perfect-world-entertainment
Latest
This week on the MMO Report
The MMO Report this week is chocked full of pre-E3 goodness, and Casey Schreiner wants to tell you all about it! How are you preparing for E3? Casey and the rest of the MMO Report crew are staying up late and gaming early. Although, they took time out of their exhausting schedule of coffee and mouse clicking to fill our heads with the latest SWTOR Advance Classes propaganda and Guild Wars 2 world changing events. Because most of us are computer inept, WoW demanded Casey give pun-filled detailed instructions on how to sign up for the Cataclysm beta. If you play it back slowly, you can follow along. Casey expresses his soft-spot for Torchlight especially when Perfect World and Runic form a bond. Plus, viewers predict the future of MMOs and feel around in Casey's Mailbag. All this and more in G4TV's The MMO Report. Oh! Don't forget to snag your fart/laugh ringtone.
Celebrate the summer in Perfect World International
Grab your beach towels, slather on the sunscreen, and slip on a pair of shades, for the summer is upon us! Just because we love MMOs doesn't mean we can neglect healthy seasonal traditions. Perfect World International is excited about the summer as well, and is ushering in an ocean's worth of new content for players to dive into a month early. If a makeover is your thing this season, then you'll be thrilled to know that you can finally switch between the Demon and Sage paths with a new conversion feature. Maybe you want to see what it's like to be a good girl or a bad boy, for once. The neglected Tideborn players won't be left out of the beach party, either -- they can now acquire Demon and Sage skills, as well as a few other new skills for the Assassin and Psychic classes. Grab a few pals for a quick game of "Kill the Nien Beast," as the grumpy Gus returns for another swipe at Archosaur. This Public Quest was so popular during the spring that it just had to come back for round two. Finally, for the remainder of the month of May, catch a wave at the Double XP Event -- hang ten with double XP, double Spirit and double items!
Battle of the Immortals adds fourth server
Battle of the Immortals, the newest free-to-play from Perfect World Entertainment, has seen great success in the two weeks since launch. The team at PWE received mixed reviews from the open beta, but gained quite a bit of player appreciation by listening to that feedback and making quick changes, a move that helped them retain a fair amount of players and gain many new ones. That willingness to work with their fans combined with a game with improving reviews has earned a larger player base than the Battle of the Immortals team counted on, and they're moving to accommodate those players by launching yet another server. Jonathan Belliss, PWE's product manager, announced the Poseidon server yesterday: "Player response has been tremendous and within two weeks since open beta started, we are already launching our fourth server, Poseidon. Aptly named after the Greek god of the sea, the Poseidon server will help meet the flood of players." The Poseidon server is located in the US East Coast -- set to GMT -4 -- and comes complete with a few handy bug fixes, so be sure to check them out.
Torchlight sales surpass 500,000 units
Gamasutra reports that in the weeks preceding its launch on the shiny new Steam for Mac client, Runic Games' top-down RPG Torchlight hit a pretty substantial milestone. Since its launch last October the game, which typically sells for $20, has been purchased over 500,000 times. We imagine Perfect World, the game's publishing partner that recently purchased a majority stake in Runic, is pleased as punch about reaching the sales milestone. You should be, too -- in honor of hitting the half-million mark, and in celebration of the game's launch on Mac, you can grab Torchlight on Steam for $10 for a limited time.
Jade Dynasty reveals first details of next expansion
Perfect World Entertainment's free-to-play MMO Jade Dynasty hasn't seen an expansion since last November, so fans have been hoping that another is on the way soon. Players received some new dungeons just last month to hold them over, and now PWE are beginning to drop hints as to the next expansion. The newest developer blog post over at PWE gives an overview of two new classes coming with the expansion as well as ten new screenshots detailing some of what's to come in this as-yet-unnamed expansion. We get our first look at the Celan and Rayan, powerful new forces sent by the Athan. We learned about the impending arrival of Territory Wars, in which alliances will fight it out for control of different lands within Jade Dynasty. If that isn't enough, the post ended with a hint of much more to come: "but what good is the ability to conquer the world without some upgrades? How about smoother movements, better physics and destructible environments?" It looks like PWE have much more planned for this expansion, but for the time being, check out the latest information on the developer blog.
Adventure in a Forsaken World with some help from your friends at Massively
If you're a fan of Perfect World Entertainment, or if you've enjoyed Battle of the Immortals, Jade Dynasty, Ether Saga Online, or Perfect World, then we've got something that will be right up your alley. It's called Forsaken World, and it's the next offering from the guys at PWE. Forsaken World is an interesting little title, as we've discussed on Massively before. Not only is a vampire-esque race counted amongst the game's races, but the game also features large scale plotlines and a varied group of classes. Forsaken World seems to be a very deep game, but none of us can say that for sure until we play it. And if you're looking to play the game, then just take a leap after the break to find out how to nab yourself a key!
Perfect World Entertainment invests in Torchlight MMO
Torchlight received quite a bit of attention last year when Runic Games announced that they would be releasing the game as a single-player, with an eye for MMO development in the next 18 months or so. Since then, Torchlight has done very well for itself: Runic Games recently announced that they had sold over 500,000 units. The success inspired confidence in publisher Perfect World Entertainment, who solidified their commitment by purchasing an $8.4 million majority stake in Runic Games. PWE -- best known for their Perfect World MMO and more recently Battle of the Immortals -- is the publisher of the Torchlight MMO and the game itself can be found under the Perfect World banner. PWE hopes that the combined expertise of the two companies will spell success for both: "By collaborating more closely with Runic's professional team, we seek to combine their creativity and expertise in game development with our deep understanding of the online game market to create global titles."
Perfect World grabs majority share in Torchlight developer
Perfect World, a China-based developer and publisher of several MMOs, revealed today it has acquired "a majority stake" in Runic Games for approximately $8.4 million. Runic is the studio that spawned from the ashes of Hellgate: London's Flagship Studios and is best-known for Torchlight, its single-player Diablo-inspired action-RPG. Previously, in April 2009, Runic had entered an agreement that made Perfect World the exclusive worldwide publisher of Torchlight. Considering Perfect World is primarily an MMO publisher, it's fairly obvious the company gobbled up the majority stake in Runic in anticipation of the developer's Torchlight MMO, which is reportedly about two years away. With this acquisition, Perfect World has stated that it seeks to "create global titles" -- so more Hot Dance Party MMOs then?
Gameplay on parade in newest Battle of the Immortals video diary
It's a big day for Battle of the Immortals, as the open beta has finally started on the most recent Perfect World Entertainment game. Closed beta was quite successful, with the development team rolling out requested features like improved access to the high-end Soul Gear and improved keybinding (complete with standard WASD movement schemes). To celebrate the occasion, and to give players who haven't been following the game too closely an idea of why they might want to start, the game has released its fourth video developer diary today, this time focusing on the content found within the game. Jon Belliss, Product Manager for the game, focuses on the game's dungeons, starting off with one dubbed Knight's Jail. Everything from gameplay to rewards gets covered, complete with a semi-snarky reference that "you can complete it in ten to fifteen minutes, as long as you have a group that isn't full of idiots." He goes on to discuss the later Dragon Emperor Catacombs, which can switch between a low-level "easy mode" and a more rewarding "normal mode," and Spectre Island even beyond that. Take a look past the cut for the full diary, and keep your eyes open for more news on the open beta for Battle of the Immortals.
First round of Battle of the Immortals beta brings changes
One of the best things any MMO developer can do is listen and respond to their players, particularly during beta testing. Perfect World Entertainment seems to be fully aware of that, as last night an email was sent out to everyone who participated in the first round of closed beta testing for Battle of the Immortals: "We've been collecting a ton of feedback from our players and last night, we delivered!" Beta testing in this case did exactly what it was supposed to: tracked down bugs and drew player feedback on what they did and did not like. The majority of the player base, for example, disliked things such as click-to-move only and the ability to bot in-game. The bot has now been removed, and WASD movement has been added. That's just the beginning, however. Follow along after the jump for a peek at the email from the Battle of the Immortals team, and be ready for open beta on May 4th.
First Impressions: Battle of the Immortals
We've been hearing quite a bit from the guys over at Perfect World Entertainment in anticipation of the launch of Battle of the Immortals lately. The game has been given a fair amount of hype, thanks in large part to the promotion of innovative twists on standard game features such as mounts, pets, and gear. Does the game live up to the buzz? Well, closed beta began on the 14th, and I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to check it out. Follow along after the jump for a look at Battle of the Immortals.
Battle of the Immortals launches closed beta
Perfect World Entertainment has unleashed the closed beta for their upcoming Battle of the Immortals MMORPG. To celebrate, PWE is offering up a pretty spiffy launch trailer, embedded below after the cut, as well as a couple of contests designed to show their appreciation for hard working beta testers. The first is a leveling competition, wherein the highest level characters of each class will win 10,000 Zen for their account. Additionally, testers can participate in a survey contest by filling out various e-mail surveys. If you complete them all, your name will be entered into a pool from which five winners will be drawn, also culminating in a prize of 10,000 Zen. Be sure to grab your beta key, and don't forget to hit the jump and check out the launch trailer.
Battle of the Immortals releases second video developer diary
We've been hearing quite a bit from Perfect World Entertainment's upcoming free-to-play MMO Battle of the Immortals over the past few months. The developers originally planned for a closed beta in early February, and wound up delaying it until April 13th to ensure a well-produced game. This move bodes well for Battle of the Immortals, considering some of the ambitious features added to the game. Several of these features have been mentioned and described this year, such as Soul Gear, the intricate mount system, and a highly unusual pet system that allows you to potentially make a pet out of any enemy in the game. Perfect World Entertainment has released a new video developer diary featuring Product Manager Jonathan Belliss, and he's got some more details on all of these features. If you're anxiously waiting to see how all of this is going to pan out in beta, you'll enjoy the video for both the information and the gameplay footage. Follow along after the jump to see for yourself!
Perfect World Entertainment introduces new dungeons
Perfect World Entertainment has rolled out previews of new dungeons in two of their games, and fans should be pleased with what they find. Jade Dynasty introduces the Dread Labyrinth, a 5-6 man dungeon for players in the 120-150 level range. Navigate the Flower Cave, Stone Fall Cave and the Demon Village to face the fiery wrath of the creature in the Kirin Cave and earn Taichi Pills and Sky Coins. (What is a Sky Coin? Sky Coins can be used as currency to purchase Unique Pets, Sky Serenity Charms and in the future, awesome Espers.) Ether Saga Online players can take a sneak peek at The Obscurity, the upcoming 4-6 man dungeon, featuring five boss fights including fallen deities and mighty dragons. Both dungeons are coming soon, but for now you can make the wait a little easier with plenty of information and screenshots from both the Dread Labyrinth and The Obscurity.
More Battle of the Immortals info, including upcoming closed beta
The crew over at Perfect World Entertainment have been hard at work localizing their upcoming action MMO, Battle of the Immortals. But as we find out from their Product Manager, Jonathan Belliss, this isn't just a question of localizing the story or converting the in-game text over from the original language to English -- the ramifications are far further-reaching. In their most recent video developer update, we're not only treated to some in-game eye-candy, but Belliss informs us that the team at PWE has been really doing their homework on the differences between Eastern and Western gamers and what they enjoy in their games. One of the major things many were wondering about is how the cash shop will be utilized. In China, players expect a "pay for power" model, which Belliss clearly states that they know Western players "absolutely hate." As such, they've put in a lot of time doing a massive overhaul of the game, placing the power upgrades in as drops, and instead gearing the cash shop towards "convenience" -- something much more palatable to the Western gamer. Add to that, we've now gotten word that the plans are to start up the Battle of the Immortals closed beta on April 14th for players to get a chance to start testing these new gameplay changes. So if you've been curious about getting your hands on this beautifully-detailed upcoming Diablo-esque action MMO, then you'll want to be sure to head over to the Perfect World Entertainment site and get signed up. If you're curious about everything Belliss had to say in the recent developer update, we've embedded that video behind the break for you to check out. We'll also be talking with Jon Belliss and Jason Varden from PWE on an upcoming edition of Massively Speaking, so you'll undoubtedly be hearing more about this game soon!
Heroes of Three Kingdoms shows off extremely shiny weapons
The other day we hooked you up with a bunch of closed beta keys for the newly-announced Heroes of Three Kingdoms, but players were asking us for some in-game footage to check out. Thankfully, the folks over at Perfect World Entertainment have decided to release a teaser trailer showing off the crazy amounts of weaponry available for players to choose in the game - and their incredibly glowy attacks! This teaser trailer shows off most of the 18 types of weapons that will be in the game. There are more common weapons like glaives, staves and bows on up to much more exotic weaponry like war fans, ring blades, and more. So if you're curious as to what manner of things you might be able to expect in Heroes of Three Kingdoms, then be sure to check out the early pre-beta teaser trailer, embedded behind the break.
Massively's Heroes of Three Kingdoms closed beta key giveaway
While our fearless road crew have been hard at work, bringing you all the latest and greatest from GDC 2010, they've also managed to grab a bunch of beta keys to give away to you. And we're not talking just a handful -- no, we have a ton of keys for the newly-announced Perfect World Entertainment title called Heroes of Three Kingdoms ready for you to snag. Based on one of the greatest battles in Chinese history, Heroes of Three Kingdoms features some pretty interesting things such as motion-captured combat, 18 types of weapons, historical battles, an achievement system, and more. For those who prefer their MMOs a little more bloodthirsty, the game will also include PvP battlegrounds and a "kingdom war system" allowing the three armies to face off against each other in a struggle for power. If this sounds like your kind of thing, then be sure to pop on over to our beta code giveaway page and pick up a code for yourself. Keep in mind that the game will be entering closed beta in April, so don't be surprised when you can't immediately download it. If you'd like some more details on some of the specifics of the game mentioned above, we've included a breakdown of different, interesting points behind the cut.
The Forsaken World to offer non-sparkly vampires
Fantasy -- check. Elves -- check. Vampires? Yes, indeed! Perfect World Entertainment's new MMO, Forsaken World, is not only full of the normal fantasy trappings you'd expect such as elves, dwarves, and men made of stone, but they've also got a race of vampires known as the Kindred. As one scrolls through the classes available on the MMO teaser site, there's also a vampire class in the mix. (We wonder if that's actually a class choice, or more a designation to explain the Kindred's powers.) While Forsaken World has only just been announced, the beta sign-ups are already open. Their shiny new site is also chock full of interesting information from the lore of the world, through to races, classes, and even a pretty cool looking trailer that we snagged a copy of and embedded behind the break for you to check out. We'll certainly be keeping our eye on it as more news come out because let's face it -- vampires (especially the non-sparkly ones) don't suck. Err. Well, not that way. You know what we mean.
New Battle of the Immortals gameplay trailer
Perfect World Entertainment's upcoming PvP focused hack-n-slash MMO Battle of the Immortals now has a gameplay trailer showing off its goods. You're probably wondering whether or not this game is up your alley. Well, this video will probably help answer most of that question for you. Did we mention the game will have demonic hot rod mounts as well as kung-fu pandas and ninja master turtles as pets? Don't get too worked up just yet, because the closed beta isn't coming until mid-April. We're sure to have more videos and information about Battle of the Immortals leading up to the beta process, though. So if your interest is piqued, at least you'll be able to maintain that insatiable lust for knowledge. Find the rather lengthy gameplay trailer after the break.
In a Perfect World podcast begins operation
In a day and age where we all seem to have mobile devices kicking around, podcasts are great for keeping up with news and opinions on your favorite topics while still being on the go. Needless to say, we're a bit fond of podcasts around here, so we're happy to announce the first full episode of Perfect World Entertainment's official podcast, In a Perfect World, is available for download. Covering the full range of Perfect World Entertainment's products, the first show includes discussion on Battle of the Immortals, Perfect World International, Ether Saga Online, and Jade Dynasty. Unsurprisingly, the centerpiece of the Battle of the Immortals segment is an explanation of the game's delay until mid-April. There are also previews of the next few Perfect World International events, discussion of the recently-added player-made mount in Ether Saga Online, and in-game events in Jade Dynasty. Various download and aggregator links for the podcast are available on the official blog entry, along with a small contest to win a Barbarian Tiger statue. If you're a fan of the multitude of free-to-play games the company offers, it should be worth the time spent listening.
