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Free to play MMO Cronous to launch in India
Lizard Interactive, the makers of free-to-play MMOs Cronous and Sho Online, has made an agreement with Servex of India to bring Cronous over to the Indian MMO audience.The Indian MMO scene is very much like the Asian MMO scene, where internet and gaming cafes dominate the market while at-home users only make up a small percent. To combat this, Lizard and Servex have also teamed up with Sify and Zapak -- two of the largest internet cafe chains in India. These chains will be offering special promotions and incentives for players who choose Cronous, as well as simply promoting the game in their stores.The Indian MMO scene is one of the best marketing choices right now, as the market is uncrowded and quickly gathering steam. This move is very similar to Rappelz's choice to move into the Middle Eastern market, choosing to take the costs of localization in order to tap an untapped player base.Cronous will be launching their Indian website later this month, with game service targeted for the same timeframe as well.
News from the Wider MMO World: August 12, 2008
The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.Trickster Online celebrates the Olympics with new themed itemsEven MMOs get into the spirit of real world competition, and Trickster Online has some themed items for your enjoyment. These masks, hats, and capes will have a particular country's flag on them; collect all five of each and receive a special item of each type. Check them out before the Olympics ends!Outspark Games offer Olympic-style competition within their titlesFrom now until August 24th, San Francisco MMO publisher Outspark will be hosting the Outspark Games, a series of Olympic-styled competitions within their online offerings. Titles Fiesta, Secret of the Solstice, and Project Powder will feature special events in-game. Expect medals to be granted to the top three winners, and increased experience points offered to all participants.More news after the jump!
Aeria adds Diablo-like Cronous to its library
MMO portal Aeria Games has acquired a new game called Cronous, which was originally developed by Lizard Interactive. Cronous' gameplay is similar to that of Diablo, Mythos, or Dungeon Runners. That makes it somewhat unique in Aeria's library, which is otherwise made up mostly of games of a different character such as Dream of Mirror Online and Shaiya.The game's info page lists most of the usual action-RPG features, plus "nonlinear storytelling" with regards to quests, guild castle building and management, and siege warfare. We don't fully understand the nonlinear storytelling bit, although it's included in the press release as one of the major selling points of the game. It sounds cool up front though.Sign-ups are already underway for a closed beta test, so if you want to give the game a try, that's probably your best bet.[Via Ten Ton Hammer]
Chinese gamers compete for free design courses
Beginning this week, Chinese gamers who log in to the popular Japanese MMO Cronous will have more to compete for than just bragging rights. Beijing-based Mudgame Technology, host of Cronous, is teaming up with New Oriental Education & Technology Group, the China Center for International Educational Exchange, Game College, and Yanjing Brewery to provide academic assistance for aspiring game designers. Players will be tasked with finding specified items (textbooks? Yanjing beer kegs?) throughout the virtual landscape of Cronous. The top 20 treasure hunters will be invited to particpate in Game College courses valued at over US$1.25 million, while the top player will earn the opportunity to study game design abroad in Korea. It's refreshing to know that even in China beer and college share a special connection (like yin and yang).See also: Shaiya, Guild Wars most anticipated in China
