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Secret of the Solstice is reborn
It's been a while since we've heard anything from Secret of the Solstice, but today we have no choice but to announce that it is no more... specifically, because the game is undergoing a major upgrade. Changing its name to Solstice Reborn, Outspark's isometric free-to-play game is getting a wide variety of improvements including an overhauled UI, a number of 3-D graphical improvements, and a wide variety of new quests and enemies added to the existing gameplay. The game is also heavily tilting toward the social networking side of play, and not just via integration to Facebook. Several new elements tie in directly to social interactions, such as the Marriage quests and the new Master and Pupil system. Whether you've never tried the original game or just want to see what the changes are, Solstice Reborn looks to be an interesting update to an older game and a fun ride for anyone willing to give it a shot. Plus, if you're into winning free trips to San Francisco, the Outspark team is holding a contest to fly you and a friend out to WonderCon 2011. Check the official forums for more info!
Divine Souls open beta starts tomorrow
The brand new free-to-play fighting MMO Divine Souls is gearing up to slash its way into open beta. As of December 14th, players can jump in and select one of three classes (Fighter, Slasher, or Mage) for intense PvP and PvE action that Outspark claims will make your console jealous. The devs have made the open beta client available for early downloads and are also treating fans to a new trailer viewable front and center on the Divine Souls website (or after the cut here on Massively, if you prefer). Check out our previous coverage for a screenshot gallery as well as another teaser trailer. [Thanks to Jimmy for the heads-up!]
Get a beta key, be divine: We have Divine Souls keys for you! [Updated]
Do you miss the days of the fighting, combo-driven brawlers? Do you like pounding your hand on a keyboard/joystick, trying to rip off intense combos that make your friends jealous? Do you hope that one day, your combo-riffic skills could be seen by the world, so you could be hailed for your amazing finger dexterity? Well, that day may have arrived with the coming of Divine Souls, Outspark's new action/MMO hybrid. Sure, you can team up with your friends to take on dungeons, a la Phantasy Star Online, but now you can do it by literally beating the hell out of everything that walks in front of you. If you want more information, or a key to this new type of MMO, come and join us after the break!
Divine Souls ready for closed beta
Outspark introduced Divine Souls to us about three months ago, and things have been pretty quiet since then. That was changed today, when Outspark delivered a new teaser trailer, new screenshots, and a start date for closed beta. Divine Souls is pretty straightforward: Choose one of three classes -- a Fighter, Slasher, or Mage -- and jump right into a console-style fight game. The game offers PvP as well, with a choice of small-scale battles with one to four players per team or larger guild vs. guild fights. Take a look at the gallery for a closer look, check out the teaser trailer after the jump, and visit the Divine Souls site for the full scoop on this new game. Divine Souls enters closed beta on July 7th. %Gallery-96274%
Fists of Fu entering closed beta June 23rd
Last month's announcement that Outspark was developing Fists of Fu came as welcome news to those seeking family-friendly gaming. Today, Outspark gave us a closed beta date of June 23rd and a brand-new teaser trailer. The trailer's amusing disco soundtrack combined with plans for a weekly Fists of Fu comic strip promises a fun, lighthearted take on gaming from this developer. Some of the planned beta events are already on the game's calendar for the first day, such as "Beat the fu out of GMs," which is pretty much what it sounds like: PvP with the GMs. "Fill Your Fists" promises some nice loot to get a head start on things, and there are more events to come for closed beta testing. Interested in getting a beta key for yourself? Sign up on the Fists of Fu site, and good luck!
Outspark's Fists of Fu punches its way into existence
Outspark breaks from the norm to provide a humorous twist to the MMO genre with Fists of Fu. This free-to-play 2.5D MMO offers gamers the ability to join up with friends for multiplayer PvE action as they take on the nefarious Monster King and his evil companions. Details are not all in, but we know there are up to 30 skills to master for each class (Fighter, Archer, or Magician). Plus, players can participate in insane 4v4 PvP matches on specially designed maps, in order to earn new ranks, status, and items -- even rare items! Founder and CEO of Outspark, Susan Choe, states in a press release: "We really love the light-hearted fun that Fists of Fu brings to the table as compared to the normally serious nature of the MMORPG genre. Not only is the game enjoyable from a narrative standpoint, but the depth of customization, the modes available for players and the anime style graphics really makes it a must-play title." No release date has been set as of yet. But be sure to check out the trailer and sign up for the beta on their website.
Erebus closed beta 2 begins tomorrow
Outspark plans to enter the second closed beta phase of their free-to-play MMORPG known as Erebus: Travia Reborn on April 14. The isometric Diablo-style action game will add a dueling system, three PvP maps, three new instanced dungeons, and an increased level cap (50) starting tomorrow. Additionally the Outspark team has added guild versus guild warfare, a new tutorial, and many tweaks to both the leveling curve and the skill system. Many changes were made based on feedback from the initial closed beta phase that wrapped in March. "The first Closed Beta was a big success. We kept it mostly in the Outspark community, but we still had thousands of people sign up to play, and the feedback they provided was invaluable. I think people who participated in the first beta are really going to like the changes we made and the new features being added for Closed Beta 2," said Ben Berens, Erebus Associate Producer. Check out our impressions of Erebus from GDC and, if you haven't already, sign up for the closed beta tests.
Erebus: Travia Reborn goes into closed beta soon
Billed as an "MMO action RPG" Erebus: Travia Reborn is the newest game to join the Outspark stable. Set to head in to closed beta tomorrow (Wednesday, March 17th) and offering 3-d Isometric gaming that reminds us of old-school dungeon-crawling, we suspect that Erebus: Travia Reborn will likely draw some old-school eyes. Based on an already existing Korean game called Travia, we got a chance to play with it a bit at GDC 2010, and our impression was of a fun free-to-play title that returns us to some of our earlier days of gaming. The simplistic stat system combined with a heavy leaning towards action-packed game-play looks to be a good mix for folks new to the genre as much as for those who love nothing more than to spend hours leveling their characters. If you haven't picked up a closed beta key as yet, there may still be some available around the web, or you can apply for the closed beta on the Erebus main site. While characters will be wiped (it's still closed beta after all) there's still something to be said for getting in early and having fun before the crowds show up! Players who manage to hit level 10 in the closed beta will also get a special surprise (we have no idea what it is either) when open beta starts too.
GDC10: Erebus hands-on impressions
This year's Game Developer's Conference featured a ton of free-to-play titles, and one of the most intriguing was Erebus: Travia Reborn, a classically inspired dungeon crawler with retro graphics and a distinctive Diablo-esque feel. We sat down for a hands-on demo with the developers from Outspark and came away enthused about trying the full version of the game when it releases later this year. This free-to-play MMORPG, as its subtitle suggests, is inspired by the Korean game known as Travia, but has been heavily modified for western audiences. "We've updated the graphics, changed game play, added in faction warfare, new classes and skills, and rebalanced the game, making a ton of changes. Erebus is a really unique dungeon crawler for North American and European audiences," said the Outspark team. Hit the jump for our impressions as well as the teaser trailer.
Ride a turkey in Fiesta and help feed the homeless in America
We here at Massively always appreciate it when games give back to the community, and the folks over at Fiesta seem to follow our line of thought. In celebration of Thanksgiving, they've released the new Thomas the Turkey mount for players to grab from the item shop.Thomas is a special beast, however, as 100% of his proceeds until November 30th will go towards Feeding America, a charity that works with local food banks to provide food to the homeless and needy. After the 30th, Thomas will stick around in the Fiesta store as a standard mount.Thomas is currently priced at around $6.80, but it's good to know that the money will be going to a good cause. So don't dilly dally, go out and purchase your turkey before the 30th to make sure you help the homeless and get a sweet ride while doing it.
EA finds a publishing partner in Outspark
If you think you stepped into bizarro world there for a moment, chances are you might be right. Electronic Arts, one of the leading publishers in the gaming industry, has partnered with Outspark, the MMO publisher/games portal company that holds Fiesta and Secret of the Solstice, to bring a brand new rhythm game to the US. Yes, that's right, EA is the developer while Outspark is the publisher. Freaky, we know.The game, dubbed Debut, is coming out of EA's Korean studio J2M. Debut will feature a "casual MMO atmosphere," which will undoubtedly be something like the other rhythm games on the market and not an MMO as we see it.So how does this affect us beyond the fact that this story includes Outspark? The reason EA has come on board with the company is due to their attraction to Outspark's business platform, which we discussed in an earlier article. The platform allows any developer to use Outspark's registration, billing, and community functionality, as well as list the game on Outspark's portal. They like to call it "marketing-in-a-virtual-box," and if that approach is enough to attract EA, then it most certainly will be drawing the eye of many other, perhaps more mainstream, MMO developers.
Fiesta Online fires up a new server
When it comes to growth in the F2P world, Outspark's largest game Fiesta seems to be doing quite well. They recently opened up a new server, Cypion, in June to make sure they had enough room for their steadily growing playerbase. Now we get word that they've just opened up another new server, Legel, to make room for even more players. Not to leave it at just that, Outspark have decided to throw a party in honor of the new Fiesta server. From now until September 15th, the first 500 players to hit level 50 will get a unique Coin of Teva for the event. This coin can be redeemed for a "permanent, unique, new exclusive in-game item called the Coat-of-Arms." Now why they don't skip the Coin bit and just give the first 500 level 50 players the Coat, well - your guess is as good as ours. At least on a new server you've got lots of leg room to run and other new people to level up with, even if you don't zoom to 50.
Outspark to reward Fiesta's fastest levelers with 1 million Spark Cash
The free-to-play game Fiesta from publisher Outspark has announced the game's "Race for 1,000,000" contest, which will be held in tandem with the launch of Fiesta's newest server Cypion on June 3rd. In celebration of the opening, Outspark will give 1,000,000 Spark Cash to the first three players to reach the game's level cap of 105. The promotion's site is counting down to the Cypion launch, at which time more info (namely rules and restrictions) about "Race for 1,000,000" will be posted.
Outspark giving away $15,000 in prizes to players
If you're one of the people playing any of Outspark's free-to-play games - Fiesta, Secret of the Solstice, Wind Slayer or Project Powder - we've got a bit of news that may be of interest to you. Apparently Outspark has decided to reward the players who are using their item mall with a little contest. From now until May 17th, 2009 anyone who makes a purchase of at least $25 will be entered for a prize drawing. What's up for grabs? Well, that depends on how much you spend in their item mall. If you drop at least $25 on SparkCash, you'll be entered in the drawing for one of 250 'Ultimate Gamer Packs' which include lots of in-game items for your character in whichever is your favorite Outspark game. Of course, if you plonk down some serious dinero - $50+ in SparkCash - you'll be entered for the cherry prize. One lucky player will walk away with a $15,000 prize pack: Toshiba 46" REGZA XV645 LCD Screen 1080p 120 Hz TV Samsung HT-BD1250 Blu-ray Home Theater System 1 Year Netflix Subscription As usual, this contest is open to those who are 18+ and a US Citizen. They've got all the information over on their page for those who are curious. So if you've been considering spending some money in the Outspark item mall, good luck! Maybe you'll get lucky and all that SparkCash will net you something bigger.
Outspark creates publishing platform, advertises to developers of all sizes
Free-to-play games portal Outspark spoke out about their future plans two weeks ago, and it seems it slipped out of our vision by accident. Outspark will be soon making a formal announcement about the release of their upcoming games service platform, which will be providing solutions for huge developers and small developers who are looking to get their games out onto the internet.The platform is a vertical business structure, offering the ability to tie the game into Outspark's own login system and cash shop system, their installer package, game statistics and finance statistics tracker, content management, and marketing structures. Simply put, a developer can publish a game to Outspark's system, reaching out to Outspark's already sizable user base.Gamasutra had the chance to catch up with Outspark's CEO, Susan Choe, and talk in-depth about the upcoming platform. For the full story, jump on over to Gamasutra for all of the juicy details.
Outspark announces closed beta for Wind Slayer 2D MMO
Wind Slayer, not to be confused with the sexy Champions Online villain Mind Slayer, was first announced late last year from the MMO's publisher Outspark. It is described as "a 2D side-scrolling MMO that features six classes, character customization and player-versus-player modes." Did we mention it's free?Now, the closed beta for Wind Slayer has been announced for January 7th through January 14th. This short closed beta will be used for player feedback before the open beta begins in February, and an official launch is slated for later this year. Check out their website for more details on entering the closed or open beta.
News From the Wider MMO World: September 16, 2008
The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.World of Kung Fu opens screenshot contestFrom September 15th to the 30th, VestGame Entertainment has partnered with zownder.com to create the first World of Kung Fu screenshot contest. "This contest really gives us the chance to showcase the awesome graphics and spectacular artwork that forms such an integral part of the game", says David Clarke, World of Kung Fu's North American Producer. The Grand Prize includes a permanent Xuan Wu mount and over a hundred rare items such as high level Forging Vouchers, Advanced Craftsman Charms, Sky Pearls, and much more. For more information, visit either founder's website.Gaia Online brings Snoop Dogg and the Incredible Hulk to the virtual mallEach month, residents of the virtual world Gaia Online have a chance to vote for their favorite real-world celebrities as part of the Celebrity Snare section of the website. As an example, the latest items to have been made available are Snoop Dogg's hairstyle, and the Hulk's torn-up purple pants. "Gaia Online is truly an extension of our users' real life interests and passions and Celebrity Snare is just another way we're enabling Gaians to customize their online persona and express themselves to the community," said Craig Sherman, CEO of Gaia Online. "The same way fans hang a poster on their bedroom wall or wear a t-shirt with their favorite band on it, we're enabling our users to establish a connection with the celebrities they admire." Further celebrities to go virtual will include Elvis Presley, Justin Timberlake, Tila Tequila, Paris Hilton, Raven Symone and Marvel's She-Hulk.
News from the Wider MMO World: August 26, 2008
The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.Mabinogi welcomes Generation 3The MMO that bills itself as "your fantasy life" has gotten its next upgrade with Generation 3. Now Mabinogi players will have the ability to marry each other, complete with license and wedding attire for both genders. An overarching quest will require warriors to recover dungeon seals to prevent the Fomor from entering the world. And finally, the pet system gets an overhaul, with new interactions, behaviors, and controls. The removal of the combat cap, increased UI options, and new items all await players in Generation 3.Neocron 2 developer declares insolvency10Tacle Studios AG, parent company of Reakktor Media GmbH, developers of Neocron 2, declared insolvency on August 6th. They are awaiting an insolvency administrator to determine what will happen with the game servers. In a later update to the original forum post, Kirk Lenke, CEO of Reakktor Media announced that the insolvency will not affect business operation of Neocron 2, and that they are still in development for upcoming title Black Prophecy.
News from the Wider MMO World: August 12, 2008
The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.Trickster Online celebrates the Olympics with new themed itemsEven MMOs get into the spirit of real world competition, and Trickster Online has some themed items for your enjoyment. These masks, hats, and capes will have a particular country's flag on them; collect all five of each and receive a special item of each type. Check them out before the Olympics ends!Outspark Games offer Olympic-style competition within their titlesFrom now until August 24th, San Francisco MMO publisher Outspark will be hosting the Outspark Games, a series of Olympic-styled competitions within their online offerings. Titles Fiesta, Secret of the Solstice, and Project Powder will feature special events in-game. Expect medals to be granted to the top three winners, and increased experience points offered to all participants.More news after the jump!
Fiesta celebrates Independence Day with themed items
Outspark's Fiesta will celebrate the spirit of independence by holding a special parade for each game server, originating at Elderine and continuing on to OX Field, starting July 3rd. Additionally, there are a number of themed items that not only look festive, but grant bonuses to play as well. For example, the Liberty Hat grants a 7% additional probability for Critical hits, and the Uncle Sam pet boosts stats by +7. Get it? Seven?If you're wearing or using any of these items during the parade, GMs will give you treats in the form of treasure chests. These items will become available on the 1st of July. Check out the site for more information. Celebrate with Fiesta -- After all, the fun's baked right into their name!%Gallery-26337%[Thanks, Travis!]
