Runes of Magic

Phase 1 of Chapter 3 launched, with the new continent of Zandorya open for business.

News by GamesIndustry International Contributor

Published on April 22, 2010

Berlin, 22nd April 2010: The gates to the third chapter of Runes of Magic have been opened. With the successful launch of update 3.0.0, ‘The King’s Call’, Frogster has just launched the first phase of the extensive expansion ‘The Elder Kingdoms’. Players can now set foot in the first region of the new continent of Zandorya with its imposing cities and vast estates to discover a large array of new game content. The hotlycontested Kingdom of Dalanis can be reached by high-level online adventurers after completing a series of quests in the Aotulia Volcano region.

As Chapter III opens, players can expect new rewards including precious armor that can now be endowed with individual attributes by swapping gold and ‘Ancient Mementos’ for special items. In response to community feedback, less-experienced players can now select a difficulty level when entering the dungeons ‘Hall of Survivors’ and ‘Heart of the Ocean’. Cautious players can now also save their game progress in specific instances which means that when loading a saved game status, they no longer need to tackle bosses that they have already defeated.

This first phase of Chapter III also introduces an expanded in-game Monster Card System allowing players to gain valuable cards that are dropped by NPC opponents once they are defeated. The monster cards now have additional attribute points to improve their character’s stats. Update 3.0.0 also contains the announced three new guild drill grounds, six new guild quests and stone fortifications to expand the guild castles. Furthermore, elite skills have been adjusted in order to optimize the game balance.

As with all Runes of Magic expansions, the update is free and will install automatically when the game is started. For more information on Runes of Magic Chapter III – The Elder Kingdoms and a ten-week training program designed to fully prepare players for the third chapter see the official Runes of Magic website:

http://www.runesofmagic.com/en/chapter3.html

About Runes of Magic

Runes of Magic has redefined the standard for free-to-play MMORPGs in terms of gameplay, fun and quality. The online role-playing game has an exciting, multi-layered story, driven by more than 2,400 quests set in the fantasy world of Taborea. To date, Runes of Magic has attracted more than three million registered users, making it one of the most successful free-to-play titles on the market, and a must play game for all fans of RPGs and MMO games.

Runes of Magic features a unique dual class system enabling players to combine one of eight primary classes with a secondary class. The result is a deep player experience that expands upon the game’s broad customization offering. There are two different playable races, Elves and Humans, from which players can choose. Each dual class combination produces its own powerful elite skills. Another popular feature is the opportunity to furnish your own virtual home, and guilds can construct guild castles, which can be expanded with additional buildings. Thanks to comprehensive crafting and reputation systems, gripping PvP features, deep customization and demanding dungeons, Runes of Magic has something for everyone. Taiwanese developer Runewaker regularly expands the game world with new free content and challenges.

Runes of Magic Features

Dual class system with eight classes and unique elite skills Individual furnishing of player housing and guild castles In-depth story experienced through over 2,400 quests laced with epic quest-lines Gripping Player-versus-Player duels in arenas and on the battlefield Easy travel using portal stones and a wide range of mountable animals Challenging boss-combat in dangerous and extensive dungeons with up to 36 simultaneous players Entertaining mini-games offering variety to the hero’s routine Dynamic crafting and customization of items Regular comprehensive free updates with new game content Free-to-Play: No monthly subscriptions, free to download the game About Runewaker Entertainment Ltd.

Runewaker Entertainment was founded in August of 2004, with headquarters located in Taichung, Taiwan. The founding members were all very experienced in the field and decided to come together to pursue their dream. Currently Runewaker employs over 100 highly skilled programmers, designers and artists and is constantly expanding. Runewaker specializes in making massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG). The company has built their own engine from scratch which rivals some of the best available on the market. Runewaker is constantly producing more content for Runes of Magic. Internet: www.runewaker.com

About Frogster

The Berlin based Frogster Interactive Pictures AG , listed on the stock exchange, has focused on the growth sector of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) at an early stage already. The company licenses, markets and operates its virtual worlds for millions of players in Europe, Asia and North America. In Europe its subsidiary Frogster Online Gaming GmbH is taking care of the operating business of the Frogster group. The Korean joint venture Frogster Asia Co. Ltd. based in Seoul develops new MMO games with an internal team and markets virtual worlds in Asia. Frogster America Inc. based in San Francisco, USA, markets and operates MMO games in North America. At their offices in Berlin, Seoul and San Francisco, the Frogster group employs more than 150 staff members in the fields of game development, licensing, IT, web design and web development, product management, marketing, PR, web publishing, community management, customer support, hosting, sales, billing and finance/administration. In the year 2008, Frogster won the “Landmark in the Land of Ideas”, a competition under the patronage of the German President Dr. Horst Köhler. Additional information is available at: www.frogster.de

Media Contact

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Rest of Europe:

Philipp Senkbeil

Frogster Online Gaming GmbH