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August 31, 2007
Guild Wars: Eye of the North Goes Live
Posted by adunkin at 11:28 AM
The Austin Chronicle Talks Tabula Rasa
The August 31, 2007 edition of the weekly Austin Chronicle newspaper features a cover story all about Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa®, featuring quotes from Richard Garriott, producer Starr Long, lead designer Paul Sage, art director John Mueller, and audio director Tracy Bush. You can read it all right here. Also available is a review of the current beta test by the same writer.Posted by adunkin at 10:37 AM
August 29, 2007
NCsoft Releases First Update for Dungeon Runners
Austin, Texas, August 29, 2007–NCsoft® announced today the release of Dungeon Runners’™ first feature expansion, Chunk #1, an ambitious content update that includes player-versus-player (PvP) worlds, support for multiple characters, item linking over its chat system, a new high level dungeon, and a variety of new skills and quests. Most of the features in Chunk #1 are available to all active Dungeon Runners players except for a new set of exclusive member-only servers that will come online with the new expansion release.
Dungeon Runners is a free to download and play online multiplayer role playing game in a fast-paced sword-and-shield setting, where defeating monsters and evil enemies results in piles of loot and treasure.
Topping the features of Chunk #1 is PvP action. The Dungeon Runners PvP worlds eliminate all player-versus-environment tasks, focusing solely on player-versus-player combat in a variety of maps and settings. Chunk #1 provides two PvP session types including group practice PvP, which focuses on small PvP free-for-all maps where players can hone their battle skills without a time limit; and group-versus-group death match PvP, which automatically pits similarly powered groups in seven-minute matches.
“The introduction of PvP combat to Dungeon Runners rounds out the features that MMO players expect to see in their RPG games,” said Stephen Nichols, NCsoft’s producer and lead programmer for Dungeon Runners. “Even though we provide most of our game for free, we are still able to regularly deliver large blocks of feature content and this is just the first of many additions to the game our players will see. Chunk #1, which includes PvP, will add a whole bunch of new content that will give every one of our players new challenges and new opportunities to have fun.”
Chunk #1 will also give players up to three characters for each account created so they can play multiple characters in a variety of shapes, sizes and sexes. “It is common in MMOs for boys to be girls and vise-versa,” said Nichols. “With multiple character slots, our players can take on whatever roles they like, depending on their mood.”
Additionally, Chunk #1 includes 70 new quests, several new armor sets and many new skills, including teleport, heal self and a skill that improves a weapon’s slashing ability, called “awesome cleavage.” A new, tough dungeon for level 75-100 players has been added where new quests, monsters and an all-new boss can be found. Chunk #1 will also allow players to trade items over their chat windows, which gives other players the ability to see the name and attributes of the items up for trade.
This content update also includes improvement to player controls which reduces movement delays.
Dungeon Runners can be downloaded for free at http://www.dungeonrunners.com/join.html. Players can play for free or subscribe to the members version at any point for $4.99 a month. Members have access to more benefits including log-in queue priority, members-only servers, and access to the most powerful items, weapons and armor. Membership status also includes bank storage for hundreds of loot items and the ability to stack potions in one inventory slot to save room for even more loot.
To find out more please visit the Dungeon Runners web site at: www.dungeonrunners.com.
The game is rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.
About NCsoft
NCsoft North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles and continues to support its franchises that include Lineage®/Lineage II, City of Heroes®/City of Villains®, and Guild Wars®/Guild Wars Factions™/Guild Wars Nightfall™ and Dungeon Runners. More information about NCsoft can be found at http://www.PlayNC.com.
NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, PlayNC, Lineage, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, Dungeon Runners and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. City of Heroes, City of Villains and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation and Cryptic Studios, Inc. Cryptic Studios is a trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted by adunkin at 1:49 PM
August 20, 2007
NCsoft’s Guild Wars Breaks Four Million
Subscription-free business model sets new standard for online multiplayer games
Bellevue, WA. Aug. 21, 2007—The Guild Wars® franchise of online roleplaying games has broken the four million units sold mark in just over two years. Published by NCsoft® and developed by ArenaNet®, the Guild Wars series (consisting of Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions™, and Guild Wars Nightfall™) has set the standard for online co-operative and competitive play with award-winning content and a subscription-free business model. Since the first campaign launched in 2005, Guild Wars has developed legions of loyal fans who are hotly anticipating the August 31 release of the game’s first true expansion, Guild Wars: Eye of the North™.
“ArenaNet’s fantastic work on Guild Wars has helped make NCsoft the leading online gaming publisher in the world,” said Robert Garriott, CEO of NCsoft North America. “Guild Wars players continue to join in droves and stay loyal to the franchise thanks to a business model that makes for a very accessible product. We are all excited about the future of Guild Wars with the expansion ready to be released and Guild Wars 2™ on the horizon.”
“Four million units sold is an impressive number and demonstrates that Guild Wars is a proven franchise,” said Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising, GameStop Corporation. “The Guild Wars franchise delivers an outstanding gaming experience and is clearly an important part of our PC games offerings.”
In advance of the release of Guild Wars: Eye of the North, ArenaNet is hosting the Sneak Peek Weekend from August 24 to August 26, during which players can explore the frigid climes and encounter the wild beasts of the Far Shiverpeaks region. To participate in the preview weekend, players must purchase the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Prerelease Bonus Pack, on sale at retailers in North America and Europe, in the Guild Wars in-game store, and at PlayNC.com.
Any loot, items, XP, and Heroes earned by players during the Sneak Peek Weekend will be available when Guild Wars: Eye of the North goes live on August 31. Additional information about the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Sneak Peek Weekend can be found at www.guildwars.com/events/ingame/gwen-sneakpeek.
Guild Wars: Eye of the North is the first expansion to the subscription-free Guild Wars franchise of fantasy online roleplaying games. It features new characters, Heroes, items, and story content accessible to players who own any existing Guild Wars campaign.
For more information on the Guild Wars franchise, visit the Guild Wars website at www.guildwars.com. The award-winning Guild Wars series of games, as well as the Guild Wars: Eye of the North Prerelease Bonus Pack, can be purchased from retailers or downloaded from the PlayNC store at secure.plaync.com/cgi-bin/Store.pl.
About ArenaNet
ArenaNet, located in Bellevue, Washington, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NCsoft Corporation. ArenaNet has built a state-of-the-art interactive game network and develops premier multiplayer online games for dedicated game players. ArenaNet's titles, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, and Guild Wars: Eye of the North, are global online roleplaying games that allow gamers to play with anyone, anytime, and anywhere in the world. More information about ArenaNet can be found at www.arena.net.
About NCsoft Corporation
NCsoft North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles in the last three years and continues to support its franchises, which include Lineage®/Lineage II, City of Heroes®/City of Villains®, Guild Wars/Guild Wars Factions™/Guild Wars Nightfall™/Guild Wars: Eye of the North™, and Dungeon Runners™. More information about NCsoft can be found at www.plaync.com.
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NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, PlayNC, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, Prophecies, Factions, Nightfall, Guild Wars: Eye of the North, Eye of the North, Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet, Dungeon Runners and Lineage and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. City of Heroes, City of Villains, and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cryptic Studios, Inc. and NCsoft Corporation. Cryptic Studios is a trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted by PR at 5:20 PM
August 17, 2007
NCsoft Reveals Contents of Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa Limited Collector’s Edition Game Pack
Austin, Texas, August 20, 2007—NCsoft®, the world’s leading developer and publisher of online computer games, announced their plans for the Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa® Limited Collector’s Edition, which will be released to stores in North America and Europe when the game launches this fall.
This special retail box offers customers exclusive in-game items, including a special character emote, exclusive dye recipes players can use to create unique armor colors, and a unique pet. Players who purchase the Limited Collector’s Edition box also receive a briefing from Richard Garriott’s alter-ego in the game, General British, classified maps, an Allied Free Sentients (AFS) field guide, Tabula Rasa dog tags, an AFS challenge coin and a special edition poster.
The Limited Collector’s Edition also includes one month of free game play and a “Making of Tabula Rasa” DVD.
One of the most anticipated PC games of the year, Tabula Rasa is the latest title by gaming legend Richard Garriott and offers a strikingly new approach to the design of multiplayer online games by combining a vast, persistent game world and rich storyline with fast-paced action. The game introduces several innovative elements to massively multiplayer online (MMO) games, including a Character Cloning System™ that allows players to explore different character classes without having to create a new character. Dynamic battlefields and ethical parables make this MMO game incredibly immersive, where players really feel a part of the ongoing war effort.
“The Limited Collector’s Edition we have put together for Tabula Rasa is loaded with cool things for players who really get into the role-playing aspect of the game,” said Executive Producer Richard Garriott. “Regular players will find the maps and field guide useful as they move full-force into the game’s fast-paced action. Other items, like the dog tags and challenge coins, bring home the ‘brothers in arms’ feeling of this game even when you aren’t playing.”
When the game launches later this fall, players will find the Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa Limited Collector’s Edition at most local and online retailers.
For more information about Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa visit http://www.rgtr.com.
About NCsoft CorporationNCsoft North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles in the last three years and continues to support its franchises, which include Lineage®/Lineage II, City of Heroes®/City of Villains®, Guild Wars®/Guild Wars Factions™/Guild Wars Nightfall™ and Dungeon Runners™. More information about NCsoft can be found at www.plaync.com.
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NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, Tabula Rasa, Character Cloning System, PlayNC, Lineage, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, Dungeon Runners and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. City of Heroes, City of Villains and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation and Cryptic Studios, Inc. Cryptic Studios is a trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted by PR at 5:19 PM
GameZone Talks About Ethics in Tabula Rasa
GameZone has an exclusive peak into the ethical parables of Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa®, which you can read right here.Posted by adunkin at 3:02 PM
August 16, 2007
NCsoft at GenCon
If you're going to GenCon this weekend (August 16-19) be sure to drop by the NCsoft both, #429. Also remember that our Player Meet & Greet is on August 18 and we are really looking forward to seeing everyone there! Here are the details for those of you that have registered for the event. It'll be at both 6PM and 10PM EST at the Alcatraz Brewing Company, which is walking distance from the Convention Center (click on the link for directions). You must have a photo ID and/or email confirmation to enter the event.Posted by adunkin at 12:27 PM
August 10, 2007
Dungeon Runners Dev Chat on August 13
Stephen Nichols, Mark Tucker and other members of the Dungeon Runners™ team will be fielding your questions and formulating witty answers on Monday, August 13 at 7PM EST during the second of MMORPG's live IRC dev chat sessions. Click here for more details on how you can join and participate.Posted by adunkin at 3:56 PM
August 8, 2007
Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa Pre-Order Bonus Pack Ships to Retailers
Austin, Texas, August 9, 2007—NCsoft®, the world’s leading developer and publisher of online computer games, announced that the pre-order bonus pack for Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa® has begun shipping to retailers. The pre-order box offers customers several perks, including exclusive in-game items and a three-day head start when the product launches this fall.Customers will find the pre-order bonus pack and digital pre-sale availability at various retailers in North America and Europe, as well as the NCsoft store at PlayNC.com.
Richard Garriott is best known for creating the Ultima® series, including Ultima Online, one of the first commercially successful massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) in North America. Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa, which is one of the most anticipated PC titles of the year, is set in an epic science-fiction story where players will be challenged by dynamic and fast-paced adventures on unique alien worlds.
Players who purchase the pre-order for Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa not only get a three-day head start on the live service, they also receive exclusive character emotes, exclusive in-game pets to accompany their characters, access to the beta test, and a DVD with the game client, bonus wallpapers and art.
“There is an amazing amount of anticipation for Tabula Rasa’s launch within our development team and the player community,” said Richard Garriott, executive producer. “The player feedback at this point has been extremely helpful and we’re putting the final touches on the game. This pre-order release truly marks the final stages in developing this epic adventure, and since owning the pre-order allows players beta access, it is a great way to try Tabula Rasa out before we launch the game.”
Please contact your local retailer for details on when the Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa pre-order bonus pack will be available on the shelf, or download it from the PlayNC store beginning Friday, August 10, at https://secure.plaync.com/cgi-bin/Store.pl.
For more information about Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa visit http://www.rgtr.com.
About NCsoft Corporation
NCsoft North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles in the last three years and continues to support its franchises, which include Lineage®/Lineage II, City of Heroes®/City of Villains®, Guild Wars®/Guild Wars Factions™/Guild Wars Nightfall™ and Dungeon Runners™. More information about NCsoft can be found at www.plaync.com.
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NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, Tabula Rasa, PlayNC, Lineage, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, Dungeon Runners and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. City of Heroes, City of Villains and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation and Cryptic Studios, Inc. Cryptic Studios is a trademark of Cryptic Studios, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Posted by PR at 3:47 PM
NCsoft Announces 2007 Second Quarter Financial Results
Company reports second quarter consolidated sales of KRW 75.9 billion, operating income of KRW 10.6 billion and net income of KRW 10.6 billion;Compared to the previous year’s corresponding quarter, operating income rose 533% and net income returned to profitability
Seoul, South Korea, August 8, 2007 – NCsoft® Corporation (KSE: 036570.KS) today reported second quarter 2007 sales of KRW 75.9 billion (US$82.1 million), operating income of KRW 10.6 billion (US$11.5 million), and net income of KRW 10.6 billion (US$11.5 million) all on a consolidated basis. Compared to the previous year’s corresponding quarter, sales were down by 11%, operating income up by 533%, and net income converted to surplus. A one-time write off in expenses of KRW 11.3 billion related to Auto Assault® was included in the previous year’s corresponding quarter.
By region, the percentage breakdown of sales for the second quarter shows 59% in Korea (US$ 52.5 million), and 41% from overseas entities and royalty income: US$13.9 million in North America, US$4.9 million in Europe, US$8.3 million in Japan, US$2.5 million in Taiwan, and royalty income of US$3.9 million.
By game title, sales in the quarter for Lineage® recorded KRW 25.5 billion (US$27.6 million), Lineage II KRW 32.1 billion (US$34.7 million), City of Heroes®/City of Villains® KRW 6.4 billion (US$6.9 million), and Guild Wars® KRW 8.3 billion (US$8.9 million). Lineage and Lineage II sales dropped 16% and 2%, respectively, and City of Heroes/City of Villains increased by 7%.
NCsoft’s CFO Jaeho Lee said, “During the second quarter, we continued the integration of accounts in the PlayNC® service platform. Additionally, Atrix™, SP JAM™ and other new casual games were introduced. We saw a noticeable growth of up to 1.3 million visitors to the site during the quarter. We also announced a strategic and exclusive development deal with Sony Computer Entertainment to begin making online games for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. This further cements our position in the industry as the leading online game developer and publisher.”
As for the third quarter, NCsoft will launch Lineage II’s second title The Chaotic Throne™: The Kamael, and officially launch SP JAM and Atrix which are currently in open testing. The company’s next large-scale MMORPG game Aion™ will enter closed beta testing on October 31 in Korea. In North America and Europe, the first expansion for the Guild Wars franchise, Eye of the North™ will launch on August 31 and Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa® will release in the fall.
Contact:NCsoft IR
Brian Min
brian@ncsoft.net
+82-2-2186-3330
Posted by PR at 10:13 AM
August 6, 2007
Lineage II Dev Chat for Monday, August 6
MMORPG will be hosting its first live developer chat Monday night, August 6, at 7PM EST, and the first discussion of interest will be Lineage® II! You'll be able to ask questions of the producers, community managers, and more. Click here for the MMORPG thread for more details.Posted by adunkin at 12:03 PM
Tabula Rasa in the News
With Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa™ gearing up for launch in two months the gaming press is really starting to talk about our upcoming exciting MMOG. Here's a preview from Warcry, an interview with producer Starr Long about Logos on GameDaily, and a podcast featuring TR by the writers and editors of Games For Windows magazine.Posted by adunkin at 10:08 AM
August 3, 2007
Visit the Dungeon Runners Blog
The Dungeon Runners™ team wants its players to learn everything that's going on behind the scenes with the game, so they decided to start "The Blog" to appropriately mark the occasion.Posted by adunkin at 4:50 PM
City of Heroes Account Reactivation Weekend
Just in time to fend off the renewed Rikti Invasion brought about in Issue 10, all deactivated City of Heroes® and City of Villains™ accounts in good standing will be reactivated for this weekend (starting Thursday, August 2 and lasting through midnight EST, August 5). Click here for more details.Posted by adunkin at 4:45 PM