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Mu Rebirth second beta celebration starts today
Webzen wants you to know about its second beta celebration for Mu Rebirth. What is Mu Rebirth? It's an MMORPG based on the "classic gaming style" of the original Mu, albeit this time with a heaping helping of PvP. The game features 400 levels (no, really), but Webzen says that players can go from one to 400 in "just one to two hours" (again, really) in order to facilitate the game's focus on player-vs.-player battles. Webzen is also promising to deliver daily events run by GMs "recruited from all over the world." The second beta celebration runs through August 21st, after which Webzen will announce details of Mu's open beta. Oh yeah, we've also tucked a teaser trailer after the break. [Source: Webzen press release]
Webzen puts Arctic Combat on ice
Longevity in free-to-play games is odd. Some seem to last forever while others barely make it to one year. Arctic Combat was well on its way to the one-year mark after launching in December of last year, but Webzen has announced that the game will be closed completely as of September 2nd. The gradual shutdown started on August 2nd, with the item shop and downloads disabled, but service will continue for players still in the game until September. Players looking for compensation will receive money for use in other Webzen titles and are eligible to pick up special compensation packs in several other titles, including MU Online and Allods Online. Direct refunds are not offered. Our consolations go out to all players and staff members affected by this shutdown. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
MU Rebirth begins beta sign-ups
Never get to attached to an upcoming game title in this industry, as it can change at the drop of a hat. Webzen has renamed MU Chronicle R to the somewhat-less-unwieldy MU Rebirth and announced that the title is now accepting sign-ups for its closed beta test. MU Rebirth is a remake of MU Online with a heavy PvP emphasis. The level cap will remain at 400, although Webzen says that it is significantly speeding up the leveling process so that players will hit that number in two hours. Yes, you read that right. This plays into the "rebirth" feature, which allows players to go back to level 1 while retaining gained stats. The closed beta test of MU Rebirth will run from July 3rd to the 10th. Webzen will be hosting a global PvP tournament during the test, although details for this contest are forthcoming. [Source: Webzen press release]
E3 2013: Webzen teases Mu Chronicle R and other titles
At this year's E3, Webzen was hyped to chat about its lineup of games, though it was close-lipped on many of the details. C9 players who remember the extreme dungeon exclusive Massively had a few weeks back are about to get a little more good news in the form of a spoiler: Sorry, but you don't get to actually kill the new boss, just reseal him. Then on June 27th, Webzen plans to announce details on a new adaption of Mu Online currently codenamed MU Chronicle R. Unlike the current Mu, the new game will focus on leveling up and PvP. To promote future bloodshed, Webzen will be holding global tournaments with cash prizes after the game is released. The update will happen across the globe, and in order to prepare for this, Webzen plans to recruit game masters from each region and reward the top GM with prizes. In addition, once the URL has been released, people who "like" the game's pre-launch Facebook page will be entered into raffles that award prizes like an Alienware gaming laptop, Wcoins/gPotato currency, and... apparently some sort of mystery prize. Really, that's all we can say about this till the 27th! The team also teased work on Archlord 2, MU 2, and a mobile Mu game (not a port but a brand-new game. We don't know whether it's related to Chronicle R). Finally, Webzen's MMOFPS Arctic Combat will be seeing another patch hopefully in July.
GDC 2013: The MMO impact of the Webzen and Gala-Net merge
Acquisition. Though it sounds pretty benign on its own, when used in reference to one developer taking over another, the word can inspire fear in the hearts of gamers. Questions quickly arise about the future of titles that fall on the acquired side of the equation. How will the games and players be affected by the change? Will there even still be a game? I sat down with Claas Wolter (European PR Manager) and Deanna Peter (Marketing/PR Associate) to discuss just this topic regarding the recent purchase of Gala-Net (the parent company of gPotato) by Webzen and how that acquisition will affect Allods Online, Age of Wulin, Terras Militaris, and the company's other MMORPGs.
Webzen pops the cork on its third anniversary celebration
Good things come in threes, they say, and nobody knows this better than Webzen. In 2009, Webzen came on the scene as a free-to-play publisher and set up an online portal to serve as a nexus for all of its games. Since then, the company has released three MMOs through its service and recently crossed the three-year mark. With all those threes, it's time to celebrate! To celebrate its third anniversary, Webzen is throwing events in Archlord, MU Online, and Soul of the Ultimate Nation. By participating in these in-game events, players can win an assortment of prizes ranging from an Xbox 360 to in-game currency and items. The third anniversary events will start tomorrow and run through April 18th. Webzen's Head of Global Publishing, Jihun Lee, reflected on the company's achievements: "With the start of MU Online, Webzen.com has received much support from our users. As a result, in three years we have been able to become one of the leading global game portals. With the service experience of free-to-play online games, we are making all efforts to meet the users' needs and provide better services." [Source: Webzen press release]
Webzen giving away fully geared high-level characters
Have you ever played an MMORPG and thought, wow, this would be fantastic if I could ditch the pesky progression? If so, Webzen has a promotion for you. It's called Skip the Low, Jump to High, and it kicks off today and runs through March 14th. The company is giving away free high-level characters and items in ArchLord, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and MU Online. ArchLord players will receive level-60 characters that are fully geared, while S.U.N. fans can look forward to level-90 toons with gear and level-up boxes. Last but not least, MU players will get level-220 characters and +9 weapons and armor. But wait, there's more! MU is offering double XP during the promotion period, and S.U.N. is bringing a new server online. [Source: Webzen press release]
Check out Webzen's full games lineup with our all-in-one giveaway
Everyone loves a good beta key giveaway -- checking out a new game before the general population and helping to improve said game is a tempting pairing. Here at Massively, we've got a beta key giveaway with a twist! Webzen, the company behind MU Online, R2 Online, Archlord, and S.U.N., has given us 1,000 all-in-one beta keys to share with our readers. A single key will give you access to new content and more in each game. For Archlord, you'll be given a level 100 character, limitless free access to cash items, and access to the new Ascent From Hell expansion -- all on the beta server. In S.U.N., you'll have a special potion which will level your character to 30, a beta key mount and fast level-up, and the ability to create the new Episode 2 class. R2 Online players will be invited to the second user test and will be able to experience the currently-unreleased Siege and Spot Warfare content. Finally, the all-in-one key will give free access to MU Online's Rage Fighter Class. To participate, all you have to do is pick up your key on our giveaway page, then head to Webzen's All-In-One event page. Create your Webzen account if you haven't already, redeem your key where indicated, and choose the game you want to access first. Enjoy your all-in-one access, and our thanks to Webzen for providing the keys! [Sorry, all codes have been claimed]
Get a head start on Season 6 of Mu Online with our closed beta key giveaway!
Season 6 is coming to Mu Online, and it's even bigger than most fans expected! The update was delayed this spring due to the natural disasters in Japan, as Mu Online's global network systems pass through that country. Work on Season 6 had to go on the back burner while more crucial repairs were made, but everything is up and running now and Season 6 is ready for beta! This update features the introduction of the new Rage Fighter class, so even if you're familiar with all things Mu this will prove an exciting addition for you! If you're interested in checking out the new content, we've got a closed beta key for you to do that very thing. Just visit our giveaway page to pick up your key, then create an account if you haven't yet. After that, head to the beta page to redeem your key, and enjoy Season 6! [Sorry, all codes have been claimed]
Webzen announces a trio of new titles
Korean publisher Webzen is preparing to blitz MMO players with a slew of new titles in 2011. First up is Archlord X: The Chronicles, a sequel of sorts to the company's popular Archlord. Set 100 years after the first game, Archlord X revolves around a feud between Orcs and Humans. Webzen plans to push the MMO into closed beta in South Korea in the first half of this year. Webzen also announced that it has several brand-new titles that the company is planning to reveal fairly soon, perhaps at G-star. These MMOs include an expansion to MU Online, MU2, and the mysteriously titled Project A. MU2 is being developed using the Unreal Engine 3 and takes place before the events of MU Online. Project A, on the other hand, is all about large-scale battles in the Middle Ages -- perhaps somewhat like Medieval: Total War. We'll be keeping an eye on Webzen as it expands its lineup in the coming months!
Webzen celebrates first anniversary with events in three games
MMO developers love to celebrate the "birthdays" of their games, but what happens when the developer itself reaches a milestone? In the case of free-to-play MMO portal Webzen, the answer is "throw a party in every game we have." Webzen is celebrating its first anniversary with special updates and events in MU Online, Archlord, and Soul of the Ultimate Nation. MU Online players will find new content with the game's second major update. New maps, new items and more are being added to the game as well as giveaways of jewels and ZEN. The NPC Leo also has some special gifts for anyone purchasing gold channel tickets before the 18th. Archlord is celebrating by inviting more people to the party, so to speak. Webzen is adding an American server to the game, and invites players in North and South America to join the fun. Finally, Soul of the Ultimate Nation wins the prize for the flashiest celebration with the week-long Mayan festival. The event is going on now, with huge XP bonuses for returning players, special items in the shops, and a "matching" program when you purchase W Coins. Check out the event page for all the details, and congratulations to Webzen!
Where's Webzen?
Two Hammers at MMO-centric blog gamebunny writes that Webzen is slowly making a retreat from the North American market. The Korean publisher, currently developing the much-anticipated Huxley, has cut Parfait Station and Wiki (aka Project Wiki) from its game roster on the North American site. Although Webzen has not announced cancellations of the titles, only three games remain displayed on the site: MU, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and Huxley. Release dates are not set for SUN and Huxley. The disappearance of Parfait Station and Wiki comes on the heels of Webzen relinquishing their publishing rights to All Points Bulletin, three years after having obtained them. Real Time Worlds bought back the rights to APB in April. These changes could diminish Webzen's presence in the North American market for the foreseeable future, and their radio silence on where Huxley is in terms of release doesn't help matters. Quite a number of people seem to be excited about Huxley, particularly among the Massively team; we can only hope that Webzen is just re-prioritizing their projects and releases for North America, and that they're not going to disappear on us anytime soon.
