MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com

MMO and SEO News from Gameforumer.com


Preview: A Game of Dwarves

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

Preview: A Game of Dwarves screenshot

For those not familiar, A Game of Dwarves is a PC strategy game built in the same vein as Dungeon Keeper, taking more than a few pages from the classic strategy-based god games of the 1990s, with helpings of Sim City and Minecraft throughout. An interesting combination both in theory and in practice.

It hasn't been very long since we first saw A Game of Dwarves, or even our first hands-on session, so be sure to catch Casey's preview for the basics. This go around, we did get a peek at the game's morale system and a quick tease of the research tech trees.

A Game of Dwarves (PC [previewed], PSN)
Developer: ZEAL Game Studios
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Release: TBA

The core of Game of Dwarves revolves around the same genre tropes we've touched on before; it's all about base building and resource management. You start off with a basic dungeon, then work to expand your area with blocks, giving you more room to farm, research upgrades, etc. New to this demo, however, was Game of Dwarves' morale system.

Until being attacked by the mages and having all their possessions robbed of the them, the dwarves were a happy tribe of people. As their leader, it is now left to you to help them keep their spirits up. To help you manage this is a morale system. It's fairly rudimentary, but works well enough in accomplishing its goal. Basically, there is a meter in the top middle side of the screen, letting you know where exactly you stand with the other dwarves.

If it's far into the green, workers build faster, researchers upgrade your dungeon quicker, and warriors will be more effective in battle. Let it slide into the red, and your operations will start to slow down until eventually coming to a crawl. It can get worse, too, with the dwarves mounting protests and going on strike until some get fed up enough to leave entirely. If you don't want to negate hours of progress, make sure to keep all your dwarves happy. More than just a motivation to not slip up, the morale system seems to be shaping as a core mechanic, bleeding into other facets of the game, such as the tech trees.

The leveling and tech tree system in Game of Dwarves is fairly standard: you research items and build equipment to accrue points, which you then invest in skills to research better items and equipment for your dungeon. The morale system enters the fray with the quality of content that your dwarves are given.

At the start of the game, you can only build the basic variants of each item. Stone beds rather than feather, iron armor rather than steel, apple trees rather than beer (yes, beer). The faster you upgrade your ability to craft better items, the faster you can get them to your workforce, making them happier and allowing you to work them harder.

There definitely seems to be a lot more going on in Game of Dwarves than time permitted us to see; I certainly would like to take another crack at it for a longer period of time. Those with any affinity for the strategy and god games would do well to keep an eye out for this one.  

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Here's a ton of Dragon Quest X footage

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

Here's a ton of Dragon Quest X footage screenshot

Fresh from Japan's Nintendo Direct is this video of nearly 40 solid minutes of Dragon Quest X video. Those curious about the upcoming Wii MMO (releasing in Japan on August 2nd) will find plenty to check out in this presentation as it walks you through everything -- character creation, interactions, the world and actual gameplay. 

Of course, it's in Japanese. But while you may not understand everything you see and hear, it's still a really nice look at the game. Hit 3:20 for character selection and creation. If you're looking for how battles work, hit the 14:25 mark and keep watching. Jump to about 34:50 for some nice cutscene action -- I can't wait until DQ games look exactly like this.

Dragon Quest X : vidéo du Nintendo Direct [Gamekyo]

Maximum complaints from Punjab: Insurance Ombudsman

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

The office of the Insurance Ombudsman in Chandigarh has received the maximum number of complaints against insurance companies from Punjab for the year 2011-12.

SEO NEWS: The Big Question – Is Google Gaming It?

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

A big story in the SEO community concerns Google and gamification. This time, however, it isn't about webmasters trying to game the Google search engine, but Google using their search engine to game users. Google has been called out over and over for the better  part of a year for serving up search results that [...]

SEO NEWS: Do You Yahoo Anymore?

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

In SEO news, the changing of the guard at Yahoo continues to be a top story. It isn't just a matter of a new leader coming onboard from the outside, yet again repeating a formula that hasn't previously worked, it is a matter of how she can begin to right what is a sinking ship. [...]

Windows Phone Growth Spiked in July, Still Has Long Way to Go

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

Let's face it, Microsoft's Windows Phone platform isn't going to propel itself to the front of the pack, just like the Colorado Rockies aren't going to rally and win their division in the National League. In both cases, it's mathematically possible, but so is playing roulette and watching the ball land on 00 three times in a row. Be that as it may, Microsoft's Windows Phone platform is making personal strides, with the month of July marking its biggest growth month so far this year.

The folks over at WMPowerUser.com culled through data from StatCounter and found that the Windows Phone install base in the European Union grew by 24 percent in July. Impressive? Sure, though that only represents a 1.68 percent share of the total mobile market in the EU.

Similar growth was spotted in other parts of the world, including a 27 percent month-on-month gain in Germany, 29 percent gain in France, 18 percent jump in the U.K., and a 19 percent in the U.S. where Windows Phone claims a 1.18 percent share of the overall market.

It's interesting to see the Windows Phone platform gain momentum as the Windows Phone 8 launch looms on the horizon, considering all current Windows Phone devices will not be supported by the OS update.

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Microsoft's Surface Tablet to Touch Ground October 26th, Same Day as Windows 8

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

Windows users have already marked their calendars for October 26, 2012, which is the day Microsoft joins the touch-computing revolution with the launch of Windows 8. Not the least bit surprising, it's also the day Microsoft will begin selling its Surface tablet, a revelation that appears in a recent 10-K filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in lieu of an official announcement.

"The next version of our operating system, Windows 8, will be generally available on October 26, 2012. At that time, we will begin selling the Surface, a series of Microsoft-designed and manufactured hardware devices," Microsoft stated on page 4 of the 95-page document.

Microsoft has already gone on record saying its Surface devices will be available alongside Windows 8, but this is the first time the company has attached a specific release date (the product website still lists "coming soon").

What's still up in the air is pricing. There will be two versions of Surface, including one that runs Windows RT with ARM hardware and pricier model running Windows 8 Pro with Intel inside.

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GBI Research Explains How the DRAM Industry Damned Itself

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

Remember when high-end memory kits would set you back several hundred dollars? Those days are long gone, and for various reasons (all of which are great for consumers but stink for manufactures trying to flip a profit), they might never return. One of the reasons is that overclocking no longer carries such a heavy reliance on RAM. Memory is still important, but not like it was in the Pentium IV and AMD 64 era. But the biggest reason manufacturers are stuck in a low price rut is because they're caught in a "vicious circle of oversupply," GBI Research says.

According to GBI Research, there are several factors at play. There's the global economic uncertainty of the past few years, along with more efficient applications that require less memory, both of which have led to an overabundance of DRAM and resulting price drops.

"Prices have fallen so much in fact that manufacturers have been forced to sell these memory devices at below production cost, preventing profit generation," GBI Research says. "In response, manufacturers have been producing DRAM at 100 percent factory capacity in an attempt to claw back expenses, which has only exacerbated the market oversupply problem."

The growing market for portable devices will offer DRAM makers some relief, but it won't be a saving grace. If they're to dig themselves out of the hole they're currently in, DRAM players will have to control supply and demand, GBI Research says.

Image Credit: Tobias b köhler via Creative Commons

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Microsoft Rolls Out New Mouse and Keyboard Products for Windows 8

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

Microsoft is already starting to milk what it hopes is a Windows 8 cash cow before the operating system comes home to pasture. In case anyone has forgotten, Microsoft is also in the business of selling hardware accessories, something it's been doing for the past three decades, and it continues today with the introduction of new mice and keyboards, all of which "work beautifully with Windows 8," the company claims.

There are five new products in all, including two keyboards and three mice. Starting with the keyboards, Microsoft introduced the Wedge Mobile Keyboard, which is an ultraslim plank designed specifically for Windows 8 tablet users. It has Windows hotkeys and built-in media keys, and connects via Bluetooth. Microsoft set the MSRP at $80. The other plank is the Sculpt Mobile Keyboard, which is a full-sized accessory with Microsoft's Comfort Curve design and Bluetooth connectivity. It will retail for $50.

Switching gears to rodents, Microsoft introduced an ultra compact Wedge Touch Mouse ($70) for tablet users, Sculpt Touch Mouse ($50) with "smooth and easy navigation" in Windows 8, and Touch Mouse ($80) with updated gesture settings for Windows 8.

All five accessories will be available soon, Microsoft says.

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Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 and 550 Graphics Cards Nearing End of Life (EOL) Status

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT

Technology and Lindsay Lohan don't seem to have a lot in common, but like the oft troubled celebrity, technology seems to always age faster than anyone thought possible. In a sense, there's no such thing as future proofing. We bring this up because a pair of popular mid-range graphics cards from yesterday -- Nvidia' GeForce GTX 560 and 550 parts -- are on the verge of becoming obsolete tomorrow.

By obsolete, we don't mean they'll suddenly stop pumping out playable framerates in whatever games you're currently playing. Instead, we're referring to Donanimhaber.com's report that Nvidia is getting ready to tag both cards with an EOL (End of Life) label.

Nvidia's hardware partners have reportedly already received their final order notices as the GPU maker looks to offload existing stock and make way for its upcoming GeForce GTX 660 and 650 series. One of the first of these is rumored to be a GK104-based GeForce GTX 660 Ti slated for an August 16th launch.

If you're a bargain hunter who doesn't mind investing in last generation hardware, keep your eyes peeled for price drops on GTX 550 and 560 parts.

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MMO Updates

MMO Updates


E3 commits to Los Angeles through 2015

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 10:00 AM PDT

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E3 commits to LA through 2015
The Electronic Entertainment Expo will be gracing the good citizens of Los Angeles for at least three more years. The ESA announced that a deal was made between the city and the trade show to continue operating in L.A. through 2015.

This is news because for a while it looked as though E3 would be moving its location away from the city that's hosted the show for 16 out of 18 years. The possible move concerned a renovation of the L.A. Convention Center and the nearby construction of a new Farmers Field stadium. However, the city promised that it would schedule construction between the 2013 and 2014 shows so that E3 would not be disrupted. When the renovations are complete, the new hall will boast even more space for future shows.

Considering just how much MMO news occurs at this show, it's good to know that it has a home for the time being. E3 is the largest conference that L.A. has every year, and brings in $40 million to the city. 2013's E3 is scheduled for June 11th through 13th.

MassivelyE3 commits to Los Angeles through 2015 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaderboard: Picking your Guild Wars 2 main

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 09:00 AM PDT

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Leaderboard Picking your Guild Wars 2 main
Once in a while, we're going to take a break from our head-to-head battles on Leaderboard to spread a wider canvas. As some of you have pointed out, it's not always "one or the other" when it comes to choices and preferences. Sometimes you like both, sometimes neither, and sometimes there's a third, fourth, and fifth option.

With Guild Wars 2 arriving in under a month, eager players with nothing else to do are fine-tuning their final plans for launch day. I'm right there with them, agonizing about what race and class I'll be rolling. And as for all of the personal storyline decisions? It's too overwhelming to settle on right now; I might have to wing that when the time comes.

So for today's Leaderboard, I'm asking all of you prospective Guild Wars 2 players what your main character will be -- what race and what class. If you can't settle on the idea of a "main," then at least check in with the first character you're planning to roll. We're very interested to see how this shakes out!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Picking your Guild Wars 2 main

MassivelyLeaderboard: Picking your Guild Wars 2 main originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Anvil of Crom: Finding an Age of Conan hidden faction

    Posted: 30 Jul 2012 08:00 AM PDT

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    The Anvil of Crom Finding an Age of Conan hidden faction
    A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across an odd quest chain in the Kara Korum portion of Khitai. It was odd because there was no real indication of its existence, at least in terms of the usual NPC exclamation point or any sort of standard MMO visual signal.

    How did I find it? That's a long story, the short version of which is that I needed a base texture for some new Anvil of Crom graphics that were in the works. Some of the village buildings in Khitai have this nifty moss-covered stone look to them, and as I zoomed in to get a good screen cap, I saw a funky symbol on the wall. It was clickable, and doing so rewarded me with a pop-up window, a quest called Telltale Signs, and my first brush with one of Age of Conan's hidden factions.

    Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Finding an Age of Conan hidden faction

    MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Finding an Age of Conan hidden faction originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      MV Guide: July 30 - August 5, 2012

      Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:00 AM PDT

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      MV Guide July 30  August 5, 2012
      MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

      Every week, the Massively Stream Team logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises each week, so you'll find a variety of titles to watch. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, or simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

      Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule, and let us know if there's a specific game you'd like to see streamed next week!

      Continue reading MV Guide: July 30 - August 5, 2012

      MassivelyMV Guide: July 30 - August 5, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: How many skill options do you really need?

        Posted: 30 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT

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        GW2
        Massively's own Justin Olivetti recently opined that Guild Wars 2's skill system struck him as more regressive than progressive; he's suggested the game is a reaction to older MMOs that went overboard loading players up with so many skills and hotbars and options that gamers got lost in the mess. Lord of the Rings Online has always had that effect on me whenever I return to it and find six hotbars stuffed with more skill buttons than anyone can possibly push in a single fight or even a single dungeon. Blizzard has been trying to address a similar problem in World of Warcraft for several years.

        Of course, those second-generation MMOs were fighting against the first-generation games, which were notorious for offering melee classes a grand total of one attack button to push. GW2 provides 10 skills at a time, two more skills per bar than in classic Guild Wars, but maybe the franchise is going too far in its attempt to simplify combat options for third-gen MMO players.

        What do you think? How many skill buttons do you really need available for every fight so that you feel as if you always have options... but not too many or too few?

        Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

        MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How many skill options do you really need? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Origins of Malu to have playable demo at PAX Prime

          Posted: 29 Jul 2012 08:00 PM PDT

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          Origins of Malu screenshot
          If things have seemed quiet on the Origins of Malu front, it might be because Burning Dog Media has been working on a special treat for attendees of this year's PAX. Folks lucky enough to be milling about the convention this year have the opportunity for some hands-on experience with the up-and-coming sandbox!

          Teaming with Alienware, the studio is bringing a mini-game version of Origins of Malu to give players a peek into the world. Two eight-man teams will fight over the Chochobi (a true scaredy-chicken) for 20 minutes in a head-to-head battle. Players will be able to choose from the Toljon, Qulinta, or Jolah races and will have the chance to get used to the variety of spells, skills and talents they will be playing with before diving into the fray.

          This mini-game is only a glimpse of what's to come when the game releases (think 300-man battlegrounds), but is a great opportunity to sneak a peek first-hand. To participate, find Burning Dog at the Alienware arena. And we'll keep you posted on any further details as they come in.

          MassivelyOrigins of Malu to have playable demo at PAX Prime originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          MMO Week in Review: It's going to be an exciting autumn

          Posted: 29 Jul 2012 06:00 PM PDT

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          Mists of Pandaria
          At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

          This week, Blizzard announced that World of Warcraft's Mists of Pandaria expansion will launch on September 25th, just a month after Guild Wars 2 opens for pre-purchasers. GW2, meanwhile, is keeping busy in the wake of its last beta event with videos, guides, dev blogs, and name reservations. Massively shared its own impressions of the third BWE in articles about the Asura, the Sylvari, and Legacy of the Foefire.

          Bring your /popcorn past the break, where we've rounded up the rest of this week's top MMO stories.

          Continue reading MMO Week in Review: It's going to be an exciting autumn

          MassivelyMMO Week in Review: It's going to be an exciting autumn originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            EVE Evolved: Sandboxes make the best stories

            Posted: 29 Jul 2012 04:00 PM PDT

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            EVE Evolved title image
            Every MMO has stories to tell, some written by developers and told through quest content and others created by players through everyday gameplay. Themepark MMOs lead every player through the same fictional story and give no real control over the outcome, but I have to wonder whether the effort invested in that story is even worth it. MMOs are meant to have long-term replayability, and a linear story is new only the first time you play through it. After a while, players find themselves skipping dialogue, ignoring quest text, and grinding yet another character to the endgame.

            In contrast, sandbox MMOs tend to eschew their own storylines in favour of letting players make it up as they go along. Sandbox MMO EVE Online has spawned some incredible tales and videos over its lifetime, with stories of political goings-on, wars, and record heists hitting the news every year without fail. EVE stories usually also appeal to many people who don't even play the game, an effect uncommon in other MMOs. It's not often that the in-game exploits of a themepark MMO guild will reach the media or generate the same level of interest as a big EVE story, so what is the magic sauce that makes stories from EVE so appealing?

            In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at some of the best stories and videos from EVE Online and ask why EVE continues to grip us with its stories and themepark MMOs don't.

            Continue reading EVE Evolved: Sandboxes make the best stories

            MassivelyEVE Evolved: Sandboxes make the best stories originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              One Shots: It's the shades

              Posted: 29 Jul 2012 02:00 PM PDT

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              One Shots Shot through the heart!
              The Guild Wars franchise is infamous for its crazy outfits and gear, from banana scythes and librarian spectacles to jack-o'-lantern hats and... whatever the heck this is supposed to be. So it's no surprise that Guild Wars 2 is following in its elder sibling's footsteps! A reader named Darla sent One Shots this image of her character from the very last beta event before launch, along with this note:
              This is a screenshot of the final big event of the third beta weekend event, Hunger Royal. You can tell by the smile that the glasses make her feel badass.
              I was thinking the hot pink gun might have something to do with it too, but the sunglasses are pretty awesome! Darla's shot and a few others await you behind the break if you dare.

              Continue reading One Shots: It's the shades

              MassivelyOne Shots: It's the shades originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Funcom details The Secret World's celebration weekend

                Posted: 29 Jul 2012 12:00 PM PDT

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                Funcom details The Secret World's celebration weekend
                Earlier this week we broke the news about The Secret World's upcoming free trial weekend. Funcom has since updated its website with a post that details the dates, times, and the events in store for Illuminati, Templar, and Dragon players around the world.

                The festivities run from Friday, August 3rd to Monday, August 6th. If you manage to solve 30 in-game missions during that time, you'll score an in-game t-shirt and 1200 Funcom bonus points for use in TSW's item shop. Free fireworks can also be claimed all weekend (up to 15 per character), and Funcom will be running special event leaderboards to acknowledge the 100 most dedicated mission solvers in The Secret World.

                The weekend is also freely available to anyone interested. Whether you have an old beta account, an inactive retail account, or no account at all, you're welcome to take the game for a test drive. If you don't have an existing account, you can sign up for the celebration weekend on the right side of the official website.

                MassivelyFuncom details The Secret World's celebration weekend originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                MMORPG News

                MMORPG News


                General: E3 to Remain in Los Angeles

                Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:36 AM PDT

                E3 to Remain in Los Angeles

                The Entertainment Software Association has announced that the annual E3 convention will remain in Los Angeles through 2015. Earlier this year, it was rumored that E3 would be changing locations.

                Rift: New Storm Legion Screens

                Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:05 AM PDT

                New Storm Legion Screens

                Trion Worlds has released several new screenshots from the upcoming Rift expansion, Storm Legion. We have them all in our Rift screenshot gallery so head there to check them out.

                General: MMOFTW #10: The Pandas are Coming, Run!

                Posted: 30 Jul 2012 05:46 AM PDT

                MMOFTW #10: The Pandas are Coming, Run!

                This week's episode of MMOFTW covers everything from TERA's new content update to Planetside 2's cinematic trailer, FFXIV's Rebirth, and the official launch date of WoW's Mists of Pandaria. Plus we chime in on whether GW2's downed state mechanic is a good thing or a bad thing. Check it out!

                DC Universe Online: EU Servers Launch

                Posted: 30 Jul 2012 06:54 AM PDT

                EU Servers Launch

                Sony Online Entertainment has has partnered with ProSiebenSat.1 Games to bring several MMOs to local EU gamers. The first, DC Universe Online, has now officially launched complete through the Last Laugh expansion pack.

                DOFUS: Foggernauts' Steam Class Preview

                Posted: 29 Jul 2012 04:21 PM PDT

                Foggernauts

                DOFUS is one of those games that just keeps growing and getting better over time. We recently had the opportunity to check ou the Foggernauts' Steam Class and have a full report for your reading pleasure. See what you think and then leave us a comment or two.

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