Chronicles of Spellborn

I don’t think that anyone is really surprised by this, but Massively reports that the launch of Chronicles of Spellborn in North America, UK, Oz, NZ and South Africa has been pushed back to January. However, the closed beta will now start on the 27th of this month. Europe (aside from the UK) will still see the full, live game on the 27th. So, if the game is LIVE, WTF do we need a CLOSED BETA for? The game will be LIVE. We can just head over to any of the Euro sites covering the game and read all about it. How you can have a closed beta for a live game that will ALREADY have an English version (along with their German and French versions). ...

Commenter Ardenya wrote up a fantastic description of how Spellborn will be published in Europe (aside from the UK and the other Commonwealth countries (Australia, NZ, South Africa), which seem to be lumped in with North America in this case). I’m copying it here because it’s the most concrete info I’ve heard so far about the game’s launch, anywhere. Considering packages and payment, earlier tonight I have recieved an email with some details and amazon preorder links. Unfortunatly, Im not at my desktop atm and will be as early as tomorrow so bear with the little details I have preserved in the twists of my mind… =) I’ll verify the info as I get home. ...

If everything is still on schedule, Spellborn NV’s “The Chronicle of Spellborn” should be out two weeks from yesterday, published in North American by Acclaim. I’ve heard nothing from Acclaim as to how to get the game; I imagine it will be a free-to-play download with a starting area, plus a massive full-game download if you choose to subscribe, but who knows? It’s looking like there will be no open beta, so the first time we’ll be seeing it is when it’s released. I don’t know if they will be hosting the download themselves, or seeding it through FilePlanet. ...

Gorgeous looking world. The art style is colorful and pastel, reminds me of Pirates of the Burning Sea actually. Say what you like about the game, but the graphics were cool. from the interiors to the vast exteriors and the whole setting – every shard is a hollowed-out rock spinning in an interstellar tempest – the Deadspell Storm – that tore apart their planet. It’s lit by holes in the roof of the shards, the light from that storm. ...

Due to the new character joining Stout Henry in his further adventures, AND due to me using Vanguard to generate illustrations for the story, Stout Henry was delayed until I’d leveled up a gnome enough in VG so that he could pose for screen shots. I finished that last night, and I think he came out pretty well :) VG’s Isle of the Dawn was still really laggy on my computer, but the superior gear that comes from it makes it a bad idea to skip it. ...

Maracas aren’t as good at warding off intergalactic invaders as I thought they would be. While out gathering the day’s meals, my duckling tribespeople were startled by a huge contraption which WALKED on white, clanking legs down from the sky and sucked up the food animals that were being kept in the pen behind the main hut. It then buzzed the village twice and stalked back up into space. ...

Much anticipated Asian/European WoW-like Runes of Magic starts its closed beta August 28th. Even though no North American publisher is yet announced, they vow to have English servers for those who prefer that language, and they don’t care where you’re from. It’s all free, after all. They’ll also have French and German servers for the Gallicly and Teutonically inclined. They will also be showing the game at the annual Games Convention in Leipzig, along with lots of other games we may never see here. Leipzig is pronounced “LIPE-zig”. I checked, this time. ...

My constant trolling over on the Chronicles of Spellborn forums have as yet revealed no news about any North American release. They are supposed to be on the verge of open beta, and to have signed a letter of intent months ago with an unnamed US publisher (my guess, again: Aeria Games). However, the Spellborn computer they collaborated with German PC makers Ultraforce on earlier this year, they are now releasing case-only, in case you’re not jazzed about the computer they had, but loved their case. 249 Euros, so US$384, probably closer to US$500 when all shipping and customs fees are paid, which is pretty expensive just for a case. Just not worth it to buy things from Europe when you live in the US any more.