Atlantica Online expanding to Thailand, Russia

Ndoors Interactive’s free-to-play MMORPG, Atlantica Online has entered into closed beta in Thailand. The game will be published by top Asian online game provider Asiasoft, who did a massive localization process on the game prior to the beta’s launch. Additionally, Ndoors has finalized a publishing agreement with Enova, a publishing company in Russia, to bring Atlantica Online to the Russian market. Russia will be next in entering closed beta, as Thailand has recently ended the closed beta phase and has entered open beta. Atlantica Online has successfully expanded from Korea into North America, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, and recently kicked off its European expansion in Germany.

Atlantica Online is a strategic turn-based MMORPG that combines combat with character/party development and city/country management. Players take on the quest to destroy the Oriharukon, a powerful energy source from the lost civilization of Atlantis that survived and is now endangering humanity. For more information on Atlantica Online, check out www.playatlantica.com/ao.

North American Dragonica Online open beta opens August 18

THQ*ICE announced that the official start date for the North American Dragonica Online open beta test will be August 18th starting at approximately 2:00 p.m. PDT. Developed by Barunson Interactive, Dragonica Online merges 3D side-scrolling combat and a hilarious skill system.

Beginning on that day and date those that have signed up for the open beta will be able to experience the game and participate in various events and giveaways. These include a special Odellia Starter Pack, participation in the Dragonica Online Loot Hunt (hunt monsters to receive “Loot Drops” for a chance to win in-game and real world giveaways and other events and giveaways to be announced at a later date.

Bubble Town: Party Planet beta now on Facebook

Multi-platform casual games company Oberon Media has made its move into the micro-transaction space with the launch of I-play’s Bubble Town: Party Planet on iPhone. Oberon will distribute free to play, micro-transaction-enabled games across all its platforms including its Game Center partners, social networks, iPhone, mobile and more. Oberon will continue to integrate new virtual economies into its most successful gaming franchises on multiple platforms as well.

Bubble Town: Party Planet is an upgrade to the successful Bubble Town Facebook application, which has been played more than 120 million times. Additionally, the online version is the most played game on MSN Games. Overall, the Bubble Town franchise has been enjoyed by over 5 million unique players through PC download, mobile, iPhone, iPod touch, Facebook and MySpace since it launched on PC in 2006.

Bubble Town: Party Planet, initially launching as a Facebook application, delivers an all-new MTX virtual economy called BubbleBucks. BubbleBucks is the virtual currency that will allow players to make in-game purchases on items including power ups, extra level packs, gifting and other activities such as the ability to pick up play after a level defeat. BubbleBucks can be purchased online, or earned through in-game achievements such as high scores, skillful play and inviting friends to join in on the excitement.

Beginning today, players will be able to join the Bubble Town: Party Planet Open Beta via Facebook by signing up at apps.facebook.com/bubble_town_test/. For a limited time, players who join the Bubble Town: Party Planet Open Beta will receive 2,000 free BubbleBucks.

Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent open beta goes live

Atlus Online’s fantasy-steampunk themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game, Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent, is in open beta as of today. Anyone who registers before June 8 will have an opportunity to jump in for an early glimpse at the game.

Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent drops players into a world where two nations battle over a precious resource called Neo Steam. From the start, customization is key to each player’s experience; they can choose which nation to join and select from a number of specialized classes and learn the mysteries of harnessing steam technology to upgrade equipment, learn new abilities, and progress in their chosen class.

To reward players for their dedication - Atlus Online will roll all beta characters ver to permanent accounts when the game launches. All that hard work and hours spent customizing your character will not be in vain, for a change. The Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent open beta also offers a special gift - a pair of steampunk-inspired goggles handmade by an artisan specifically for one lucky fan. Atlus Online will also continue to run various promotions beyond commercial launch, giving away prizes and exclusive in-game items.

Those eager to sign up for their chance to participate in the open beta can visit www.neosteam.atlusonline.com.

City of Heroes Mission Architect in Open Beta

Issue 14 of City of Heroes / City of Villains is now in open beta, giving players at large of NCsoft’s popular super hero MMO a chance to play with the Mission Architect system. NCsoft believes that, by allowing players to create their own story arcs and missions, it will breathe new life into this aging MMO. The general consensus among both former and current players is that the company is right.

Available on the Training Room / Open Beta server, the Mission Architect lets players to create 3 missions per account, using their own fiction. These missions can be comprised of up to five chapters containing different characters, environments, mission objectives, and enemies, dialogue, and up to 25 objectives. Developers will be able to pick and highlight their favorite missions -which will in turn give selected missions prominence and earn creators special badges. Likewise a system is in place for the community to vote on missions and put the best of the best in a “Hall of Fame.”

For more information on Issue 14, check out the official City of Heroes web site.

thanks, RPS.

The Rundown: Jan. 29, 2009

As I ponder new and exciting ways to kill Lord British and every other NPC in Ultima VII, you can ponder today’s bullet points in The Rundown. Today we detail Cross Fire going “open beta,”  the launch date for Evasive Space, the release of SARPBC in PAL territories, a new PvP tournament for Grand Chase and a whole lot more. Check it out after the jump.

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Warhammer Online Open Beta Soon

Mythic Entertainment is gearing up for the open beta of Warhammer Online, which will give players that have not had a chance to try out this upcoming MMO a taste of what they have planned when the game launches next month. The open beta for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning will begin on September 7th, eleven days before it officially launches in North America.

Players can get into the North American open beta by pre-ordering Warhammer Online from select retail partners. Participants of the North American closed beta will automatically be granted open beta access. For more information about the WAR open beta, visit www.warhammeronline.com/openbeta.