Ragnarok
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WotLK bestiary presents the Jormungar
The official WoTLK bestiary has been updated yet again with another of the creatures we'll be meeting in Northrend. This time, we're introduced to the Jormungar, a race of massive worms with sharp teeth capable of boring through solid rock. Apparently, they were used by the Nerubians as slave labor to hew out their massive subterranean empire. However, when that empire fell to the Scourge, the Jormungar broke free, and now run rampant, drilling through the permafrost and destroying everything in their path. It seems likely that the worms themselves are named after the Norse mythological figure Jormungandr, a child of the trickster god Loki, also known as the the World Serpent who surrounds the Earth. In the end times of Ragnarok, he will kill Thor (although Thor will kill him first). Now really, you know that anything bad enough to kill Thor himself is something you have to take notice of, so if these Jormungar are even half as strong as their namesake, it looks like we could have a lot of trouble with them. Maybe we should look to the old massive sandworm Ouro (whose name is likely a homage to another mythical serpent, the Ouroboros), to give us some idea of what we might be facing. [via MMO Champion]
Requiem Bloodymare footage is not that horror-ific
A few days ago, Zenke brought us news that the folks behind Ragnarok were working on a "Horror MMO" called Requiem: Bloodymare. At the time, we had no idea how you'd pull off a gory, horror-based MMO, but thanks to Joystiq's YouTube-searching abilities (these videos were all posted back in November-- whoops), we now have video, and you can see above just how this thing might play out.In a few words, "just like every other MMO." Granted, this is the starting area (which explains why the mobs are just standing there being neutral), but even the trailer itself doesn't promise anything super new-- the same old spells, grinding, standard MMO gamplay, and "extreme battle effects." It doesn't look bad, but it doesn't look new either, so anyone hoping to have a real horror experience in an MMO (I had my hopes up, if only for a second) will still be waiting.But maybe the quest text, in Korean in the video, will add that much more to the experience. Release is set for sometime this year, so we'll see.
Ragnarok 'Online' not as online as you may have thought
Well, we had one day to freak out over a DS MMO. We can all relax now. It turns out that Gungho's planned DS Ragnarok game is not going to be massively multiplayer. It's an action-RPG with some unspecified Wi-Fi use. Maybe, if we're lucky, it'll be online multiplayer on a smaller scale.Okay, here's a thought experiment for you: what's more of a cash-in: an MMO, or a handheld spinoff of an MMO? Oh, well, we like action-RPG's better than MMO's anyway.
Ragnarok Online announced for DS
Better get a DS now if you don't have one, because when Ragnarok Online comes out, all DS shipments will by necessity be diverted to Korea. Ragnarok, for those of you lucky enough to avoid the onset of MMO addiction, is a hugely popular Korean MMO known for its adorable 2D sprites and mascot characters (at least, that's what we know it for.) Like Maple Story, we have no idea if this will actually be a DS version of the real game, or if it'll be a smaller-scale online game, or even online at all. In the same press release, publisher Gungho Online Entertainment announced an aquarium simulator and a flower-arranging game. That's pretty great too.[Via Famitsu]
SUN is most anticipated game in China
According to the latest poll from Chinese gaming site, 17173.com, Korean developer Webzen's Soul of the Ultimate Nation is the most anticipated game in China. Other titles in the top ten include Guild Wars and Granado Espada (both will be operated by WoW host The9), as well as Kingdom of Warriors, Ragnarok Online 2, and Rohan. Analysts are predicting China's online gaming market will approach $1 billion in annual revenue within the next year, surpassing Korea. In response to this gaming boom, major publishers such as Electronic Arts, NCsoft, Take-Two, and Ubisoft have opened development offices in Shanghai. Webzen is currently putting the finishing touches on MMO-shooter Huxley for the North American market, but has also opened an office in Shanghai to produce Kingdom of Warriors.See also: Disney, Shanda bring online content to China
Rumor: Ragnarok Online coming to the DS?
Is the South Korean MMORPG, Ragnarok Online, on its way to the DS? That's the question being asked over at the official Nintendo forums, as new scans from a Japanese mag have surfaced and seem to indicate that yet another online RPG may soon be joining the expansive DS games library. Though there's nothing shockingly original about Ragnarok Online, what with its high abundance of fantasy landscapes and pointy hats, it's hard to deny the appeal of a fully fledged MorePeeGee in portable format. Of course, with the current status of Nintendo's Wi-Fi service, one has to wonder what sort of monthly costs would be involved and how things such as content expansions (perhaps via the GBA slot) and server switches would be handled. For all we know, this potential version of Ragnarok may be greatly simplified - cooperatively online as opposed to massively online. Does the idea of a MMORPG on the DS excite you, or do you simply flee in terror when faced with so many capital letters at once?[Via DSupdates]
