Free PC Gaming Blog

Legendary Champions Approaches Closed Beta with New Website Launch

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – August 4, 2010 – Aeria Games, a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, today unveiled an all-new website for Legendary Champions, the latest free-to-play MMORPG to join the company’s catalogue. Visitors to the new site will be able to get an early look at Aeria’s latest title through videos and screenshots, and will also be able to sign up for the Closed Beta Test (CBT), scheduled to begin later this month. The new website is now online at http://legendarychampions.aeriagames.com.

Legendary Champions is a fantasy MMORPG which draws from many sources of culture to create a vast world filled with epic characters. The game challenges players to adventure through a vast fantasy world and compete in DotA-style and player-versus-player (PvP) battlegrounds, with the ability to transform into over 60 larger-than-life heroes, including Dracula, Beowulf, Mulan, King Arthur, and more.

For more information, screenshots and video, or to sign up for CB, visit http://legendarychampions.aeriagames.com.

Nexon launches official service for Dungeon Fighter Online in North America

Official North American launch of 2D, side-scrolling action game.

Gamers can now officially join the fight. Nexon America today announced the official North American service launch of Dungeon Fighter Online, the popular multiplayer online action-adventure beat-‘em up developed by Nexon’s Neople studio and played by over 200 million registered users worldwide.

Dungeon Fighter Online is a 2D, side-scrolling action game, in which players enjoy a trinity of brilliant game play options – brain-bashing PvE adventures, explosive PvP combat, and dynamic RPG excitement.

As with all Nexon America titles, Dungeon Fighter Online is free to download and play through its website.

“Dungeon Fighter Online is a free-to-play homage to everything we have always loved about gaming,” said Daniel Kim, Nexon America’s CEO. “This motherlode of a game with its classic graphics, arcade-style action and hardcore RPG leveling system sets the bar high for other free-to-play online games.”

The official launch offers new content, including a sixth character class—the Female Gunner—as well as new Awakened super skills, perilous challenges in Hell Mode, an expansion of the Guild system and a whole line-up of launch events.

The Female Gunner joins the Fighter, Male Gunner, Mage, Priest and Slayer as available character classes. And like the Male Gunner, the Female Gunner is a tech geek with loads of firepower. She also comes with several unique skills, including Spriggan, Gun Dance, FM-92 mk2 Lancer, Air Bomb Mech: Gale Force and Photon Bomb.

Players who advance to level 18 in Dungeon Fighter Online reap the benefits of Advancement subclasses, and those who continue on to reach Level 48 now have three more Awakening subclasses to strive for: Fighter’s Hellcat, Male Gunner’s Machinist and Slayer’s Soul Reaper. Each of these Awakenings feature powerful new skills to unleash on foes.

Only the most thrill-seeking of Dungeon Fighters should even attempt Hell Mode, an option available in select dungeons. These high risk adventures also offer high rewards with Epic Items, much more powerful than the typical weapons equipped by most dungeon fighters.

The newly expanded size and scope of the guilds will enhance Dungeon Fighter Online’s growing community. The maximum guild level has increased from Level 5 to Level 10, and the member cap for guilds has expanded from 50 to 300 Dungeon Fighters.

Players are also rewarded with four different events. The Clean Slate Event offers a Lethe’s Bell to every character who reached level 30 or higher before June 9th. Players who create a Female Gunner will be rewarded with a gift box of fun loot. The Opening Ceremonies Event asks players to lend a hand to NPCs throughout the land of Arad to get a special gift. And the New Awakening Event rewards players for creating a character that will advance to the newly released Awakenings mentioned above.

This is just the beginning for Dungeon Fighter Online, which, like other Nexon America games, will update on a regular basis with new content, new features and new events.

Players can download and play the game for free at http://dungeonfighter.nexon.net. Dungeon Fighters are currently uniting at Facebook, and players can see more of the action on YouTube.

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINETM TO ADOPT GLOBAL FREE-TO-PLAY MODEL

Turbine’s Award-Winning Online Game Will Be Free-to-Play Worldwide This Fall

Friday 4th June/… Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today that Turbine, Inc. will unveil a major update this fall, making The Lord of the Rings OnlineTM (LOTRO) free-to-play for everyone. Extending its award-winning story, LOTRO delivers the ultimate adventure featuring a massive world with state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay, and a rich set of features that until now could only be found in premium subscription-based online games.

Launching this fall across North America and Europe, with Codemasters operating the game free-to-play in Europe, LOTRO will introduce Turbine’s innovative new pricing model that allows players to download the game and play for free, purchase expansions, quest packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new LOTRO Store, or join the VIP program to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content for one low price. Players interested in getting a sneak peek of the new LOTRO can sign up for a chance to participate in the Beta program which begins June 16, 2010 at http://www.lotro.com.

“Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is bringing quality games based on The Lord of the Rings to multiple platforms, and the franchise’s expansive adventure story lends itself perfectly for LOTRO free-to-play, giving a wide range of players the opportunity to experience the game,” said Jeff Junge, Senior Vice President Online Games and Digital Games Platforms, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “We are focused on expanding our game franchises onto new digital platforms to maximize quality experiences for gamers worldwide and LOTRO’s new model is a great leading example of this.”

“Turbine’s Dungeons and Dragons Online®: Eberron UnlimitedTM was the world’s first truly premium free-to-play online game that ushered in a new era of choice for online gamers seeking quality entertainment,” said Jim Crowley, President and CEO of Turbine. “The popularity of DDO validated the extraordinary demand by gamers for quality entertainment they can experience at their own pace and within their budget. Extending free-to-play to LOTRO will offer another premium game to a broad spectrum of fans.”

“Having successfully taken two titles free-to-play in the past we are very pleased to be doing the same with The Lord of the Rings Online in Europe,” said David Solari, Vice President and General Manager of Codemasters Online. “It’s a fantastic, award-winning game with a wonderfully realized world and this step will only broaden its appeal and increase its player base.”

LOTRO will offer players unlimited choice!
Free means Free! – Players will download LOTRO by visiting www.lotro.com and join with millions of other adventurers as they explore the most complete and authentic recreation of Middle-earth ever created and participate in LOTRO’s award-winning epic story up to level 50 for free.
Visit the new LOTRO Store! — The LOTRO Store is loaded with thousands of convenience items as well as expansion packs, premium content, additional character slots, potions, character customization and more! The LOTRO Store is seamlessly integrated into the game and lets the player identify new and exciting ways to enhance and customize their experience using points which can be purchased in the store or earned through gameplay.
Be a LOTRO VIP! – Players who elect to become a LOTRO VIP will have unlimited access to all premium content, receive priority server access, 5 character slots, a shared bank slot, and a monthly allotment of points to spend in the new LOTRO Store.

The Lord of the Rings Online is the ultimate adventure. This award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game delivers an interactive experience brimming with life and filled with the familiar people, places and monsters from the most famous fantasy of all time. From the picturesque surroundings of the Shire to Moria, the most fearsome underground realm ever imagined, players will soon experience the world of Middle-earth for free! For more information, visit www.lotro.com.

Kru Interactive’s Robo Smasher Online Game Now Available for Free Download

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 28, 2010 - Kru Interactive announces the release of Robo Smasher (http://www.robosmasher.com), an online multiplayer game, now available for free download. Robo Smasher combines third-person shooter action with block-moving strategy. The game features a super-deformed cartoon theme suitable for players of all ages.

In Robo Smasher, players battle in matches of up to six people by controlling an avatar-piloted robot (mechro). The goal of each match is to knock out or smash the opponent. Players can knock out an opponent using their punch cannons or instantly smash them by strategically moving surrounding blocks. Four different match modes for players to choose from offers variety and makes game-play more interesting. There are many more ways to knockout and smash opponents; it is up to the player to decide the best strategy.

As players advance in level and earn game money (Qros), they can fully customize their avatars to their own style. They also can upgrade their mechros, making them more powerful in battle.

The full download is available at http://www.robosmasher.com/download.html. System requirements are:

• Windows XP / Vista / 7
• Pentium 4 1.5Ghz or Higher
• 512MB RAM
• 3D video card (DirectX 9.0c compatible)
• 300 MB hard disk space

GAMESCAMPUS RELEASES NEW SCREENS FOR ITS UPCOMING ONLINE WWII FLIGHT COMBAT SIMULATOR, HEROES IN THE SKY

Sunnyvale, Calif. (May 14, 2010) - Leading online game publisher, GamesCampus.com (www.GamesCampus.com), today today released new screens for its upcoming MMOTPS, (Massively Multiplayer Online Third Person Shooter) WWII flight combat simulator, Heroes in the Sky. The fast-paced aerial combat game, scheduled to launch mid summer 2010, will hold a closed beta test in early June. For more information on the game and to follow the latest updates, visit http://HIS.GamesCampus.com.

Heroes in the Sky is an intense airborne MMOTPS that combines high impact PVE and fast paced PVP as it chronicles the events from the beginning to the end of World War II. PVP combat is taken to a new level as players must not only worry about the basic dangers from the front, behind, and sides, but also from above and below. Heroes in the Sky is dog fighting at its finest; cannon fires, machine gun blasts, missiles, and bombs flood the skies as up to 16 players shoot it out for air superiority! If that isn’t enough, players will soar across the sky with WWII war planes, and if they’re lucky with modern planes too! Cities to bomb, boats to sink, blimps to burst, and fighters to be torn asunder - all this and more unfold as players compete to become the top Ace in Heroes in the Sky.

The upcoming free-to-play game will feature fast paced aerial combat that embodies the intense danger akin to WWII dogfights. In Occupational War Game Mode, players will recreate critical battles of the European and Pacific front complete with WWII and modern planes to help their side take control as they experience epic battles across the history of WWII from both sides! Players will find an easy-to-use upgrade system to help tweak planes and become the ultimate airborne marauder along with additional modifications that will allow players to, not only jam the electronics of their opponent, but also let them keep their own engines cool during boosts. Additionally, players can use Avatars to mask their actual aircraft while gaining additional bonuses and appearing in some of history’s most famous aircraft.
Heroes in the Sky will give players a chance to relive history as they fly dozens of planes from WWII- both experimental and battle hardened
- that can be customized to meet their own creative standards.

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT’S FREE REALMSTM GOES DIAMOND!

Hit Online Virtual World Surpasses Ten Million Registered Players And Prepares to Celebrate First Birthday
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – April 2, 2010 – Sony Online Entertainment’s family-friendly online game, Free Realms™ (www.FreeRealms.com), has surpassed 10 million registered players, hot on the heels of its first birthday celebration which kicks off with a festive, month-long in-game celebration. Free Realms launched April 28, 2009.

“Reaching 10 million registered players on the eve of Free Realms’ first birthday is an incredibly exciting event for SOE and our passionate online community,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “Millions of gamers have confirmed that the genre we pioneered over 11 years ago with the original EverQuest continues to evolve and expand to include new styles of gameplay that reach a wider audience than ever before.”

As early as mid-April, players will see party decorations in various areas of Free Realms that signal the kick-off of the birthday festivities. Celebratory live community events, two new combat minigames, party hats and commemorative t-shirts for player avatars are just some of the new extras to look forward to. A new series of 15 birthday quests will also be added. Players are urged to participate in a large scale cake fight in order to help prevent the ruin of the Free Realms birthday bash by Cakenstein, a colossal monster made from cake recipes gone wrong.

This month, Members can also look forward to the release of new types of Rides like the rainbow-mane Unicorn, Beetle and Balloon Animal Pets, and Chick and Rabbit Pet Pals.

To get a head start on all the April festivities, SOE is running a Double Station Cash Weekend where players pop into select retailers to purchase Station Cash™ cards (excluding Starter Cards), which can be redeemed from April 2 to April 4 for double their value in Station Cash, which is used to buy virtual goodies or upgrade to a Membership status in the game. Only cards redeemed between Friday, April 2, 2010 (after 4 PM Pacific Time) and Sunday April 4, 2010 (before 11 PM Pacific Time) will receive double Station Cash value.

Free Realms offers an endless array of activities and minigames to entertain players. From ninja fighting to kart racing to raising pets, Free Realms offers a safe, family-friendly environment to connect with old and new friends. Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence. To play Free Realms, visit: www.FreeRealms.com.

World renowned free-to-play MMO “Conquer Online” celebrates its 7th anniversary milestone!

Hull, UK / Chinese-based online game publishers, TQ Digital are looking to make 2010 ‘the year of Conquer Online’, thanks to their renowned MMORPG hitting an incredible 7th anniversary milestone.

Since it’s 2003 début, the world recognised Conquer Online has charmed millions of players with its vivid traditional Chinese art, immersive player-versus-player gameplay and unrivalled community involvement.

From the humble beginnings of 1,500 users during Conquer Online’s OBT phase in 2003, players of the high-kicking MMO have been on a long, fulfilling journey, shaping the game’s world and playing experience through community fuelled expansions and events.

Thanks to an active and dedicated team working on the game, more than 65 servers had to be opened between 2004-2006, amounting to an incredible 60′000 online players at any given time.

Once Conquer Online was made available in multiple languages, with success attributable to the incredible growth of dedicated Spanish and French versions released in 2005, the game quickly became a world recognised brand.
2006’s release of Conquer Online 2.0 guaranteed it’s seat on the free-to-play MMO throne, and free expansions, such as The New Dynasty: Ninja Class (2008) and Riding Clans (2009), only furthered Conquer Online’s mass-appeal.

Now, heading into a remarkable 7th year, the legendary game is available in English, Chinese, Spanish, French, Arabic (and more), has millions of active players and is still growing daily.

Conquer Online even has a special “Classic CO” server for it’s veteran players, which serves up the original flavour of Conquer Online 1.0 for those who want to explore the roots of a successful MMORPG title.

With new features and adventures on the horizon in the upcoming, entirely free ‘Legends Return’ expansion, Conquer Online’s legendary status is set to conquer well into the future.

To play Conquer Online and see why it’s 7 year reign has been successful, visit the official website - http://co.91.com/index/

GAMESCAMPUS ANNOUNCES NEW GENRE-BENDING MMORTS, SOUL MASTER

Upcoming Massively Multiplayer Online Real Time Strategy Game Takes The RTS Genre To A New Level With Complete MMORPG-Style Control Over Characters

Sunnyvale, Calif. (March 18, 2010) - Leading online game publisher, GamesCampus.com (www.GamesCampus.com), today announced its new genre-bending, free-to-play MMORTS, Soul Master. Developed by NPluto, Soul Master is an addictive new game that takes the innovation behind customizable “Hero” units in the RTS genre to a whole new level by allowing players to have complete MMORPG-style control over their characters. The game will enter Closed Beta Testing in June of this year. For more information on the game and to follow the latest updates, visit http://SoulMaster.GamesCampus.com.

“Soul Master is unlike anything else currently out there and definitely what players have been waiting for,” said David Chang, EVP of Marketing and Business Development for GamesCampus. “We spotted an opportunity to bring this truly unique and fun MMORTS online experience to our GamesCampus.com players and we took it!”

Soul Master will feature a unique combat system that will allow players to create structures, progress through technology trees and produce and command units-all while developing a persistent character of their own. With resource-driven RTS combat, Soul Master allows players to create defensive towers, barricades, resource harvesting structures, and unit production facilities while progressing through simplified, traditional RTS tech-trees that let players focus on strategic, active gameplay in both Team and Free-for-All PvP.

Soul Master includes rich item customization systems that enable players to acquire unique stat and skill bonuses both for their personalized avatars, as well as their RTS buildings, production capabilities, and controlled units. In addition to the robust PvP content, Soul Master features a wide range of PVE scenario modes such as defending objectives, escort missions, co-op challenges, boss raids, and AI RTS battles.

With fast paced combat that combines the high-speed action of a character vs. character brawler- and the tactical elements of a squad-based RTS - Soul Master sets out to take the very best of both worlds and merge them into a genre unto itself.

For more information on the game and to follow the latest updates,
visit http://SoulMaster.GamesCampus.com

NINE MILLION PLAYERS AND COUNTING, FREE REALMS CONTINUES RAPID GROWTH
Targeted New Content Proves to Resonate With Players

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – March 5, 2010 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced that its family-friendly online game, Free Realms™ (www.FreeRealms.com), has surpassed nine million registered players.

“With Free Realms, we’ve been able to reflect the needs and wants of our players by keenly listening to their suggestions and feedback,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “We believe the persistent exercise of capturing in-game research inside Free Realms has been a huge contributing factor as to why we’ve attracted over nine million players in less than a year. It truly helps us give our players a game where they can do and be whatever they want.”

Continuous development of new features and themed in-game events, as well as persistent marketing support, has drawn a constant influx of new players into the free-to-play virtual world. An example of a customer-requested feature recently introduced in Free Realms is Rides.

Introduced last month, Rides not only look cool and come in multiple color choices, but they allow players who have purchased a Membership to hop on the back of a T-Rex or Dragon and travel anywhere in the overland world at 150% of their normal speed. Building on this player-driven feature request, Horses are the next Rides scheduled to be released, with more types of transportation in the works. The development team is also set to introduce new Owl and Groundhog pets, as well as an exciting new 3-D minigame in the near future.

Free Realms offers an endless array of activities and mini-games to entertain players. From ninja fighting to kart racing to raising pets, Free Realms offers a safe, family-friendly environment to connect with old and new friends. Also available is the Free Realms Trading Card Game: a full-featured trading card game, playable both digitally within the Free Realms online game and offline via physical card decks sold wherever you buy trading cards. Free Realms players can also pop into select retailers to purchase Station Cash™ cards, which can be redeemed for Station Cash, and used to buy virtual goodies or upgrade to a Membership status in the game.

Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence. To play Free Realms, visit: http://www.FreeRealms.com.

Archlord Expansion Update ‘Chaotic Frontier’

- Archlord Episode 4: ‘Chaotic Frontier’ update in March
- New Adventures at ‘Chaotic Frontier’, the Vanished Civilization
- Multi-language game service launched in February 2010.

Wednesday, 17th February, WEBZEN (NSDAQ: WZEN) is pleased to announce that Archlord, a premier MMORPG with no monthly subscriptions, will unveil the next expansion update Episode 4: Chaotic Frontier. The expansion update is due to go live in the coming month of March where the update introduces distinguished new concept of dungeons.

New features of Archlord Episode 4: Chaotic Frontier include:

Exclusive dungeon system: Chaotic Frontier
- Specifically designed according to the game factions, each player’s level will be automatically adjusted pending on which field of Chaotic Frontier he walks into, hence allowing Archlord players of all level to enjoy. In addition to this, players will need to acquire a special passport to enter each realm which drops from mobs or alternatively they can be purchased directly from the Chantra Shop for a minimal price later on.

6 new playing fields for players to challenge
- The Chaotic Frontier includes six new realms providing unique and interesting challenges to all players along with its own exclusive scenario about the legendary civilization vanished over the Chaotic Frontier.

New collectible armor sets with unique stats and more!
- The exclusive collectible armor sets and unique accessory items that can be found throughout the realms are lying in wait for the adventurous warriors, who are brave enough to come for them!

New monsters and boss creatures
- These exhilarating realms are populated by tough mutated creatures that require teamwork and skill to take down, each one providing a strong challenge to any seasoned warrior.

Meanwhile, the game client has been recently updated to support multi-language game scripts including German, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Players are now able to choose their preferred languages before entering the game. This feature will facilitate a better gaming experience for those connecting from non-English speaking countries.

“We are pleased to be able to set out our exciting new expansion plans for Archlord. We have put a great amount of efforts to provide gamers a better gaming experience by committing to provide frequent updates. We look forward launching this free expansion to our players. Furthermore, we’re planning on implementing a new game client that supports multi-language options such which will bring the internationally competitiveness that we have been trying to achieve.” said Chang Keun Kim, the chief executive officer of WEBZEN.

Details on the update and the game are available at Archlord.webzen.com.