ntreev
Latest
NCsoft takes a financial hit in Q3 2013
NCsoft's latest financial earnings report shows that the publisher took a substantial hit in the third quarter of this year. Sales, operating profit, pre-tax income, and net income were all down from both the previous quarter and Q3 2012. NCsoft blamed the dip due on a shuffling of Lineage's in-game sales from third to fourth quarter. Guild Wars 2 once again dropped in sales, while Blade and Soul came out the best in the report, seeing an uptick in sales thanks to a recent content update. Higher expenses were also to blame for NCsoft's lower profit margin, including an increased WildStar marketing campaign and relocating headquarters. Quarter-over-quarter, sales were down across most of NCsoft's subsidiaries save for NCsoft Taiwan and Ntreev Soft, which both saw a bump in sales. [Thanks to Sharvis for the tip! And note, the unit on the Y axes is million South Korean won, not US dollars.]
Power Rangers Online holds open beta event
It's been quite some time since we last heard anything about the mighty Power Rangers Online, but apparently it's made significant progress since then. According to the game's site, Power Rangers Online is currently hosting an open beta event in Asia until January 2nd. Unfortunately, it's a little difficult to translate the page for more details, as it's one large graphic. Still, it looks as though there are product tie-ins and special rewards for those participating. [Thanks to Antonio for the tip!]
NCsoft weathers $6M loss in Q2
NCsoft may have more banking on Guild Wars 2 than once thought. The mega-publisher announced that its second quarter earnings were lower than expected; it posted a $6 million loss for the period. Revenues were down 12% from last year to $130 million, of which a vast majority came from NCsoft's online titles. The company stated that it dipped into the red due to rising labor costs, an increased marketing budget for Blade & Soul's Korean launch, and the acquisition of Ntreev. Aion was also blamed for the company's financial woes, as revenues in that title sharply decreased due to fewer microtransaction sales. Both Lineage titles composed a great share of the company's revenues, with the first game producing 45% of sales and the sequel 13%. NCsoft said that it is banking on Guild Wars 2 to produce a profitable third quarter, however.
Try Grand Chase: Chaos' Rufus character free from Massively
Everyone loves freebies -- here at Massively we love getting them, but we love giving them too. The latest in our lineup of Goodies From Massively is a new item courtesy of the development team over at Grand Chase: Chaos. The developers have brought back the Nightmare Circus event and given us three hundred keys for the Rufus character. Ready to give him a try? Head over to our giveaway page to grab a code, then download Grand Chase and create a character if you haven't yet. Once you've done so, visit the game's coupon redemption page to use the key you got from Massively, then check back in to Grand Chase to find your item in your inventory. Enjoy, and thanks to the Grand Chase: Chaos team for the goodies!
Go go Power Rangers Online! For real!
Because we miss the '90s and the wonderful fads that it introduced to our culture, Korean developer Ntreev has announced the return of the fabled Power Rangers -- this time in MMO form. Officially unveiled on Friday in Seoul, Power Rangers Online is prepping for its first Korean closed beta, which should begin November 3rd with extremely limited numbers. The game is designed to be a side-scrolling action MMO based on the Power Rangers Mystic Force series. Player will make their own unique character but choose an iconic color (i.e., "class") from the show. As they level up, players can outfit their characters with gear other than the Power Rangers classic spandex-slash-biker motif. So far the beta consists of two "acts" with 14 stages and storytelling comic book-style sequences. If you're fully secure in who you are and have no compunctions about friends and family members questioning your viewing habits, you can look at some of the first screenshots in the gallery below and watch the teaser trailer after the jump! %Gallery-137937%
Exclusive: Trickster Online's Songs of Love and Fate
Heads up, Anime fans: SG Interactive's Trickster Online is on the verge of releasing what it's calling "the largest episode in the history of Caballa Island." The cutesy, free-to-play, 2-D isometric MMO out of South Korea aims to launch Episode VI, the grand finale of its second season of content, on October 6th. The episode, titled The Songs of Love and Fate, includes a new escort system, 18 new characters, 23 new maps, 17 new monsters, 15 new normal quests, and 41 new scenario quests. And as you might guess from the title, the update will tell a love story rather than focus on the mysteries of the island itself. Who says a game has to be 3-D to tell a good story? Past the cut, we've got an exclusive teaser video with the highlights from this upcoming content patch. Enjoy!
SG Interactive launching GameRage portal
SG Interactive is in the news today thanks to its new GameRage online portal. Who the heck is SG Interactive? Well, the company was originally called Ntreev USA and is headquartered in southern California. Its portfolio includes Trickster Online, Grand Chase, and Pangya, as well as several other free-to-play titles. GameRage will provide centralized contests and events, giving players a sort of one-stop shop for all of the happenings across SG's catalog. There's also a mission zone which allows achievement comparisons across titles, and a reward zone where in-game event winners will be immortalized. GameRage is currently live, and you can sign up at the service's official website. [Source: SG Interactive press release]
Trickster Online and Pangya United want to send you to Las Vegas
SG Interactive wants to send you to Las Vegas, and all you have to do to qualify is play one of the company's MMORPGs. A new press release spills the beans, and entering the contest is as easy as completing a couple of in-game events. Said events are happening in Trickster Online and Pangya United, and one winner from each title will take home a prize pack that includes airfare, hotel accommodations, and tickets to attend the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. What's the skinny on the events themselves? First up is The Pirates of Pangya Island contest. The pirate queen Kooh is challenging players to collect gold coins hidden at the 18th hole of each Pangya Island course. All you have to do is collect one coin and you'll automatically be entered into the Las Vegas trip contest. The Pangya event ends on September 21st, and the winner will be announced on the 22nd. Entering the Trickster Online contest is even easier. Rack up 100 hours of game time by September 28th and you'll be eligible to win. The victor will be announced on October 5th. [Source: SG Interactive press release]
Massively interviews Ntreev on rebranding to SG Interactive
Last month we heard that North American MMO publisher Ntreev USA was rebranding the company as SG Interactive. Originally established in Southern California in 2006, Ntreev was a relative newcomer to the MMO scene. It has since published the manga-esque free-to-play titles Grand Chase, Pangya and Trickster Online. The rebranding was announced alongside news that the company would be launching a new online portal and taking on board several new free-to-play games. For fans of Ntreev's titles, the news of rebranding brought about a few concerns. Would players lose their Ntreev points during the switchover? And with the addition of new games to the mix, would the existing games get less development time? We caught up with SG to get the lowdown on its recent rebranding, the direction the company is now taking, and what it all means for players. Skip past the cut for the full interview.
Ntreev rebranding as SG Interactive
Ntreev USA, the publisher behind free-to-play titles Grand Chase, Pangya, and Trickster Online, has announced a corporate rebranding as well as new games and an online portal. In a press release made public earlier today, Ntreev revealed that it has changed its name to SG Interactive and will be expanding to offer new online games and services through a portal that is scheduled to launch early next year. The portal will focus on existing F2P titles as well as several new games, the details of which will be announced before the end of 2010. SG Interactive, originally founded as Ntreev in 2006 and located in Southern California, was recently acquired by SmileGate, the Korean publisher responsible for Cross Fire. Be on the lookout for a Massively interview with SG Interactive coming soon.
Trickster Online's Spring Poppuri Olympics flings out prizes
They all laughed at you when you told them you were playing a 2D sprite-based MMORPG with characters cuter than The Smurfs, Rainbow Brite and Pokémon all rolled into one. Now you have the chance to wave a brand-new iPod touch in their faces and crow "Who's laughing now? Who's laughing now?" as they fall to their knees and scream to the sky. Ntreev's Trickster Online continues to roll out special events and contests for its playerbase, as it just announced their Spring Poppuri Olympics, which starts March 18th and runs through April 7th. Players can net some snazzy prizes through this event, including an in-game pet, an iPod Touch 32G, an autographed 2010 World Cup soccer ball, and more. To win, players are tasked to drill for special "Poppuri Boxes" hidden across Caballa Island. If you are level 40 and find at least 200 of these boxes, you will be eligible to win the goodies. "We love to watch the fierce drilling spirit of our players during these Poppuri events," said Chris Lee, CEO of Ntreev USA. "Players will be rewarded nicely with some fabulous prizes for this exciting event and we hope to deliver more events in the future with even greater in-game and real-world prizes." Since Trickster Online is a free-to-play title, there's no reason why you shouldn't head on over to their website, and check it out to see if it's up your alley. And with the lure of a free iPod touch, there's no time like the present!
Trickster Online Revolution kicks off two new in-game events
Tricksters! There are new games afoot for you to take part in across Caballa Island, just perfect for those of you who love nothing more than to uncover secrets in Trickster Online Revolution. The team at Ntreev has lined up two games -- the Lucky 13 challenge, and the Megalo Snipe Hunt GM event -- to bring even more excitement to the game. The Lucky 13 event will start March 4th and run until March 17th, offering players a chance to level up their unrefined equipment and win prizes like Gacha coins, GM pets, and even posters of new Trickster Online Revolution art with GM signatures. Three lucky winners from this first in-game event will also be picked to get 50,000 points for use in the game. The GM event will involve a hunt for disguised GMs all over the game world, and promises to net players all manner of goodies like GM disguise kits, Chaos Feather Random boxes, and other fun things. It certainly sounds like the spirit of the Trickster games are alive and well in the Ntreev team, so if it's been a while since you've logged in and spent some time in the world, you'll want to make sure your client is all patched up and ready to go on the 4th. If you've never stepped foot in Trickster Online Revolution, be sure to check out our First Impressions posting about it, and see if it sounds like a free-to-play game you might find fun.
Trickster Online's fifth episode to launch on October 7th
The free-to-play MMO about a MMO, Trickster Online, will soon be entering its fifth episode on October 7th, adding another layer of story to the game as well as more areas and quests to complete.Trickster's story is a little complicated, as the game is about, well, a game. The "Trickster Online Revolution" game is the last wish of one Don Cavalier, wealthy billionaire and founder of the game development studio, "Megalo Company." The Don's last will and testament states that he wants his fortune to be split up to those who win his final game, and your character is one of the people who have flocked to his mysterious island to become a virtual "Trickster" (half-human, half-animal being) and claim his fortune.The new episode will uncover the secrets behind the Megalo Company, introducing Don Cavalier's headquarters, the Island's master computer "Joker," and the location of the Don's sarcophagus. We dunno why he buried himself in a sarcophagus, but hey, he's eccentric, he can do what he wants.We have the trailer for episode five placed after the break, so if you're interested in watching then jump on through!
First Impressions: Trickster Online Revolution
Do you dig anime? Are you fond of mythology when coupled with strange and adorable characters? Looking for a free-to-play MMO with a large community and a surprising amount of PvP? This week, we look at the free-to-play/microtransaction title Trickster Online Revolution, which includes all of those and quite a bit more. Remember - this isn't a review; just a First Impression of a new (to us) MMO. As always, if it looks interesting to you, be sure to check it out on your own. After all, it doesn't really cost you anything beyond a bit of time. That said, on with the show!Trickster Online Revolution is actually not a new title in the free-to-play space. This game actually launched on August 22, 2007, and has been steadily gaining players since then. The Ntreev USA staff have worked hard with the Ntreev Soft staff in South Korea to create many things from beginning quests to special pets and items specifically for the North American localization. From what I could tell, the community in the North American game seems to dig all the work they've put into it - and are definitely enjoying those fun little pets! Participate in the Revolution >> %Gallery-39544%
Super Swing Golf Season 2 trailer is completely ridiculous
Most Japanese teaser trailers and advertisements for games are a little weird, but we never knew the struggle on the links could be so epic. Battles are waged and balls are struck in such an unrealistic manner that would make even Happy Gilmore say "that's just too much." But, it's a video game, so things don't have to be ultra-realisticWhat do you all think? Is the game looking like fun, or do you not go in for golf games, no matter how different they are from the traditional sport?[Via Go Nintendo]
