MMO

While the game's official web site has not posted this news year, Eurogamer is reporting that BioWare has revealed the latest player class for their long awaited MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. During a press event for the game, it was revealed that the Imperial Agent will be one of the eight player classed in the game.

The Imperial Agent, who obviously is with the Empire faction, sounds like the game's version of a super-spy as they have access to lots of high technology and do their work behind the scenes. The Imperial Agent joins the previously revealed classes of Jedi Knights, Smugglers and Troopers on the Republic side and the Sith Warriors and Bounty Hunters working for the Empire. Two more classes are unrevealed.

Warhammer Online has been live to the public for over a year now but developer Mythic Entertainment is still refining the fantasy MMO's marketing in terms of bringing new people to the game. Today they announced that they are dumping their 10 day free trial of the game in favor of an "endless" free trial.

What does this mean, exactly? Well instead of having the game not be playable any longer after 10 days without paying for it you can continue to play Warhammer Online in a limited fashioned for as long as you want with the new trial version. You can play a character with any of the careers and take that character up to level 10. You are also limited to some of the tier one locations in the game. It also has the newly launched New User Journey that gives new players more extensive tutorials on how to play the game. Finally the new free trial allows people to start playing after a certain amount is downloaded; the rest of the game's content is streamed in while you play.

While there is no official outside confirmation of this year, the usually reliable Eurogamer site is reporting that Star Trek Online now has a set release date. According to their article, the US launch for the MMO will occur on February 2, 2010, with the Europeans getting the game few days later on February 5, 2010.

Developer Cryptic Studios had previously confirmed that they would launch the game, based on the massive sci-fi franchise, sometime in the first quarter of 2010. Pre-orders for the game are being taken right now with Amazon.com and Gamestop offering some pre-order bonuses for folks who buy the game from their outlets.

Each week we find more and more free games that do not quite fit into the freeware mold. Games that do not require a subscription fee to play, but encourage player usage of money through microtransactions or special subscription services. This is Playing For Free, a column that showcases these games.

Once again, we return to the realm of free-to-play MMO shooters. We've covered Quake Live, Battlefield Heroes, and even Combat Arms, so maybe it's time to tackle something a little more new. CrimeCraft was released in August, and quickly went to the "free unlimited trial" system that boils down to being free-to-play. It's not great, and certainly not better than other free-to-play MMO shooters like Combat Arms (even with insane community), but it's passable and, at least on the surface, unique.

This trailer is for the DDO Unlimited Shan-to-Kor adventure pack, available in the DDO store for characters level 4 and above.

"Deep below the marketplace, ancient dungeons and caverns hide the long-lost relic the Seal of Shan-to-Kor - a legendary icon from when giants ruled Xen'drik. Fight your way through the Kobold Blockade and defeat the powerful hobgoblin leader of the Caverns of Shaagh to reach the Halls of Shan-to-Kor and retrieve your prize!"

Download HD DDO Unlimited 'Shan-to-Kor' Trailer (32 MB)
Check out all DDO Unlimited downloads

Since its release in 2004, Blizzard's MMO World of Warcraft has stayed on the monthly subscription business model for the most part. While Blizzard does charge its players extra for things like faction or race changes in their characters, they have not gone into the business of selling in-game items for real money as other MMOs have done.

That may finally be changing, however, as Blizzard has now introduced a way to buy in-game pets for your World of Warcraft character via Blizzard's online store. Currently only two pets are available for $10 each; Lil' K.T. and Pandaren Monk (shown to the right) Blizzard has also announced that from now until December 31, half of the proceeds from the purchase of the latter character will go to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

[Via Wow.com]

In the previous chapter of The Future Past, a series of developer videos that explain the backstory of Star Trek Online, the Klingons were fighting an ever escalating war against the Gorn. Well, it turns out that war lasted for several years, and soon that conflict reached its conclusion, the Klingon Empire set its sights on reclaiming territory lost to the Federation during the war from the original series. Old enemies and once allies of the Federation quickly become new enemies, and in comes a brand new war. Think you're ready for it? A gameplay trailer can be seen after the jump, demonstrating the glorious space battles players can look forward to.

Star Trek Online is expected to release in 2010.

Download HD Star Trek Online 'The Future Past' Part 2 Video (805 MB)
Download HD Start Trek Online Gameplay Trailer (89 MB)
Check out all Star Trek Online downloads

In Siege of Mirkwood, the upcoming digital expansion for The Lord of Rings Online, players will have a chance to gather forces together and lay an assault on a Nazgul's fortress. The only question is: Are they ready to face such a powerful evil? Heroes will get a chance to find out if they have what it takes when the expansion releases on December 1st.

Download HD LOTRO: Siege of Mirkwood Trailer #2 (102 MB)
Check out all The Lord of the Rings Online downloads

After weeks of waiting, Blizzard's MMO World of Warcraft finally came back online in mid-September in China after reported issues with that country's government kept the transition to a new provider, NetEase, from, moving as planned. Now our sister site WoW.com reports that there could be problems in China yet again.

According to the article, China's General Administration of Press and Publications have ordered NetEase to suspend taking new accounts and stop taking money from current subscribers. This is apparently at odds with another government entity, the Ministry of Culture, who have called their fellow government division's action's "not appropriate." Sounds like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

Ten years ago today, back when there wasn't a new MMO launching or being announced every week, developer Turbine released Asheron's Call. Their fantasy-themed MMO quickly joined Ultima Online and the original Everquest in terms of popularity. For a couple of years the genre was dominated by these "Big Three" games.

While a sequel, Asheron's Call 2, failed to attract an audience (it launched in 2002 and was shut down just over three years later) the original is still online. Today Turbine announced that the game is celebrating the 10th anniversary with live events today. Part of those events will bring back some of the game's old characters and villains. Turbine continues to expand the game with new content and will soon add a new skill, Gearcrafting, to the game.

Saga is a free-to-play online fantasy real-time strategy game, where player command armies to battle and wield devastating spells. From today until November 13th, you will get a free bonus unit called the Ice Drake if you sign up for a new account. Sign up today and have fun!

"SAGA is the world's first collectible MMORTS. SAGA has over 100 troops types and 50 spells to collect. Build your empire by developing your main city or expand by conquering outlying terrifies. Join your friends in cooperative mode or battle solo on over a thousand quests online. Fight boss monsters for Epic Loot rewards.

The Ice Drake is a neutral unit usable by any faction. A terrible flying monstrosity immune from ground melee attacks it instills fear in the hearts of the bravest warrior.

Download the Saga Install Client (505 MB)
Sign up for a free Saga account

Well here's a shocker. Star Wars: The Old Republic, the upcoming MMO from BioWare, EA and LucasArts will have . . . Jedi Knights as a playable class. We have to admit that we didn't see that development coming a mile away. Ok, we did. In fact we think there would be an uproar if Jedi Knights were not in the game that would make the current Modern Warfare 2 debates look pale by comparison.

In any case the game's official web site now has the Jedi Knight listed as a playable class in the upcoming MMO and we suspect there will be lots of battles between that class and the previously announced Sith Warrior faction. There's still no release date for the game but many expect it might launch in late 2010.

Earlier this week a Fallout fan site reported via an anonymous Interplay source that Bethesda Softworks has lost a preliminary injunction in their Fallout trademark dispute. Now a post from Interplay's own lawyer on their message board states otherwise, saying, "The Court has not ruled on Bethesda's Motion for Prelminary Injunction." He added that the court ruling is weeks away and that "Interplay will issue an official statement if there is a material development that needs to be addressed."

Meanwhile a new concept piece from "Project V13" has popped up on the message boards. The MMO, which is most likely Interplay's Fallout massively multiplayer game, is still very early in development.

[Via Duck and Cover]

Cryptic Studios' next MMO game, Star Trek Online, is due for release in the first quarter of 2010 but retailers like Amazon and GameStop are already breaking out pre-order offers for people who want to beat the rush. GameStop's pre-order gives their customers an especially cool in-game treat; a Constitution-class starship just like the Enterprise in the original TV series. GameStop is also listing a Collector's Edition of the game that will come in a collectible box, include an art book and Starfleet comm badge (non-working, we presume) along with a way to give a free a free trial version of the game. The Collector's Edition will cost $79.99

Amazon.com's pre-order bonus for their version of Star Trek Online includes entry into the game's beta test and exclusive Borg Bridge Officer. Not quite as cool as GameStop's deal but we could be wrong.

Just a quick reminder before you hit the Halloween parties this weekend: Cryptic Studios is allowing everyone to play their super hero MMO Champions Online for free beginnng at 1 pm Eastern time today through 1 pm on November 2. This will allow players to check out the Halloween themed Blood Moon live event. You can download the client now ahead of the free weekend.

Cryptic's Bill Roper posted up a State of the Game message on the game's forums earlier this week which goes over some of the stuff that's happening during the Blood Moon event. He also hints at some upcoming stuff they have planned for the game including another live event for December and " . . . the very big surprise we have in store for early 2010..."