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Exclusive interview with Hailan Rising's Adam Smith
Hailan Rising, an up-and-coming PvP title from Reloaded Productions, is currently in the screaming throes of open beta. It's always a fun time, especially for the development team, which is Producer Adam Smith was up for talking about how the game's coming along in these final weeks. Reloaded Productions is trying desperately to (what else) "wreck" the server by giving out prizes to the first three players to crash the game. Since destruction and mayhem are Massively's watchwords, we think you should help them out. Check out our interview with Adam Smith after the jump!
Win a Gusting Grimoire pet from WoW Insider
The newest WoW Trading Card Game set, Betrayal of the Guardian, is almost upon us, and what better way to ring in such a magical event than with a giveaway with equally magical rewards? We've got three codes for the TCG-exclusive Gusting Grimoire pet, a floating spellbook with a mind of its own. Battle pet collectors will totes love this tome For a chance to win, just comment on this post before 11:59 PM on February 21 and tell us your favorite spell in the game. On February 22, we'll randomly choose three winners and contact them to deliver their codes. You can only enter once. Because this is a purely digital item, readers of all ages and regions may enter for a chance to win.
Hailan Rising enters open beta, invites players to break the server
Hailan Rising, a level-less, free-to-play, PvP-oriented MMO from Reloaded Productions, is entering open beta on February 21st at 1:00 p.m. EST. To celebrate the beta launch, the development team is challenging players to crash the game's servers. This "Wreck It Week" challenge will reward the first three players (as reported by the devs' monitoring tools) to crash the server with in-game currency, items, and other goodies. The third place prize will be 10,000 G1C, the in-game currency. Second prize will net one lucky player 20,000 G1C, which is valued at about $240 USD. The grand prize winner will receive 40,000 G1C, an epic in-game item, an original weapon named for their game-crashing character, and a QA acknowledgement in the game's credits. Winners will need to have a GamersFirst account in order to receive their winnings. In addition, all closed beta participants will receive 200 G1C. [Source: Reloaded Productions press release]
Engadget Expand Giveaways: Official Rules
ENGADGET GIVEAWAYS OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE REQUIRED TO ENTER OR WIN 1. ELIGIBILITY Engadget Giveaways (the "Giveaways") are open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are 18 years of age or older. Employees of AOL Inc., its advertising or promotion agencies, those involved in the production, development, implementation or handling of Giveaways, any agents acting for, or on behalf of the above entities, their respective parent companies, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, licensees, service providers, prize suppliers any other person or entity associated with the Giveaways (collectively "Giveaway Entities") and/or the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members (whether related or not) of each such employee, are not eligible. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Void where prohibited by law. 2. SPONSOR The Giveaways are sponsored by AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 ("Sponsor"). 3. AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES Participation in the Giveaway constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. 4. ENTRY PERIOD The start and end dates/times of each Giveaway (the "Entry Period") will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. 5. ENTRY To enter a Giveaway, follow the instructions on the Giveaway site. Submission will result in one (1) entry. The number of times you can enter the Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The use of any agencies or automated software to submit entries will void all entries submitted by that person. 6. DRAWING At the conclusion of the Entry Period, Sponsor will select the name(s) of the potential winner(s) in a random drawing of all eligible entries received during the Entry Period (winner(s) may be selected by other methods as described on the Giveaway site). The number of winners to be selected in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the applicable Giveaway site. The odds of being selected as a potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period. Potential winners will be contacted via email and will be asked to provide their full name, age and mailing address within a specified time period. If a potential winner does not respond within the timeframe stated in the notification email, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from all entries received during the Entry Period. Limit one (1) prize per household per Giveaway. 7. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POTENTIAL WINNERS Except where prohibited, the potential winners may be required to complete and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release (the "Affidavit/Release") within a timeframe to be specified. If a potential winner fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Release within the required time period, an alternate entrant will be selected in his/her place in a random drawing of all entries received. Acceptance of a prize constitutes consent for Sponsor to use winner's name and likeness for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. Limit one (1) prize per household per Giveaway. 8. PRIZE(S) The prize(s) (including each prize's approximate retail value) available to be won in a specific Giveaway will be posted on the Giveaway site. No cash or other substitution may be made, except by the Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. The winners are responsible for any taxes and fees associated with receipt or use of a prize. 9. GENERAL CONDITIONS In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Giveaway is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Giveaway to address the impairment and then resume the Giveaway in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) award the prize(s) at random from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Giveaway or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Giveaway may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In case of a dispute as to the owner of an entry, entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the screen name from which the entry is made. The authorized account holder is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. 10. RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY By participating in the Giveaway, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Giveaway Entities from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Giveaway or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Giveaway; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Giveaway or the processing of entries; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Giveaway or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Giveaway Entities' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Giveaway, and in no event shall the Giveaway Entities be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. 11. DISPUTES Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Giveaway or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Commonwealth of Virginia. 12. GIVEAWAY RESULTS To request the name of the winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope (stating the specific Giveaway you are requesting the winners for) to Engadget Winner's List, c/o AOL Inc., 770 Broadway, Rm 6B:D56, New York, NY 10003. Requests must be received within thirty (30) days from the end date of the applicable Giveaway.
Today is your last day to grab Expand tickets at extra-early bird pricing!
That's right folks -- tonight, at 11:55PM PT, the special discount on Expand tickets is set to expire. Don't fret just yet, because you still have time to order tickets at the rock bottom price of $75, before they climb into the more expensive $100 price range. There, now our conscience is clear and we're confident that you'll use this information wisely. The Winners List You've been waiting for the announcement and now it's finally time to reveal the winners of the Expand Celebrates CES Sweepstakes. The grand prize winner of an expenses paid trip to Expand in fabulous San Francisco is none other than (...drum roll...) Rick F. of Minnesota! Our first prize winners of a pair of Expand tickets are Marcy C. of Ohio, Patrick L. of Texas, and Josh M. of Pennsylvania. Congratulations to all of our winners and a huge thank you goes out to everyone who entered. We'll have more giveaways in the weeks ahead, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled! And don't forget... time is ticking. Grab your tickets before the clock strikes midnight!
SteelSeries, J!NX, BradyGames and Epic Weapons team up for giveaway
Game gear specialists SteelSeries are teaming up with J!NX, BradyGames and Epic Weapons in a contest to give away loot that will help players navigate the Mists of Pandaria. Included in the prize list are a World of Warcraft Wireless Gaming Mouse, a Monk Paw t-shirt from J!NX, a Mists of Pandaria Signature Series guide book from BradyGames, and the grand prize -- a replica Doomhammer weapon from Epic Weapons. Entry is easy -- simply like Steelseries on Facebook, and play the fortune game with the jinyu to check and see if you're an instant winner. And if you don't win instantly, you'll still be entered to win the grand prize. Official rules are available via the Steelseries Facebook app. The contest runs from November 6 through November 20, so get moving and get your entries in.
APB: Reloaded previews new map for Halloween festivities
Like in most virtual worlds, APB: Reloaded's San Paro is preparing for Halloween. In honor of the occasion, a new map will be brought out for two weeks of celebration. The appropriately themed Asylum map will be used to host a Fright Club, which will replace the regular Fight Club starting today. Trick and Treat, the respective Halloween Contacts for Criminals and Enforcers, will be chilling in the Asylum with missions to hand out. Players will be able to go through six levels of holiday missions. In addition, players will be able to smash pumpkins -- and smashing pumpkins unlocks titles! Not only will players unlock the Pumpkin Chaser, Murderer, Assassin, and Terminator titles unlocked at various numbers of pumpkins smashed, but the top player in each world for pumpkin smashing will unlock the title of Pumpkin King or Queen. Two contests will round out the festivities: the Headless Gunman Pumpkin Head Contest and the Halloween District Parade Costume Contest. Check out the official contest forums for all the details on that heap o' goodness.
FTC offers $50,000 prize for stopping illegal robocalls, we could have used this a few months ago
Robocalling is considered a plague in the modern phone world, especially during an election year -- and while you likely won't get rid of all the pitches from political candidates anytime soon, most of the commercial calls are outright illegal. The Federal Trade Commission has devised a unique contest to help cut back on those law-breakers without having to chase down every shady debt relief offer. It's offering a $50,000 reward for the cleverest solution to blocking the banned variety of robocalls. The only requirement is that you be an adult US resident: if you can invent a surefire remedy in your basement, the FTC wants to hear from you. Entries will be open between October 25th and January 17th, with word of a winner around April 1st. We're hoping that the champion has a truly effective cure in use before long, because we'll undoubtedly have reached our breaking point on robocalls by... oh, around November 6th. [Image credit: SarahNW, Flickr]
Razer gives away custom Star Wars-themed Blade, may turn friends Imperial Guard red with envy
Razer has been big on Star Wars gaming gear, but never quite like this. Enter a free contest and there's a chance to win a completely unique Star Wars: The Old Republic version of Razer's Blade gaming laptop. The winner sees the system's normally black shell replaced with a matte, laser-etched aluminum gray and the green backlighting dropped in favor of a subtler yellow matched to the MMORPG logo. Anyone who brings out this portable at a bring-your-own-computer gaming party is inevitably going to be the center of attention, although we have a feeling some would almost prefer the second-place bundle of peripherals -- at an estimated worth of $15,000, the Star Wars Blade might be too precious to carry for all but the most well-heeled of fans.
Engadget's $50,000 back to school sweepstakes: just 24 hours to go!
Have you entered our back to school giveaway yet? If you've already commented on each of 15 eligible posts, you're all set -- you can only vote once on each article (15 times in all), so hang in there and wait for us to randomly select the winners. The rest of you, however, need to get a move on! There's only 24 hours remaining in the contest period, so be sure to get all 15 entries in before the clock strikes noon tomorrow. Good luck! Engadget's back to school 2012 sweepstakes: win one of 15 gadget-filled bags! Engadget's back to school guide 2012: smartphones Engadget's back to school guide 2012: tablets Engadget's back to school guide 2012: ultraportables Engadget's back to school guide 2012: e-readers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops Engadget's back to school guide 2012: gaming Engadget's back to school guide 2012: HDTV Engadget's back to school guide 2012: digital cameras Engadget's back to school guide 2012: portable audio Engadget's back to school guide 2012: accessories Engadget's back to school guide 2012: docks and clocks Engadget's back to school guide 2012: bags and cases Engadget's back to school guide 2012: printers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: fun stuff!
There are just four days left to enter our back to school sweepstakes with nearly $50,000 in prizes!
During the month of August, we published 14 back to school guides, covering product categories ranging from cameras and printers, to smartphones and ultraportables. With each post, we offered a selection of gadget must-haves, but we also gave you an opportunity to enter our massive back to school giveaway, including 15 identical bags stuffed to the brim (and far beyond) with some of the hottest devices of the season. You want these gadgets, and we want to help! The contest runs through noon (ET) on Friday, September 7th, so there's still plenty of time to enter -- simply leave a comment at each of our category pages, along with the giveaway post, to secure 15 chances to win. And to make things even easier, we're including links to all of our posts just below. Good luck, and have a fantastic semester! Engadget's back to school 2012 sweepstakes: win one of 15 gadget-filled bags! Engadget's back to school guide 2012: smartphones Engadget's back to school guide 2012: tablets Engadget's back to school guide 2012: ultraportables Engadget's back to school guide 2012: e-readers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops Engadget's back to school guide 2012: gaming Engadget's back to school guide 2012: HDTV Engadget's back to school guide 2012: digital cameras Engadget's back to school guide 2012: portable audio Engadget's back to school guide 2012: accessories Engadget's back to school guide 2012: docks and clocks Engadget's back to school guide 2012: bags and cases Engadget's back to school guide 2012: printers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: fun stuff!
Knight Age open beta launches today
The long-awaited event is upon us! People have been looking forward to this day for so long, and all that waiting will now pay off: Knight Age enters open beta testing today! Players entering the OBT will be able to keep their characters, levels, items, and all that jazz for launch, so your efforts won't be wasted. Unlock mounts -- including a new special duck mount -- and strike fear into the hearts of your foes as you charge into battle. Raise pets from tiny pupae into lean, mean, fighting machines. Experiment by fusing two pupae to create a new pet that combines the strengths of both parents. Engage in large-scale PvP battles to fight for the glory of wielding Excalibur, or fight in mounted battles against other guilds. Seize the day. Visit Knight Age's official site to sign up and hit up the game's Facebook page to get in the know. [Source: Joymax press release]
WoW Insider announces Transmogrification Contest runners-up
Two weeks ago, WoW Insider began a contest challenging readers to make a transmogrification outfit centered around a single piece of gear. Since then, we've received an absolutely insane number of entries (over 400 individual outfits in total), but we could only pick three prize winners in the end. Despite this, we thought it might be fun to show off all the contest entries. In the gallery below, you'll find the contest runners-up. These are some of the most impressive entries that for one reason or another didn't quite make the cut. And if you'd really like to see all of the entries, we made a separate gallery for them. Check back tomorrow to see the winners! %Gallery-163260%
Knight Age open beta events begin August 28th
The stars must be in an almightily peculiar alignment on August 28th because everyone wants in on that action. A Joymax press release today announced that Knight Age, a new free-to-play MMO, will enter open beta testing on the 28th. When the open beta does kick off, players will all be blessed with a double experience buff as a celebration of the game's Facebook page getting 3,000 Likes. Keep getting people to push that Like button to unlock new reward pellets! To help you bide the time until testing opens, a number of contests are kicking off. There are a whopping 17 events planned to entertain and entice players between now and the end of open beta testing (whenever that is). Lucky winners can get in-game items like helpful goodies or pets that will carry over into launch, and especially lucky winners can get stuff like a brand-new laptop. Prospective players can pre-register for open beta by creating a Joymax account and following the game's Facebook page for updates on contests and more. [Source: Joymax press release]
Transmogrification Contest: Create an outfit around a single piece of gear
My favorite dress in WoW is the Arachnidian Robes. The first time I saw them was right after patch 3.0.2 had hit live servers, when achievements were added. I was storming through the front gates of Stormwind in a For the Horde raid, when I spotted a human female wearing the robes near the auction house. She must have been some sort of bank alt, because that's all she was wearing, but I was so impressed by her that I stopped to inspect her amid the battle. I eventually tracked down the dress for myself four or five months later, but once I had it, I really had no idea what to do with it. It was pretty enough on its own to be a stand-alone outfit, and years before transmogrification, there was no compelling reason to try and match it to anything -- at least until recently, when my boyfriend followed up on a promise to take me to Serpentshrine Cavern. I had never seen the place and wanted an escort who had raided it when it was still new. While we were there, I picked up a pretty little tanking mace called Mallet of the Tides, which just so happened to match the Arachnidian Robes perfectly. Thus, a transmog outfit was born. With that as my introduction, I decided I'd do something a bit different for this week's transmog column. Just as I did, I now want you to create a transmogrification outfit of your own that builds on or complements a single piece of gear (armor or weapon) that you like. Submit your outfit by Aug. 20 at 11:59 p.m. EDT and you'll have the chance to win fabulous prizes and have your outfit featured here on WoW Insider. More details after the jump.
Engadget's back to school 2012 sweepstakes: win one of 15 gadget-filled bags!
Ready to pack away the swim trunks and sunscreen and head back to school? If you're a lucky winner of our annual back to school sweepstakes, you'll surely be itching to make the return to campus. With last year's contest deemed an incredible success, we're stepping up the offering for 2012, adding higher-end devices in almost every category. There's an Ultrabook from HP, Sony's new mirrorless camera and a Samsung Galaxy S III, just to name a few. If your name is drawn, we'll be shipping you an overstuffed Engadget-branded Timbuk2 messenger bag, filled with prizes worth more than $3,000 in all. And to increase your chances of winning, we'll be giving away a total of 15 identical bags! That means 15 laptops, 15 cameras, 15 smartphones and 15 very happy Engadget readers. So what are you waiting for? Jump past the break to see the prizes, and be sure to enter in the comments below, and another 14 times on each of our back to school category pages, launching throughout the month.
Get your Guild Wars 2 final beta weekend key here! [Updated]
The final Guild Wars 2 beta weekend event happening from July 20th to 22nd might just be your last chance to play the game before you decide whether you'll be pre-purchasing to play on August 25th for the head start. Luckily for you, we have some keys to give away for this final beta event so you can try it out for free! As part our final key giveaway on the site (that's right: We're not doing any more key giveaways for any games after this!), we're happy to end on a high note with 3,000 keys for our readers. Simply head on over to our giveaway page to grab yours before they run out, then head to http://register.guildwars2.com to redeem the key and start the download. Good luck and see you in Tyria! [Update: Keys are gone already!]
Ready for a new MMO? Grab your Maestia closed beta key here!
One of our favorite things to do here at Massively is introduce you to new MMOs. Luckily, Gravity Interactive has a new MMO called Maestia: Rise of Keledus that it wants you to check out. We're giving away 2,000 keys for the free-to-play fantasy MMO's upcoming closed beta, and all you have to do is head to our giveaway page to grab one. The beta itself starts on June 14th, but grabbing a key now will get you started and ready. Read past the cut for complete instructions on how to grab and redeem a key for yourself.
So who wants a Guild Wars 2 closed beta key?
I could write a bunch of stuff here about how Guild Wars 2 is the most anticipated MMO launch of the year and we bet you really want to play in the next beta if you didn't already pre-purchase the game, but we know you just want that key! So go getchoo one! Just click past the cut for a link to our giveaway page and complete redemption instructions for your chance to get started in June 8th's closed beta weekend.
Doodle 4 Google winner cashes in with 'Pirate Times' drawing, finds a Chromebook in the treasure chest
Avast ye! Google has announced the national winner of its fifth annual Doodle 4 Google competition, and we'd like to congratulate second grader Dylan Hoffman of Caledonia, Wisconsin for his fine work. As a response to this year's theme, "If I could travel in time, I'd visit...," Dylan created a pirate scene doodle that features a vibrant parrot, a rotund swashbuckler and a treasure chest full of loot to form the Google logo. According to Dylan, he'd ideally, "Sail a pirate ship looking for treasure, have a colorful pet parrot and enjoy beautiful sunsets from deserted islands." Sounds quite nice -- especially without the scurvy. For his creativity, Google has awarded Dylan with a $30,000 college scholarship, a Chromebook computer and a $50,000 technology grant to his school. Later this fall, Dylan's artwork will grace a special edition 64-count box of Crayola crayons. No doubt a fine plunder for an excellent work of art.
