“The Sims Label creates original entertainment experiences which are unique in the way they bring culture, interactivity and creativity together,” said Rod Humble. “It is a privilege to lead The Sims Label team as we look forward to new ways of surprising and delighting customers in this rapid growth time for interactive entertainment of all kinds.”

You go Rod! The Sims need more half-naked wood elves!

Rod Humble Promoted to Executive Vice President and Head of The Sims Label at Electronic Arts
Nancy Smith To Take a New Assignment on EA’s Executive Team

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) has promoted Rod Humble to Executive Vice President and Head of The Sims Label of EA. In this role, Humble will be responsible for The Sims Label, which develops and markets life-simulation games and online communities with an emphasis on creativity, community and humor. The Sims™ is the best-selling PC franchise of all time.

Former The Sims leader Nancy Smith will manage special projects for The Sims Label until she begins a new executive role at EA, to be defined over the coming months.

“Like Nancy Smith before him, Rod Humble has demonstrated strong leadership in defining EA’s The Sims brand as a stand-alone product label. Rod has great creative instincts, uncompromising quality standards, a deep connection with the player community, and most of all, the respect of the team he works with,” said John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts.

“The Sims Label creates original entertainment experiences which are unique in the way they bring culture, interactivity and creativity together,” said Rod Humble. “It is a privilege to lead The Sims Label team as we look forward to new ways of surprising and delighting customers in this rapid growth time for interactive entertainment of all kinds.”

Humble has been with The Sims Label and EA since 2004. An 18-year industry veteran, prior to joining EA, he was Vice President of Product Development for Sony Online Entertainment where he headed up the EverQuest studio.

Freeman's brother tells the Escapist that "personal issues," not the fury of SWG players were at the root cause of his decision to take his own life.

Jeff Freeman, Former SWG Lead Gameplay Designer, Dies [The Escapist]

“We started to get very interested in [the PSP] when we switched over from Sony Pictures to Sony Computer Entertainment back in April,” he explained. “And as we’ve kind of got our heads up looking around the world within Sony Computer Entertainment, we’re really starting to see a big push for PSP. We think it’s a world-class device… In the future, we see full MMOs that are designed for the PSP.”

While we wait for a full MMO on the handheld, Mr. Smedley tossed out a couple ideas for integrating the PSP into existing games, including a virtual pet that ties in with a pet in the family-friendly MMO Free Realms, or mini-games that let you level up your character offline. Great ideas both, really. I love my PSP, but it isn't exactly burning up the handheld market right now. Fresh ideas and unique applications are very welcome indeed.

Sony Online Considering MMOs On PSP [MTV Multiplayer]

As I've said before, Vanguard has some very good things going for it, and my time in the game was certainly enjoyable to a point. I'd check in again if I had the time, but with the end-of-the-year gaming spectacular in full swing I won't have the time. Anyone still playing out there that can give us the down-low? Worth the reinstall, or no?

SOE's Wilson Talks Connected PC, PS3 Game Worlds [Gamasutra]

Also included in the update will be the eagerly anticipated new character models, which promise to make the men manlier and the women not-quite-as-manly, which is always a good thing, unlike releasing an update for your floundering MMO weeks before the release of Warhammer Online, and while thousands of bug fixes sounds like a good thing, it does pretty much indicate thousands of bugs to be fixed. Hrm.

Get Ready for Game Update 6! [Vanguard Players via Eurogamer]

Are these findings representative of all virtual worlds, or all MMOs, or all fantasy titles? I have my own speculations (pretty solid for fantasy diku games), and I welcome yours. Of course, until other developers open their doors in a similar fashion, it'll all remain speculation.

What can you expect from future reports? Our subsequent papers will involve research on gender differences, role players, economic modeling, social networks, group success and failure, raiding, detailed player behavior metrics, trust and community, and many others currently in the hopper. As we develop more and more metrics from the player behavior data, we will be merging these with the psychological, demographic, and attitude data from the survey. In other words, for the first time we will know who they are, what they think, and what they do on a truly systematic level.

The article itself is a quick read, and the data is condensed in charts if you're too lazy to read the full article. I'm looking forward to 'future installments' — what other oddball stats will crop up?

"Who plays, how much, and why? A player census of a virtual world" [Wiley InterScience via Terra Nova]

Right now the SOE store has a deal where you can get the original game, The Rage of the Wookies and Jump to Lightspeed expansions and a starter deck for the card game for $14.99, with all paying subscribers receiving five free booster packs each month to help bolster their decks. Starters are available for individual purchase for $9.99, with boosters running $2.99 or $99.99 for a virtual box of 36 boosters. Honestly I am a bit hazy on how the whole thing works, so why not head over to the trading card game page and figure things out for yourself? May the force be with you and all that.

LUCASARTS AND SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCH THE STAR WARS GALAXIES™ ONLINE TRADING CARD GAME

The First Release of the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, “Champions of the Force” Now Available

AUGUST 27, SAN FRANCISCO – LucasArts and Sony Online Entertainment announced today the launch of the Star Wars Galaxies™ Trading Card Game and its first release: Champions of the Force.

Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force marks the first ever Star Wars® trading card game offered exclusively online. Available to both current and former Star Wars Galaxies subscribers*, the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game provides players an entirely new gameplay experience by combining the challenge of a trading card game with the adventures and community of the massively multiplayer game. For the first time online, players can:

* Choose between the light and dark sides of the Force and build their own Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game decks to fight virtual matches for the Rebel, Imperial, Jedi or Sith;
* Enhance their digital card decks with 15-card Booster Packs;
* Find more than 20 “loot” cards in the first release, Champions of the Force, that can be redeemed for fantastic virtual items for use within the Star Wars Galaxies massively multiplayer game for players with a Star Wars Galaxies account*;
* Challenge their skills in story-based solo-play or against other Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game players in epic one-on-one matches, cooperative Heroic Encounters, and official tournaments.

In addition, all Star Wars Galaxies subscribers with current, valid, paid accounts in good standing are eligible to automatically receive five digital trading card Booster Packs each month included with their paid Star Wars Galaxies subscription at no additional cost, providing a simple way for them to quickly and easily build their decks.

More than 250 unique virtual cards are available for players to collect in the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game, all of which feature beautifully detailed original Star Wars­ artwork depicting scenes from the story-based solo mode. In the story mode, players will battle through ten scenarios that revolve around an ancient Jedi holocron, the Codex of Tython, which players must work to reassemble and ultimately use against their enemies.

Anyone wishing to try the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force can do so at no charge through a downloadable trial that includes limited access to a tutorial and practice games with a provided virtual Starter card deck.

The Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force may be also be accessed from inside Star Wars Galaxies, including trial participants while taking advantage of the Star Wars Galaxies 14-Day Trial. This trial, offered at no charge for up to two consecutive weeks, also includes all the content of the base game, Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided™ and its first expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed™. Available by download from www.StarWarsGalaxies.com, the 14-Day Trial gives players a chance to meet and fight with or against their favorite Star Wars characters as they explore this massive online universe filled with thousands of other Star Wars fans.

As a bonus for trying the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Champions of the Force, players are eligible to receive a loot card that can be redeemed in Star Wars Galaxies for the choice of either a Rebel or Imperial flight suit*. Plus, becoming an active, current, paying Star Wars Galaxies subscriber, after trying the Trading Card Game, offers additional benefits including:

* One Starter Deck of their choice: Jedi, Rebel, Imperial or Sith;
* A Cybernetic Experience Chip, which gives a 20% experience point increase that can be used up to 50 times in Star Wars Galaxies when redeemed*;
* The complete third expansion, Star Wars Galaxies: Rage of the Wookiees™.

SOE tells me that they currently have a bit more than 1,100 people registered for the event and that compared to previous years that is a "very strong number." If you were thinking about going to Sony's celebration of all things SOE, Everquest and MMO-ey, hit up the site to register. You can also register on site, though only pre-registered folks are guaranteed the in-game rewards.

The event is being held at the Las Vegas Hilton from Aug. 14 through Aug. 17 and registration will set you back $89 for the weekend or $39 for a day.

This year's event will include a second annual community address by John Smedley, a Gamers in Real Life breakfast and a chance to pre-order the Everquest 10th Anniversary Commemorative Book.

The full schedule can be found here.

Fan Faire 08 Schedule [SOE]

We sat down with DC Comics executive creator Jim Lee earlier today to talk about the SOE-developed, DC-branded game. Lee told me that he was the one who had approached SOE after catching wind of the project, an effort which had experienced multiple starts and stops.

As a fairly serious EverQuest player — Lee played Paladin, for the record — the artist turned exec knew his stuff. He dropped MMO-isms (LFG, instances, the grind) like it was his natural language, and with a working knowledge of the DC universe, fans of the genre and the brand should feel confident that it's creatively in good hands.

Players will be given the option of creating a good or evil character in DCUO, each with a possible dozen unique characteristics, such as power type (ice, fire, mental, sonic), power source (ring, elemental), and movement type (flying, speed). Given Lee's background as a serious MMO player, I had to ask what he was planning on playing in DC Universe Online when it shipped.

"I haven't decided," he said. "I'll probably have one public character and one private character — a villain."

I asked Jim if he was partial to any particular DC mainstays, if he'd lobbied for the inclusion of anyone in particular.

"I kind of have to be impartial," he said, noting that it was more important to ensure that DC's classic characters and classic designs were integrated accurately into the massive multiplayer world.

Sadly, that doesn't include some of the more off-kilter characters, non-humanoids like Krypto the Super Dog, Bat-Mite or various multi-limbed things from the Green Lantern Corps. They may appear in the game in some form, but if you're looking to create a super monkey that can ally with the Superman family or even Gorilla Grodd, you might have to wait for the expansion.

One surprise that Lee mentioned is that alter-egos will play a role in the game. You may have to spend some time as a lowly photographer, for example, one who walks among the regular citizens, preserving your secret identity. "We have to have it be meaningful," Lee said of superhero alter-egos. This aspect of the gameplay, Lee hinted, may address the dreaded "grind", something he says players won't spend much time worrying about.

As far as the look of the game, for which Lee is largely responsible, we learned that some characters that we've already seen are undergoing visual refinements. "The Joker is one character I wanted to tweak," he said, noting that the Heath Ledger/Christopher Nolan take on the Joker from The Dark Knight may have been part of the catalyst for the change. Part of the reason for the change, however, was that the current model of the Joker simply didn't fit with the rest of the game's non-playable DC heroes and villains.

We'll be going hands-on with the game soon and will report our impressions of DC Universe Online later this week.

We got a chance to chat with the 20 year-old Brasil (who's never won a contest in her life) about her winning concept, what she thinks of a "G.I.R.L" contest, and what she'll be working on with SOE — full interview after the jump.

Brasil first learned of the contest during a late-night event at GDC, where she worked as a volunteer staffer. The event featured lots of women with jobs in the game industry, who recommended she enter. Getting a $10,000 scholarship and a guaranteed in with a publisher like SOE might be any gamer's dream. So how did Brasil feel when she found out she won? "At first, I passed through shock, and then I was in denial. And then, I was really happy, and now I'm just okay with it, I guess!"

When asked to guess why her EQ2 level won out, she guessed it was because she made it "a little bit crazy." The judges, she said, told her they found her work funny and original.

"It involved finding a particular sheep among a lot of other sheep," she said. "It was a little bit adventure game and a little bit of the usual MMO grinding and things."

Female development professionals are under-represented in game industry demographics, so it's fair to consider that a girl-focused contest might be necessary to promote more interest from women in the game industry. But at the same time, there are plenty of male students who'd love to be internship contenders as well — we asked Brasil how she felt about this.

"The thing about the contest is, it's called G.I.R.L, but there was nothing saying guys couldn't apply," Brasil said. "It was geared toward any group that is a minority in game development. I guess the girl thing led people astray to think that, because you are a guy, you couldn't possibly win."

So what are her career dreams? "I want to work in the game industry, like anyone in my class," she said, referring to the game art and development program she attends, where she learns a some art and design, and some coding, too. "But what I want to do specifically once I get in the industry, I'm still not sure about! I still like drawing, and doing concept art and being an artist, but I also like doing level design and scripting."

Brasil hopes her time with SOE will help her experiment with a variety of different industry facets to see what she takes to. Specifically, she'll be interning with the team that's developing The Agency — "I'm looking forward to that," she said.

They've got decades of history, beloved characters, infamous villains and settings that some fans no so well they practically live there, but what sets DC Universe Online apart from other superhero MMO games?

The main difference between DCUO and a game like City of Heroes is that you don't slowly earn your powers. If your character has super speed, they are super fast, period. You don't have to level up to gain your speed boost...the Flash didn't have to ding in order to go from 60 to 70 MPH. You have the power you choose, and it's up to you to learn to use it. An example Chris presented was a character with super speed being able to run up a wall, taking them out of range of enemy attacks. You can do this right from the start, as long as you have the skills to pull it off.

Leveling with help you tweak your powers a bit. You see the mechanic in comic books every day...a hero learns some new way to use their powers. The Flash figures out how to create a tornado by running in a circle at supersonic speeds, Superman hones his heat vision to laser accuracy, etc. Other than those tweaks, DCU is a skill-based action game more than your traditional RPG. You want to fly? Boom, you can fly. You want to fly well? That's where skill kicks in.

One thing that really struck me is the use of physics in the game. In a game like World of Warcraft, you freeze someone in place and they are locked in one spot as a particle effect appears at their feet. You freeze someone in DCUO and they don't just get surrounded by a ice block-shaped effect. They become an ice block, which can then be picked up and thrown, The game is dynamically creating objects using powers instead of simply throwing lighting effects around.

Unfortunately DCU Online was not playable at E3, but fans will be getting their hands on the title soon enough. In fact, Next week's San Diego Comic Con will play host to the first playable demo of the game, allowing comic book fans the first shot at becoming a DCU hero themselves.

SOE is opening the door to the DC Universe. Hopefully what we wind up seeing on the other side will be enough to entice us through it.

Installing Free Realms will be simple enough that even the most clueless parent can do it. Prospective players will go to the web page, sign up for an account, and begin to customize their character while the client downloads directly from the game's site. Once completed, players will be able to launch the game directly from a MySpace-like profile page, complete with lists of their online friends and news about the latest game updates.

Perhaps the most parent and child friendly thing about Free Realms? Despite the high level of polish, the game will run smoothly on a GeForce 3. I am pretty sure my toaster comes stock with a GeForce 3. Even the crappiest laptop equipped with onboard graphics will be able to run the game...a definite plus.

At its heart, Free Realms is really a community games portal with a colorful candy shell. It isn't all about leveling, though you can certainly fight monsters solo or with up to three friends to your heart's content. You can also participate in a wide variety of 2D and 3D mini-games, or play the built-in collectible card game. I was shown a factory you could wander into where a fairy asks you to help construct mining belts, launching a Diner Dash-type 2D mini-game. Nifty!

They've got an API in place that will allow them to add mini-games into the game quickly - in fact, when first logging into the game you are presented with a pop-up window that shows friend status and new mini-games added, allowing you to click to either join your pals or check out the new content right away.

I'd feel a bit silly calling a family MMO experience one of the games of the show if not for the fact that so many of my fellow writers seem to agree with me. Every time I mention the game to other press folks who've seen it their eyes light up with excitement. Several have said that they would play the game themselves despite the obvious kiddie/family target audience. When you show jaded members of the gaming press a kid's game that sparks this much interest, you're on to something special.

I leave you with a feature list, directly from the official E3 fact sheet.

Features:
Experience a vibrant new world that's an exciting mix of real-world and fantasy.
Be a wizard one day, and a warrior the next, without having to make a new character.
Join your friends in the game and adventure with them, wherever they are, no matter how long they have been playing.
When you’re ready for some excitement, head out to the wilderness and battle challenging enemies like giant spiders and forest trolls in fast-paced, strategic battlegrounds.
Cooperate with or compete against other players in battle!
Explore, quest, and collect items that you can wear, use or display.
Play a wide variety of mini-games to craft armor, weapons, potions, clothes, furniture, and many other items.
Grab a root beer at the inn and hang out with your friends while a rock band plays on the stage.
Interact with humorous, unique characters, become their friends and receive emails from them!
Raise a dog or cat and teach it to be the kind of pet you want—shy, brave, or funny.
Decorate your own house and grow a variety of plants and flowers.
Send links, share images and videos, and chat with friends from your own, personal, customizable social networking page!

If you're a MySpace user and you friend the page, it looks like you can even score an invite to a DCUO party at Comic-Con, just by bringing a printout of your page (presumably the one that shows you're all pally). Screens after the jump.

[via Joystiq]

SOE said new gameplay will be introduced to build on the old system and allow for more strategies and combos in the online card-based strategy title. It adds 250 new cards, new loot and promo cards, and a new island guardian, Chel'Drak the dragon turtle (is it a dragon or a turtle? Seriously, man).

According to SOE, LoN players have thrown down over a million matches since the title launched nine months ago. Oathbreaker's to be the last release before the August tournament at Gen Con Indy - wannabe competitors must qualify by July 12-13. Why not try, if you're into it? There's $100,000 at stake!

Full details after the jump.

WITH MORE THAN ONE MILLION LEGENDS OF NORRATH™ MATCHES PLAYED TO DATE,

EVERQUEST® FRANCHISE ONLINE STRATEGY GAME INTRODUCES OATHBREAKER TO THE VIRTUAL PLAYMAT

Release Precedes $100K World Championship Event at Gen Con Indy 2008

DENVER, COLO. – June 19, 2008 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC announced the release of Oathbreaker, the fourth set of the EverQuest® franchise online strategy game, Legends of Norrath™. Oathbreaker continues to draw upon the influence of SOE’s groundbreaking EverQuest® franchise, adding fun and familiar elements, including items and characters beautifully illustrated with high-fantasy flair. Oathbreaker will enthrall players with a tale of corruption from within, and redemption that comes at a terrible cost, providing an unprecedented level of drama in the ongoing saga. While Oathbreaker brings the story of your Oathbound hero to a dramatic finale, new gameplay builds on existing functionality and allows for even more creative strategies to emerge.

"In just over nine months since launch, Legends of Norrath has had more than one million matches,” said Scott Martins, director of development, SOE Denver. “And, with the introduction of Oathbreaker, many more matches are on the horizon. There are more ways than ever to enhance your strategies, explore different decks and try out new combos. We're eager to introduce the new raid and open up cooperative play. And, with the Monthly Sprint Tournaments that started in early June, there are more opportunities for players to climb the rankings and earn special promo cards and free loot.”

Not only does Oathbreaker complete the story arc which originated with LoN’s first set, Oathbound – it’s also the last LoN release before the World Championship event at Gen Con Indy, August 14-17, where up to 32 finalists are slated to compete for up to $100,000 in cash prizes. July 12-13 marks the last opportunity to compete in a monthly online Championship Qualifier tournament before the World Championship event. At Gen Con, two days of qualification heats, open to all Gen Con attendees 18 and older, will take place before the final championship day.

Developed at SOE’s Denver studio, Legends of Norrath is the only online strategy game based on and playable from SOE’s popular EverQuest® and EverQuest® II MMOs, as well as from a stand-alone client using a free SOE Station Account (available at www.station.com). Players can challenge opponents on their game server and across other EQ and EQII servers.

Oathbreaker’s features include:

New Cards – More than 250 new cards for your online arsenal! Collect all 210 base set cards, four starter decks featuring 16 new quests and three random rares, 10 scenario rewards, fantastic new loot cards for EverQuest and EverQuest II and lots of new promotional cards.

Play For Free - SOE is providing all registered LoN users even more complimentary content and bonus features in the game client, including ten new scenarios that tell the tale of Oathbreaker and a brand new raid. Go to www.legendsofnorrath.com for complete details.

New Raid Play – In the Antechamber of Fate, up to four players can face off against the powerful island guardian Chel’Drak, the dragon turtle!

New Gameplay – “Charge” is a new keyword that provides additional bonuses to cards while players have, or get rid of, their charge tokens. Re-linkable navigation offers greater flexibility in play by allowing linked cards to be linked again to a new target.

New Faces - Delve into new avatar races (Froglok and Erudite), unit types, legends, keywords and abilities. Explore more of your favorite EverQuest and EverQuest II classes with the introduction of “unarmed” Monks, Coercers, Templars and Beastlords (with their warder pets)!

Oathbreaker cards will be available via digital download from SOE’s Station Store in both 58-card digital starter decks for $9.99 (plus any applicable taxes), and 15-card digital booster packs for $2.99 (plus any applicable taxes).

To get started, players can download the client for free, test their skills 24 hours a day against AI and real opponents, and then head over to the tournament lobby to compete. Monthly Championship Qualifier eligibility limited and subject to Official Rules. Residents of certain territories are not eligible to participate in LoN tournaments with rewards. Please see the EULA for details. For a schedule of events, rules and further details, see the Events Calendar and the Tournaments page.

"I want to make this very clear," said lead designer Hal Milton. "This is not a microtransaction system within The Agency to allow players to buy weapons, outfits, or operatives to be effective within the game world. That's something that we're absolutely not planning on doing."

Instead, Live Gamer will be implemented as it is in EQII, allowing players to sell their own goods to other players. Milton did add that allowing players to recruit more operatives through a one-time out of game payment was still a possibility.

No microtransactions in The Agency [Eurogamer]

Returning players also get the EverQuest II: Rise of Kunark compilation plus bonus items at no cost, and they can keep it all if they convert to a paying subscription, and current players who bring in a friend get free game time when their subscription runs out.

SOE's also planned events and content for current and new players aimed at commemorating the games' almost ten-year lifespan. Hit the jump for the full announcement.

GROUNDBREAKING VIDEO GAME FRANCHISE EVERQUEST® CELEBRATES FANS WITH LIVING LEGACY PROMOTION

SAN DIEGO, CA – June 2, 2008 – The EverQuest ® franchise, the groundbreaking, award-winning fantasy series that redefined massively multiplayer online (MMO) video games for a generation of gamers around the globe, is bringing a near decade of success back to millions of fans with a new Living Legacy program from Sony Online Entertainment LLC, which will feature in-game events, promotions, game updates and more.

Living Legacy, announced today, is a brand-new initiative aimed at the millions of players who have experienced the vast, engaging online worlds of EverQuest ® (EQ) and EverQuest® II (EQII) since the original EQ game was launched in 1999. The celebration starts today and continues through the end of September. As part of the promotion, both EQ and EQII subscribers with inactive accounts who left in good standing will be able to log back in to the games and play for free until the end of July.

“The EverQuest franchise has touched so many lives since the launch of EverQuest in 1999, and with the 10th anniversary of EverQuest just around the corner, we felt it was the best time to give back to all the players who made it the cultural phenomenon it is today,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “We are grateful for the continued support from our legions of fans and are extremely excited about the groundswell of interest surrounding Living Legacy.”

While the Living Legacy program is aimed at former EQ and EQII players, the program also offers a perfect way for new players to experience the world of Norrath. Nostalgic NPCs and group PvE encounters, as well as brand new raid content, will commemorate EQ’s hardcore heritage. The program features bonus XP weekends, several live events, new content updates and the introduction of new zones all taking place in EQII. Returning EQII players will also be able to experience Rise of Kunark, EQII’s fourth expansion, which just became the game’s best-selling expansion of all time.

Key features of the Living Legacy program include:

* All qualified returning EQ players will receive the EverQuest Secrets of Faydwer all-in-one compilation and bonus in-game items at no additional cost.
* All qualified returning EQII players will receive the EverQuest II Rise of Kunark all-in-one compilation and bonus in-game items at no additional cost.
* All software provided during the promotional period will be credited to any EQ or EQII account that is converted to a valid, paying monthly subscription.
* Current EQII players who recruit a friend to play the game who converts to a valid subscription will receive free gameplay-time added upon conclusion of their then-current subscription .

In the spirit of honoring the players, the Living Legacy program is supported by an online and print advertising campaign that features real EQ and EQII players.

For more information on the Living Legacy program or to reactivate your account, log onto www.eqlivinglegacy.com.

"The Cryptic team has a great following among MMO players and their creative plans for the space are really pressing the genre forward," said John Needham, newly appointed CEO of Cryptic Studios. "I look forward to working with the Cryptic team to lead the company into its next phase of growth."

Needham was also once the VP of finance for Telemundo Networks, so you know he'll really appreciate his new office at Cryptic's The Cats, California headquarters.

June 2, 2008 6:00:00 AM

John Needham Named CEO of Cryptic Studios

Former Sony Online Entertainment Executive and Industry Veteran to Lead Independent MMO Publisher and Developer

LOS GATOS, CA — (MARKET WIRE) — 06/02/08 — Cryptic Studios(TM), one of the leading independent developers of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), announced today that John Needham has joined the company as its Chief Executive Officer. Needham joins Cryptic from Sony Online Entertainment, where he served as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Operations.

"John Needham's proven leadership in the MMO space makes him a dynamic fit for heading up Cryptic's new corporate direction. As an SVP of Sony Online Entertainment he has contributed greatly to the growth of the industry and we're excited to combine his operational experience with our vision for the future of online games," said Michael Lewis, president of Cryptic Studios.

"The Cryptic team has a great following among MMO players and their creative plans for the space are really pressing the genre forward," said John Needham, newly appointed CEO of Cryptic Studios. "I look forward to working with the Cryptic team to lead the company into its next phase of growth."

Cryptic Studios announced in February that the first title in its new product line-up is Champions Online, based on the popular pen-and-paper Champions RPG. Champions Online will allow players to create their own hero and explore vast, richly detailed 3D environments while keeping the forces of evil at bay. Champions Online is slated for release in Spring 2009.

John Needham has been with Sony since 1994. During the first half of his career at Sony, John held many positions in the television division of Sony Pictures Entertainment including Director of
Corporate Development and Vice President of Finance, Telemundo Networks. Since joining Sony Online Entertainment in 2001, Mr. Needham served as CFO and SVP of Business Development for 5 years until recently taking a new role as SVP of Business Development and Operations. As SVP of Business Development and Operations, John managed business development and strategic initiatives for SOE, as well as international operations, customer service and quality assurance testing. John is a graduate of San Diego State University and began his career at Arthur Andersen & Co.

For more information about Champions Online or Cryptic Studios,
please visit www.crypticstudios.com

A turtle.

The dark elves are rocking a spider, the wood elves get...whatever the hell that giant bug is supposed to be, and the half elves get a damned turtle. I suppose it could have been worse. They could have only gotten half a turtle.

At the event, apparently, everyone got to gawk at this giant gun made out of ice. Said Wilson, "A warning I gave during my introduction threatened to become our new tagline: 'Don't lick the gun.' (I personally think this is good advice in general, regardless of what the gun is actually made out of.)"

Wilson also recapped how the SOE Seattle studio got started, and how The Agency project came to be.

In 2005, a few of the core Mythica development team broke away from the Microsoft games group to form a startup company called "FireAnt Games." Our primary goal when we founded the company was to bring the MMO space to more of the mainstream gamer audience. Specifically, we wanted to target the shooter audience and the console gamer. Well, it happened that SOE was thinking the same thing, and they asked us to start up their Seattle studio. More than 3 years and 80 people later, we are well into building The Agency. Our goal is to deliver an online world where players can "live the life of an elite agent," full of the over-the-top action, exotic locales, and extravagant lifestyles the spy genre is known for.

Some footage from SOE Seattle's ice gun-festooned open house is set to air on G4's X-Play show tonight at 8:00pm EST, too.

Meet SOE, The Agency [US PlayStation Blog]

Earlier in the year, SOE and LiveGamer built a new platform for microtransactions, incorporating and ultimately replacing EverQuest II's Station Exchange. The result of that collaboration is the Live Gamer Exchange in-game economic platform, and LiveGamer will be providing the RMT service and technology for both new titles as well.

As SOE says character customization will play a significant role in espionage action-shooter The Agency, players will be able to purchase new clothes, weapons, vehicles and other identifying items that "tailor their gameplay."

As for free-to-play, family-friendly adventure title Free Realms, in addition to a range of avatar customization items for purchase, players can make and trade their own on the transaction service as well.

Full release follows the jump.

Sony Online Entertainment and Live Gamer Expand Transaction-based Game Play to Additional Titles

Live Gamer Exchange to Power RMT in The Agency and Free Realms

SEATTLE, WA - May 14, 2008 - Live Gamer, the premier operator of a publisher-supported marketplace for real money trading of virtual items, has announced it has entered into an agreement with Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) to offer real money trading (RMT) in the upcoming titles published by SOE — The Agency™ and Free Realms™. The two companies are leading the evolution of the gaming industry into transaction-based business models that open emergent game play styles for gamers and opportunities for publishers.

Live Gamer's service, called Live Gamer Exchange™, will provide the SOE gaming community within these new games with a trusted way to conduct real-money transactions. Earlier this year, Live Gamer incorporated SOE's proven Station Exchange technology, the first publisher-developed and sanctioned RMT marketplace, into its own e-commerce platform. The Live Gamer Exchange is currently operating within EverQuest® II, SOE's popular MMORPG (www.livegamer.com)

The next genre of SOE MMOGs to incorporate the Live Gamer Exchange will include:

* The Agency, a fast-paced online action shooter, will let players experience the life of an elite espionage agent with a "you are what you wear" level of customization. As they travel to exotic locales, infiltrate enemy organizations, and seek global domination for their own agency, gamers will be able to customize their characters through attire, weaponry, gadgets, vehicles, gear and aliases that tailor their game play.
* Free Realms, a whimsical fantasy adventure game targeted toward families, will be free to play and offer a catalog of items made by and for players to customize their avatars as much as they wish. The Live Gamer Exchange will provide a new and efficient mechanism for trading these items within the game.

Said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment, "We are actively exploring free-to-play and other revenue models, and always looking for new ways to engage and entertain gamers. Live Gamer is a proven partner that protects and supports our gamers who participate in RMT. We trust them to handle this area of the business for us so that we can focus on creating and growing our games."

"SOE pioneered the MMO genre and continues to evolve it by offering new game play experiences, revenue models and expanded demographic appeal. Live Gamer is proud to be a key part of the movement toward transaction-based game play," said Live Gamer co-founder and president, Andrew Schneider. "We're now building on the launch of the Live Gamer Exchange with EverQuest II, and expanding our relationship with SOE to power additional games including these two titles for which the idea of RMT has been built in from the very early stages of design."

I think MMOs are going to be a real strong selling point for the PS3 long term — there's going to be some great ones on the PS3. You're not going to find "The Agency" on the [Xbox] 360.

Game development is hot here [The Seattle Times via CVG]

The GIRL Game Design Competition scholarship is only open to current students of any The Art Institute schools and will reward one winner up to $10,000 towards tuition for his or her education at The Art Institute school at which he or she is currently enrolled. The winner will also receive a paid internship of up to ten weeks at one of the Sony Online Entertainment studios (located in Austin, Denver, San Diego and Seattle; room, board, transportation and living expenses not included).

To enter you need to complete an application and submit three pieces of concept art, a 500 word essay decribing the art, another 500 word essay describing why you want to work in the video games industry, how you could improve the image of women within video games and how your improvements could facilitate the creation of games that more women will play.

I strongly suggest pitching work on more IMAGINE games, just not the one's we've talked about.

G.I.R.L. Scholarship

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT TO AWARD UP TO $10,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO HELP GIRLS GET THEIR GAME ON

- Now Accepting Applications for G.I.R.L-Gamers in Real Life-Competition-

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -April 1, 2008 - Applications are now being accepted for the 2008 G.I.R.L. Game Design Competition scholarship of up to $10,000 designed to educate and recruit more women into the field of video game production and design. Sponsored by Sony Online Entertainment LLC. (SOE) a global leader in online gaming, applications and complete rules for entry are available online at www.girl.soe.com.

The SOE G.I.R.L. — Gamers In Real Life — competition is the first of its kind to encourage students toward career paths in the field of video game design and production, ultimately resulting in the development of games that are more interesting for women to play.

"The secret is out: Females game. We're just trying to encourage more women to make the games they obviously enjoy playing, said Torrie Dorrell, Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Sony Online Entertainment. "With the application process starting today, we're taking a concrete step towards opening the door a little wider for women who want to go into game development, and that can only help expand our industry's audience."

The SOE G.I.R.L competition was created in response to survey findings that focused on women in the field of video games. The survey interviewed female students currently enrolled in Game Art & Design, Visual & Game Programming and Visual Effects & Motion Graphics programs at The Art Institutes schools. The SOE-sponsored survey revealed that:
—61% of students surveyed believe male dominance in the industry is a deterrent to women pursuing a career in gaming
—42% of those surveyed would like to see women portrayed as leaders in video games
—35% of the students surveyed want to create more games that are fun and interesting for women to play
—31% of those surveyed want to become involved in gaming because more women need to represent the industry

According to the Entertainment Software Association, thirty-eight percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (31%) than boys age 17 or younger (20%). 1

The G.I.R.L Game Design Competition officially begins today, April 1, 2008. In order to be eligible to participate, entrants must be currently enrolled at one of The Art Institutes schools, have a graduation date of June 2009 or later and must comply with the Official Rules [Official Rules]. Entrants are required to complete an online application and submit an in-game design, concept art and two (2) essays. Online applications must be completed on or before April 15, 2008 and related asset submissions must be received on or before May 31, 2008. The winner will be announced on or about June 30, 2008.

One skilled student will win up to $10,000 towards tuition for his or her education at The Art Institutes school at which he or she is currently enrolled and a paid internship of up to ten (10) weeks at one of the Sony Online Entertainment studios (located in Austin, Denver, San Diego and Seattle; room, board, transportation and living expenses not included). Entrants will be judged by a panel of industry professionals from SOE. To learn more, visit girl.soe.com.

Following the success of the announcement of the competition, SOE has created an official G.I.R.L blog written by Tracy Seamster, game designer for SOE's upcoming release, The Agency™. To visit the G.I.R.L blog, go to http://gamersinreallife.wordpress.com/.

Survey Methodology
Sony Online Entertainment commissioned Insight Express to conduct an online survey of The Art Institutes students in January 2008. A total of 143 students were invited to take the survey via e-mail and 53 students completed the survey (37% response rate).

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.

It's ridiculous and foolish to say that PC gaming [is in decline]. I've seen some of the dumbest quotes out there about the business [falling apart]. It's just not true. The simple truth is the online business is picking up in a huge way. If you're able to add in - and NPD is beginning to track this stuff - the digital sales and regular sales and subscription money and all that stuff, the PC gaming industry is at its strongest point in its history period.

While SOE has done its share of PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PSP development in the past, we would expect that the alignment with SCEI will mean additional focus on PlayStation output. Potentially good news for the PS3's first-party line up and the PlayStation Network.

The official word is that SOE will continue to develop for the PS3 and PC and that president John Smedley will be one rung under Hirai on the corporate ladder. All that officialness is in the following press release on the matter.

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT LEVERAGE EXPERTISE IN THE COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

SAN DIEGO, CA & TOKYO, JAPAN (March 13, 2008) — In a strategic move to closely align itself with the strong growth of the worldwide online gaming market, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) will report to Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, SCEI, effective April 1, 2008. The new structure is designed to mutually benefit both companies by further accelerating the PlayStation business through SOE's strong online gaming expertise.

"I am excited to be able to work with SOE even more closely, as online games and services become a more integral part of the PS3 entertainment experience," Hirai said. "This new structure will allow us to take full advantage of the extensive breadth of expertise of the two companies and increase our range of exciting entertainment offerings to our consumers."

San Diego-based SOE is currently part of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Under the new structure, SOE will continue to develop its games for the PC and the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system, and SOE President John Smedley will report to Hirai.

"We are thrilled to become a part of the incredible team that has made PLAYSTATION 3 the premier platform for next generation online gaming," said Smedley. "This move is going to broaden our capabilities and expand the development of our products into new and exciting directions."

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.

About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is a new handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer like power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

They ran a trailer for the game and while it looked good, it was a little difficult to tell exactly what we were seeing. It seemed like a very stylish, fashionable spy movie with lots of kick ass foxy spy chicks. The evening turned to the panel discussion. It was a little difficult to hear some of the speakers given the bar/party atmosphere, but the typical subjects were discussed such as the difficulty of being a woman in a male dominated industry and how to go about bringing more women into the industry fold.

This latter subject was addressed by the real announcement of the evening, the SOE G.I.R.L. scholarship. Put together by SOE and G.I.R.L., the scholarship will provide a $10,000 tuition to put towards an Art Institute education, plus a paid internship at one of SOE's many studios around the country. Interested parties can apply starting April 1 until May 31, 2008. To be considered, applicants must be a registered student at one of the Art Institute schools. The winner will be announced at the beginning of June.

If you are interested in more information on the scholarship, you can check it out here on the G.I.R.L. website.

Ma Bell, meet Joe Gamer: Sony Online Entertainment Ushers in New Era OF voice chat FOR ONLINE GAMES with powerful suite of Communication services

- SOE Gives In-Game Chat an Audio Overhaul in Agreement with Vivox® -

San Francisco, Calif. — February 20, 2008 — Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, is poised to revolutionize the way gamers stay connected with sophisticated new voice services where fellow gamers and guild mates are never more than a shout away.

Need standard chat for groups and raids? Check. Don't want to tie up your own bandwidth? Roger that. Want your voice to sound completely different? Done. Late for your raid but want to take part in the group setup by cell phone? Can do. Dream of having in-game voicemail? There ya go. Playing a non-SOE game but want to use this service, free of charge? Aye.

These powerful community building features and tools are coming to SOE games at no additional cost to players and go far beyond basic real-time chat with the usual headset and microphone setup that is commonly used today.

In an agreement announced Wednesday at the Game Developers Conference between SOE and Vivox Inc., an established provider of high quality voice communications, players will be able to access a suite of voice communication tools including voice mail, voice fonts to synthesize player voices into in-game character voices, and the ability to receive external calls in SOE games.

"We're proud to offer this level of communication power and flexibility to gamers. These new voice services not only replace many of the voice chat options currently available but add a broad range of capabilities that streamline communication and empower gamers to maintain their online relationships in both the real and virtual worlds," said John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment. "We are giving gamers the ultimate one-stop shop to stay in touch at all times."

Beyond voice and guild chat channels, North American players will get a special PIN number to dial in from either a land line or cell phone and connect with fellow guild members. SOE anticipates adding additional features including voicemail, broadcast messages, SMS text messaging and an initial offering of six high-quality voice fonts that replace a player's actual voice with something completely different.

With the 3D voice chat, players will be able to walk their avatars into the taverns in EverQuest II, for example, and strike up a conversation with players like they would walking into a tavern or restaurant in the real world. Gamers can manage their conversations with buddy lists, volume controls and commands to leave and join audio channels at will.

SOE's plan is to add these services to SOE's games, as well as integrate it with SOE's Station Launcher, so anyone who uses the Station Launcher, even if they don't otherwise subscribe to an SOE game, can take advantage of these powerful voice chat capabilities. Furthermore, the voice features will be hosted and professionally managed on the Vivox Network so users won't be cutting into their valuable bandwidth.

"We are thrilled to team up with SOE to bring Vivox voice chat and related services to their game community," said Rob Seaver, CEO of Vivox. "SOE is an industry leader with a long history of offering exceptional games and innovative services to players. Their plan to offer such a comprehensive voice service to their gamers is just another reflection of their commitment to delivering the best possible game experience and fostering community."

SOE's current catalog of massively multiplayer online games includes EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Star Wars Galaxies, PlanetSide and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, as well as upcoming titles such as The Agency.

I hate to admit that I'm really looking forward to an MMO, mostly because I've been burned and burned out so many times on the over-used, under thought-out genre, but I really am getting psyched for The Agency. It looks like they've gone to great lengths to get rid of the stuff I hated in MMOs. Part two is on the jump.

One thing's for sure, The Agency isn't even remotely attempting to attract lapsed Everquest or EVE Online gamers or anyone who feels that chopping virtual lumber is a fun way to spend a Friday night. No, The Agency is all tits, ass and guns, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. There are no bearded dwarf women or obese two-headed trolls to play, just foxy chicks in skin-tight outfits with overtly sexual walk animations and super cool, badass dudes that come in two flavors: sleek and burly.

That may sound like there's a limited character customization option, but it's actually quite broad, from what we've seen. It's just that everyone seems to be painfully attractive, as the game is striving to be the MMO equivalent of a Bond flick. Character design seems to have a bit of Team Fortress 2 aesthetic to it, with an emphasis on more caricaturist silhouettes. The two agency factions, UNITE and Paragon, will add more variety, as the former is more upscale with the latter more a gritty merc type.

One of the design decisions that will probably be welcomed by non-MMO types is that character creation doesn't lock you into a class, as the game is essentially classless. Your class is what you wear, so if you want to play as spec ops or a field medic, you'll have to deck yourself out in the appropriate gear.

The game is running on the Unreal Engine 3 and even in it's alpha stage, looks like a graphically competent shooter and a rather pretty MMO.

Being heavy on action as a shooter and a time-investment as an online multiplayer game, there has to be something to do between the bits of target tracking and large scale firefights. You won't be craft grinding, however, as NPC agency operatives will pick up the slack for you there—think 24's Chloe to your Jack Bauer or Q to your Bond. They'll not only help with tech, you can call on them from the field to support your stealth efforts. There won't be much in the way of blacksmithing or pelt gathering. Instead, the team has added things like casino games and intel gathering by taking photos, along with vehicle challenges, to spice up the gameplay. You'll also be able to play a game of Q*bert, should the mood strike you, as it's one of the included mini-games.

One of the more interesting aspects is The Agency's reach outside of the console or PC. The team is planning to feature SMS support in the final product, so, if you opt-in for it, you can receive text messages from your agency operatives with updates and story driving situations. Talk of PSP and Home support was mentioned, but given the vagueness of those plans, we'll wait for a future update before getting too excited about such talk.

It sounds like the gang at Sony Online Entertainment are trying to do something original with their latest MMO effort and the game seems to have a solid set of original ideas. Whether those disparate parts can come together to be an ultimately satisfying shooter and an online RPG remains to be seen, as the game is still early. We're looking forward to playing at least one of the betas, a time frame for which wasn't provided.

SOE Licenses Gamebryo For PSN Games [IGN, via Evil Avatar]

"I actually think that the phenomenon of 300 is really, in fact, a manifestation of the video game experience in kind of the collective conscience. The audience who came to see 300 was weaned on video games and what they saw in the marketing materials for 300 was a similar experience. They didn't show up because they were interested in the Spartans, or because they read Herodotus, or because they thought the Battle of Thermopylae was a great, untold story.

They showed up because they saw a movie experience that was the most similar to the game experiences that they've grown up playing. The movie works because it's violent and it's actually very video game-ish. Upon first reading this I thought to myself, "No, I went to see the movie because I like Frank Miller, silly movie man," but the more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. The fact that there wasn't a major video game released for the movie (the PSP version does not count) didn't really phase me because 300 was just the sort of visceral, intense experience I crave in a video game, only without a controller.

Hit up Gamasutra for more on the growing bond and blurring lines between video games and film.

Sony's Landau: 300 The 'First Video Game Movie Translation' [Gamasutra]

Website Massively received an email from none other than Sony Online Entertainment CEO, John Smedley himself. The tip regarded a rumor that had begun circulating regarding SOE being purchased by Indian company, Zapak Digital. Reports of the rumor had gotten to Smedley via concerned emails from SOE employees and he immediately stepped forward to nip it in the bud.

This story is 100% false. We aren't for sale and never have been. Nothing like this has ever been discussed with the Zapak guys. The truth is we were talking to them about distribution rights to one of our games. And we have no idea how this story got started.

Frankly I'm a little surprised something this far fetched ended up on Reuters. Thank you, interwebs, for yet another completely blown out of proportion rumor.

John Smedley: Sony Online is not getting purchased by Zapak [Massively]

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

Beckett Massive Online Gamer Packed with Exclusive Content Now on Shelves

Dallas, TX - November 28, 2007 - Fresh off the press, the latest issue of Beckett Massive Online Gamer magazine (Issue December/January - Vol. 2 No. 6 Issue 10) is on retail shelves with hard-hitting exclusive interviews, an exclusive item from Everquest II, and insider feature stories readers won't find anywhere else.

Among the many exciting features packing this issue:

* Exclusive Everquest II: Rise of Kunark Exclusive in-game item available for all Massive Online Gamer subscribers. The retrieval key code and instructions are available on pg 21 of this issue. The in-game item is a first ever and only animated portrait available of Venril Sathir.
* Exclusive Interview with the Everquest II: Rise of Kunark Development Team.
* Exclusive Interview with Richard Garriott, the creator of Tabula Rasa.
* Everquest II Shard of Fear Zone Guide and Quests.
* Interview with Kevin Balentine, PR Director for Stargate Worlds and some Exclusive Art and Images.
* Interview with Hermann Peterscheck, Producer of Jumpgate Evolution.
* World of Warcraft complete details for Conquering Karazhan.

Additional Coverage: Pirates of the Burni ng Sea, Rappelz, The Agency, Guild Wars: Eye of North, Mythos, and much more. Also, don't forget to vote for your favorite MMO's for the MMO Reader's Choice Awards. For more information about Beckett Massive Online Gamer Magazine, please visit the official website for the magazine, http://www.beckettmog.com.

"We need to have Indian content for our games and we are looking for local partners," said Dave Christensen, VP of business development and international operations at SOE, speaking during a gaming conference in Mumbai, India.

SOE Heads to India [Next-Gen]

Asked about reports that Sony Online had shifted from co-publisher to solely a marketing role with Gods and Heroes, representing a backing-off the project by Sony, McKibbin called it a "non-story that people spun a little." He clarified: "There was no change in our relationship with Sony... part of the confusion comes from the difference between online games and packaged goods games. Perpetual has always been the financer and creator of Gods and Heroes. What [Sony was] doing initially versus what they are doing now is the same; marketing and distribution, and that's it. We have a great relationship with them, and there hasn't been any change with that."

McKibbin didn't put a date on Rome Rising's ship date, saying only they are aiming for an early 2008 release.

Perpetual Announces Gods and Heroes Delay, Layoffs [Gamasutra via Worlds In Motion]