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Get your steampunk on with a model blaster from Massively and ARGO Online
Do you love all things steampunk? Have you been indulging that preference in ARGO Online? Well, that's about to pay off thanks to Massively's latest giveaway. The ARGO Online development team has given us some awesome model blasters sure to delight any steampunk fan. The first prize winner will receive the Big Daddy, an 11.25-inch revolver complete with display stand. Three second prize winners will receive The Consolidator, a smaller raygun model, also with a display stand. So what do you have to do to get your hands on one of these? Play some ARGO, of course! Send your best screenshot of steampunk gameplay in ARGO Online to rubi@massively.com by noon EDT on Monday, May 9th. Let us know what area of ARGO you took it in and what we're seeing, and we'll choose the four best on Monday and send each winner one of these deadly looking little beauties. In the meantime, check out our gallery below for a detailed look at your potential new toys. Please read our contest rules for eligibility information, and good luck to all! %Gallery-122999%
ARGO Online launch day is here
burda:ic has announced the official launch of its steampunk/sci-fi/fantasy hybrid ARGO Online. The free-to-play game is shedding its open beta skin and welcoming players to the 23rd century, according to a new press release that details everything the burgeoning title has to offer. New ARGOnauts will take on the role of World War IV survivors, and they'll don their choice of two factional mantles (the tech-savvy Noblian or the nature-loving Floresslah) before embarking on a journey rife with quests, dungeons, and PvP. ARGO Online features eight classes, traditional guild and auction house systems, as well as pet and achievement mechanics designed to immerse players in a unique F2P experience. Head to the game's official website for more info.
New ARGO Online trailer shows off Naihill content
burda:ic has released the newest trailer for ARGO Online, the steampunk-fantasy MMO currently going through its open beta phase. The clip features footage from the newly discovered continent of Naihill, which has expanded ARGO's post-apocalyptic world and its content. In addition to new lands (and dungeons) to explore, Naihill offers new PvP battles, new mounts, and new pets and is currently available for open beta participants to experience. The video clip clocks in at just under two and a half minutes and is composed of equal parts fly-through footage, PvE combat, and PvP action. See for yourself after the cut.
Kick it into overdrive: ARGO Online's open beta starts today
Forget the Starship Enterprise -- the 23rd century apparently has more interesting tales to tell with a wild blend of steampunk and fantasy. If the world of ARGO Online has intrigued you, then you'll be a-jitter with excitement to know that burda:ic's latest title is going into open beta today. The team's also posted a new interview with SongQwo, the head of ARGO Online's development. How does he feel about how it turned out? "I am very proud of the game. I'm actually quite popular -- for my kids and their friends and schoolmates I'm sort of a celebrity... And after the last steps of optimization, we think that ARGO became a quite nice game." ARGO Online's been proceeding on course through a series of closed beta tests over the past few months, so the announcement of open beta is a good indication that the game is nearing launch. You can check it out for yourself by signing up at the official site.
Get your ARGO closed beta key from Massively!
Last week at GDC we had the opportunity to take an up-close look at ARGO Online, the upcoming post-apocalyptic free-to-play game from burda:ic. We'd love for you, our readers, to have that same opportunity, and since the closed beta begins today, the timing couldn't be better! We've got 2,000 beta keys to share -- simply visit our giveaway page to claim your key! Once you've got your key, create an account if you haven't done so, enter your beta key on the registration page, and download the client. Once you've downloaded and installed the game, you're all set to enter the world of ARGO -- have fun!
GDC 2011: ARGO Online pits nature against technology
If imaginative fiction has taught us anything, it's that the fun doesn't really begin until the world ends. Post-apocalyptic games are all the rage these days, from Earthrise to Fallen Earth, so it's not surprising to see another company throw its hat into the ring. Burda:ic may not be a household name, but it's hoping that its upcoming MMO, ARGO Online, will be. Achim Kaspers, the managing director at burda:ic, was overflowing with information about ARGO's unique look and business model. ARGO is planned to be a free-to-play title, although Kaspers is well aware of the stigma that typically goes along with that. He admits that many F2P games are lacking in content or are grind-heavy, fates he hopes ARGO will avoid with thousands of quests, fluid combat animation and plenty of places to explore. Billed as a "post-apocalyptic steampunk MMO," ARGO features a futuristic Earth divided between nature and technology. The Noblians are all over cool-looking steampunk devices and vehicles, while the Floresslah have united with nature to become its champions. We've been following ARGO since last year, so we're excited to hear that the title is scheduled to start its open beta tomorrow. Hit the jump for more of the good word on ARGO from GDC as well as a special treat for Massively readers! %Gallery-118525%
Land of Chaos Online devs answer your questions!
Last month, we offered Land of Chaos Online fans the chance to ask the developers all about the game in exchange for answers and prizes. The winners have been chosen, the questions have been answered, and burda:ic is in the process of handing out prizes to those who asked the winning questions. Product Manager Hendrik Loga stepped in to see what the players wanted to know and answer their questions. He covers everything from upcoming features to PvP mechanics to lore, so follow along after the jump to see what the players asked and what Alaplaya has to say about LOCO!
ARGO Online reveals faction info
ARGO Online's marketing has been picking up a head of steam in recent days (yes, we went there). With a new website and the announcement of closed beta signups, the free-to-play steampunk title is setting its sights on desktops everywhere. Today, developer burda:ic brings us new faction-related information in the form of a press release detailing the eco-friendly warriors known as Floresslah. The Floresslah dedicate themselves to protecting humankind from the supposed evils of technology, which would seem to be a curious path to choose in a steampunk-flavored game. Nevertheless, the Floresslah are formidable opponents, with an army that features Elementarists, Warlocks, Rogues, Shamans, Druids, and several other classes that harness the natural magic of the world. Check out class details on the official website, as well as a Floresslah trailer after the jump. Don't forget to sign up for beta while you're at it.
ARGO Online opens up closed beta signups
Looking for something interesting to play on your older might-as-well-be-steam-powered computer? How about a free-to-play MMO? What if I said it was a hybrid steampunk post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy free-to-play MMO? If that sounds interesting then grab your keyboard, as the closed beta for ARGO Online is gearing up and burda:ic is looking for all manner of testers. ARGO Online is a world torn by two factions -- the nature-loving Floresslah and the technology-based Noblians -- struggling to gain supremacy of what's left after dropping enormous bombs on each other. Among many of the things players can look forward to in the upcoming beta are classes like Bomber and Chaser, PvP challenges that will offer wide-ranging battles between hundreds of players at a time, a pet system, tradeskills, and more. The system requirements are also fairly low, which opens up the potential for more people to play. If you'd like more information or you want to sign up and lend a hand with testing, head over to the ARGO Online website and check it out.
Steampunk MMO ARGO Online launches teaser site
Steampunk MMORPGs are few and far between. In fact, aside from Gatheryn, we were hard-pressed to think of any. Until today. burda:ic GmbH, a German free-to-play publisher responsible for Avalon Heroes and Florensia, has issued a press release announcing the development of ARGO Online, a futuristic steampunk title featuring a variety of quests, PvP modes, professions, and a pet system. A new website has also been unveiled, and it boasts a teaser trailer for the Noblian (one of ARGO's factions). Further details are somewhat sketchy at this point, but the game is slated for a Spring 2011 release, and we'll of course keep you posted on any and all developments.
ARGO Online clanking towards the West
When it comes to interesting combinations, how does the idea of a steampunk, sci-fi, fantasy, free-to-play title grab you? Interest piqued? Well, when we heard that ARGO Online will offer a combination of these varied things, our ears definitely perked up. Even better, burda:ic and MGame are partnering up to bring this diverse-mix MMO to the West in early 2011. Set in a dark future, ARGO Online will drop players into a mishmashed world where these divergent themes will come together as the technologically advanced Noblians and nature-inspired Floresslah battle for supremacy. The game will feature eight different classes, traditional PvE questing, different PvP scenarios with a ranking system, achievements, and more. If you're curious for a look at this upcoming title, then be sure to check out the trailer behind the break. In the meantime, we'll be over here shining up our goggles and getting ready for some high-flying MMO fun on a blimp.
We're LOCO for Lands of Chaos Online beta keys!
You liked them, you grabbed them, and now we have more of them! Lands of Chaos Online has provided us with another 1,000 closed beta test keys to hand out to y'all, so grab them while they're still hot! Plus, if you missed our last giveaway, now's the time to strike! Lands of Chaos Online, or LOCO for short, is a Defense of the Ancients (DotA) styled game paired with traditional massively multiplayer mechanics, all wrapped up in a third-person shooter shell. It's a hybrid to the extreme, but it does provide for some fast-paced combat and hectic sessions of leveling. We took a look at the game during GDC 2010, so if you're interested in learning more about it, or seeing some trailers of the game in action, look no further than our coverage! So, need the details on how to get in on the ground floor? Jump after the break and we'll tell you all about it.
Land of Chaos Online closed beta key giveaway
We've been hearing about Land of Chaos Online since this year's GDC, and the upcoming free-to-play game piqued our interest for its unusual presentation. The combination of traditional fantasy elements, third person shooter design, and a cast of 30+ pre-defined characters rather than customizable avatars lent a very different feel to the game. If it interests you as much as it did us, we have a chance for you to explore the game yourself. Land of Chaos Online developer Burda:ic has provided us with 1,000 closed beta keys to give away to our readers. Since that group includes you, head over to our giveaway site for your key. Then visit the LOCO site to activate it, and you are all set for beta! It's very important to note that while you can activate your key immediately, closed beta does not begin until May 27th. So activate your key, and be patient -- closed beta will be here before you know it!
Florensia: A game of pirates and magic
Call it "Pirates of the Sea of Blue-Haired Girls", call it what you will, the latest Asian import MMO to touch our shores is the unique Florensia, which burda:ic will publishing for Western eyes sometime soon. Captain a ship, explore hidden mysteries, use magic, fight pirates, perform quests all across the world. Build your own ship, customize your character to look just the way you want. If you took Pirates of the Burning Sea, sped up the game play (especially sea battles -- watch the video below -- changed the style from realistic to cartoonish, added magic and removed the subscription price, you'd have Florensia.Florensia has just ended its closed beta test and will be going into open beta test sometime in July. Defend your city from peril from the sea and the land, join in massive sea battles -- what's not to like? The system requirements are so low that you could practically run this game on an abacus. It's definitely worth a look, so expect to hear more of Florensia in the coming weeks.Video after the jump. Check out those sea battles!
