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Celebrate Hello Kitty's birthday in Hello Kitty Online
Hello Kitty is 36 years old, which should be the sort of thing that makes everyone blink once or twice in surprise. With that sort of pedigree, you'd be surprised not to see a celebration going on -- especially in Hello Kitty Online. Sure enough, there's a huge birthday bash going on right now for players of the game, and participation in the event will have some positive effects in the real world. Sanrio is giving money to charity, based in part upon how many people take part in the birthday festivities. Players taking part will be sent around the world with sparklers to help cheer up monsters, so that everyone can enjoy the birthday celebration. There's also a small line for upgrading and improving sparklers for maximum effectiveness, with upgrades available in the item shop as a shortcut for participants. A full event guide has been posted, and it promises a special in-game event on November 15th -- which should be an excellent motivator for Hello Kitty Online players to log in and ring in another cat-filled year. %Gallery-106551%
Microsoft celebrates Windows Phone 7 RTM with funeral parade for BlackBerry and iPhone (update: Thriller video!)
The iPhone's dead, long live the Windows Phone. That must be the genius proclamation that incited Microsoft to celebrate Windows Phone 7 reaching RTM status with the incomprehensible procession you see above. An elaborate parade, replete with hearses and black capes, was organized last week to denote the passing of the BlackBerry and iPhone into the land of unwanted gadgets. We'd say this is done in poor taste, but we don't enjoy stating the obvious. We will, however, enjoy the fallout from this poorly judged stunt. See our favorite image after the break and lots more at the source. Update: Apparently the team also engaged in a Thriller dance. Words are failing us, so just hop on past the break and mash play.
Fantasy Earth Zero hosting double experience week
If you're a fan of Fantasy Earth Zero, then odds are good that you've also become a fan of the game on Facebook. (You can't escape from that site any more, really.) But if you do enjoy the game's hybrid of real-time strategy elements and fantasy battles without having become a fan of the game on social networking... you owe the Facebook fans a big "thank you." As a celebration for having reached 5,000 fans, the game is running a week of doubled experience. Running from August 10th to the 17th, the effects are obvious -- every character will receive doubled experience, presumably from every source. While the game doesn't require high levels to be competitive in PvP, it does offer up more options. In addition, players who logged on between July 1st and August 9th will receive a few special in-game items as an additional thanks for playing. Another celebration is planned for 6,000 fans, so Fantasy Earth Zero players are encouraged to become a fan if you're not already.
Fantastical Fraulein Mumor returns for a third event in Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI's upcoming summer event, another installment in that Fantastical Fraulein Mumor stage show and part of the overarching Sunbreeze Festival, probably isn't going to make much sense to people not familiar with the game. Veteran players, of course, are familiar with the magical warrior Mumor and her struggles against the joy-killing efforts of demon king Ullegore. They're also most likely aware of the conflict from the year before, in which she faced off against the Archfiend Uka and befriended her. And while non-players are now scratching their heads, players are either rolling their eyes or looking forward to this year's installment. Whichever camp you belong to, the stage show (in which Mumor and Uka face off against the new dance trio known as "Cream Puff") and the other games of the summer event will be rolling around on August 1st. Lasting through the 17th, the event will most likely be similar to last year's festivities, offering a wide variety of mini-games, cosmetic rewards, and of course the dance battle between Final Fantasy XI's resident magical girl and her opponents. Read the full rundown for more of the backstory, and look forward to the event itself in just under a week.
Big celebrations coming for six years of City of Heroes
City of Heroes has been running for six solid years, and whether you're a current or former player (or someone never that interested in superheroes for some reason), that's a running time to be proud of. Paragon Studios certainly thinks so, which is why they're hosting a full month's worth of anniversary celebration. The party kicks off in full force on April 28th -- not just the day of the anniversary, but the launch of Issue 17 and all its varied improvements. But that's just the beginning, as are the badge, free respec, and free costume change token being given to players on the anniversary. Monday and Tuesday before the anniversary itself promise some exciting and chaotic content, quite possibly including a special title for participants. The test servers will also be remaining open to give players a chance to play with the dev team on the anniversary itself, followed by an in-game address from Melissa "War Witch" Bianco at 8 PM EST (5 PM PST). With the promise of an upcoming contest to promote your loyalty a la Guild Wars 2 and with Going Rogue just around the corner, there's never been a better time to enjoy City of Heroes.
Sony's PSP turns 5, may very well live forever
It's somewhat hard to believe that Sony as a whole turned 60 just under 4 years ago, and since then we've seen the PlayStation turn 15, the PlayStation 2 turn 10 and the PlayStation 3 celebrate its first. Today, the outfit's PlayStation Portable (or PSP, in shorter terms) is gettin' down on its fifth birthday (while our own bionic Thomas Ricker parties on his 482nd), with the North American debut happening on March 24, 2005. To date, over 17 million of the iconic handhelds have been sold, over 820 titles have been created for it and an all-new, UMD-free version has come along to dazzle those who are champing at the bit to ditch physical media. The platform as a whole still has a ways to go before it catches the Big N and its Game Boy / DS line, but hey, the millennium is young.
Bounty Bay Online celebrates three years of operation
It's been three years since Bounty Bay Online has set sail for the high seas, yet it doesn't feel like it, does it? Sure, Frogster Interactive's pirate MMO may not bring home the chests of gold like its big sister, Runes of Magic. But the game is still gliding along with a decently sized community who are more than willing to spend their rum money on it. So there's no better way to celebrate 3 years of operation than by running some promotions for the community! The promotions certainly aren't bad, as they already involve double experience going from today until the 24th, and double cash shop points (buy any amount of points, get that same amount of points again for free) until the 25th. The celebration will be continuing until March 31st, so be sure to log on and reap some of the rewards. Nothing like discounts and faster leveling to say thanks to the community!
Warhammer shows off its birthday suit (including Wild Hunt video walkthrough)
Let the celebrations begin! Warhammer Online is about to reach its first anniversary and Mythic is throwing a huge party. You remember those great birthday parties when you were a kid; the ones with all the fun games and phat loot (bags)? They seem to be aiming for something like that with all kinds of games and fun loot being liberally doled out.First, you have the Wild Hunt (see a video walkthrough after the cut) starting today. This weeklong Live Event introduces RvR PQs, a list of themed tasks, and a special limited time dungeon available in each tier. This will be followed up by a few special scenario weekends, including Mourkain Temple, Gates of Ekrund, and Temple of Isha. All players will receive celebratory items in their mailbox and veteran players (those who have held an active subscription since launch) will receive an extra special treat. Finally, all players will drop goodies like fireworks, exploding stout, and other limited time items.One year really is a hallmark, and while WAR may have had its ups and downs over the past twelve months like any MMO experiencing growing pains, we'd really like to wish them all the best. Even if you don't have an account, you can probably join in the festivities with a free 10-day trial.
Sword of the New World celebrates their second anniversary
Free-to-play MMO Sword of the New World, the game best known for letting one player control three characters at the same time, has reached their second anniversary. In true MMO style, the game isn't letting the event slip by unnoticed as they release a major content patch and begin a celebration, all in the name of the anniversary.Nocturnal Sonata, version 2.9, adds a brand new unique player character to the mix. In Sword of the New World, players can control their own characters, their "family," or add in storyline characters called unique characters once certain conditions are met. This update adds Claire, the small girl who can pack an insane punch. Claire comes with the ability to hold a two handed weapon with one hand, and her specialty is... well... cannons. Adding her to your party, however, requires you to earn the trust of one of the game's NPCs and Claire's adopted brother, Claude.The update also includes the new raid instance, The Secret Tower (as shown above), as well as a new buyable dungeon, Bahamar Ancient Dungeon. For the full details, check out the patch notes available at the Sword of the New World main site.
Celebrating a guild anniversary in style
Pink Pigtail Inn has what is probably the most involved guild anniversary I've ever seen. We've seen quite a few anniversaries and events come through Guildwatch, but this one takes the cake: a huge competitive scavenger hunt, complete with out-of-game clues, banned class abilities (so teams could be balanced out), and even self-made quests involving the guild's lore. It's probably rare to find a group of officers that can be this committed to something normally considered "an RP event," but obviously it worked out, because the whole guild really enjoyed it.The context Larisa puts this in, however, is even more interesting. According to the Daedalus Project (a series of surveys of MMO players -- we've mentioned their work before), the majority of players can't celebrate a guild's anniversary anyway, as they haven't been in their guilds for even a year yet. I've never considered it, but it's true: while we are very attached to our guildies when we do find a good guild, we aren't really attached to them for very long, relatively speaking. There are stories of guilds going on for decades, but even those guilds have players coming and going -- if your guild has the same group of people playing together for a few years, you're probably in a smaller group than you think. PPI's example is a great one for any guilds who have been around long enough to celebrate it.
Dungeons and Dragons Online celebrates 3rd birthday
It may not feel like it to some of us, but Dungeons and Dragons Online is almost three years old already. Turbine announced that they'll be celebrating DDO's birthday in style, with bonus XP and loot for anyone who joins in: "Starting this Friday, February 27th, and running through February 29th March 1, DDO players will gain a 50% XP bonus and +1 tier bonus to loot quality! But the fun doesn't stop there! Once 50% XP and +1 loot are over with on Sunday March 1st, starting Monday March 2nd, enjoy 10% bonus XP for 2 weeks!" That's a lot of exclamation points but the message is clear; it's definitely a good time to jump into Dungeons and Dragons Online if you've been curious about the game, or have been away for a while. The third anniversary celebration is a limited window of XP opportunity so don't miss out.
MapleStory celebrating Valentine's Day with in-game event
Love is in the air in MapleStory, as they're joining other massively multiplayer online games in celebrating Valentine's Day. The festivities will run through February 24th, and will include a mix of unique in-game items and quests for the lovey-dovey crowd. On that note, players who want to tie the knot in-game also receive 15% off on their wedding tickets. Nexon provided the run-down of what's in store for MapleStory players with this extended Valentine's Day event. You can check out the details after the jump:
This afternoon, party like it's 1234567890 Unix time
Number aficionados, you probably already know what happens today. As of 6:31:30PM ET this afternoon it will officially be 1234567890 Unix time, which started at zero and has been counting seconds since the stroke of midnight on January 1, 1970, not counting leap seconds. We suggest you put on your best watch or other geek chic and enjoy that one fateful second of sequential bliss -- as the story goes, 1234567891, party over, oops, out of time. In case you've got other plans and can't celebrate the milestone, we'll see you December 22, 2282 at 3:13:30PM ET for the merriment of 9876543210. [Via Wired]
Canadian kiddo goes absolutely bonkers upon receiving Wii for Christmas
Given the completely ridiculous Wii shortage that's still ongoing, there's obviously no shame in being somewhat off your rocker if one shows up in a nicely wrapped box. That said, there's still no way anyone in their right mind should get this excited about receiving a $299 game console, but we can't say we didn't get a few laughs out of watching his celebration. We'll stop yapping and let you get to it -- head past the break to watch the world's happiest Canadian of all time. Just make sure your volume isn't jacked first. [Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
New Year's Eve in Azeroth tonight
Yes it's the end of another year, and it's time to celebrate! Just in case you're not out and about partying this evening, Azeroth is enjoying New Year's Eve as well, and the good news is that you can drink all you want with no hangover at all! This evening in the capital cities, there'll be kegs and holiday food to eat, and fireworks will light up the sky every hour (starting around 6pm server time, if this year is the same as years past). Plus, all the guards in Booty Bay are taking their annual night off, so there'll be PvP aplenty down there. And there are two quests in the game, one for each faction.Enjoy the holiday and stay safe, whether you're in the World of Warcraft or elsewhere tonight. From all of us at WoW Insider to all of you, thanks for making 2008 great, and here's to an even better 2009. %Gallery-12722%
Wowhead turns 2
Everyone's favorite -- well, mine at least -- World of Warcraft database, Wowhead, celebrates its second anniversary this June 26. The database, which originally started as a talent calculator that is reputed to have inspired how the official site's own talent calculators look, was launched in June 2006. Since its inception, Wowhead has steadily grown its features, from small things such as patch annotations and embedded tooltips to big and fancy things like stat weightings and 3D models and characters. To celebrate, they're holding a contest and a raffle, giving away cool gaming goodies from X-Keys every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to the main prizes of a top-of-the-line video card, a 24-inch flatscreen LCD monitor, and a custom-built gaming PC. Head on over to wowhead, register (if you haven't already), and give them some Happy Birthday loving. The promotion runs for two weeks starting today, but before you get all excited with the prizes, be sure to see if you're eligible. If, for instance, you're from Asia like me, the best you can do is have some cake and ice cream to celebrate on their behalf.
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Guild Wars
Player-driven in-game events are a sign of not only a healthy MMO community, but also a solid game. This is always the case when it comes to Guild Wars and its largest guild and alliance community: LaZy Nation, who is throwing their very own Cinco de Mayo celebration this week.Most appropriate for an event such as this, celebrating Mexican heritage, is the environment of the Asuran Lands which most-closely resemble those of the Incas in Mexico. For this reason, the Cinco de Mayo celebrations in-game will take place in Rata Sum, International District 1 on Saturday May 3rd, 2008 from 4pm to 6pm Eastern. Come show your support for not only this event, but also LaZy Nation for being one of the most charitable and community-driven guilds and alliances in the game.
Breakfast Topic: How are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day in game?
Today is St. Patrick's Day, and I'm sure my Irish Catholic grandmother will be proud of me when I show her this Easter holiday that I've managed to write something up on this Irish celebration. In fact, pictured above is my Irish leaning main character Osullivan overlooking the green river in Chicago. My friends in Defenders of The Pass over on the Eldre'Thalas server have teased me for years with green beer, and today, I'm going to have one and salute them all. /cheers!While there isn't any official World of Warcraft holiday for St. Patty's Day, festivities are bound to be popping up everywhere. Perhaps some merry drinking, maybe a few kisses to a stone, or maybe everyone rolls a red headed female dwarven warrior and dances around a bit.Besides my real life green beer that I'll be enjoying (most likely a Budweiser Select with green dye), I'll have to saunter over to a tavern and pick up some sort of Potent Ale. I think I'll drink it right before I go off to pull Archimonde, no doubt causing everyone to yell in bewilderment over vent. What are you doing in game for this St. Patrick's Day? And if you can, share with me and tip back the ol' glass at 9:00 EST tonight!
TR's Chinese New Year late?
Earlier last month the Destination Games crew announced that they'd be honoring the Chinese New Year in Tabula Rasa by sticking some black, blue, orange, yellow, and red fireworks in the pack of every member of the AFS in good faith. I was looking forward to seeing the mini fireworks shows that were bound to spring up in Foreas Base and all the other big player hubs. So you can imagine my confusion when I log on today and find no goodies waiting for me! Was the Chinese New Year delayed?Sort of, it would seem. I logged onto my new Forean hybrid and started going about all the newbie motions in the Forean Wilderness when I spotted GM_Bellum putting on a little fireworks show around the Alia Das waypoint. He wished me a Happy Year of the Rat and traded me some fireworks. I asked him when the event was starting, as the original announcement had pegged the event for today, February 7th. He said he'd just jumped the gun a bit with the fireworks, and wandered off. By all indications, I would assume that they'll announce the celebration tomorrow, as Fridays have always been their favorite day to announce things.
There is no Dana, only Omen
Happy Lunar Festival! Ae as we celebrate the festival of the moon in World of Warcraft, we should take pause to reflect on the many dogs in our life. From the hounds in MC (can't you just hear your old raid leader yell: "LOOT THE DOGS!"), to the annoying wolves that get in our way when farming Netherweb Spider Silk. But for a short time, there is no other top dog on the block then Omen.Hanging out in Moonglade, he's a real pain. Before you even think of killing him, you need to get to Moonglade first. Since I mainly roll with my warrior when attempting new things, I wasn't able to just take the easy way to Moonglade and teleport myself there. However, many thanks to Toast who filled me in on a little tip: talk to the Lunar Festival Night Elves in any major city to get a scroll that'll teleport you to Moonglade. To get the scroll all you have to do is complete a quest that has you light off a few fireworks that you can purchase from a near by vendor. Easy as pie.Once you arrive in Moonglade, head up to the northeast corner of the map, in particular around coordinates 53, 35. You'll find the quest "Elune's Blessing" from Valadar Starsong, giving you the task of killing Omen for some handy rewards.
