chronicles-of-spellborn posts

Chronicles of Spellborn NOT "Free-to-Play" MMO


It looks like there was a little bit of confusion surrounding the upcoming US release of the fantasy MMO The Chronicles of Spellborn by Acclaim. While the publisher has released "free-to-play" MMO games in the past, this game (due for release on November 27) has a regular MMO business model with a monthly fee and no item selling.

So why the confusion? As explained on the game's official web site, The Chronicles of Spellborn will do something a little different. It will offer a free area for any player to start in but after that they will have to pony up the monthly fee in order to continue playing in the game world. According to the site, "Rather than offering the usual '14 days trial' or similar, we decided to go for this free2play starting zone. This will allow you more time to get a good feel on the combat system and on the questing, and in general to give a good impression on what Spellborn is all about." So there you go; not a "free-to-play" model but a "free-zone-but-pay-for-everything-else" model.

[Via Massively]

The Big Round-up: Tuesday, July 22

Your daily wrap-up of the hottest stories in PC gaming in the last 24 hours.

E308: Dark Void Impressions
The first part of Dark Void plays out they way anyone would expect an action shooter would. There isn't much to help the game stand out without the benefit of an upgraded jet pack. Until then, the player moves through like most other shooters, picking up new and inventive weapons along with ammo while picking off waves of incoming soldiers along the way.

E308: Damnation Impressions
Going vertical is one of the more prominent themes of this year's E3, but before players fly around the Dark Void using a jet pack, they might be scaling the buildings of Damnation. Damnation takes place in an alternate history United States, where the industrial revolution took a radically different turn. The result is a 1900's America that looks both new and familiar at the same time.

Left 4 Dead box art revealed
Valve Software VP of marketing Doug Lombardi has released the official box art for developer Turtle Rock Studios' upcoming Left 4 Dead, a squad-based shooter that will pit humans in a fight for survival against legions of zombies. Though we find the box art to be stylish yet simple, snazzy yet unassuming, we find ourselves hesitant to award the art a thumbs-up.

Portal: Still Alive already available on PC
Keyboard-and-mousers up in arms over the recent announcement that Xbox Live Arcade would be receiving exclusive Portal content in the form of Portal: Still Alive need not fret: apparently the forthcoming bonus content has already been alive on the PC for quite some time.

Frogster unveils strong MMO line-up
Players looking for a variety of themes in the prolific MMO genre need not look further than Frogster, a PC game publisher with an emphasis on virtual worlds. Due out during the second half of 2008 are StoneAge 2, Runes of Magic, and The Chronicles of Spellborn, which should complement Frogster's existing portfolio of casual MMO titles.

Frogster unveils strong MMO line-up


Players looking for a variety of themes in the prolific MMO genre need not look further than Frogster, a PC game publisher with an emphasis on virtual worlds. Due out during the second half of 2008 are StoneAge 2, Runes of Magic, and The Chronicles of Spellborn, which should complement Frogster's existing portfolio of casual MMO titles.

Runes of Magic is an RPG that will enter its closed beta phase this September. Beta registration has already begun at the game's official site, and an open beta will begin in November before the game's pre-Christmas season release.

The Chronicles of Spellborn recently passed numerous stress tests and has been deemed ready for final balancing and publishing. Take a dip in Spellborn's pond by registering for its beta phase at the official website.

The recently announced StoneAge 2 will begin closed beta testing in August and will see release this autumn. Players interested in bashing fellow troglodytes with clubs can download the beta from Big Download.

Finally, would-be scallywags can loot the booty for an upcoming Bounty Bay add-on near the tail end of the plank... er, the year, as well, and soccer fans should stay tuned for word from the company regarding their free-to-play soccer title, Kickster.
Advertisement

Our Writers

Steven Wong

Managing Editor

RSS Feed

John Callaham

Senior Editor

RSS Feed

James Murff

Contributing Editor

RSS Feed

Learn more about Big Download