Dungeons & Dragons Online Second Module Announced
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Turbine Adds New Solo Content to DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE(TM): Stormreach(TM)
Second Module Also Adds Drow Race And A New Raid To Hit MMOG
WESTWOOD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 2006--Turbine, Inc. announced today plans for a range of expanded player features and content, including more solo-friendly game play, to be included in the second content module for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE(TM): Stormreach(TM) (DDO), the hit game that has quickly become one of the fastest-growing MMOGs (massively multiplayer online games) in North America. DDO is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® brand franchise from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS - News).
Free to all current DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE(TM) subscribers, the Twilight Forge module is slated for release in July and will include the new drow race, new content for players of all levels, an improved new player experience, and enhanced replayability. Following on the heels of the successful retail launch with over 300,000 units sold worldwide, the Twilight Forge module is the second in a series of planned updates that will provide new content and features for DDO. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro.
"The Twilight Forge module will offer new players an improved single player experience, and existing players will enjoy creating new drow characters and exploring lots of new dungeons," said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. "We are committed to delivering future DDO modules that include features that continue to expand the game, such as additional character levels and player-versus-player (PvP) battles."
Following on the April launch of the Dragon's Vault module, the Twilight Forge module offers new content for players of all levels ranging from new soloable dungeons in the harbor to additional advanced-level quests that culminate in a new raid encounter with the legendary Warforged Titan. The player experience has been vastly improved by including new features that make grouping easier, an improved user interface, and enhancements to the dungeons in the harbor that enable more solo-play and more diverse monster encounters.
In addition to the ability to create characters based on the drow, also known as the dark elf, players can expect to encounter eight new monsters from the D&D® universe, including the Mindflayer, Ogre Magi, Warforged Titan, Mummy and Lich. Finally, the Twilight Forge module includes a new award system that gives players bonuses for completing dungeons on all difficulty levels.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach recreates the essence of the classic pen-and-paper roleplaying experience - with an emphasis on non-grinding, instanced quests that provide a unique, immersive experience for each party. Authentic features in the game include customizable characters; dungeons filled with devious traps; monsters and stories from the Eberron® campaign setting; an on-screen d20 (20-sided die) and a dungeon master. The unique online world of Stormreach is a bustling city with thousands of players from around the world. It represents a new paradigm for the MMO genre with unique features including party-based quests, integrated voice chat, real-time action combat, and award winning graphics. DDO is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS brand franchise from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro.
Published by Atari, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAR - News) in February, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE has been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York Times, PC Gamer, Game Informer and many more. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach is currently available in retail stores for $49.99. Additional information can be found at www.ddo.com.
About Turbine
Turbine, Inc. is a premier developer, publisher and operator of online subscription entertainment and is headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts. The company is one of the largest privately-held online games company in North America. Turbine's catalogue includes some of the most famous online entertainment brands, including Asheron's Call®, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE(TM): Stormreach(TM), and The Lord of the Rings Online(TM): Shadows of Angmar(TM). For more information on Turbine and its services, please visit www.turbine.com.
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR - News) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S. The Company's 1,000+ titles include hard-core, genre-defining franchises such as DRIVER(TM), The Matrix(TM) (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo), Stuntman(TM) and Test Drive®; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues(TM) and Dora the Explorer(TM), and Dragon Ball Z®. Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext - ISIN: FR-0000052573), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe. For more information, visit www.atari.com.
About The HASBRO PROPERTIES GROUP
The Hasbro Properties Group (HPG), the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc., (NYSE:HAS - News), translates one of the industry's richest portfolios of brands into a world of fun and excitement for children and adults globally. Through a host of publishing, digital media, lifestyle and entertainment platforms, HPG is able to surround fans worldwide with consumer products that expand Hasbro's core brands, such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, MY LITTLE PONY, MONOPOLY, G.I. JOE, TONKA and PLAYSKOOL.
