4 Games That Could Beat WoW (But Probably Won't)

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World of Warcraft is, without a doubt, the most successful MMORPG in the history of gaming. It's created a cultural sensation that's swept out of the sweaty caves of nerdkind and into mainstream society. WoW is such an icon in the industry that any big game in development is instantly scrutinized by gamers and the gaming media for its potential to 'beat' Blizzard's titan.

So why was World of Warcraft such a huge hit? The only thing 'new' WoW brought to the table was an Auction House system, and that was just a slight evolution of several ideas already in existence. Blizzard didn't really try anything new or risky with World of Warcraft, they just refined what was there and streamlined everything to make it accessible. This was a stroke of genius.

WoW may not have had many 'new' ideas, but it did appeal to new people. Soccer moms, lifelong DnD players, jocks, Everquest nerds, and seven-year-old kids could all log on, create a character, and find something about the game to enjoy. WoW didn't appeal to everyone, but it appealed to enough people to make Blizzard more money than God.

But WoW's age is passing. Someone will have to pick up its crown, and I think there's a good chance it's one of these five upcoming games.

4. Star Trek Online

Developer Cryptic

Release Date: TBA

The Skinny: Star Trek Online is the game that millions of nerds have been waiting their whole lives for. Cryptic claims to have rendered virtually the entire Star Trek universe in glorious 3D graphics. ST:O takes the series forward into the 25th century for the first time and lets players take control of either a Federation or Klingon ship.

Why It Could Beat WoW:

The gigantic Star Trek fanbase means that this game is going to sell a ton of copies on launch day, and the recent success of the revamp of the movie series means that there is a greater deal of interest in the franchise than ever before.

ST:O brings something very new to the genre. The fact that your starships have crews that you can recruit and train sets Star Trek apart from other space fighters like Eve. Ships in ST:O will be much more customizable than anything we've seen up until now.

Customization seems to be key in Star Trek Online. Players won't just have a high degree of control over their ship, they'll be able to create whole new races for their character. Presumably, this game comes with a gigantic wad of colored putty.

And Why It Probably Won't:

Star Trek Online looks like a very deep, rich game. Unfortunately, it also looks like a very complicated game. In ground missions, you'll take control of 5 member away teams. That means in any given ground mission you have to worry about ordering around 5 AI companions. I suppose it's possible that ST:O has a ground-breaking subordinate AI system, but I'll have to see this in action to stop thinking that it's a terrible idea.

Games that get too complex tend to push away casual gamers in favor of MMOs like WoW, where a casual player can put very little-to-no real effort in and still do things like raid with a moderate degree of success. I think ST:O is going to be a fantastic MMO, and I've no doubt it'll sell well, but I'd be very surprised if it can make even a noticeable dent in WoW's subscriber base.

3. Star Wars: The Old Republic

Developer:
Bioware

Release Date:
TBA

The Skinny:

To be entirely honest, I felt that Knights of the Old Republic was a better Star Wars movie than at least five of the actual Star Wars movies. The plot was really solid, the voice acting was top-notch, and the time period in the Star Wars universe they brought to life was really interesting. It's no wonder there's so much buzz around Star Wars: The Old Republic, the MMORPG successor to KOTOR.

You'll be able to choose between Sith and Republic. All the classes and races haven't been announced yet, but Bounty Hunters (Sith) and Smugglers (Republic) are IN. Decisions you make in game will bring your character closer to the Light or the Dark side, and you may-or-may-not get to fly bitchin' spaceships.

I'm just kidding. It's Star Wars, you'll totally get to fly bitchin' space ships.

Why It Could Beat WoW:

Because every male child in America is a Star Wars nerd at some point in his life, and many of them stay that way forever. TOR has the largest built-in interest base of any MMO in history.

And Why It Probably Won't:

Unfortunately, we know next to nothing about the actual game play in Star Wars: TOR. I've got faith in Bioware, but this is their first stab at a game like this, and Star Wars MMO's have a very nasty history.

This isn't a hard-and-fast 'no', but we'll need to hear more details about gameplay mechanics and what, if any, new features TOR intends to bring to the table. Until we hear more, I'm keeping a worried eye on Star Wars: The Old Republic.

2. Global Agenda

Developer:
Hi-Rez Studios

Release Date:
TBA

The Skinny:

Like Planetside before it, Global Agenda is an MMOFPS. Unlike Planetside it has PvE combat, gorgeous graphics, spies, better giant robots, and cooler bases. It's a spy-fi action thriller based around instanced team-based combat in groups as small as 10v10 or as large as 60v60.

For more information on GA, check out the interview I did with their developers here.

Why It Could Beat WoW:

Global Agenda is one of the rare games that brings a totally new concept to the table. It's called PvPE (Player Versus Player and Environment) and it allows players to enter the instance before their enemy and booby-trap their path, as well as prepare other surprises to give your side the advantage. PvPE adds an additional level of strategy to deathmatches.

The shooter market is one of the largest in gaming. A casual-friendly MMOFPS like GA has a good chance to draw in the tens of millions of casual gamers who found gaming through a series like Halo or Call of Duty.

Why It Probably Won't:

Check out the system specs. The beauty of WoW is that pretty much any rig made since the game's launch can play it without any trouble. Global Agenda is going to be a fairly taxing game. No PC gamer is going to have any issues playing this with his main rig, but to beat WoW Global Agenda's going to need to widen their base.

They need to take in soccer moms, little kids with parents that barely understand computers, college-age kids who've only ever played console FPSs and only have cheap-ass laptops or desktops primarily intended for schoolwork.

1. APB (All Points Bulletin)

Developer:
Realtime Worlds

Release Date:
TBA

The Skinny:

APB is a cyberpunk cops and robbers MMORPG set in a massive, persistent, populated city filled with thousands upon thousands of NPCs with lives and schedules and, most importantly, things to steal. Or, I guess, you could play Johnny Law and shoot bad guys. Whatever floats your boat.

In APB you share this gigantic city with 100 other players. That's the per-server cap (at least at the start) in this online sandbox game. Become an enforcer, a mob king, a SWAT cop, a police chief, or whatever else you can think of. APB promises to be extremely customizable.

Why It Could Beat WoW:

It's basically an MMORPG version of Grand Theft Auto 4. Think about that;an MMORPG version of Grand Theft Auto 4. People love to vent their rage at their jobs and spouses by committing horrific crimes in GTA's gigantic sandbox city. When you add other players to the mix, things get downright magical.

Why It Probably Won't:
Because it's basically Grand Theft Auto 4, but an MMORPG. No sane parent would let their little kids play GTA 4, and none of them will let their kids play APB. The ultra-violent content is also going to alienate a lot of the older casual gamers that WoW manages to draw in.

Afterword:

I picked all four of these games because they all appear to be exceptional titles. They've got great teams behind them, interesting gameplay ideas, and a whole lot of promise. But I don't think any of them is going to be the next World of Warcraft.

To tell the truth, it's quite possible that there will never be another WoW, in the sense that there will probably never be another MMO that dominates the genre like World of Warcraft. It came at the right time, when online gaming was just starting to take off, and it appealed to a huge base of players. WoW was as big as it is because a confluence of events that isn't likely to come again in our lifetime.

On the other hand, it's quite possible that Blizzard's upcoming mystery MMO will sell twenty million copies in its first weekend and blow WoW out of the water. Chances are, we won't know for a very long time.

By Robert Evans

Source:http://www.i4u.com/


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Twilight based MMORPG is in development Vampire genre MMORPG

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Ever wish you can be Bella or Edward? Soon that will be a possibility… well at least virtually. BrainJunk Studios is developing a massive multiplayer online role playing game based on Twilight.


Brandon Gardener, head of the software development for the project recently spoke to the Examiner. He describes the game as:

“an open non-linear world set around Forks. I like the idea of letting players explore the world, and discover new amazing things that are not even covered in the book or the movie…”

Mr. Gardener based the story line around Twilight and Midnight Sun so players can play from Edward or Bella’s perspective. He also wants to include New Moon so players can experience phasing into a werewolf.

The game is still in development and is not ready for purchase or download. We will update when new information becomes available.

Source: http://twilightsource.com


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George Lucas Very Involved With Star Wars: The Old Republic Development

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George Lucas Very Involved With Star Wars: The Old Republic Development
LucasArts is the publisher of BioWare's upcoming MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic but how involved in the game is founder and Star Wars creator George Lucas? Very, according to BioWare CEO Ray Muzyka.

"I haven't shown it to him [Lucas] personally, no," Muzyka told G4TV. "But I know he keeps his finger on the pulse of everything that LucasArts is working on, so I know he's involved in it. I've talked to him about the project in the past and I know he's excited about it."

When asked what Lucas thought of the orgasmic Old Republic trailer shown at E3, Muzyka said, "I don't know for sure that he's seen it but I imagine he has because he's very involved in the development side of things."

Given Lucas' recent track record, the thought of him having anything to do with the game's development likely frightens some of you. Still, the Star Wars empire is a vast one and The Eye of Lucas can't watch all of its corners at once. His arrangement with LucasArts is probably akin to Tom Clancy's relationship with Red Storm Entertainment - he's got some general oversight to ensure that the developers aren't completely mangling the source material.

By Pete Haas

Source: http://www.cinemablend.com/


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Deepolis



Dive into the fascinating underwater world of Deepolis!
Welcome to Deepolis – your top destination when it comes to action-packed MMO browser games!
Dive into the abysmal depths of the 3D oceans and experience the rapture of the deep. Fight in exciting battles and navigate your sub through mysterious subaquatic worlds and unknown ocean rifts. Use your tactical skill at the trading stations and attack enemy fractions and fleets.






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Super Mario World Game | Arcade |

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Super Mario World classic arcade game snes remake. This is the best super mario world game I've played on the web so far. Please wait for the game to load.

Game Controls
Use the mouse to click the screen to start.
Jump: A key
Run: S Key
Move: arrow keys
Pause: Space Bar






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Ben 10 Omniverse to be free-to-play, browser-based MMORPG

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Turnout Ventures today announced an MMORPG based on the popular Cartoon Network cartoon Ben 10. Ben 10 Omniverse will be a free-to-play, browser-based game with an expected release date of Q4 2009.




Set in the five-year gap between the original Ben 10 series and Ben 10: Alien Force, Ben 10 Omniverse will advance the Ben 10 story through regular content updates. Characters will be based on skills and DNA rather than classes, allowing for deep character customization.

Ben 10 Omniverse will be suitable for players ages 7 and up. There is a sign up page for the game's beta here.

(It may be interesting to note that the company producing the game, Turnout Ventures, also has a Tom and Jerry MMORPG in the works!)


Source: http://www.examiner.com/



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FusionFall | Cheats Codes |

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FusionFall Cheats Codes

Log in, then click the "Redeem Code" option at the "My Account
" screen. Follow the directions, then enter one of the following codes to get the corresponding item:


Result Cheat Code
Cryptid backpackbatpackfeb09
Four Arms Bubblehead helmetffcfourarmspower
Friskerton Bubblehead helmetffcforestphantom
Humongousaur Bubblehead helmetffcben10dinosaur
Zak Saturday Bubblehead helmetffccryptidhunter





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Vivaty


Vivaty is a next generation 3D virtual world in the browser where you can meet new friends and express yourself by dressing up your avatar and personalizing your own virtual scene for free.

You can also visit and explore other member scenes and social hangouts like parties, fashion stores, dance clubs, and theaters. Meet new people, watch videos, dress up, listen to music and play games with friends - it's all possible in Vivaty.











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AdventureQuest Worlds Hits 9 Million Players

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Artix Entertainment, creator of MMORPG AdventureQuest Worlds, announced today the game has exceeded 9 million registered players. Since its launch in October, AdventureQuest Worlds has grown an average of 1.1 million new players every month.

"The spectacular growth rate of AQW shows no signs of slowing down, and we find that very gratifying," said Adam Bohn, founder and CEO of Artix Entertainment. "The game's appeal – in addition to chat, real-time combat, wars, and live events – is enhanced by our releasing at least one new game update every week since launch."


AdventureQuest Worlds provides players with exciting adventures battling armies of monsters in real-time combat and new weekly quests. Players can customize their characters with armors, capes, helms, and custom-crafted weapons from the Blacksmith's Shop at any level. Players have the freedom to change among different character classes at any time, and can level-up all of the classes to the max to unlock new skills and specialty shops along the way.

Players can visit www.AQ.com to sign up for an account and play online for free. No downloads are required.

Other Games from Artix Entertainment
Artix offers other RPG titles AdventureQuest, MechQuest, DragonFable, and the just-announced WarpForce scheduled to launch on June 17, 2009. Artix has enjoyed a high success rate in the past five years with over 85 million accounts created for their games. Players can get more information about AdventureQuest at www.battleon.com, MechQuest at www.mechquest.com, DragonFable at www.dragonfable.com, and WarpForce at www.warpforce.com.

About Artix Entertainment
Artix Entertainment LLC, is a privately held, game development and publishing studio that specializes in creating online, browser-based, anime-style, role-playing Flash games with a distinctive visual style and high-quality game play. Artix has developed a range of games with storylines that are based in the fantasy, sci-fi, and adventure genre. Content within the games is updated on a weekly basis creating a compelling experience which keeps users coming back frequently for new content and story lines. Players can visit www.artixentertainment.com for more information.

Source: http://pc.ign.com/


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Raimi Rules the WORLD OF WARCRAFT

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In Spring of 2008, the population of World of Warcraft, the most popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG), passed 10 million. Were it a country, that would make it the 84th most populous one in the world, ahead of Serbia, Austria, Denmark, and more.

Well, the great state of Azeroth is likely cheering today as overnight, Variety reported that after 3 years of the movie license growing stale, Sam Raimi has been announced as Director for a World of Warcraft adaptation.

The live-action film will come to theaters via Legendary Pictures, Blizzard Entertainment, and Warner Bros. After he's done with the fourth installment of the Spider-man franchise in 2010, Raimi will team up with one of the caretakers of Gotham City, The Dark Knight and Batman Begins Producer Charles Roven to bring the epic battle of Horde vs. Alliance to life.

The Warcraft franchise started with a Real Time Strategy game in 1994 that allowed players to control armies while managing resources to defeat their enemies and win the day. With the success of the online multiplayer portion of the second and third game in the series and the continuing growth of the MMORPG genre, Blizzard took the franchise exclusively online with 2004's World of Warcraft.

Since its launch, the game and its expansions have set numerous records and retained a constant spot in the top ten best selling PC games, a boast only shared by The Sims franchise. Various novels, board and table top games, and an ongoing comic book series from DC's WildStorm imprint expand the story, and the game has been mentioned, shown, or parodied on numerous TV shows and movies, including Southpark and The Guild.

Source:http://www.newsarama.com


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Stargate Worlds in Trouble?

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In a report on mmorpg.com today, a former employee of Stargate Worlds developer FireSky claims that MGM will pull the license unless funding is secured by August 1. When reports of trouble circulated back in April, FireSky's marketing manager Kevin Balentine told IGN that the lights were "still on" and that progress was continuing on the game.

MMORPG.com reports FireSky's director of new business, Shane Hensley, the company is still seeking funding for the project but is not aware of any threat from MGM to pull the license. "Overall," says Hensley, "funding is obviously a huge challenge for us, but our management is working on it daily. It's visible progress and we obviously have great faith. The struggle has been more than most could bear, but there are a few here who have independent means or significant personal investment who have been able to ride it out."

Source:http://pc.ign.com/


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Titan Quest



Titan Quest is based on the end of communication between the gods and humanity. The main character (whose name and sex can be chosen by the player) begins the quest on a dirt road near a small village named Helos. The town and all of Greece have been overrun by beasts and creatures (drawn largely from Greek mythology) that are terrorizing the countryside wrecking harvests, burning farms and olive groves, invading villages and cemeteries, etc.

After being sent on a mission to Delphi by the Spartan general Leonidas, the hero finds centaurs, satyrs, minotaurs, gorgons, and skeletons relentlessly guard the way and try prevent him from reaching the next village or town. This game style is continuous across the entire game experience, spreading to Egypt and Asia.

Titan Quest's multiplayer feature allows 2-6 players to play on the same server. To connect to a server, one can create a server on a LAN, or the Internet. The Internet option announces the server to a centralized pairing system run by Gamespy, which then displays the available servers to other players in a browser-type window, as long as the server and client's game versions are the same. The game does not have a direct IP feature, but players can play via the LAN interface (and thereby also via Hamachi) after establishing a VPN connection.







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EVE Online player robs his own clan for real world cash

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The space-ship themed MMORPG EVE Online has been at the forefront of virtual economies, with a thriving gaming world containing billions of virtual credits, overseen by a real-life actual economist. Like any good MMORPG, all those virtual credits add up to a couple of real-world dollars -- a fact that proved tempting for one player of the game.


RicDic -- a name that will live on in infamy -- decided that while he was rich in EVE, he wasn't all that well off IRL So, he decided to pull a good ole fashioned robbery. Being a CEO of an in-game corporation (the equivalent of a guild in a fantasy game), he had access to all the funds collected by his gaming-group. With one massive withdraw, he purged the company accounts, ending up taking somewhere around 200 billion space-credits. Sold to other players in the real world, this worked out to about $5,000 USD.

"I'm not proud of it at all, that's why I didn't brag about it," the terrible person was quoted as saying. "But you know, if I had to do it again, I probably would've chosen the same path based on the same situation," said the thief, as quoted by the Reuters news agency.

This big huge robbery caused a run on the in-game banks, and caused all sorts of anger explosions to break out in the game's forums.

"Anyone who 'understands' RicDic's actions and sees them as justifiable should be treated as a future scammer and should not be trusted with anything worth more than a Mexican peso. RicDic mismanaged his finances and found himself in a situation not uncommon to many people in these current times," said Lecherito, one of many upset EVE players.

"He should have stepped down and sold his computer, sold his car, moved to a house/apartment actually affordable on what must be an absolutely dismal salary, get a second job, etc etc etc etc. When **** hit the fan he made the decision of a weaker man. Stabbing friends in the back for his own benefit."

source :http://www.neoseeker.com/


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Ys Online Moves to Open Beta

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After one month of closed beta testing, finally we are proud to expand the Ys universe to everybody who is eager to go deep into it. All the current Key To Play community will warmly welcome every new European player on the 30th June.

This time no key will be asked to open the doors to the world of Ys. You will only need a Key To Play account to enjoy this fully detailed game. Also there won’t be any character wipe after this!

Choose carefully your race and specialisation following your game style. If you have any doubts, take a look to the Game Guide from our Official Site. And even if you can’t decide, remember you can create a maximum of 6 different characters in your account.

During the Closed Beta phases, more than 100,000 keys have been distributed. Without the help of all the players which have been sharing their suggestions with us, nothing could have been possible. So Key To Play would like to thank them for all their efforts with an exclusive Closed Beta tester reward.

Ys - Call Of Solum

Call of Solum is an MMORPG based on the famous Ys series, created for the Japanese company Falcom. Since its first title for 8 bits, already turned into a classic, several manga series, OAVs and even novels have been stemmed. This time, Falcom and CJ Internet are joining to present Ys - Call of Solum, the new title of the series turned into an online videogame that follows the anime style, so characteristic in the entire saga.

for more information: Ys Online: The Call of Solum

by Wade
Source: http://www.gamersdailynews.com/


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War Lords Call To Arms | arcade RPG|

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Description: Choose your race and command your army through 25 epic battles to conquer the land. Upgrade and buy extra unit types for your army between levels.

Internet Games


Free Internet Games


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Cross Fire


Crossfire is a 3d first person shooter with realistic combat and graphics that is currently in Closed Beta. Crossfire supports 4 game modes, 9 maps, and dozens of guns and other equipment. The graphics are a bit dated but the small game size means anyone can enjoy this fast paced FPS.










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Mardek RPG | arcade RPG |

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Description: A dragon has kidnapped a princess and has taken her to its lair. It's up to you to rescue the princess in this awesome RPG game.





Free Internet Games


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Epic War 3 | Arcade RPG |

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Description: Defeat your opponents in battle to conquer each location on the board. Upgrade and build your deck, form a strategy, protect your castle, and eliminate those in your obstacle!


Internet Games



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The Rise Of A King | Arcade RPG |

The Rise of a KING takes a turn to the role playing genre, but still retains the action from its predecessor. If you havent played The Rise of a Knight, then there is a "Story so Far" section where you can watch a slideshow of what happened in the first game.



Controls

Left and right arrow keys to move.
Up - jump.
Down - shield.

Spacebar - Interact

A - Normal attack
S - Heavy attack
D - Use selected spell

1 - Cycle through weapons
2 - Cycle available armor
3 - Cycle through shields

Q - Cycle through spells
W - Drink Mana potion
E - Drink Health potion

C - show/hide controls
M - Map
P - Pause game
T - Toggle quality

You can save your progress by sleeping in your bed in the castle barracks.


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Air Traffic Controller | arcade |

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Description: An air traffic control simulation with highly realistic radar behavior. This is much like the real thing ... never quite enough airspace and always one too many aircraft! A great game for aviation enthusiasts and aspiring air traffic controllers.







Free Online Games | Games Ghetto


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Hands of War RPG| Arcade RPG|

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Description: Pick to a side to ally with and battle your enemies to find the pieces of the Heartstone. Instructions and controls are in the game.




Free Internet Games


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Star Wars: The Old Republic


Play Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ and forge your own Star Wars™ saga in a story-driven massively-multiplayer online game from BioWare and LucasArts. Explore an age thousands of years before the rise of Darth Vader when war between the Old Republic and the Sith Empire divides the galaxy.


Choose to be a Jedi, a Sith, or from a variety of other classic Star Wars roles, and make decisions which define your personal story and determine your path down the light or dark side of the Force. Along the way you will befriend courageous companions who will fight at your side or possibly betray you based on your actions. Together, you will battle enemies in dynamic Star Wars combat and team up with other players to overcome incredible challenges.

Join us. Your personal Star Wars saga begins in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Star Wars: The Old Republic represents a new approach to online entertainment, featuring immersive storytelling, dynamic combat, and groundbreaking companion characters. The game takes place in the Star Wars™ galaxy approximately three hundred years after the events of Star Wars™: Knights of the Old Republic™.

Star Wars: The Old Republic takes place more than 3,500 years before the rise of Darth Vader. The most powerful Sith Empire in history has emerged from deep space to attack the Republic and its legendary Jedi guardians. After decades of war, a tenuous truce has been established between the Sith Empire and the Republic, but events occurring in the game are leading the galaxy back to an all-out war.







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Global Agenda



A departure from the traditional online settings of high fantasy, outer space, or military, Global Agenda, powered by the Unreal Engine 3, is set on 22nd century Earth. An invisible war is fought not with armies, but with elite teams of highly trained and well-equipped special agents, where technology is a race, knowledge is power, and everyone has an agenda.

Global Agenda is a fast-paced action MMO using Unreal® Engine 3 set in Earth’s near future, a spy-fi world of advanced technology and player-driven conflict. The players are truly in control of Global Agenda, forging alliances with their peers and executing lightning strikes against their enemies. They determine which factions to aid and which to oppose, while the only thing that stands in their way is other agencies.








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Thing Thing Arena 3 | Arcade |

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Play Thing Thing Arena 3 Game and stay alive for as long as possible in the death arena, grab fallen weapons from each kill you make. As well as customizing your character you can also do the same for the levels.








Game Controls :
WASD Keys to Move
Left Click to Shoot
Shift Key to Run
Change Weapon E Key or Mouse Wheeel
R Key to Reload
Spacebar to Pickup Weapon



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Pac Man Classic Arcade Game | Arcade |

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The classic pacman now has an online edition just as great as the original!






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StarCraft II Will Arrive This Year If It Will Be Finished

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The game will be released when it's finishedBlizzard is one of the biggest video game developers in the world, owning some hugely popular franchises like Diablo, StarCraft or World of Warcarft, the latter being the most popular MMORPG in the world, boasting over 11,5 million subscribers.

The company has already announced a lot of projects, including Diablo III, StarCraft II, a new expansion to WoW and two secret titles that will be revealed when the time is right, according to the company. But one of the most expected and most close to completion is StarCraft II's first chapter, Wings of Liberty, which will focus on the Terran race.

A lot of players and strategy fans have been anxiously expecting this first new chapter and any small details about the game. We've already heard that the beta stage of the multiplayer mode will soon start, but the company has yet to reveal a concrete release date for the much-awaited title.

Now, speaking with Press2Play TV in Sweden, Lead Designer Chris Sigaty revealed, in classic Blizzard fashion, that, while the beta stage wasn't completed in order to support a lot of players, an announcement would arrive soon enough. But, most importantly, he unveiled that, if everything would go according to plan, the game would be released this year.

This is all according to fans, though, as, if the feedback from the beta stage will be good, then the game will be released as soon as possible, but, if complaints will be numerous, then the team will take its time to fix the sensitive aspects and will try to deliver a great final experience to all of the huge numbers of fans around the world.

Overall, it's quite nice for Blizzard to place such an emphasis on quality and to not care about achieving a release during the holiday season, when people will be spending a lot of money on titles. Look forward to more announcements about the game soon.

Source: http://news.softpedia.com


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2029 Online



A massive online sci-fi based multiplayer experience set in a world ravaged by hatred throughout the Helen Continent, and never-ending conflicts between races and rebel forces.
2029 Online is a sci-fi based MMORPG. The story of 2029 Online centers around a galactic inter-species discord on an alien planet called Helen Continent.


Conflict has become entrenched, as each culture refuses to back down and fights for its own survival and domination. As the foundations of justice and order crumble, a mass of brave people have risen up to defend peace on this war-stricken planet. As you progress in the game, you can easily develop your skills and gain a reputation as a raider of unique skill. If you hit a high level, you can run feral raids to solidify your heroic reputation, but remember, this MMO is not just about killing, but about fame and faith.







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Super Crazy Guitar 3 | Arcade |

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Super Crazy Guitar 3
Description: The crazy guitarist musician is back with more new songs and levels!





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MapleStory Makes U.S. Wireless Debut on AT&T Handsets

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A wireless version of Nexon's side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game MapleStory is now available in the United States from AT&T's Media Mall. AT&T is the first wireless carrier in the United States to carry the game.


The original PC version of MapleStory boasts 92 million users worldwide. The PC edition of MapleStory is free to download and play, with optional content available via microtransaction purchases.

The wireless adaptation of MapleStory contains content that links both versions of the game. Players who purchase the wireless version of MapleStory will receive a bonus gift item for use in the MapleStory PC game.

"We're excited to deliver one of the largest MMORPG franchises in the world first to one of the largest carriers in the world," said Kyu Lee, president of MapleStory's U.S. publisher, Gamevil USA. "Combining subscribers from the PC and wireless will create a great synergy effect."

Source: http://www.gamesondeck.com


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Dragonica


Dragonica is an arcade-style 3D side-scrolling MMORPG. It is a free-to-play game, developed by Korean developer Barunson Interactive over 7 years and published in Europe by gPotato Europe.

Dragonica which follows its predecessor`s storyline of but overturns its connotation, bringing cartoon side-scrolling action online games to a new peak. Its totally 3D rendering design, fresh cartoon characters and scenery modelling, create a new visual perception of side-scrolling games.







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Trial run Lord of the Rings Online

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There are two options for downloading the Lord of the Rings trial. The first claims that you can be playing within an hour, but with initially reduced graphics quality. The second is with full graphics quality from the start, and that's the one I chose. It took several hours to download, and then took quite a bit of time to update the game to the latest version. I would strongly recommend the tiered download version (the first option), if you don't want to waste the first several hours of your ten-day trial.

Character creation in the game is on par with most other MMORPGs, although being so familiar with City of Heroes I always notice the lack of true character customization in other games. This isn't something I can fault LOTRO for, since at the moment there is no other game with anywhere near the same level of customization of City of Heroes. There is a bit more you can do to customize the initial look of your character than you can in World of Warcraft, so it's got that going for it.

Your character can be one of various races found in Tolkein's The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy. You can choose to be a Man, a Dwarf, a Hobbit, or an Elf, and you can be a male or female of each race except for Dwarves, which are limited to being only males. Once you choose a race, you then choose your class, which determines what kind of stats you have and what abilities you can perform. Some of the classes available are Champion, Lore-Master, Minstrel, and Warden; some of these classes are restricted to certain races.

My initial reaction, upon doing the tutorial and other introductory quests, was that it's much the same as World of Warcraft and other fantasy MMORPGs. There are lots of "go there and kill this" or "go there and collect these" types of quests. The real draw, of course, is the background, and Tolkein fans should definitely check out this game to see Middle Earth come to life. Story quests, which come a little bit later, are really, really nice, and help set this game apart from its competitors.

The animations, sounds, and music in this game are top-notch, some of them much better than World of Warcraft. They really make you feel immersed in the game world. The geography and character art looks very nice, too, especially if your computer is capable of handling the higher graphics settings.

There aren't a whole lot of restrictions to the trial version of the game. You can't use the mail feature, or auction houses, and you can't send tells to other players. All in all, I've seen games with much harsher trial restrictions.

They've got an offer now to buy the full game, which includes 30 days of playtime, for only $9.99. From what I've seen so far, that price would be well worth it to give the game more time to grow on me. To download your copy of the trial, head on over to the download page here.

From:http://www.examiner.com/

See the movie: The Hunt For Gollum : Independent Movie


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Pizza King 2 | Arcade |

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Description:
The new and improved popular restaurant management game. New improvement include more auto features, beverage machine, a mini-game, takeout order hotline, etc.
Instructions:
Mouse.






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Energy Crisis | Arcade |

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Energy Crisis is a cool game. Have fun !!!






A cool TD game.
Instructions:
Mouse click.


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Online Pokemon MMORPG

You can now play your favorite game online! This Online Pokemon MMORPG let's you take your Pokemon adventure far beyond what you've thought. Not only do you have a big world to discover but also a lot of Pokemon to grab, trade, and fight! You'll be playing this until the wee hours of the night.


So start your quest to catch them all and play this awesome game until you're #1. There are a ton of quests to finish, Pokemon to catch, and best of all... a lot of other trainers to beat and humiliate with your strong Pokemons!



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Street Fighter II Champion Edition | Arcade |

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Description:
Pick one of the 12 characters available in this Champion Edition: Ryu, Ken, Honda, Chun-li, Blanka, Guile, Zangief, Dhalsim, Balrog, Vega, Sagat and M.Bison.

Instructions:
Move [Arrows]
Low punch [S], medium punch [D], high punch [F]
Low kick [X], medium kick [C], high kick [V]






Instructions:
Move [Arrows]
Low punch [S], medium punch [D], high punch [F]
Low kick [X], medium kick [C], high kick [V]


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Thing Thing Arena 2 | Arcade |

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This is the action-packed sequel to the very successful series of Thing Thing Arena. This one just got better and nastier driven by our merciless hero. Game on!.



How to play: A / D - Left / Right movement.
W - Jump.
S - Duck.
E / Q - Cycle weapons.
Mouse - For aiming and shooting.


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Aion Guide launched by MMO Communication Ltd.

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MMO Communcation Ltd. opens the gates for Aion Guide - a community website that is set to deliver guides on classes, items and skills for NCSoft’s latest MMORPG, Aion: The Tower of Eternity.


With a team of three dedicated writers and many volunteers, the company strides to provide a one-stop resource for all players of Aion, which currently is still in beta in the US. The classes in Aion are nothing new to players in the US, who have seen a similar system already in SOE’s Everquest 2 - a main competitor of NCSoft.

"Classes are what make or brakes an MMO", says Andrew Sorense, CEO of MMO Communication Ltd. Thus the company focuses on in-depth guides to individual Aion classes. The company’s guidelines for Aion are targeted at new players, which is in line with projects for other MMORPGs MMO Communication Ltd. is currently supporting.

Since the launch of Aion in the Asian market, publisher NCSoft’s shares have quadrupled in value, reflecting the excellent reception the game has seen there. If the game performs equally well in the US and EU market - where it’s scheduled for release on September 22nd and 25th - MMO Communication Ltd. is set to expand its efforts on aionguide.org.

MMO Communication Ltd. was founded in 2008 and specializes in community websites for online roleplaying games. Started in the dorm room of the founder Andrew Sorense, the company has seen tremendous growth over the months since its inception. Supporting more than 7 different MMORPGs, it provides an essential service to gamers of all ages.

Source: http://www.prleap.com


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Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures will be free-to-play

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Some noteworthy news for the day came in the form of Funcom having two announcements about the once very popular MMORPG, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. The first announcement came via an interview with Eurogamer about a new expansion pack that is currently in development for the game and it will be released later this year. The second announcement was a bit more festive (and current) as it involves Age of Conan allowing certain players to have free-to-play access for a limited time.

According to an article on Blend Games, the new expansion pack will be revealed for the MMORPG this upcoming August, at the GamesCon in Germany.

Following shortly on this news was the announcement by Funcom that players who have closed accounts on Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures can re-activate their accounts and receive two whole weeks of free-to-play service. It’s not a bad deal and presumably a promotional campaign set in place to retrieve players who abandoned the game due to many of the bugs and glitches, something the company has promised to fix.

“For anyone with an inactive account who ever thought about giving it another try, this is your chance,” says Morten Larssen, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Funcom. “After the hugely successful launch last year we immediately started working on updates that would make the game better and provide more content for players, and that is what we have been doing this past year. With the most recent update just out the door, this is the time to ask players to come back and see the results!”

Gamers who are interested in this new promotion for the game can learn more by visiting the Official Age of Conan Website. Be sure to stay tuned in for further updates regarding the new expansion and the updates for the game.

Source:http://www.examiner.com/


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Wizard101 a robust, somewhat free experience

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There are quite a few "free" MMORPGs out there these days. One of the best of these is Wizard101, from KingsIsle Entertainment. Wizard101 is targeted towards a younger audience (kids, preteens, etc), but players of all ages find a lot to like in this quirky, refreshing take on the fantasy MMORPG genre.

Players take on the role of a young wizard-in-training, specializing in one of several schools of magic. You meet the "big bad" of the game early on, in the tutorial in fact, and it is this threat that makes up much of the storyline of the game. Combat is turn-based and similar to that in collectible card games.

There are several "worlds" that make up the Wizard101 game world, each one typically based on a different ancient mythology. This leads to a fantastic variety in atmosphere throughout the game. Many of these areas (as well as other items) must be purchased in micro-transactions or by subscribing to the game. Gift cards to unlock these special areas of the game can be purchased at various retailers.

You'll eventually run out of big stuff to do if you don't start buying things, but there is quite a bit to do, including things like mini-games separate from the main quests, without purchasing anything.

There are special safety features, most of which are centered around the chat system, that endevour to keep younger players safe from unsavory individuals. Even the naming scheme is controlled by the game; player and pet names must be created using pre-selected lists.

The restrictions in place to protect younger players shouldn't turn away older players. The game is quite fun, and well worth the free download. It is a fantasy MMORPG that feels different from all the other fantasy MMORPGs out there.

By :Cecil Adkins
Source :http://www.examiner.com/


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Welcome to Hello Kitty's online world

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HELLO Kitty fans and gamers here will be among the first in the world to enter the virtual universe of Hello Kitty, when Sanrio's official massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) is launched here next month.

Singapore-based games publisher Oriented Games will release the commercial version of Hello Kitty Online (HKO) here and in Malaysia, ahead of countries such as Indonesia and Brazil.

Gamers need not pay to play HKO when it is commercially released, but may purchase virtual items like clothes with cash.

Oriented Games executive director Lau Kin Wai told my paper that he expects 300,000 sign-ups from fans of both countries for the commercial version.

Avid fan and bunker trader Serena Loh, 30, said: 'I'm very excited to see the game played here! It'll be a dream come true for fans.'

Even those who are not fans are willing to give it a shot. IT analyst Tay Wei Long, 26, said: 'I'm open to all genres of RPG, even the 'cute-cute' ones.'

Mr Lau said that the company had received 'very positive feedback' about the game.

'They like the game because it is cute and colourful. It is also non-violent, which makes it different from most of the other online games available here.'

Developed by Sanrio Digital, HKO features social-networking services such as in-game blogs and an e-mail system, which are a hit with fans such as Ms Loh.

She said: 'The best thing about the game is that you get to interact with Sanrio fans from all over the world.'

In the game, users create unique avatars and go on various quests set by Sanrio characters, such as Hello Kitty and My Melody. In addition, users can build houses and farms with other players.

This feature seems to be a favourite with fans, such as auditor Teo Jia Hui, 24.

She said: 'I prefer building things to doing violent stuff like killing monsters.'

In 2000, the fast-food chain sparked a Hello Kitty craze when it launched a promotion offering Hello Kitty soft toys with its meals.

Fans queued for hours and got into scuffles in a bid to get their hands on the toys.

Here, popular MMORPG World Of Warcraft counts over 30,000 players, while another MMORPG, Maple Story, has one million registered players here.

HKOhas different areas named after major cities in the world, including Paris and London.

Mr Lau said: 'We may want to create a Singapore in the game. Soon, users may be able to see Singaporean icons such as the Merlion in HKO.'


Source: http://digital.asiaone.com


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Perfect World shows Torchlight preview at E3

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This year, E3 was chock-full of new and interesting games, including quite a few MMOs. Games like MAG took the meaning of massively multiplayer to a whole new level. Final Fantasy XIV marked the return and reworking of a well known name. And then there was PWE's Torchlight.



Perfect World Entertainment introduced their MMORPG Perfect World last year. The game features beautiful Asian inspired graphics and stories. This year, Perfect World attended E3 and introduced a whole list of games that are already out, and some still in the works. Torchlight was one of the latter. Brought to you by Runic Games, the people behind Diablo and Fate, Torchlight will begin in Fall of 2009 as a single player RPG, then relocate online to become an MMORPG.

Torchlight was a calm and quiet village... until a powerful and dangerous magic ore is discovered, and the village is turned upside down. The village suddenly began to attract many people in pursuit of the power. Players explore various dungeons in search of treasure, magic, and power.

The release date for the single player is set for December 2009, with the MMO function scheduled to be added at a later point. Be on the lookout for this title.

Torchlight screenshot from IGN.

Visit the main site: (Click here)... although there is not much to look at here yet.


In the meantime, watch this trailer for Torchlight from E3.

by Yuliya Geikhman
from http://www.examiner.com/



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Nexon America Releases New Update to its MMO, Mabinogi

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Nexon America has announced that it has released an update to its Celtic-inspired MMORPG, Mabinogi. The content update adds new item sets, improvements to magic wands, cooking contests and giant dice.


The update, which is now live and available for players in North America, features the Emain Macha Cooking Contest where players can pit their cooking skills against each other. The cooking contest is a month long event with qualifying rounds held from the first Saturday of the month to the second-to-last Saturday of each month. The last Saturday of the month is where finalists square off in the final rounds. Winners are picked by several judges who have different tastes, giving different perspectives on how well the meal is prepared. Winners of the cooking contests may receive a unique title as well as a new chef's uniform.

Also added to Mabinogi is the ability for wizards to chain cast with improvements to wands with a spirit. Once a wand spirit has reached a certain social level, extra charges will be added to the charge pool. For example, a Spirit Ice Wand with a social level of six will produce one extra charge on the ice bolt. This allows magic practitioners to quickly accumulate charges of magic while in battle. The higher social level of a players spirit wand, the more charges players will get on a single cast.

A new feature now included in Mabinogi with the content update are giant dice. The giant dice are now available in general shops in the land of Erinn, and can be use to settle item disputes, for players to build their own life-sized board games or simply for having fun plopping down the giant cubes.

Also added in this update is a new sets of items that, combined with the pieces of a player's favorite armor, will result in a passive bonus being added their character. For example, equipping a full Dustin Armor set will provide added resistance to explosive effects. A Bone Marlin set will provide you with extra resistance against petrification.

Source:http://pc.ign.com/


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Warrior Epic



Warrior Epic is an online, action RPG set in an original fantasy universe, where players assume command of a wide variety of Warriors through solo, PvP, and multiplayer dungeon raiding adventures. Warrior Epic is micro-transaction based; meaning there is no charge to download and no monthly fee required to play.


However, there are a variety of purchase options (such as double EXP potions, exclusive clothing, and much more) for those who wish to further enhance their player experience.

Players dive into Warrior Epic 300 years after the First Great War that shattered the old, tyrannical empire. In order to stop history from repeating itself, warriors must defend the Kingdom of Providence from the evil Overlords of the four regions.

Each of these regions has its own tragic background which helped spark the outbreak of the First Great War. Uncovering these mysteries is crucial for Warriors to take on the Overlords and vanquish the threats against their established peace and tranquility.

Warrior Epic’s unique spirit system is one of its key differentiators. Death is only the beginning in Warrior epic, allowing for strategy and skill to come into play. Players are faced with crucial decisions when their warriors have fallen. They can resurrect, infuse or utilize the spirit’s powers in battle.






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Stick RPG Complete | Arcade |

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The controls are easy in Stick RPG. The four cardinal directions are navigated using the Arrow Keys (located conveniently between the numpad and the keypad on your keyboard.) The rest of the game interaction is performed via mouse. Once you know the controls, the rest is history. Or perhaps I should say, YOUR story.







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World of Warcraft could be Free to Play in Future

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Here’s a small bit of news that could have a big effect on millions of gamers in the future – Blizzards hugely popular MMORPG game World of Warcraft could eventually become free to play, being supported by the same micro transactions that have made more casual online games so popular.

It wouldn’t be the first popular commercial game to go down that route. Anarchy Online changed over to a free to play service several years ago and the decision has been one that totally revived the games falling userbase and kept people playing for long after they would have done had subscriptions continued. You still need to pay for certain elements of the game, but removing the need for monthly subscriptions opens up the game to a much wider audience.

Dungeons and Dragons Online has also recently abandoned monthly subscription charges as well. Although it’s not going to happen tomorrow, Warcraft could eventually do a similar thing, supporting itself through micro transactions rather than a monthly fee. The idea was suggested by WOW’s lead designer Tom Chilton in an interview with VideoGamer:

“I certainly think it’s possible that we could do some kind of microtransaction stuff. Whether or not World of Warcraft ever goes the direction of, I guess like Anarchy Online has gone the direction of going free-to-play with microtransactions. Whether we ever shift to a free-to-play model is really too hard to say at this point.”

Although this method of billing does work well for older games that have a small userbase, the problem with the method is that it creates an uneven playing field – no longer are the most dedicated or skilled players the best. Instead, the people with the most amount of money become more powerful. At least with a monthly payment, everything else in the game remains unrelated with personal finances – buying of WoW gold from online sources not included.

There was no news on how this attitude might affect Blizzards upcoming top secret MMORPG project which is said to be ‘significantly different’ from World of Warcraft – so much so that Blizzard aren’t much worried about competing with themselves.


Source:http://www.gamenews.org.uk/



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Top Internet gangster game set to add a new dimension

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Omerta Game Ltd, publisher of the Internet's leading Mafia-themed Massively-Multiplayer, Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), Omerta, is set to launch the long-awaited version 3.

In Omerta, the action plays out in a 1930's Mafia world, with locations in Sicily and the United States. The boss of the Mafia is Gianluca Barafranca. The goal of Omerta players is to take control of the venerable Don's organised crime empire.

Omerta players progress by stealing and racketeering, by robbing banks, and racing cars together with other players and eventually banding together to form Mafia families. The families do battle with each other, the Feds and Police, over lucrative 'turf' and control each city's contraband and gambling underworlds.

Omerta is free to play. The only requirements are a modest PC with an internet connection.

Omerta version 3 introduces exciting new features chosen by Omerta players. Omerta takes the ideas and wishes of its' player-community and turns their dreams into reality. “Our players know best, so we look to them for creative decision-making” says Omerta C.E.O. Steve Biddick

“The launch of version 3 is a huge milestone in Omerta's history. We've been doing this for nearly five years now and by listening to the player community and discussion of their suggestions, we are confident that we are presenting the players with what they want – of course, they designed most of these features themselves! Of course there will be divided opinion regarding some of the changes, but discussion is good for everyone!” comments Biddick.

One of the many new features in Omerta 3, is the addition of bodyguards with attitude. “The new bodyguard feature enables the hiring of seven new bodyguard types, each with a very different personality. Depending on which type you choose there can be a great variety of different accents to how the game is played. For example Lee is a bodyguard who defends whereas Vic is a crazed-killer who will help players who are on the attack.” adds Otto Adang, Omerta's product manager and chief designer. “We've made it so that you can pick-and-mix bodyguard types to make your own unique team – and they can all be trained to become better at being a bad guy!”.

“In version 3, we wanted to deliver an experience that breaths new life into the role-playing elements of the genre. The choices each player makes will have a big effect during the game and players will have to think much more strategically about the choices they make” added Steve Biddick. “Otto and the development team have made some great, imaginative changes”.

“One of the issues players were concerned with was the drudgery of starting off life at the bottom of the ladder, once one character had fallen victim to the attack of another” adds Otto. “So we came up with a solution: one of your bodyguards takes over when you die. With players remaining in the Omerta community for many years, this will make beginning again a lot more fun”.

The Omerta community numbers over 3.5 million registered players, with a constant presence of over 4000 people on the richly-moderated IRC server (internet relay chat) “That's where Omerta players do their Mafia business” says volunteer game-admin crew manager Bianca Evers, “we have a highly trained volunteer staff of over 200, mostly ex-players. They look after the newer players, moderate chat for unwanted content and generally help out”.

The actual launch date for Omerta 3 is still a closely-guarded secret and will only be made public once the beta-testing phase has been completed. For a chance to join in with beta testing and to register in advance of the launch of Omerta 3 you can visit http://www.omerta3.com

About Omerta:
Omerta – www.barafranca.com – began in 2003 as an amateur project, in a bedroom in Groningen, the Netherlands.

Omerta Game Ltd was founded in 2004 to manage and further develop Omerta. It now boasts a full-time staff of 18 people in four countries and a network of over 200 volunteers, spread over the whole globe.

Omerta is available in 29 languages, all of which are updated for the forthcoming launch of Omerta 3. Regional (single-language) versions are available in Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese/Brazilian, Turkish and the 'Nordic' languages (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and Finnish).

Omerta boasts typically more than 70,000 players logging in every day to chat, race cars and kill each other, all in the name of fun!

Source :http://www.prurgent.com


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Deal or No Deal | Arcade |

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Play the flash version of the famous reality game Deal or No Deal!.



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Wizard101


Wizard101 is an elaborate 3D virtual world in which magic and sorcery come to life as players embark on a quest that involves a massive cast of good, evil and frequently silly characters.



Wizard101 is a multiplayer, online adventure game brought to you by KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. The game is fun for all ages and playable on a personal computer. Once inside, you can experience a Wizard's journey from learning how to control and use magic to exploring far off places and using your magic to save others from harm. It's all about you and your choices.

As you progress, you will enjoy lots of other activities such as dueling against other Wizards, playing challenging mini games in the Wizard City Mini Game Fairegrounds, and even using different dyes to change the colors of your clothes.


Get more info on Wizard101 Here


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Thing Thing Arena | Arcade |

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Thing Thing" series, now in the arena and this is one of the baddest shooting game ever.



How to play: A / D - Left / Right movement.
W - Jump.
S - Duck.
E / Q - Cycle weapons.
Mouse - For aiming and shooting.


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Top 5 Current MMORPGs

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When most people talk about the MMORPG genre, it tends to be World of Warcraft that surfaces on the minds of the many as being the most recognised, not only by the gaming population but also by the mass including various celebrities who admit to playing said titles. Usually when we talk about MMORPGs in general they tend to be a commitment, as most gamers know that truly finishing one is an almost impossible task. So how is it that they've become so popular over the years, what direction has the genre taken, and where can we go from here; these are but a few of the topics we'll be hoping to give an insight on.

Specifically, this article is going to cover the current state of affairs in the MMORPG sector; the current games that are available, why they've been successful and just looking at why they remain so. We'll start by discussing the biggest of them all World of Warcraft.


World of Warcraft

World of WarcraftThe most renowned title as said before is Warcraft. It has been responsible for the countless MMORPGs that have started to appear after its release, from Lord of the Rings to Warhammer. Both have borrowed heavily and on the basis you could say that Warcraft has almost set an international standard. We're not going to go into actual figures but let’s just say this game has its weight in subscribers. The end of last year saw the launch of their latest expansion, The Wrath of the Lich King, which added a considerable amount of content. However, excluding the reuse of a 40 man raid instance called Naxxramas that was adapted for 10-25 players; their end game content was a bit sparse at launch. But seeing as they've gone the whole hog now and just released 3.10 on the 15th of April we've now seen the Rise of Ulduar, a totally new 10-25 man raid which boasts quite a few spectacular encounters. This along with the introduction of the dual spec talent option for anyone willing to spend 1000 gold, enables players to switch between various skill sets whenever they choose to. As always there have been balancing issues that arise during major content patches, and various bugs to iron out, but Blizzard's staff are fairly on the ball to fix issues.


Guild Wars

This title has also earnt quite a lot of respect despite being lesser known than some of its competitors, and it actually surpasses six million sales recently. Guild Wars is essentially an episodic series and there have been three episodes since its release and only one expansion. The biggest merit of this game is the fact that its subscription is free, unlike the majority of big MMORPGs. The game focuses mostly on Player vs Player rather than the typical Player vs Environment element of most MMORPGs. Guild Wars is currently set to break the mold by releasing a sequel, Guild Wars 2, which is planned to be released sometime in 2010/2011.


Lord of the Rings Online

Lord of the Rings Online is a game that purely capitalizes on the strongest selling point, by associating itself with the works of Tolkien. It’s been fairly successful and is driven by all the same mechanics that are used in most MMORPGs to date. While borrowing heavily from the ideas that made Warcraft work, Lord of the Rings Online places more emphasis on making quests a key feature. They had their first expansion late last year called, Mines of Moria, which added two new classes along with several new areas. Since its release, once every two months they have added a major update to the game adding various new features but mostly focusing on adding more quests. The new classes added were rather innovative. The Warden enabled players to set up combination attacks executed in a certain way, which then enabled the use of a special attack. The Rune-keeper gave the use of healing and damaging abilities. While focusing on one side meant they could access more powerful skills, their focus in the other side would diminish. This was interchangeable at any time, but it would take time to reverse the process. Mines of Moria focused on bringing the Fellowship of the Ring to life, and they plan on a second expansion elaborating on the Two Towers.


Warhammer Online

Warhammer is a very established franchise and its among the few that have had several games prior to its release. Some of these have been video games focusing on a different era - Dawn of War - but mostly the game is conceived from the old table top days of gaming with models and dice. Rather than focusing on the futuristic era that a lot of the games have done, this sticks to the traditional routes of the fantasy era. Much like Warcraft there is a focus on two factions, Order and Destruction. It also has plenty of class types - 24 in total. As far as expansions go there are no plans at present as they are focusing on improving the current mechanics in the game.

Final Fantasy XI

Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Art ArhganThis game arose before World of Warcraft and subsequently nearly everything about its gameplay is totally different. It’s also the only MMO to date that allows for cross-platform play, having been released on Xbox 360, PS2 and the PC. Their servers are also fully international allowing anyone in the world to play with anyone from any country. This is possible due to an inspired auto-translate function which enables players to communicate, albeit basically, with people speaking in different languages via predetermined answers and questions. The major differences on Final Fantasy XI were the fact that everything was based around money or gil and it was necessary for just about everything. The economy on the game is unlike any other and it is one of its defining elements. One of the other defining elements is the emphasis on teamwork. Almost everything in the game requires the aid of a full party of players to accomplish, including leveling. If you wanted to play on your own 90% of the time it just wouldn't be practical and in some ways Square Enix should be commended for this, as comradeship isn’t such a bad thing. Other points of merit are its soundtrack, as it really lives up to the Final Fantasy franchise with music that just seemed to fit every single environment. Final Fantasy XI has had 4 expansions since it began and many of its job classes have been rather "interesting". Some provide support by dancing, while others base moves by rolling dice through a card system to create various beneficial effects.

There are plenty of other MMORPGs worth discussion and each has made its impact on hundreds of thousands of people. With more and more new games trying to entice players over to new experiences, they all have to keep their players entertained for as long as possible. For the most part this hasn't been a major problem due to the use of expansions, but is there going to be a point where that just won't work any further?

Come back in a week's time, when we'll look at the Top 5 upcoming MMORPGs that you should definitely keep on your radar.

by Nelson
Source: http://www.gamingunion.net/


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