General gaming

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• Former Sony Employee Sues Nintendo Over 3DS Screen Tech
• Poor Wii Sales This Holiday Would be a "Grave Concern"
• Torchlight Surpasses One Million Units Sold
• EA's Desire to Stay in Touch Keeping Certain Games Off Steam
• Deus Ex Leakers Targeted by Lawsuit
• Vidrhythm in Development at Harmonix
• 3DS's First Final Fantasy is... a Rhythm Game
• PSN Pass is Real, Required to Play Resistance 3 Online
• Second Chances: Play Mario and Zelda in HD Today
• Zelda and Samus in 1080p: Dolphin Gallery

Former Sony Employee Sues Nintendo Over 3DS Screen Tech Posted: 06 Jul 2011 06:30 PM PDT The 3DS's must unique feature -- its glasses-free 3D display -- has gotten Nintendo sued. Tomita Technologies alleges in a lawsuit filed in a New York district court last month that Nintendo is violating a patent, number 7,417,664, which was filed for in 2003 by Seijiro Tomita and issued in August 2008. Tomita is described in the complaint as an "accomplished scientist and engineer" who worked at Sony for nearly 30 years before retiring in 2002. He began filing for patents after leaving the company, dozens of which now exist that list him as the inventor or co-inventor. "Mr. Tomita has done substantial research and development in the area of stereoscopic display technology. Among other things, Mr. Tomita invented and developed technology relating to displaying stereoscopic (3-D) images on-screen for viewing with the naked eye, i.e., without utilizing glasses or other devices," the lawsuit states. "The '664 patent asserted in this action covers 3-D technology invented and developed by Mr. Tomita." It also says the Japan Patent Office has granted him a similar patent to the one in question.

Poor Wii Sales This Holiday Would be a "Grave Concern" Posted: 06 Jul 2011 05:59 PM PDT Wii sales have slowed considerably over the past year, and in the United States, the Xbox 360 has been the best-selling console for months. Wii U's announcement last month isn't going to help sales much at all; it sold about 236,000 units in the U.S. during May, according to the NPD Group, following Nintendo's confirmation that a new system is coming in 2012. Speaking about the subject following Wii U's reveal last month, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told the San Jose Mercury News, "Well, of course, no single entertainment device can enjoy eternal popularity. And when it comes to Wii, we have to understand that any potential sales are going to be affected by the seasonalities much more than before. "If we cannot sell as well as we expect to during the holiday sales season, it's going to be a grave concern for us."

Torchlight Surpasses One Million Units Sold Posted: 06 Jul 2011 05:08 PM PDT The first game released by indie developer Runic Games, Torchlight, has sold over one million units, the company announced today. That figure takes into account sales across all platforms (PC, Mac, and Xbox Live Arcade) since its launch in October 2009 on PC. It's an impressive figure for an indie game, particularly a Diablo-style action-RPG devoid of any multiplayer component. "We're very excited to share Torchlight's success with our fans and supporters. It's been a great ride so far and we can't wait to give everyone more of what they want in Torchlight II," said Runic Games President Travis Baldree. "It isn't every day you sell a million games. We're grateful to be here."

EA's Desire to Stay in Touch Keeping Certain Games Off Steam Posted: 06 Jul 2011 02:43 PM PDT Crysis 2 was quietly pulled from Steam last month. Given the timing, it looked as if EA was looking to secure more exclusives for its rebranded EA Store, Origin. But the game continued to be sold at other digital game distributors, and other EA titles remained on Steam. EA explained it "was not an EA decision or the result of any action by EA" and that it was in fact due to "business terms" set by Steam. Another new EA game, Alice: Madness Returns, wasn't available at launch on Steam but was made available on there soon after. EA's biggest title of the year, Battlefield 3, however, remains unavailable. Meanwhile, both Direct2Drive and GamersGate have it up for pre-order. Origin boss David DeMartini published a blog today emphasizing that EA "respect[s] consumer choice." An official policy on third-party digital game distributors has been posted today, said to be in response to the initial confusion that it was responsible for Crysis 2 being pulled -- but more likely to reinforce that Steam has decided not to sell it and other games.

Deus Ex Leakers Targeted by Lawsuit Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:53 PM PDT Prior to E3, an unfinished version of Deus Ex: Human Revolution was leaked onto the Internet. With the game not coming out until August, what was made available was a preview build intended only for the media. In response, it's come to light that Square Enix is suing fifteen unidentified individuals. The lawsuit (PDF) was filed on June 22 in Washington. The reason for that is the leak happened through Steam, the digital distribution service owned by Bellevue, Washington-based Valve. Among those who were allowed to access the preview build was someone working for Italian magazine Giochi per il Mio Computer. This individual's Steam account was logged into on May 29 -- without permission -- by "one or more" of the 15 defendants from an IP address that doesn't belong to the magazine. The game files were then copied (again, by one or more people) and distributed on BitTorrent. From there, it ended up being downloaded and distributed across the Internet.

Vidrhythm in Development at Harmonix Posted: 06 Jul 2011 01:00 PM PDT A new trademark filing is the first sign of the next project to come from Harmonix. As discovered by Siliconera, the U.S. trademark filing is for something called Vidrhythm. No further information is provided, but Harmonix did confirm the news with Joystiq, saying, "Nothing to add at this time, other than to confirm that it is a project we're working on." Harmonix's focus in recent years has been on Rock Band and Dance Central. It was the original developer of the Guitar Hero franchise, and before that it created cult classics like Frequency and Amplitude.

3DS's First Final Fantasy is... a Rhythm Game Posted: 06 Jul 2011 11:27 AM PDT The first Final Fantasy game for 3DS is in the works, but it's not an RPG, as one would expect. It will instead take the form of a rhythm game. As revealed in this week's issue of Japanese publication Jump, the game is called Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. It's classified as a "theater rhythm action" game (hence the name), according to a translation by Andriasang, and will include much of what you'd expect to see in a FF game -- exploring dungeons, visiting towns, battling enemies -- except you'll interact with the game through tapping and holding notes. Music is pulled from previous Final Fantasy games, as are characters, such as Cloud. If any of this sound vaguely familiar, you might remember the April Fools' joke pulled off way back in 2001 by the Gaming Intelligence Agency.

PSN Pass is Real, Required to Play Resistance 3 Online Posted: 06 Jul 2011 10:52 AM PDT Confirming speculation from yesterday after a PS3 bundle image showed its logo, Sony has announced that Resistance 3 will ship with something called PSN Pass. It's essentially Sony's version of the online pass we've seen other publishers use for their games in the past. It'll be "game-specific" and included with first-party PS3 games that have "online capabilities." "We are always evaluating new programs for our online offering, and starting with Resistance 3 this September, we will be instituting a network pass program for PS3 games with online capabilities," a spokesperson said in statement sent to IGN. "This program will be game-specific. Games that are a part of this program will include a single-use registration code that grants the account holder redeeming the code full online access for that title. "This is an important initiative as it allows us to accelerate our commitment to enhancing premium online services across our first party game portfolio."

Second Chances: Play Mario and Zelda in HD Today Posted: 06 Jul 2011 08:38 AM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet Second Chances: Play Mario and Zelda in HD Today The Dolphin Emulator lets you play Mario, Zelda, and any other Wii or GameCube favorite in HD. By: Wes Fenlon July 6, 2011 "What the hell did they do to Link?" I was in eighth grade when Nintendo unveiled the now-legendary first look at what would become The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. It was Space World, 2001, and this was not the Zelda we expected after seeing the "next-gen" tech demo re-imagining of Link and Ganondorf crossing swords released the year before. This new Link was winking. Grainy video and screenshots leaked from the event revealed a goofy, cartoony Link who embodied creator Shigeru Miyamoto's desire to make a game that captured a childlike sense of adventure. To immature eighth graders, eager for gritty grown-up content and cutting-edge graphics, it was nothing short of a betrayal.

Zelda and Samus in 1080p: Dolphin Gallery Posted: 06 Jul 2011 08:37 AM PDT HIDEF Zelda and Samus in 1080p: Dolphin Gallery No need to wait for the Wii U, see your Nintendo favorites in high-definition now. By Wes Fenlon, 07/06/2011       Share it: Tweet Page 1 of 55   VIEW AS: SLIDESHOWLIST The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Click the image to see HD version. Click here to find out how to play it yourself.

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MMO updates

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• Dungeon & Fighter - Big update coming
• Ragnarok II - 2nd Closed Beta starts next week
• ARA Online - Not aiming to be DNF

Dungeon & Fighter - Big update coming Posted: 07 Jul 2011 05:06 AM PDT So, you have probably heard about Dungeon & Fighter (Korea) having a big update next week (also known as Dungeon Fighter Online in North America). As usual with Nexon's games, there will be a huge amount of new content, including new maps, NPCs, quests, items, changes to UI and more. The star of the show will no doubt be the new scythe-wielding Avenger class, which bears a striking resemblance to a currently existing class... There is currently still no English server other than the heavily IP-blocked one in North America. Why is that so, only Nexon knows. It baffles me since the game has been out for quite some time. In the meanwhile, just ogle at the trailers in this post!

Ragnarok II - 2nd Closed Beta starts next week Posted: 07 Jul 2011 04:30 AM PDT Personally, I have not seen an online game having its sequel delayed so long after being announced. When Ragnarok II was first revealed to be in development, I think it was way back in 2006. Since then, the game was delayed several times and the project almost got canned. Ragnarok II eventually went into Closed Beta, but the game was totally out of sync with the gamers and went back to the drawing board, re-emerging as Ragnarok II: Legend of the Second to commemorate its rebirth. Character models from 2007. The Ellr race was removed in Legend of the Second. The first Closed Beta wasn't that successful even to me who played for a few minutes. While my small preview got canned by readers, the gamers in Korea apparently shared my views, with the game going back into development for almost another 6 months before this announcement. Closed Beta 2 will begin on 13th July, with all members of GnJoy (Gravity's Korean MMO portal) able to play in it. Will the game be a better one? I hope it will. Official website @ http://ro2.game.gnjoy.com/

ARA Online - Not aiming to be DNF Posted: 06 Jul 2011 09:00 AM PDT You probably missed my previous post about this upcoming new action online game from Korea, but fret not, for I am here to refresh your memories! The maiden project of developer Aquarius Entertainment, ARA Online is a 3D action side-scroller which the media has touted as the 3D version of Nexon's Dungeon Fighter (DnF) Online. In this interview by the foreign media, the developers share their thoughts on developing the game and why it is not just DnF in 3D mode. Q: Please introduce more about Aquarius Entertainment to us. A: Aquarius Entertainment is a company which focuses on its games' development through advanced technical knowledge. With years of experience and skills on hand,we are confident to bring content wanted by the players and to make them happy when playing our games. Q: ARA Online has been in development for over 2years. What was the biggest challenge faced so far? A: It should be finding the right developers for the game. A game needs to have its own unique selling points, and ARA Online should not just "copy" what DNF already has. If that happens, players will not bother about the game. We will be focusing on content for combat experience and action displays in ARA Online. Q: From a developer's point of view, is DNF a game impossible to exceed in the genre? A: DNF has been around for quite some time, it will be too early to compare anything now. Players will have to try the games out for themselves before any judgement can be made, and we are confident about the combat content ARA Online has to offer. Q: As an online game which focus primarily on its action combat, how will this be presented to players? A: We will present this through 4 elements: animation effects, sound effects, screenplay effects and interaction between objects when attacking. Screenplay effects are currently handed by another company we hired, but our own staff will be consolidating all effects at the end. The overall experience will be very grand. Q: What is the current development status for ARA Online? A: The game is still in development, but there is enough content for a Closed Beta phase currently. We are actually working more on Open Beta content right now. We will be planning the release schedule soon, as well as finding the appropriate partners to publish the game. Q: Are there any plans for overseas servers? A: We are currently in talks over the European server, but it will take some time before details are finalized. We are also looking for a publisher in the South East Asia (SEA) region.

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MMORPG News

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• Fallen Earth: Free Alpha County Expansion Launches Today
• Fiesta Online: The Joker a Big Hit in Europe
• Conquer Online: Free Gift Key Handout!
• General: Star Legends: The Blackstar Chronicles Launches
• Dofus: Vulkania Zone Added for Fiery Fun
• Guild Wars: Franchise Titles Half Off on Steam
• Conquer Online: Guild System Analyzed
• General: Bill's Take on the CCP-CSM Meeting
• General: DOTA comes to VORP!

Fallen Earth: Free Alpha County Expansion Launches Today Posted: 07 Jul 2011 07:42 AM PDT Fallen Earth players will receive the new Alpha County expansion for free according to a press release from GamersFirst. Alpha County brings a new explorable zone in addition to improved skills, 'progress' towns and new end-game content into the game. Servers will be down to deploy the update beginning at 11:00 EST.

Fiesta Online: The Joker a Big Hit in Europe Posted: 07 Jul 2011 07:35 AM PDT European Fiesta Online publisher, gamigo, is pleased with the reception for the latest expansion to the game called "The Joker". The expansion has proven so popular, in fact, that a new German server has been added to accommodate players.

Conquer Online: Free Gift Key Handout! Posted: 07 Jul 2011 12:58 AM PDT Conquer Online is teaming up with MMORPG to give away Garment pack and Sublime Package which contains an Upgrade Pack, a Super Equipment Pack, a Fortune Pack to make your journey easier. Claim your gift now, first come first serve.

General: Star Legends: The Blackstar Chronicles Launches Posted: 06 Jul 2011 12:36 PM PDT Spacetime Studios, creators of the mobile MMO Pocket Legends, has announced that the beta version of Star Legends: The Blackstar Chronicles has been released exclusively on Verizon's V-Cast. Star Legends is expected to run in beta from today through July 20th and is available for a wide range of Android devices.

Dofus: Vulkania Zone Added for Fiery Fun Posted: 06 Jul 2011 12:21 PM PDT Dofus players looking for some summer fun will want to check out the Archipelago of Vulkania for some fiery fun. The new zone is open to players of all levels and contains over forty new quests, new creatures, new items and even some new in-game titles to win.

Guild Wars: Franchise Titles Half Off on Steam Posted: 06 Jul 2011 09:49 AM PDT The original Guild Wars, Nightfall and Factions are collected into a nifty bundle at Steam and are on sale today only for $14.99 as part of Steam's Summer Camp promotion running from now through July 10th. As a bonus, Eye of the North is also half off and can be had for $9.99. What a great way to prepare for Guild Wars 2 by taking the original game's "refresher course"!

Conquer Online: Guild System Analyzed Posted: 06 Jul 2011 08:56 AM PDT The Conquer Online team has posted a new blog about the guild system in the game. It's a comprehensive look at how guilds are organized and gives a brief tutorial on the guild leader interface.

General: Bill's Take on the CCP-CSM Meeting Posted: 06 Jul 2011 08:40 AM PDT In his latest entry on the MMORPG.com Staff Blog, Managing Editor Bill Murphy gives his take on the recent meeting between CCP-EVE Online developers and the Council on Stellar Management...oh and that pesky in-game item mall snafu. Read on and then offer your thoughts in the comments!

General: DOTA comes to VORP! Posted: 05 Jul 2011 11:09 AM PDT Over the past weekend, VORP! players got to experience the new "Defense of the Armada" game play feature and MMORPG.com's Richard Cox was right there to try it out. Richard has a few thoughts to share about VORP! in general and about what he say during his weekend play. Read on!

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