General Gaming Article

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• Universal Music Says It Can Pull Content It Doesn't Own From YouTube
• SOPA Vote Delayed Without Explanation
• Sprint Kills Carrier IQ On Its Phones
• Head to Head: Spotify vs. Rdio
• Cool Site of the Week: IPChicken.com
• Square Enix Hacked, Data For 1.8 Million Users Possibly Breached
• Security Firm Claims Google Is Conspiring To Kill Off Firefox
• Zynga Shares Drop Below IPO Target in Nasdaq Debut
• AMD Radeon HD 7970 Specs Leaked to the Web
• Next Generation Xbox Console Won't Ship in 2012

Universal Music Says It Can Pull Content It Doesn't Own From YouTube Posted: 16 Dec 2011 02:26 PM PST The saga of MegaUpload's promotional music video just keeps getting weirder. Universal Music Group (UMG) had the video pulled last week, claiming that MegaUpload didn't have the rights necessary to publish it. The file host begs to differ, and had the video reinstated. The disagreement has been heating up and made its way to the courts. UMG's newest legal filing with the courts makes some confusing claims, including that it can remove content from YouTube even if it doesn't own the copyright. The 18-page filing says not a thing about the MegaUpload video actually infringing on anything. Rather, UAG asserts that it has the right, through the YouTube content management system, to pull anything it wants. Anything. The content management system was developed by Google to placate content owners, but it appears they might have been given too much power.  We will have to wait a few days to see how the judge responds to the new filing. If taken at face value, though, it seems to indicate UAG was not technically justified in removing the video in the first place. That could put MegaUpload in a favorable position legally. The video remains up, but apparently UAG could take it down at any time with its YouTube superpowers.

SOPA Vote Delayed Without Explanation Posted: 16 Dec 2011 01:48 PM PST The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) was set to pass a house committee today by a wide margin, but the vote has unexpectedly been delayed. This follows a lengthy 11-hour debate on Thursday that left the bill essentially unchanged. That's dismaying for experts who worry SOPA's mandated alteration of the DNS system could be dangerous. SOPA would force ISPs to block sites suspected of containing content that infringes copyright. Experts on network management and internet infrastructure have repeatedly expressed concern over the measure, but the entertainment lobby is pushing hard for its passage. Sites targeted by the law would have virtually no ability to fight the seizure of their domain names. SOPA (and the companion Senate legislation Protect IP) also ends safe harbor provisions that protect websites from being held liable for content uploaded by users. There was no date set for a new vote on SOPA today, but with the overwhelming support the measure is getting, we expect it will be back. There have been calls from some members to have experts on internet infrastructure testify on the matter, so it's possible the delay will provide that opportunity.

Sprint Kills Carrier IQ On Its Phones Posted: 16 Dec 2011 01:24 PM PST The outrage over Carrier IQ was bubbling just below the surface for months before it exploded out of modding circles a few weeks ago. The diagnostics software is on many phones, particularly Android handsets, and is used to gather extensive usage data. After the public outcry, Sprint has announced that Carrier IQ will no longer be used on its phones, and will be disabled on current devices. This is a startling about-face from the Now Network. Sprint was out in front of the Carrier IQ fiasco claiming that the software was essential to its network performance. According to Sprint, its carrier partners have been instructed to remove Carrier IQ from all future software updates. Even phones that still have the service running will not be sending the data anywhere. Sprint users aren't totally out of the woods yet, though. The carrier has also affirmed its intention to continue "evaluating options regarding this diagnostic software as well as Sprint's diagnostic needs." Some replacement for Carrier IQ could be coming soon. Is this a 'better the devil you know' situation?

Head to Head: Spotify vs. Rdio Posted: 16 Dec 2011 12:36 PM PST At first glance, Spotify and Rdio could be mirror images of one another. Both streaming services offer a catalog of on-demand songs from all the major music labels, both feature strong social media integration, and heck, each offers two tiers of premium subscriptions at matching dollar amounts. Dig down beneath the surface, however, and you'll see that the devil's in the details. So which Internet music service delivers the most bang for your buck? Let's dive in and see! Spotify's interface resembles Windows Media Player's or iTunes', but the free version includes advertisements. New users are greeted by Rdio's social media features, rather than Rdio's song catalog. Round 1: Music Selection When it comes right down to it, the most important aspect of a streaming music service is the songs it offers. As we mentioned previously, both Rdio and Spotify enjoy song catalogs buoyed by participation from the major U.S. music labels, but one definitely outshines the other. Rdio features a 12 million‑song catalog, while Spotify tops that with a 15 million‑title library that includes almost everything you can think of—and it's adding thousands more on a daily basis. Plus, a lot of Spotify's tracks come from indie labels, which could sway many on-the-fence listeners. Winner: Spotify Round 2: Pricing Both services offer a similar structure for their premium content: The $5 plan unlocks unlimited, ad-free streaming, while moving to the $10 version opens up device support. The difference lies in their free plans. Rdio's free model is ad-free, but limited to an unspecified number of tunes; Rdio wants users to treat it as a sampling rather than a free service. Spotify, on the other hand, recently announced that new users will get six months of unlimited free tunes in exchange for listening to a handful of ads; after the six-month mark, you'll be limited to 10 free hours every month. Winner: Spotify Round 3: Flexibility The similarities between Rdio and Spotify continue on the flexibility front. Both offer support for most of the major mobile phone operating systems. Spotify supports Symbian, while Rdio supports Blackberry. Both let you play music around the house on your Sonos system or a handful of other home audio devices, but to be honest, each service lacks the sheer device support of, say, Pandora or Slacker. Then there are the sign-up woes: Rdio's limited free option may keep some folks away, while Spotify requires new users to have a Facebook account in order to sign up. Winner: Tie Round 4: Audio Quality Making a call on audio quality is made more difficult by Rdio's refusal to settle on a solid number: All the company will say is that it's constantly tweaking the bitrate to achieve the best experience for listeners. Spotify's audio quality is more concrete. It streams songs at 160Kb/s through the desktop client and either 160Kb/s or a lower-bandwidth 96Kb/s (user's choice) on mobile clients. The bitrate goes up to 320Kb/s with a Premium subscription or for those listening over a Sonos player. If you toss aside the numbers and actually listen to the two services, however, Rdio sounds much more crisp and clear.  Winner: Rdio Round 5: Social Features Rdio asks you to start following other Rdio users, "influencers," or your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm, or email before it even shows you a single track, and its dashboard shows recent activity that any Rdio subscriber has made. Plus, Rdio's group playlist collaboration is awesome. Spotify gives users the ability to quickly and easily share playlists and songs on Facebook, Twitter, and Windows Messenger by simply right-clicking a track, and the service allows you to create HTTP and Spotify links that open specific tracks when they're clicked. Both services can fully integrate with Facebook's Open Graph. Winner: Tie And the Winner Is… Rdio does a lot of things right; its desktop client features some of the best sounding tunes out there, and its social media integration is second to none and tied with only one. Unfortunately, that one is the one that matters in this particular contest: Spotify. While both services offer only average device support, Spotify's gargantuan 15 million‑track song library—the biggest of any streaming music service—gives it the lead over Rdio, and its free, ad-supported plan delivers the knockout blow. Both services have their strong points, but when it comes down to spending your hard-earned dollars, Spotify gets the nod. Winner: Spotify

Cool Site of the Week: IPChicken.com Posted: 16 Dec 2011 11:20 AM PST As we trundle towards the final days of December, we draw ever closer to the observance of an annual tradition that many Maximum PC readers partake in whether they want to or not: traveling home to break bread with far-flung relatives, and being asked to fix their computer's issues before they even have a chance to get their coat off. The good news is that you'll be rewarded with a turkey dinner for your efforts! The bad news is that every single one of your relatives will hamper those efforts by offering ham-handed advice drawn from a wealth of whimsical non-computer related life experiences. While we can't stop the pain of being surrounded by computer-breaking turkey-craving luddites, we can suggest a tool that'll help you to get to that holiday feast just a little faster: It's called IPChicken.com, and it's our Cool Site of the Week. By navigating to IPChicken.com, you'll gain instant access to valuable information that'll help you get away from your parent's Dell so that you can cosy up to your Grandfather's famous sausage and bread stuffing just a little bit sooner. Your current IP address, Name Address, and Remote Port information are all for the having--and without having to squeeze it out of your relatives at that. A simple, no B.S. web tool, IPChicken.com is perfect for sorting out connection issues, setting up networked storage or getting your in-laws media server up and running in time to watch It's a Wonderful Life after dinner.  Be sure to check in Every Friday for another edition of Maximum PC's Cool Site of the Week.

Square Enix Hacked, Data For 1.8 Million Users Possibly Breached Posted: 16 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST A quick consult of the Chinese calendar says that we're knee-deep in the Year of the Rabbit, but it seems a lot more like the Year of the Hacker to us. Fortunately, most of the LulzSec and Anonymous bru-ha-ha that dominated the summer seems to have died down, but Square Enix is delivering a hacktastic lump of coal to its customers just in time for Christmas. Yesterday, the company revealed that its servers had been breached an up to 1.8 million member accounts may have been compromised. Fortunately, Square Enix says that credit card numbers weren't stored on the hacked hardware, the AFP reports. Nevertheless, the actual extent of the damage is not yet known and the company has remained mum on what actual information was breached. The company shut down its Square Enix Members service one hour after learning of the breach. Geographically, 1 million of the compromised accounts come from Japan, while the remaining 800,000 hail from North America. European servers weren't targeted by the intruders.

Security Firm Claims Google Is Conspiring To Kill Off Firefox Posted: 16 Dec 2011 10:37 AM PST Got your tin foil hats on? Good – you'll need it for this. Earlier this week, Accuvant Labs released a study that named Chrome the most secure browser in all the land. Um, one problem: Google was the one that commissioned the study. But the story doesn't end there! A couple of days ago, NSS Labs – an independent security research firm – released a report of its own, in which it dissected the flaws in Accuvant's methodology and claimed that the Accuvant study was but a small portion of a wider plan by Google to effectively kill of Firefox. Oh snap! "The timing of the Google/Accuvant report is interesting, given that Google's search contract with Mozilla expired at the end of November," the NSS Labs report says. "Given that this report was commissioned much earlier in the year – according to the paper, research was completed in July 2011, yet not published until December 2011 – this would suggest a larger strategic move by Google to eliminate the competition. Examination of the test methodology indicates a bias in favor of Google Chrome at the expense of Mozilla Firefox." And that's just the opening paragraph. You can read the whole thing here (PDF). In addition to the claims made above, NSS says that its independent studies show that Chrome seriously beefed up its malware protection to the tune of 40 percent blockage, a five-fold increase over the previous levels – and it did so in the 11 day span of November 22 to December 2, right when Google's contract with Firefox expired. Firefox and Safari didn't see similar jumps, which leads NSS Labs researchers to conclude that Google is withholding data from the SafeBrowsing API it maintains and hosts, since those competing browsers also tap into the SafeBrowsing database of known phishing and malware sites. Thoughts? Do you think Google is playing an intricate game here, or is it all coincidence and separate events? Image credit: deathstarpr.blogspot.com

Zynga Shares Drop Below IPO Target in Nasdaq Debut Posted: 16 Dec 2011 09:31 AM PST The company responsible for Farmville, Mafia Wars, and several other popular social games is finding out that nothing's guaranteed in the second coming of the dot-com bubble. Zynga shares began trading today, and at first, it looked as though Zynga would follow in the footsteps of Groupon, LinkedIn, and other social sites that have gone public and exploded on the stock market. Zynga shares rose as much as 10 percent above their offer price today and hit $11 per share, but quickly fell below the IPO price, Reuters reports. It's currently trading for $9.73, down more than 1 percent below Zynga's target. Undeterred by the lukewarm reception, Zynga CEO Mark Pincus told Reuters he has "no regrets" about taking his company public. "Our approach has always been to focus on the longterm," Pincus said. "We thought this was the right time to go public." Part of the challenge for Zynga is in convincing investors it can continue to be profitable, despite its current dependance on Facebook. Roughly 95 percent of Zynga's revenue comes from Mark Zuckerberg's online playground.

AMD Radeon HD 7970 Specs Leaked to the Web Posted: 16 Dec 2011 09:14 AM PST A slide leaked on Orb-Hardware reveals some pretty gnarly specifications for AMD's upcoming Radeon HD 7970 card. If the slide is accurate -- and Orb-Hardware thinks it is, though admits it's a "little bit old" -- the Radeon HD 7970 will come with a core clockspeed of 925MHz and a whole bunch of onboard memory (3GB of GDDR5 to be exact). According to the slide, the memory will pipe up to 5.5Gbps of data through a 384-bit bus. The card will have 128 texture units, 32 CU and 2048 ALU stream processors, and 3.5 TFLOPs of raw compute power. The slide only lists 32 ROPs, which is a little disappointing considering recent murmurs that had the card pegged at 48 ROPs, but it's hard to argue with the rest of the spec sheet. The card will require 8-pin and 6-pin power connectors (one of each) and have a peak power draw of less than 300W, according to the slide. Image Credit: obr-hardware.com

Next Generation Xbox Console Won't Ship in 2012 Posted: 16 Dec 2011 08:38 AM PST It's been quite a year-and-a-half for Microsoft and its Xbox 360 console. In the past 18 months or so, we've seen Microsoft launch the Xbox 360 S with new a new style controller, the Kinect come out, and another major Dashboard update, this time with voice controlled navigation and support for tons of apps. Given all these newfangled additions to the 360 platform, it's no wonder Microsoft isn't in a rush to release an Xbox 720 (or whatever it will be called). According to Fudzilla, any rumors suggesting a new Xbox console will come out in 2012 are false, plain and simple. "What we are now learning is that while Microsoft might show or talk about something related to the new console in 2012, the console itself will not arrive for purchase till 2013," Fudzilla says. Until Microsoft makes an announcement, all of the talk and rumors amount to little more than speculation, but what Fudzilla is saying makes sense (and for what it's worth, Fudzilla claims to be getting its info "directly from sources inside the company"). Even with the Wii U on the horizon, the Xbox 360 is in position to lead hardware sales into 2012, and if that's the case, there wouldn't be a whole lot of motivation for Microsoft to release something new. Image Credit: xbox-720.com

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MMO News

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• Jade Dynasty launches Legacy
• Voyage Century Online introduces Poseidon’s Temple
• New update bombards World of Tanks
• War of the Immortals officially launches
• Scarlet Snow falls in Dragon Nest
• PlaySpan offering exclusive Game Card deal this weekend
• MicroVolts launches Holiday Special
• Joymax reveals Silkroad R
• Top 5 Free to Play Games of 2011
• Sudden Attack gets big heads

Jade Dynasty launches Legacy Posted: 16 Dec 2011 03:46 PM PST Jade Dynasty has launched its largest free expansion since 2010′s Vengeance: Legacy. Legacy introduces the new area of Incense Valley, where players can discover two new classes: Mages and Forta. The expansion also introduces the Crimson Peaks instance, which offers Taichi Pills, Chroma Beads, and Kirin Sigil Shards as rewards. The update also includes some new events, new beginner clothing, and a series of game tweaks, bugs, and rebalances. Jade Dynasty is published by Perfect World Entertainment, which also publishes Ether Saga Online and  War of the Immortals. Jade Dynasty: Legacy Launch Trailer Source: Jade Dynasty: Legacy Now Live Free Expansion Features New Classes and Content (Foster City, CA) December 16, 2011 — Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), today launched the latest free expansion to its tremendously successful free-to-play martial-arts MMORPG, Jade Dynasty. In Jade Dynasty: Legacy, players can explore the secrets of Incense Valley, play as new classes and bring their characters to life with all new visuals and fashion sets. “We’re delighted to offer the Legacy expansion to our players,” said Dean Sakurai, Product Manager, Perfect World Entertainment. ” Jade Dynasty: Legacy brings new and exciting gameplay to the table and it’s something we’ve been looking forward to share with our player base for a long time.” Jade Dynasty: Legacy features many new features for players to enjoy, including new classes, character visuals, special events, content and balance improvements. Playing as one of two new classes, the Incense Valley Mages or the melee combat experts of the Forta, players can unleash devastating attacks on enemies and discover perilous trials in the Crimson Peaks instance, one of the largest in the game. Players who complete this instance may also claim incredible rewards and prizes. New events — such as the all-new Christmas event and other seasonal events — also allow players to celebrate with friends. Jade Dynasty: Legacy is the largest content update to Jade Dynasty since the previous expansion, Vengeance, launched in late 2010.

Voyage Century Online introduces Poseidon’s Temple Posted: 16 Dec 2011 03:19 PM PST Voyage Century Online has released its latest major game update: The Gate to Poseidon Temple. Players can now discover Poseidon’s Temple, located on Bimini. This dungeon features dangerous new bosses and foes, but also rewards Imperial Gold, Treasure Boxes, and high level crafting and refining materials. The Black Pearl, a mysterious ship, also now sails the seas for those ready to complete the quests to obtain it. Treasure Hunting has offered new places to look, four precious deposits located around the world with high level blueprints, crafting materials, permanent charms, and gold to be found. Finally, guilds can now reach the new level cap of 10, and reach new guild buffs and guild war equipment. Voyage Century Online is published by IGG, which also publishes FreeSky Online and Tales of Pirates 2. Voyage Century Online Gameplay Screenshot Source: Voyage Into The Temple Of Poseidon! Voyage Century Online (http://vc.igg.com) is back with yet ANOTHER installment of fun and adventure – The Gate to Poseidon Temple! In our latest official game update, the gods of the oceans, Poseidon, opens the doors to his realm to all adventurers willing to take up his challenge. Expect new monsters and BOSSes on a whole new level of challenge, with greater and even more enticing rewards! Guilds can now be raised to Level 10, with newer and stronger guild buffs, guild war equipment, and of course, more guild benefits. More treasures await in the open seas; ride out to them aboard our newest ship, the Black Pearl!1.      NEW Instance: Poseidon's Temple Located on Bimini, the Atlantis adventure never stops rolling with all manners of elite and BOSS type monsters including Temple Mage, Temple Temptress, Destructor Pernie, Wraith Master Gothis, Warden Rosca, Dragon Arseuda and more! Defeating them yields all manners of yummy rewards ranging from Imperial Gold, Temple Treasure Box, crafting materials for Level 145+ armor, high leveled refining materials to even Level 145+ equipment themselves– and more! 2.      NEW Guild Level Cap: Level 10! The new level cap for Guilds is now 10. Guild leveling is now more challenging, guild wars more competitive, and of course – guild benefits are now more enticing! Experience the epicness with our new and improved guild BUFFs, and guild war equipment! 3.      A New And Improved Open Sea Treasure Hunting Experience Tempted by high level equipment blueprints, refining items, crafting materials along with Rare Gold, Imperial Gold and permanent charms? Yes? Well, start digging around in Bartholomew Roberts’ Precious Deposits, John Hawkins’ Precious Deposits, William Dampiers’ Precious Deposits, and Emanuel Wynne’s Precious Deposits! 4.      The Black Pearl Unfurls Its Sails The mysterious Black Pearl rolls across the ocean, seeking a captain worthy of commandeering it – discover its magnificence and power by completing a series of mysterious quests to acquire this new ship! So much excitement, yet so little time – so, we’re going to help you out with a little gift bag right off the bat - Poseidon’s Blessing Pack Giveaway! It will be given out on major game websites in cooperation with us – keep a lookout for them! For more information on this event, visit http://vc.igg.com/event/poseidon_pack/index.php. Returning players will also receive something special from us too – Lost Captain Pack Giveaway! For more information on this event, visit http://vc.igg.com/event/lostcaptains/#.

New update bombards World of Tanks Posted: 16 Dec 2011 03:11 PM PST World of Tanks has launched a new update for its North American and European servers. The update adds two new maps, Swamp and Fjords, along with camo and horns for tank customization options. Company battles have gained Junior (tier 4), Medium (tier 6), Champion (tier 8), and Absolute (tier 10) divisions. New improvements to the game engine itself have also arrived: new visual effects for smokes, shots, and explosions that will run better on lower-end PCs; new multicluster technology so players can play on any cluster of a server group; and the ability to save replays of battles. World of Tanks is published by Wargaming.net. World of Tanks Gameplay Screenshot Source: World of Tanks Rolls Out San Francisco, CA (16th December, 2011) — Wargaming.net, the award-winning videogame publisher and developer, announced today the release of the highly anticipated 7.0 update for their free-to-play MMO World of Tanks. World of Tanks is the first and only team-based massively multiplayer online action game dedicated to armored warfare. Command more than 150 armored vehicles from America, Germany, and the Soviet Union, carefully detailed with historical accuracy. ·         World of Tanks most anticipated update will include – Two new maps: Swamp and Fjords ·         Tank customization: camo and horns. ·         Tank company levels: Junior (tier 4), Medium (tier 6), Champion (tier and Absolute (tier 10) divisions for company battles. ·         Advanced visual effects: The new system of effects visualization will improve the quality of visual effects significantly (smoke, shots, and explosions) and will allow for lower system requirements for PCs. ·         Replays of battles: players will be able to save replays of all battles they participate. ·         Multicluster technology that allows adding one or several clusters to each server group. Users will have the opportunity to play on any cluster of the server group with the same, unified account · "This is a huge-scale update that includes many of the long-expected features," said Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming.net. "We are very excited to introduce the multicluster technology that will insure server stability, helping our players to enjoy World of Tanks even more."

War of the Immortals officially launches Posted: 16 Dec 2011 02:59 PM PST Perfect World Entertainment has officially launched War of the Immortals in North America and Europe. The launch includes a rollover of all open beta data and characters. War of the Immortals is a diverging but stand-alone version of Battle of the Immortals, a top-down MMORPG with special gear, pet, crafting, and mount systems. War of the Immortals offers new features to players, including new types of gear and destructible environments. Players can also enter the Hardware Giveaway, for a chance to win prizes that include a computer, gaming gear, limited edition War of the Immortals swag, and in-game currency. All players who register by December 31, 11:59 pm Pacific will be eligible for at least the first Tier of prizes. Perfect World Entertainment also publishes Forsaken World and Jade Dynasty. War of the Immortals: Anthem Launch Trailer Source: PERFECT WORLD ENTERTAINMENT OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES WAR OF THE IMMORTALS Action-Packed MMORPG Now Available to North American and European Players (Foster City, CA) December 15, 2011 — Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), today announced the launch of War of the Immortals, an action-packed massively multiplayer online role-playing game, in North America and Europe. War of the Immortals is now available for free download and play at: http://woi.perfectworld.com/ After several months of testing, War of the Immortals continues to draw players worldwide into an adventure guaranteed to transform would-be heroes into legendary warriors and demigods. War of the Immortals features stunning landscapes, interactive environments, awe-inspiring monsters, and a unique pet system based on the concept of ‘capture and customize’. Its advanced guild system allows players to establish housing for guild members, recruit new warriors, plan dungeon runs and create new recipes and items. “In War of the Immortals, we have combined some of the most requested MMORPG features and created a compelling game with a unique blend of interactive dungeons and intense territory war features,” said Jonathan Belliss, Executive Producer, Perfect World Entertainment Inc. “Now that we’ve launched, players are discovering a balanced game great for leveling up beginners, but challenging for seasoned gamers. At higher levels in War of the Immortals, skill, teamwork and strategy are critical.” Those who participated in War of the Immortal’s open beta can expect a seamless rollover of their characters, rank, pets, gear and other in-game earnings to the live game. It’s also not too late to enter the War of Immortals Hardware Giveaway for a chance to win more than $2,500 worth of prizes, including a computer, gaming hardware, War of the Immortals limited edition collectible items, and in-game currency. Various prizes will be available as players reach each of the three tiers beginning at Tier 1. All players who register for a free War of the Immortals account and login to play between now and December 31 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific will automatically be entered for a chance to win prizes at Tier 1. To download and play War of the Immortals at no cost, or to join the War of the Immortals community for more information, please visit the official website: http://register.perfectworld.com/woi And, for more information about the hardware giveaway, please visit: http://woi.perfectworld.com/news/?p=405001

Scarlet Snow falls in Dragon Nest Posted: 16 Dec 2011 02:04 PM PST Dragon Nest has released its latest update, Scarlet Snow, for its players. The update raises the level cap to 40, introducing new skills for all character specializations – including the first ultimate skills. Two new raid encounters for max level characters also make their debut: Manticore Nest and Apocalypse Nest. These raid instances also drop badges that can be redeemed for two new mounts. Eleven new dungeons will also be added, along with new sets of PvP gear. Level up rewards have been extended to include levels 25 through 40, and bonus experience events will be run during the rest of the month. The holidays have also arrived, decorating the town. Players can defeat Ducks (that come in Santa and Rudolph versions) to earn fireworks, snowballs, and gestures; or they can purchase a special holiday set package. Dragon Eggs have been improved, allowing players to purchase them in bulk at a discount, increasing their rare item drop rate, and adding new exclusive items. Dragon Nest is published by Nexon, which also publishes Vindictus and Mabinogi. Dragon Nest: Scarlet Snow Screenshots Source: This Winter, the Snow Turns Scarlet in "Dragon Nest" An increased level cap, new raid bosses, dungeons and holiday events arrive today Nexon is adding two new raid encounters, eleven new dungeons, and a sprinkling of festive holiday events to "Dragon Nest" today as part of the freshly released "Scarlet Snow" content update. The update for its popular online action RPG also ushers in new holiday sales in the Dragon Vault and a variety of seasonal outfits that will help players get in the holiday spirit. "Dragon Nest's" level cap is being raised to 40 today, which means each character specialization will have access to all new skills, including an ultimate skill for the first time. These powerful level 40 skills, such as the Acrobat's Falling Star and the Paladin's Heart of Glory, will give players a surge of power unlike anything they've ever experienced in "Dragon Nest." Players will need to put these new skills to good use in order to conquer the two new max level raid encounters launching today, the Manticore nest and the Apocalypse nest. Available both on normal and hell difficulty modes, the fearsome new end bosses of the nest encounters drop the most powerful loot in the game, as well as badges that can be redeemed in Saint's Haven for two newly released mounts. Mounts provide a movement speed bonus in towns and fields, and are also great ways to show off one's status to other players. The winter holidays have come to "Dragon Nest," and a fun, festive atmosphere permeates the air in town and in dungeons. Players can purchase a holiday set package to receive special holiday rewards, or they can defeat Santa Ducks and Rudolph Ducks in dungeons to earn holiday fireworks, snowballs, or even a new gesture. Players will have plenty to explore in the eleven new dungeons opening up today for players levels 32 and up. Fans of player versus player (PvP) combat will also have all new gear sets to acquire. In the Dragon Vault, players can now purchase Dragon Eggs in bulk at a special discounted price. Additionally, the drop rate of rare items from Dragon Eggs have been increased, and new Dragon Egg exclusive items have been added, such as the Golden Cupid Wings and the Cheeky Bandage. There is also a holiday sale going on now where players can receive up to 60 percent off selected character outfits. Festive holiday costumes are now available, including the Merry Wintertide Set for the Archer, the Mrs. Claus Set for the Sorceress, and the Reindeer Set for the Warrior. For players who are not yet at max level, Nexon is making it even easier to level up by extending the level up rewards system to levels 25 through 40. Each time the player levels up, they will receive a special gift in their Dragon Vault Gift Box. Nexon will also be running significant bonus experience events all month long to make the leveling process even faster.

PlaySpan offering exclusive Game Card deal this weekend Posted: 16 Dec 2011 01:27 PM PST If you’re looking for some cash to spend on your favorite games, this weekend PlaySpan is offering a discount on their Ultimate Game Card. Until Sunday, December 18, 11:59pm Pacific, you can purchase their $25 Ultimate Game Card and get $3 off with a special coupon. The game card can be used to purchase content in a variety of free-to-play MMOs, including APB Reloaded, Conquer Online, Project Blackout, and Silkroad Online (plus many more). Redeeming a Game Card by January 15 will also give you a chance at winning a 50″ LCD TV, Tablet PC, or game cards. Some games will also grant extra bonuses during this special holiday promotion. See here for more details. PlaySpan offers a digital marketplace for gamers, including digital downloads, virtual currency, and more.

MicroVolts launches Holiday Special Posted: 16 Dec 2011 01:03 PM PST MicroVolts is joining in with the rest of the MMO world with holiday magic for its players. The update for the game introduces new holiday accessories, outfits (including Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Sleigh Ride, and Santa’s Elves), the Candy Cane melee weapon, and new grenade launchers. Holiday events include a Wallpaper contest, 12 Days of MicroVolts, and a Boxing Day sale on December 26. A new game setting has also been introduced, forcing players to start with a melee weapon and only two weapons of choice. This mode promises to test player’s weapon expertise as they face off against each other in battle. MicroVolts is published by Rock Hippo Productions, which also publishes Brawl Busters. MicroVolts Gameplay Screenshot Source: DECK THE HALLS WITH TODAY’S LAUNCH OF THE MICROVOLTS HOLIDAY SPECIAL UPDATE ‘Tis The Season With Seasonal Outfits, Candy Cane Weapons, In-Game Events And More Markham, Canada December 16, 2011 - Rock Hippo Productions Ltd. announced today the launch of their exciting Holiday Special update for the popular cartoon style third-person shooter, MicroVolts. Santa’s sleigh brings a sack full of holiday accessories, weapons and holiday events for players who’ve made the naughty OR nice list this year.  Players can visit www.MicroVolts.com for all the festive details and to check out the new MicroVolts Holiday Special video for their rendition of “The C.H.I.P. That Stole Christmas”. “The holiday events have already begun heating up the servers and players have been incredibly creative so far in our Deck The Walls Wallpaper Contest,” said Howard He, President and CEO of Rock Hippo Productions.  “We are looking forward to seeing how players approach the new weapons challenge and which arms become the most popular!” All new seasonal Costume Bundles, accessories and weapons are here-including Naomi’s new Holiday outfits, which include a Sleigh Ride Get Up and a Santa’s Elves Outfit that might not be ideal for keeping her warm in the winter cold, but are sure to heat up the battlefield!  Players can also perform their best Santa impersonation in C.H.I.P.’s Saint Nick and Kris Kringle Costumes! Give those naughty MicroVolters a good whack and a taste of the new Candy Cane melee weapon and don’t forget about the new line of grenade launchers that also comes out today! With the introduction of a new game setting, MicroVolters will be tested on their weapons expertise- If limited to only three weapons in your arsenal, which would you choose?  With this new game setting, players must choose wisely and learn their counter weapons!  Players will start the match with only a melee weapon and 2 weapons of choice. but will they remain a weapon loyalist or can they adapt their arsenal to stay on top? Armed with all the new accessories, weapons, outfits and more, MicroVolters can also jump in and enjoy the ongoing Holiday events.  There is still time to sign up for the Deck the Walls Wallpaper Contest and players can stay on top of their game by participating in the 12 days of MicroVolts event.  In addition, MicroVolts will be holding a big Boxing Day sale on December 26th.  For current and upcoming events, visit  www.MicroVolts.com. The MicroVolts Team would also like to draw attention towards the worthy cause of helping people suffering from a fear of toys and dolls, also known as Pediophobia.  Players are strongly encouraged to view the London Pediophobia Mental Health Centre’s new commercial @ http://youtu.be/zKfGn_x1svw and investigate their website at www.fearnotoys.com further.

Joymax reveals Silkroad R Posted: 16 Dec 2011 12:05 PM PST Joymax has revealed that its classic MMORPG, Silkroad, is being reborn with Silkroad-R. Silkroad R based on Silkroad Online, but offers faster leveling, an improved environment, new content, improved balance between tribes and classes. Party experience, growth, skill points, item drop rates, quest design, and even the Forgotten World feature improvements designed to benefit the player and make gameplay less grindy. The user interface also features changes to add more information, tool tips, and ease of play. Silkroad-R is a stand-alone game from Silkroad Online, and goes into open beta on December 20. Joymax also publishes Digimon Masters Online and Karma Online. Silkroad R Artwork Source: SILKROAD-R – THE EVOLUTION OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST SAGA Silkroad-R Becomes An Evolved, Totally Independent Silkroad Experience With Faster Leveling, Improved Class Balance & UI And Much More December 16th, 2011 – Joymax, a developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, today announced a rebirth in the Silkroad universe with the upcoming launch of Silkroad-R.  Silkroad-R is based in the universe of the hugely popular Silkroad Online game, also from Joymax, and will offer an evolved Silkroad experience with faster leveling in a cleaner game environment and additional content for improved balance between tribes and classes, while also offering an experience completely independent from the original Silkroad Online. Silkroad-R will go into Open Beta next week and will be celebrated with multiple events, with great prizes, including Silkroad bingo, and several special level-up events.  Players can go to http://www.joymax.com/ to register for a Joymax account and jump straight into the action starting December 20th! In Silkroad-R the skill balance will be improved with changes in weapons damage for both Chinese and European class weapons as well as additional Chinese and European skills.  Party EXP is improved and players can expect an integration and changes in skill mastery and changes in European class skill damages. Growth & skill points in Silkroad-R have improved with reduced required EXP for leveling up, changes in monster item drop rates and in mastery & required skill points, with increased chances of 11th level Jupiter monster item drops and additional 12th level item drops from the Jupiter boss monster. Improvements in the level design of Silkroad include new quest routes and monster locations and additions for quest convenience, with no Gold drops for level 70 and below alongside plenty of other small balance tweaks. The Forgotten World has improved ,with higher chances of creating Dimension Pillars, a major reduction of re-entrance time and increase of rewards with additional skill point rewards, an additional movement portal inside the Forgotten World instance dungeon as well as a higher talisman drop rate. Lastly, the UI in Silkroad-R is improved with information on the character select screen, mouse pointer, mini map, item purchase UI, guide tool tip and much more. “Silkroad-R is a new start for the Silkroad franchise, while still allowing our community to have its choice of playing either Silkroad-R or the original Silkroad Online independently,” said Joymax CEO, Nam-chul Kim. “Silkroad-R offers improvements across the board with everything from improved balancing and level design, growth and skill points to a totally revamped user interface and much more that players will experience next week when they get a sneak peek during the Open Beta! Silkroad-R is the all-new, light and easy to play massively multiplayer online role-playing game that picks up where the original left off. The game provides a bot-free and lag-free experience for players while they journey deep into historical fantasy, joining the Chinese and European civilizations along the Silk Road trade routes. Traveling across Jangan, from China to Constantinople, players can make their fortunes as merchants, prey on the rich as thieves, or be protection-for-hire as hunters. Silkroad-R provides players with the ultimate PVP experience. Players can battle it out with their Fellows, their partner pets, to become champions of the Silk Roads.

Top 5 Free to Play Games of 2011 Posted: 16 Dec 2011 11:50 AM PST Top 5 Free to Play Games of 2011 In the video above I highlight the top 5 best free to play games of all genres for 2011. The games highlighted above were chosen based on user reception and rankings within the F2P industry. The list includes both MMO’s, FPS, and Mobas. It also includes a few honorable mentions. The games mentioned are Dragon Nest, Eden Eternal, Team Fortress 2, League of Legends, DC Universe Online, Heroes of Newerth, and Rusty Hearts. Some games were not considered due to timing issues with their release (notably Lineage 2 and Everquest 2). If you disagree with the list that’s perfectly fine. Feel free to leave your own top 5 list of 2011 in the comments below and leave a rating for your favorite games here on MMOHut!

Sudden Attack gets big heads Posted: 16 Dec 2011 10:25 AM PST Sudden Attack’s latest game update adds a curious new game mode for players to try. Big Head mode is almost just what it sounds – all players start with oversized heads. Players who get a four-kill streak become the “Head Honcho,” who are granted temporary invulnerability and a hammer that can crush their opponents easily. The new mode also comes with special missions and achievements, which grant rewards including the title “Grand Hammer” and a special melee weapon. The holidays are also joining Sudden Attack, redecorating Red Farm and Warehouse and adding new holiday-special packages in the item shop. Sudden Attack is published by Nexon, which also publishes Combat Arms and Vindictus. Sudden Attack: Big Head Mode Screenshots Source: "Sudden Attack" Goes Big this Holiday Season with Head Hunters Content Update Big Head mode, seasonal decorations and new cash shop items arrive just in time for the holidays Nexon is adding a new game mode today to "Sudden Attack," the newest title in Nexon America's growing portfolio of microtransaction-based online games. The Big Head game mode will take veteran shooter fans down memory lane and will offer all players the chance to wreak havoc in a zany new setting. Head shots will abound in Big Head mode as all players will start the game with larger-than-life noggins. Chaos will then reign supreme whenever a player gets a streak of four kills and becomes the Head Honcho. Head Honchos have temporary invulnerability and can crush opponents with one swipe of their hammer. Players will also have all new missions and achievements to complete in Big Head mode. If players reach the master level for Big Head mode, they will receive the title "Grand Hammer" and earn a special melee weapon usable in every game mode. Nexon is also decking the halls of "Sudden Attack" with today's content update. The Red Farm and Warehouse maps will be strewn with holiday cheer (and bodies, once players jump in). Players can also get into the holiday spirit with the 2011 Xmas Package, available in the "Sudden Attack" Cash Shop for NX 4,900. The package includes two female playable characters, Mickey and Sera, both outfitted in sexy seasonal outfits. Players looking for additional firepower can purchase the Sidearm Special Box, available for NX 1,900, which includes pistols like the Eagle R. Dragon and Magnum R. Dragon. "Sudden Attack" allows up to 16 players to engage each other on any of 41 different maps in seven distinct game modes. Nexon America publishes and services "Sudden Attack" in North America, Oceania and Europe. For more information about "Sudden Attack" and to download and play for free, players can visit: www.Nexon.net/games/#/sa. Players can also stay up to date with the latest "Sudden Attack" events and updates on Facebook at www.facebook.com/suddenattack.

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