D&D Online: The Demons Sands Released
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TURBINE UNVEILS THE DEMON SANDS FOR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINEâ„¢
Enormous Outdoor Landscapes, New Levels and PvP Planned For October
WESTWOOD, MA October 25, 2006 Today, Turbine Inc. announced the launch of a massive new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE™ (DDO) module, The Demon Sands. This sprawling module offers players a vast update to the original DDO game with an immense amount of new content and many new features. DDO is based on the world-renowned DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® brand franchise from Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS). DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is under license to Atari Interactive from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro.
(When the dev team told me that they wanted to build outdoor landscapes, PvP combat, more levels, and auction houses all in one module I was surprised to say the least,) said Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO of Turbine, Inc. (But they pulled it off and the result is just amazing.)
The Demon Sands module is the latest, and biggest, expansion to DDO, increasing content by 40 percent since DDO's launch in February. Players also will be able to face-off against other players in action-packed PvP tournaments and brawls. In the dungeons below the city of Stormreach, they will battle never-before-seen monsters, traps, and dangers. Fortunately, players will be able to earn more levels to combat these perils while discovering powerful new spells, feats, abilities, weapons, and treasures. After achieving glory, players can visit in-game auction houses to sell their latest plunder and gain new treasures of their very own.
NEW FEATURES:
- Gripping PvP Combat
DDO's unique active combat control system requires tactical thinking and quick reflexes as much as character abilities and skill. Players can now apply this state-of-the-art combat mechanic to a new tournament-based competition where they can test their wills against other characters. DDO will feature two modes of PvP Tournament Battles and Tavern Brawls. Players who elect to enter one of the many arenas can enjoy styles of play in thrilling death matches and flag capture scenarios. Gamers can also choose to try PvP by diving into a no-holds barred brawl within special taverns of the DDO world.
- Increased Level Cap Featuring More Dangerous Dungeons and Monsters
This new module raised the level cap by adding 10 more ranks that provide players of all levels with more content, enhancements, feats and spells. New monsters will make their debut in the new desert area including Efreeti, Genies, Gnolls, and the infamous demons the Marilith.
- New Auction House
Players can visit one of the many virtual auction houses located in wards across the city where they can meet with an auctioneer to buy and sell in-game items. Sellers will be able to set an opening bid and an optional buyout price for their items. Buyers will be able to browse through items using the Auction House user interface and place bids on items that they wish to purchase.
- More Solo-Based D&D® Gameplay
More solo quests have been added for players to hone their skills for the more advanced party-based quests.
The Demon Sands module is only the latest update to the successful MMO since its launch. Recent features added to the original game include the extremely popular favor system and adventure compendium that lets players track their quests and earn rewards from the patrons of Stormreach. In addition, the newest playable race, the Drow, and the exciting solo mode allow adventurers to experience many of the dangerous dungeons and quests in DDO without the aid of their friends -- testing their tactics, skills and wits.
DDO recreates the essence of the classic pen-and-paper roleplaying experience with an emphasis on quests that provide a unique, immersive experience for each player. Authentic features in the game include customizable characters; hand-crafted dungeons filled with devious traps; monsters and stories from the Eberron® campaign setting; an on-screen 20-sided die and a dungeon master. DDO represents a new paradigm for the MMO genre with unique features including solo and party-based quests, integrated voice chat, real-time action combat, PvP and award winning graphics. DDO is a unique experience where players must use their combat skills and wits to survive dangerous dungeons, fiendish traps and foes that punish the foolish. The game seamlessly combines the beautiful world of Eberron, the classic D&D v3.5 rules, and the latest innovations in online technology into a breathtaking gaming experience.
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE: Stormreach is currently available online and in retail stores for $29.99. Published by Atari, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAR), DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE has been enthusiastically received by many gaming critics, including The New York Times, PC Gamer, Game Informer and many more. For the latest information on the game, please visit MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "www.ddo-japan.com" claiming to be http://www.ddo.com.
About Turbine
Turbine, Inc. is a premier developer, publisher and operator of online entertainment. Headquartered in Westwood, Massachusetts, Turbine is one of the largest privately-held online games company in North America. Its product catalogue includes some of the world's most famous online entertainment brands, including The Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, Dungeons & Dragons Online™, and Asheron's Call®. For more information on Turbine and its games, please visit www.turbine.com.
About Atari
New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) 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 The Matrix™ (Enter The Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo) and Test Drive®; and mass-market and children's franchises such as Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues™ and Dora the Explorer™, 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), 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.
