Okay, so you've got your agenda finalized. What's the next thing to do? Why, it's to announce the All-Star Speakers, of course.

Evergreen Events, the organizer of the 2008 ION Game Conference, has done precisely that. It's mentioned four important names to take note of. Find out who these four people are after the jump.

Take-Two Interactive Software, the distributor of Grand Theft Auto 4 (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) and other games, has given word that it is planning to expand into Asia Pacific markets. The company has tapped an experienced senior executive to help them establish a foothold in Asia. For more information, don't hesitate to click on the "read more" link below.

With a new update for Hellgate: London already on its way, Flagship Studios has something new to celebrate as it found over 1 million registered accounts in Korea who joined the open  beta bandwagon for the game. To find out more about the MMO title's monumental launch in the country, read our full article after the jump.

Audiences around the world have been playing and grinding to their hearts' delight in NFlavor's MMORPG Rappelz for quite some time now. This free to play game has been wanted by genre enthusiasts in Russia, and they'll be glad to hear that it's on its way. Details in the full article.

With a passion for trying out every game that comes across our paths, we at QJ.NET went through a few skirmishes in developer DragonFly's Soldier Front on ijji, a Western portal for free games. It's a first-person shooter that shamelessly takes cues from Counter-Strike down to the core, but if you're itching to get a hand on the trigger to shoot other players online without having to pay money, Soldier Front may be worth a try. Find out why by reading our review at the full article.


Originally posted on February 22, 2008 at 1:32 p.m.

What do you get when you combine guns, swords and Matrix-like moves in a game set in a semi-steampunk world? You get GunZ: The Duel, a game that turns players into a pumped-up-to-the-max action star with a predilection for running along walls and without the subtle philosophical and environmental lessons you usually get from a Steven Seagal movie. Hit the "read more" link below for QJ.NET's review of GunZ: The Duel.

Originally posted on Feb. 15, 2008 at 1:13 p.m.

Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. NCsoft, publisher of such MMORPGs as Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa, seems to have suffered a slump in sales and profits during the last quarter of 2007.

Despite the setback, company executives aren't looking down. More statistically significant news follows after the jump.

In its attempt to provide players a global experience, ArenaNet just released an update for NCsoft's Guild Wars that allows players from Korean language districts to visit American and European districts. Soon, Japan and Taiwan will also be able to interact with western players without having to go to International Districts. More on this at the full article.

The latest issue of NCsoft's Guild Wars State of the Game is all about the Japanese guild Heart of Ashes and Dust, and how the small team of eight members managed to become the third guild to win monthly Automatic Tournaments (ATs) twice. Learn more by heading over to the full article.

    

If you think MMORPGs these days are too complicated or if you think all they have to offer are pretty graphics, then Nexon is proud to give gamers the highly acclaimed 2D, side-scrolling MMORPG Maple Story. Originally released in Korea, the latest version set in Europe is training the relatively young community by giving out helpful tips across a series of articles.

Dean D. Cho, Development Manager of Maple Story Europe at Nexon, talks about the wide array of weapons, equipment and other playthings gamers can bring along their adventures. The MMORPG draws its popularity from the simplicity of the gameplay and easy-to-use item synthesis system of collecting in-game items to create bigger and better equipment for your character.

Just because Maple Story is free to play, it doesn't mean that players are limited to the items available from NPC shops and stores. The Maple Story Europe Cash Store makes available pre-made items for a price. Players can also avail premium services which can help enhance the level of gameplay, such as enhanced storage and item inventory space.

Either way, it's your choice whether you want to pay to play or stick to the default pointy stick that you get with your starting character. If you're looking for a change of pace, then go ahead and try partying up with other cute characters in an online excursion. You can check out the continuation of this ongoing series of Maple Story articles in the days to come.