtual items and smaller content upgrades is now a prevalent MMO business model in Asia. This has yet to be fully explored in the west, but we believe that the time is now right to test a limited version of such a model. At the same time we remain committed to the overall evolution of the game, making sure that Anarchy Online will be a success for many years to come."

"Celebrating six years is a fantastic milestone for Anarchy Online, and we are genuinely honored to still entertain so many people," said Craig Morrison, Producer and Director on Anarchy Online. "As we now introduce a new addition to Anarchy Online we have ensured that our paying customers get certain privileges. At the same time we also want to show our commitment to taking the overall gameplay experience forward. I am therefore glad to announce that we are developing a new graphics engine for the game, replacing our entire server farm, as well as developing exciting booster packs which include new playfields and more."
The Funcom points can at first be purchased in 10 and 20 USD / EUR packages. As an example of the price a new jetbike starts as low as 3 dollars, while a complete set of bikes can be bought for about 10 dollars. Players who are paying subscribers of Anarchy Online will get a set of monthly points included in the subscription price, and longer pricing plans like 6 and 12 months gives extra points. As an added incentive Funcom will send points to the player account upon receipt of subscription dues.
For more information about the game please visit www.anarchy-online.com.
_ _ _ _

Now Electronic Arts is reporting that over two hundred thousand people applied for the beta between North America and Europe, and if anyone at all followed my advice they're going to have a hard time ferreting through hordes of female fans passionate about Warhammer who want a hand at making what they believe to be the next MMO sensation an overwhelming success. I hope you all at least chose different names.

"We would like to thank the community for their tremendous response to Warhammer Online. The overwhelming worldwide response to beta test has been phenomenal. The team has been working incredibly hard on creating a genre-defining experience, and the beta signups certainly validate the direction we're taking the game," said Mark Jacobs, VP and General Manager of EA Mythic.

GOA AMASSES AN ARMY FOR WARHAMMER® ONLINE: AGE OF RECKONINGTM BETA TEST

OVER 200,000 GAMERS SIGN UP FOR THE WARHAMMER® ONLINE: AGE OF RECKONING CLOSED BETA TEST IN LESS THAN TEN DAYS

GOA, the France Telecom-owned publisher of online games, and Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world's leading interactive entertainment company, announce today that more than 200,000 players signed up for the forthcoming Warhammer® Online: Age of Reckoning™.

The Warhammer Online Beta Centre opened simultaneously in Europe and North America on May 30, and the 200,000 registration mark was surpassed over the weekend, less than ten days after launch. This makes the beta test of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning one of the most rapidly growing beta tests in the history of the MMORPG category. The Beta Centre is currently open and accepting applications at www.WAR-europe.com.

"Such an amazingly high number of subscribers to the website and beta test is fantastic news and very encouraging," commented Ghislaine Le Rhun, Senior Vice President of GOA. "It proves the game has already struck a cord with gamers who are hungry for the greatest MMO experience available. We are also delighted to be able to say a big 'Thank You' and to reward gamers' loyalty and enthusiasm for WAR by offering them the chance to become part of the beta experience and to play the game months ahead of launch."

"We would like to thank the community for their tremendous response to Warhammer Online. The overwhelming worldwide response to beta test has been phenomenal. The team has been working incredibly hard on creating a genre-defining experience, and the beta signups certainly validate the direction we're taking the game," said Mark Jacobs, VP and General Manager of EA Mythic. "Player input and testing will be crucial in our efforts to complete the game, and we look forward to beta participants' help in shaping Warhammer Online."

Warhammer® Online: Age of Reckoning™ launches simultaneously in Europe and North America early in 2008 and is based on Games Workshop's popular Warhammer fantasy world. Please visit www.WAR-europe.com for the chance to join the beta test and for more game information and regular updates.

Retailers on at least two continents have been extremely lax about the World of Warcraft Burning Crusade's January 16th street date. While most major game outlets across the US have been sticking to the agreement, many smaller shops as well as some large retailers already have the games on the shelves for purchase. I found the game at a Target store in Atlanta over the weekend, but since I already have it fully paid for at a midnight launch locations I passed on picking up a copy.

GamesIndustry.biz reports that at least one major supermarket in Europe started selling the game once they received it on Saturday, causing many independent stores to go ahead and sell theirs in order to stay competitive.

As of this writing there are 463 auctions on eBay for the expansion, with 327 of the for the limited edition Collector's Edition, which is going for upwards of $200 on average...over twice retail. Some enterprising folks are selling the game with level 60 characters bundled in, letting you experience the higher level content ineptly with a character you don't know how to play.

Any of you fine readers get a copy of the game early, and if so, does it ache to sit there staring at the box with one eye while the other stares intently at the clock? Michael Fahey

Retail breaks street date for WOW expansion [GamesIndustry.biz]

Tuesday has long been the bane of the WoW player's existence, being the (scheduled) day that the servers go down and stay down till the middle of the afternoon Eastern time for weekly maintenance. My girlfriend especially hated Tuesdays, since that was the one off day from work she had set in stone and WoW is really the only game she gets into regularly. Blizzard plans to change all of that now, as testing has begun on a new process that performs the weekly work with the servers operational, with downtimes lasting less than 10 minutes, if at all. Today was the first Tuesday morning that I can recall where I've actually been able to log into the game and poke around at all the pretty things in the auction house that I can't afford.

Keep in mind it's still in testing stages, so there could be the odd hiccup here and there, but this is great news for weekday players and gold farmers everywhere! Michael Fahey