BattleForge Renegade Edition in August

EA’s Phenomic studio will be expanding its online focused real-time strategy game, BattleForge with the BattleForge Renegade Edition card set beginning August 25th. Players will have access to new units and buildings from the Southern Wastes region of Nyn using over 60 additional cards that will be available through a Renegade Booster Packs in the in-game store. In case you didn’t know, BattleForge is a free to play game that combines strategy, fantasy, trading cards and magical spells in an online environment.

Two new playable factions will be part of that expansion: the Bandits and Stonekin, along with a host of new legendary creatures. BattleForge will also get dual orb cards and special affinities. The new BattleForge Renegade Booster Packs are available at the in-game store and can be purchased for 250 BattleForge points or $2.50. To download the free version of BattleForge, players can visit www.battleforge.com and click on “Play4Free.”

Wizard101 gets ‘largest expansion to date’

KingsIsle has released what it calls “the largest expansion to date” for its family friendly MMO Wizard101. In addition to a new world called Grizzleheim, the expansion also introduces crafting to the game, as well as a Bazaar and several new community features.

Players are now able to craft hundreds of new items, including hats, robes, staves, furniture and Treasure Cards. First, Wizards have to obtain crafting tables for their houses or dorm rooms, and then collect the recipes, reagents, and ingredients necessary to make the new items through exploration, shopping, or defeating enemies. There are five tiers of advancement for crafters, and any player may choose to become a crafter although many recipes and ingredients will be found in areas accessible only to subscribers.

In addition to Grizzleheim and crafting, players may now visit the new Bazaar in Olde Town where they may buy items sold by other players and sell items in exchange for gold. Run by a new NPC trader named Elik Silverfist, prices for each item will adjust depending on how many of that item are on hand.

New updates to community features include adventure grouping for up to four players across zones and pen chat, an option available only to players over age 18 with a validated credit card.

Sony Online Teams With Topps For Free Realms TCG

Earlier today, Sony Online Entertainment and The Topps Company announced that the two companies have reached an exclusive long-term licensing agreement which will give Topps the rights to create a physical trading card game based on SOE’s upcoming online game Free Realms. The physical card game will be designed to complement the online experience of the digital version playable within Free Realms.

“Our online trading card games have been hugely successful, and the chance to take our digital trading cards into the physical world with an industry leader like Topps is a fantastic opportunity for us as a company,” said John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment.

The digital version of the Free Realms Trading Card Game will launch simultaneously with the launch of the Free Realms online game, while the Topps products will be available in Spring 2009. Topps will offer an exclusive Passport to Free Realms Starter Pack, as well as 11-card booster packs featuring a loot card in every pack.

Discarded Open Beta Live

Class is in session, so bring your favorite baseball bat, a bad attitude and your some squirell propellant if you have it, because Discarded has gone open beta. This cute web based MMO game promises the action of a side scrolling beat ‘em up with the joys and pitfalls of a collectible trading card game. Apparently you take weapons and beat on naughty animals.. with baseball bats. Nice.

Beating up these crazy critters will earn you collectible cards that you equip like items. These cards give you weapons, stats and other interesting oddities that serve as your way of gaining skills.

It’s an interesting concept on paper, but I haven’t actually played the game, so give it a shot and let us know what you think - after all, it is free. Check it out at discarded.gamedozer.com. All you need is a web browser to play and you can invite your friends too.

Pokémon Video Game Showdown

Pokémon USA today announced details for both the 2008 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships and the very first Pokémon Video Game Showdown, which will pit players from the U.S. and Japan against one another in a battle to determine the best of the best. Both events will take place August 16-17 at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, bringing together hundreds of Pokémon fans from around the globe.

The Pokémon Video Game Showdown will feature 64 players from the U.S. and Japan competing in two different age divisions. U.S. qualifiers were selected from two regional tournaments held in Los Angeles and New York on July 12 and July 19, respectively. Over 1,000 players from ages 6 to 43 came from all over the country to battle playing Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl for the opportunity to compete against the best players from Japan. The best player will win a grand prize that includes a six-day vacation package for four to New York City, Honolulu, or Tokyo. Runners up will win custom Nintendo DS game systems and special Pokémon prize packs.

Hundreds of players will take part in the 2008 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships from nearly 30 countries to vie for the title of Pokémon TCG World Champion. The top 32 winners in each of the three age divisions will be awarded various Pokémon prizes and merchandise, including scholarship awards worth more than $100,000.
Get more information on both these events by visiting www.go-pokemon.com