Welcome to “World MMO News Tonight - Weekend Edition”. I’m your host, David ‘Two Hammers’ Moore.
Let’s take a look at some noteworthy persistent world stories you’ll want to catch up on over the weekend.
Firstly, don’t forget to hop over to ijji’s site and sign up for the HUXLEY Beta. You need to sign up by May 20th to qualify for this round. Testing will commence June 3rd and run until June 14th. Careful - don’t catch Dystopia!
Also in Beta news - EA are looking for testers interested in taking the new ULTIMA ONLINE Gargoyle race (PICTURED) out for a test drive…er, fly, or whatever. The upcoming (8th) UO expansion is to be called Stygian Abyss and is due to drop this summer.
Nexon’s MAPLE STORY (N.America) is celebrating 4 years online. As you might expect, special events, items, quests and rewards are being rolled out for the occasion.
Speaking of birthdays, FINAL FANTASY XI is turning seven this month and Square Enix are pleased as punch. A Fan Art Contest is being held and the Adventurer Appreciation Campaign is back. Kupo!
BioWare have announced the new playable character class - The Trooper - for STAR WARS : THE OLD REPUBLIC. Presumably, these Troopers will actually be able to hit a target they’re aiming at once in a while.
Cryptic have lifted the press NDA for CHAMPIONS ONLINE and the first review-type info is hitting the web. Check out Massively’s Hands-On: Combat report and Eurogamer’s news that CO may have micro-transactions factored into its money-making plans.
Finally, Trion World Network have put out word that come next month’s E3 convention they will be unveiling a fantasy MMO entitled, HEROES OF TELARA. Information is still scarce and no images have been provided as of yet, but apparently the game will “feature an unprecedented level of rich and dynamic gameplay, driven by recurring events, unexpected challenges and limitless new content..”
I’m not sure how a game can be “highly anticipated” (as stated in HoT’s press release) when no one had even known of its existence - but we’ll keep our eyes on this one regardless. Happy Weekend!
“Star Wars: The Old Republic Trooper quote: In many ways, the Republic’s newly-trained elite Troopers have stepped up to take charge of the Republic’s defenses. When Troopers are partnered with the Jedi, they are a force to be reckoned with on any battlefield.”