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Perfect World International invites you to attend its 3rd anniversary
In our opinion, the best birthday parties are the ones where the visitors get presents too. Hey, we're going out of our way to spend an afternoon putting up with a half-rate clown and a rapidly deflating bouncy castle -- we've earned it! Perfect World International subscribes to this theory (well, not the clown, thank goodness), and so is handing out lots of free gifts for its third anniversary starting today. The anniversary celebration kicks off with several in-game events, veteran rewards based on how long since you first registered for PWI, and 24 days of double XP, spirit and drops that starts today. Players who log in from the 2nd through the 4th will automatically be entered for the giveaway pack, which includes a cool giveaway package with a Barbarian Tiger Statue and a Logitech keyboard. An anniversary is a great time to renew vows -- or make new ones -- which is why Perfect World International also has added a Chinese-themed Phoenix Nest Wedding Chapel into the game. Product Manager Derick Chan took time out of throwing confetti and blowing a birthday horn to praise the community: "We owe all of the game's success to the fans that have helped it grow and plan to reward every single player regardless of how long they have been with us."
Perfect World Entertainment surpasses market expectations
Perhaps the belief that free-to-play games are bad and do not make money is unfounded. If you asked anyone with stock in Perfect World Entertainment, he would tell you that F2P is where it's at. The creator of the Perfect World International and Forsaken World has stunned the market as it reported a 15% revenue increase last quarter (January 2011 to March 2011) over last year (January 2010 to March 2010.) However, the biggest surprise is the amount of profit the company generated. The 110% growth over last year greatly surpassed the high-end expectations of the company itself. CEO Michael Chi attributed the stellar growth to the recent release of Forsaken World and Empire of the Immortals. But the profit is due to more than the entry of these two games into the market. "At the same time, we also experienced lower sales and marketing expenses as we did not have as many new launches as we did in the previous quarter. All of these factors contributed to our strong bottom-line growth in the first quarter," Chi explains in a Gamasutra article. Perfect World Entertainment hopes for continued growth as it continues to solidify its place in the F2P market with more games coming soon.
First Impressions: Forsaken World
Perfect World Entertainment's latest title, Forsaken World, is made to sound like the polar opposite of Perfect World, the older flagship title that serves as Forsaken World's foundation. When I first heard about this newer project, I was enthused. After all, I wasn't really fond of Perfect World. I thought it was too stale and linear. Still, I have admired Perfect World Entertainment for a long time, mainly because the company knows its audience and does really good work. Its games are flexible when it comes to system requirements, and its titles fit all sorts of different players and age ranges. Also, the developers claimed that Forsaken World would be a game made for a "Western audience." Of course this means absolutely nothing to me, being that there are easily millions and millions of players for decidedly "Eastern" games like Nexon titles or other large publishers, so I figured that PWE meant to say that it was a game made for those snootier Western players who consider free-to-play games to be nothing but point-and-click junk. Strangely enough, PWE got the WASD movement wrong in Forsaken World. I have no idea how or why this was missed, but the "Western" audience will notice, I promise. Click past the cut and let's talk about everything I loved about the game -- and a few things I did not.
Perfect World Entertainment offers Japanese disaster relief across multiple games
MMO industry efforts to rebuild Japan continue, as free-to-play titan Perfect World Entertainment is lending its considerable weight to the cause. The firm is donating 50% of the proceeds from special cash shop items to the ongoing Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief drive. Players of PWE's games can pick up a little something extra for their characters while simultaneously making a donation to the Red Cross. The promotion runs through April 13th and features a variety of items in games including Battle of the Immortals (bag expansions), Ether Saga Online (ancestral crystals), Forsaken World (star of hope), Jade Dynasty (meditation orbs), and Perfect World International (super inventory stone).
The MMO Report: Guilds, crafting, and craft beer edition
It's St. Patrick's day, and what better time to discuss craft beers on The MMO Report than today? Mind you, for those of you who don't imbibe frosty adult beverages, there's also a huge serving of corned MMO news, and the lilting smell of cabbage you're picking up... is probably coming from the mailbag. Shall we move on to the tasty news of the week? Let's! First up, Casey jumps straight on to the Guild Wars 2 news that many have been buzzing about this week: professions! Next up, it's Star Wars: The Old Republic's trailer made of completely delicious in-game footage, as well as the ongoing rush to get guilds set up before launch. Casey zooms straight into Jagex's partnership with Hasbro to create the upcoming Transformers MMO for the West, and he notes that Free Realms on PS3 will probably be just as popular as it is on PC. Casey also takes a moment to note the Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV server downtime and asks anyone who can to please donate to help those in Japan. Moving on from there, it's a look into the ever-enlightening mailbag, where this week Casey is both praised and derided for his choice in beers and we are treated to another dose of photoshop magic. Finally, it is revealed that G4TV landed an exclusive fly-over of Perfect World International's new area, Dragon Mountain. As always, you can catch this week's episode behind the break, or every Thursday on G4TV.
Perfect World Entertainment comments on 2011
Perfect World Entertainment is always busy. No, seriously -- these guys and gals do not sleep. They now publish nearly 10 titles and show no sign of stopping. Their newest and largest title, Forsaken World, just hit open beta at the time of this writing, so we thought it might be a good idea to ask a few questions of the developers. We tracked down PWE's Clifton Chu, product manager for Forsaken World, to give us some info on the new game and the company's MMO presence. If you have been excited to play it or any of the other titles in the Perfect World lineup, 2011 is going to be a very good year for you. Not only can you try out every title on its roster, but you can do it at your own pace. No subscription fee also means that you'll have more money to blow in the cash shop. Hey, everyone needs vanity items! Click past the cut to read the interview! %Gallery-107517%
Perfect World dev diary shows off all changes coming in Genesis
Perfect World International, the largest game in Perfect World Entertainment's free-to-play MMO stable, is set to erupt with enormous world-changing goodness. On March 2nd, the game's largest expansion, Genesis, is nearing launch. We've checked out the expansion in earlier developer diaries, but today we have a video showing off the many changes players can expect, all in one tasty, ready-to-devour package. In this video, the game's Product Manager, Clifton, and Community Manager, Steven, sit down to tell us all about the myriad things that will be coming to the game on March 2nd. The Earthguard race will emerge from the underground; players can pick up Runecrafting to buff their weapons; and even new dances will be added to replace some of the older ones. (Those are apparently so embarassing that Clifton and Steven are loath to put them on camera!) For active Perfect World International players, a huge rollback of Territory Wars to pre-nerf is coming as is a full map reset, which will open up the season for one heck of a power-grab. Finally, we also get a look into the upcoming guild bases, which players have been wanting for quite some time. You'll find the newest dev diary video behind the break, ready for those who want to check out more on Perfect World International's upcoming Genesis expansion.
Guild bases coming to Perfect World
Guild bases are on their way to Perfect World International, and the new functionality is the latest in a long line of updates scheduled to go live with the Genesis expansion on March 2nd. In terms of mechanics, the bases are instanced and feature four wings: an armory, an alchemy lab, the Manor of Justice, and the Heavenly Vault. Each wing offers different buffs, unique quests, and guild-only exclusive content to make your PWI experience all the more memorable. The guild bases also feature a fifth room, the Hall of Loyalty, centrally located between the four wings and home to more quests, trivia activities, and unique rewards. If all that isn't enough for you, guild bases also boast an area dedicated to raising monsters that can be hunted for experience and spirit. Head to the official Perfect World International blog for further details.
Rise and Shiny recap: Perfect World
Perfect World International, brought to us by Perfect World Entertainment, is a beautiful game -- I'll give it that. I am not sure whether the newbie area I was playing through (which consisted of a race of mermaid- and mermen-type creatures) is newly made or recently redone, but the scenery, special effects, and characters are downright gorgeous. While near-realism (with a huge touch of pointy fantasy) is definitely not my favorite art style, I can see how much hard work went into the game. Props to everyone on the team! Still, a beautiful game does not guarantee a fun game. PWI is obviously very successful and boasts a massive population, but does that translate to a friendly community? I wonder, also, what the average age of players is. I would put hard-earned money (playing video games, so it's fitting) on the table and say that the numbers would surprise us. In fact, that could sum up a lot of how I felt about PWI while I played it: surprised -- a lot of the time. Click past the cut and I'll tell you more.
PWE reveals Perfect World International Genesis trailer
Perfect World Entertainment has unveiled a sparkling new trailer for Genesis, the latest expansion for its free-to-play Perfect World International MMORPG. The clip features just over a minute and a half of gameplay footage and shows off a ton of new content. First up is a glimpse of the new Earthguard race, followed by a montage of the new Seeker and Mystic classes in action. There's also a look at some of the new summonable pets as well as interior shots of the expansion's new faction bases. The new Genesis content will be hitting the PWI live servers on March 2nd, and in the meantime, you can get a sneak preview of all the juicy details after the cut.
New Perfect World International expansion gets launch date
Players of Perfect World International have been waiting patiently for some idea of when the anticipated Genesis expansion patch would be coming to the game. As we've seen, the team at Perfect World Entertainment has been hard at work creating all manner of new things in one of the most ambitious game updates to date. Now we've gotten news that Genesis will be launching into Perfect World International on March 3rd, and the listing of what's to come is definitely impressive. Along with the storyline changes, players will have access to the new Earthguard race, which has two new classes: Seekers and Mystics. As you'd expect with an expansive patch featuring a new race, there are new cities, new abilities, new gear, and tons of new quests for players to enjoy. Along with that, a new tradeskill, Runecrafting, has been added to the game, allowing players to create stones that will produce buffs and effects. For those more into PvP, the territory war system has been expanded with new maps and an all-new resource that will in turn allow guilds to take advantage of new guild bases -- ones with merchants who sell exotic items! Check out the Perfect World International site for all the Genesis information or to sign up yourself!
One Shots: Open the floodgates
For some people, one character per game is pretty much their hard limit. That way they can level up, see almost all of the game's content, and only have to worry about gearing up once. For others, a new game just represents a chance to roll even more alts! Some are for crafting, some are for roleplay, some for raiding, and there's almost always that one inevitable bank and auction house mule. Today's One Shots comes from someone who was more the former but has crossed to the alt-tastic dark side recently in Perfect World International. This image comes to us from a player going by SiSSY LaLa, who writes in: "I almost never make alts, but I finally decided to make one and check out the Tideborn in Perfect World International. I was very intrigued by the interesting city decor. I hope my main doesn't get jealous of my time away." When you're running around in your MMO of choice this weekend, why not grab a screenshot and send it along to us? We love to see what you're all up to -- and it's easy to do. Just email your image to us at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll share it with the world and give you the credit. %Gallery-112285%
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Perfect World International's upcoming expansion
Just when you thought it was safe to wander back into Perfect World International, the time foretold by elders is coming. In the game's upcoming expansion, Genesis, the land will be torn asunder, leaving all in darkness and confusion. Along with this world-shattering event, two new classes will emerge, ready to help lead denizens of this fantasy game back into the light. Of course, before that can happen next month, there's tons of work to be completed on the back-end. Creation of new art, music, quests, animations, armor, and more. That's why the team at Perfect World Entertainment have offered an interesting teaser trailer for Perfect World International's upcoming Genesis expansion. Rather than reiterating specifics of the storyline which are easily readable on the main site, the team has instead opted to give players a behind-the-scenes look at all the hard work the team is putting in. From character modeling and rendering to music, motion-capture, and more, it offers a refreshing look at the operations of the studio. You can check out the video behind the break or head over to the Perfect World International site if you want to see the Perfect World one last time before things change.
Perfect World shows off new dance moves plus Forsaken World class video
The devs at Perfect World Entertainment are busy little bees, and today they've brought us a pair of videos to show off what's new in two of the company's flagship free-to-play titles. First up is Forsaken World's second dev diary video, and in it, PWE marketing director Jon Belliss shows off the fantasy epic's eight playable classes as well as the 14 secondary occupations that make up the job system. Not to be outdone is Perfect World International, and its upcoming Genesis expansion will be featuring the usual expansion suspects such as a new race, new classes, new zones, and more. In addition to all the new content, PWE is throwing some fluff into the mix via a slew of new character dance emotes that amp up the style and complexity of the game's existing moves. All of the game's original races will be able to perform the maneuvers, and many of them will be activated via special clothing sets. Check out the Forsaken World dev diary video and a sneak peek at a new Perfect World International dance after the cut.
Perfect World launches Legend of Martial Arts
The MMO machine that is Perfect World Entertainment has churned another title off the publishing assembly line. The new game is called Legend of Martial Arts (formerly known as Kung Foo! during beta) and it's now live and available for direct download or via bit torrent. The game features various martial arts disciplines, a demonic race called Reavers that offer players a choice between Berserker and Oracle classes, and a unique transformation mechanic that ranges from the aesthetic to the practical (via character attribute buffs and skills). Legend of Martial Arts also boasts a PvE dungeon matchmaking system, PvP-specific dungeons, and a legendary weapon system that features leader boards and the chance to earn unique items. Check out the official website for more details on the free-to-play title.
Forsaken World mages blow stuff up
Perfect World Entertainment is ramping up the publicity campaign for its free-to-play opus Forsaken World, with the latest salvo being a new video short featuring community manager Frank Johnson. The segment focuses on the mage class and its destructive power, showing off a fair bit of combat footage underscored by Johnson's narration. "I can freeze targets with ice spells, knock back enemies with lightning, and if all else fails I can just set everything on fire. Which is usually what ends up happening anyways," Johnson says. Check out the mage-sponsored mayhem after the break, and read up on the class (as well as the rest of Forsaken World) at the game's official website.
Forsaken World dev diary talks guild economy, unique classes
Perfect World Entertainment may be having a bit of financial difficulty (like everyone else nowadays, it seems), but that isn't stopping it from rolling out the info on its latest free-to-play title called Forsaken World. The four-minute short features an introduction to the game and is narrated by PWE Director of Marketing Jon Belliss. In addition to showing off the requisite combat footage, he also comments on the nature of the game world itself. "Compared to some of our previous titles, Forsaken World is a much darker, western-themed MMO. This means that the artistic style, the playable races, and the game's back story are a very marked departure from all the other Perfect World titles." Belliss outlines the ways in which PWE strives to immerse players in a wholly new world via the visuals, the unique guild economy system, a level cap that is "meant to be achieved," and a new approach to traditional class archetypes. So what exactly is the new stuff, you're probably asking? Meet us on the other side of the break and have a look for yourself.
Forsaken World details protector class
Hot on the stiletto heels of their assassin and vampire spotlights, Perfect World Entertainment brings us a brand new Forsaken World class preview focusing on the protector. According to the game's official blog, protectors are "nine feet tall, carry hammers the size of people, and are regularly seen carrying dwarves on their shoulders." Dwarf-tossing references and subtlety-related snarkiness aside, the protectors serve as Forsaken World's tanking class, complete with the usual amenities such as aggro-building taunts and very large pieces of armor. Protectors also make use of a special ability called fury, which gradually charges up over the course of a fight. Theoretically, protectors grow stronger and more dangerous the longer the fight continues. To learn more about the protector class, head over to the class preview at the official Forsaken World blog.
One Shots: A sunny beginning
Need a change of pace? Feeling a bit stymied with working on your main character? Well, if you're still wanting to get your game on, but not sure what to do, it's a great time to roll that alt you've been thinking about! If you happen to roll one in Perfect World Entertainment's Jade Dynasty, then you might run into today's contributor, Prantik G., who captured this early-level look at the game for us. He writes in: "Not all starting areas are dull and boring. In Jade Dynasty the starting area for Athans starts with a lush forest, merging into a plain, flowing into a river, rising to mountains, and ending with a mysterious portal to the human realm. This picture is one of the fields of the Divine Realm. To the right is a stony, beaten path leading to one of the Athan cities. The Athans truly enjoy their first moments in Jade Dynasty!" From the starter areas to endgame, we love to see your images of MMOs. If you'd like to help us out with One Shots, then send in your screenshot to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and give you the nod. %Gallery-85937%
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!
