anniversary-events
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Wings Over Atreia: Aion anniversary, take two
Time to double the candles on the cake for Aion! That's right -- just two short years ago on September 22nd, the world of Atreia opened its skies to a swarm of aspiring Daevas. After a rocky start including horrendous launch week queues, some Daevas folded their wings and left for bluer skies (*cough cough* nothing to see here, move along) while others stuck it out through thick and thin and grind. But even of those who flitted off, many found their way back into Aion over the last two years. And why not? Much has changed. In the past year, NCsoft has added and tweaked the game to make it a better experience for veteran and returning players alike. And that is on top of the many additions brought about in the game during the first year! This is not your 2009 game; Aion has more content and more options. Sometimes, less is even more -- there is even less grind. Now what's a celebration without... celebrating? NCsoft is offering goodies galore to citizens of Atreia throughout the month-long anniversary celebration. And so that no Deava is left out of the festivities, a 10-day reactivation event will take place beginning at 11:00 a.m EDT on September 22nd and running until 11:00 a.m. EDT on October 2nd. All inactive accounts in good standing on or before September 14th are eligible for reactivation. Wondering what exactly you are missing? Catch a breeze and float past the cut as Wings Over Atreia looks at how Aion has evolved over the past 12 months as well as what gifts, goodies, and events await Daevas during the celebration.
Final Fantasy XIV gearing up to celebrate its foundation
Another holiday is just around the corner for Final Fantasy XIV players, but this one is a bit different than the usual fantastic interpretations of real-world holidays. No, it's Foundation Day, a day celebrating the formation of the original Grand Companies of Eorzea nearly a thousand years ago, starting on a day that will be quite familiar to anyone who has been playing the game for... well, just about a year now. (Surely there's no need to spell that out.) Starting on September 22nd and running until October 11th, the event will see recruitment officers for each of the companies stationed in the three cities, attempting to elicit more permanent membership from the adventurers running about. Exactly what the event will entail isn't yet known, but it's a safe bet that it will involve company seals and tie in to the upcoming expansions of the company system in patch 1.19. It also hints that we may see that patch on an obvious date, considering that the event will likely have to be patched in...
City of Heroes posts the second part of its developer retrospective
If you've been playing City of Heroes since its salad days, you're probably familiar with all of the many changes the game has seen since launch. But while player retrospectives are all well and good, it's rare that you get to find out developer memories of the game from launch to the present. The development team at Paragon Studios has previously released the first part of a retrospective on the game's early days, and the newest installment has just gone live today. This retrospective focuses on the team's favorite City of Heroes videos as well as the experience of the game on launch and the most memorable moments from fan conventions. Whether you're a longtime player or you just picked the game up recently, it's a great chance to look back at the earliest days from release. And if you're still in a celebratory mood after the retrospective, it's probably worth noting that the game is hosting its reactivation week starting now.
The Adventurer Appreciation Campaign kicks off in Final Fantasy XI
Every year, the residents of Vana'diel are honored just for being a part of the world in the appropriately named Adventurer Appreciation Campaign. And this year is no exception, with Final Fantasy XI players the world over getting to celebrate the game's latest year of operation. As always, the event brings with it special clothing and accessories for adventurers, but there's a special change this time around that should bring a smile to even the most cynical of players. In previous years, an Anniversary Band was dispensed to players, but it could only be received if the adventurer didn't already have an Anniversary Band. This year's experience-boosting ring, however, will be given out whether or not you have an anniversary ring. With the ring, the new formal wear, and the now-traditional unleashing of Mog Tablet powers, there are plenty of rewards for Final Fantasy XI players who take part in the event, running from now until May 31st. After all, it's being held in your honor to begin with.
EverQuest II pays tribute to its predecessor's 12th anniversary
The world of Norrath is the setting for both EverQuest and EverQuest II, but the latter is set several hundred years in the future. But starting today and running until March 30th, players can enjoy a special tribute in honor of the older game's hitting the 12-year mark. While some of your enemies and settings might be just a little anachronistic for the game, it's worth the slight break in immersion to pay homage to one of the biggest and brightest games in the history of MMOs. And really, it does all make sense, since players are being called in to help the Chronomages of Norrath as they deal with sudden upheaval in the time stream. With quests sending you around the world, you should run into a number of familiar EverQuest heroes and villains alike. EverQuest II players can enjoy the tribute to the game's venerable predecessor until next Wednesday -- so if you're a long-time veteran, now's the time to relive old memories.
Webzen celebrates Archlord and S.U.N anniversaries
Noted free-to-play publisher Webzen is celebrating not one, but two MMORPG anniversaries this week. FIrst up is Archlord, the PvP-focused title that offers players the chance to become the titular ruler and indulge in perks such as controlling the server's weather and riding a dragon mount. Webzen has created a special anniversary zone inside the game which will spawn special mobs as well as a gold drop buff for players under level 60. Soul of the Ultimate Nation (S.U.N.) is also celebrating an anniversary this week, and to mark the occasion, players will receive a 200% XP buff. S.U.N. features hack-and-slash combat, a unique Battle Zone System where players create their own instances, and music by Academy Award-winning film composer Howard Shore.