Game Developers Magazine is starting a new trend, and it's to list out the Top 50 videogame developers of the year - just to give back to the groups that made our lives a bit more exciting through their realized (and digitized) works of art. Want to know if your favorite game developer made the list? Hit the full article to find out!

iGames is holding a launch party at select member centers across the U.S. and Canada to celebrate the release of Hellgate: London. Aside from the launch party, there will also be a showcase for the game that will last for two weeks.

Fifty iGames centers will be holding a launch party for the game on November 10. The event will last the whole day. The two-week showcase happens November 12 to 25 in 100 additional centers and will allow gamers to play the game for an hour for free.

The event, co-sponsored by iZ3D, will be covered by MMOABC.com. Hellgate: London has already gone gold and will be released on October 31.

Word has gone around that Electronic Arts is packing a hefty line-up of games to feature in downtown Los Angeles next week for IDG World Expo's E For All 2007 (EforAll as the organizers say), and its nothing short of a figurative big bang. Tailing behind EforAll's primary exhibitor and the world's superstar publisher is The Simpsons Game (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS) and Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3). The line-up also includes the following games:

• Warhammer Online (EA Mythic - MMO on PC)
• Smarty Pants (EA LA, Planet Moon Studios - Wii)
• Team Fortress 2 (Valve Software - 360, PC, PS3)
• Medal of Honor Airborne (EA LA - 360, PC, PS3)
• Medal of Honor Heroes 2 (EA Canada - Wii, PSP)
• NFL Tour (EA Tiburon - 360, PS3)

News on whether Crytek's Crysis and EA Black Box's Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars - Kane's Wrath will be featured at the consumer event has yet to surface, so keep your eyes glued to this space for more developments.

 

It looks like the World Series of Video Games (WSVG) is moving northward in the upcoming days. Its organizers have just announced that as part of its competitive circuit, the next bout will be taking place at Fan Expo Canada. The WSVG event proper is expected churn out more than US$ 75,000 in cash prizes, and will involve competitions for games like World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (Blizzard), Guitar Hero II (Activision), and Quake 4 (Activision; Xbox 360, PC).

Outside the expected WSVG contests, Fan Expo Canada will host several other events for its expected 50,000-plus visitors: the Canadian National Comic Book Expo, CNAnime, SFX Science Fiction Expo, Festival of Fear Horror Expo and GX-the Canadian National Gaming Expo. Also to be expected at the event will be several noted celebirties: Hayden Christensen ("Star Wars"), Adam West ("Batman"), Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes"), Jonathan Frakes ("Star Trek") and the Red vs. Blue creative team. As WSVG commissioner Matthew Ringel commented regarding the upcoming event:

After we announced an October event at Los Angeles eForAll, we very much wanted to schedule an event in late summer hitting the eastern region of North America. We are delighted that our inaugural event in Canada will be among the biggest on our video game circuit and, indeed, in all competitive gaming this year.

Canada's Fan Expo will be taking place from August 24 to 26 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center.

Downfall isn't just your average guild in World of Warcraft.  Although they are self-admittedly not spectacular as a raiding guild, this crew enjoys something not many others can claim: the bond of kinship.

 

Although some of the guild members enjoy being real life friends who talk about their latest raid over a pint, everyone in the community feels the strength of the bond they share.  Another special characteristic this guild has is that it has a higher ratio of active female members than normal.  There's about a girl for every guy in the guild.  Some even have real life relationships together. 

Proudly led by Garreth who considers his position as Guild Leader just as demanding as his real life job (and loving every moment of it), this crew comes from all over: "West- and East-coasters, Aussies, New Zealanders, Texans and 'The Canada Contingent,'" Garrett claims.

Players who felt indifferent or isolated in their former guilds felt really involved and at home with Downfall.  They have found mentors and friends.  While this guild focuses on getting better, Garreth said, "I'd rather run-back a dozen times on a new boss than destroy the sense of community and bonds we've formed." 

For Downfall, it's not just about the goal.  In fact, they seem to enjoy running the race rather than reaching the finish line.  Joe McDoug, who interviewed the Guild, actually found them joking around after having a pretty bad raid night.  As Joe McDoug wisely pointed out:

There are many guilds in this game of millions. It is easy to point to the one that achieves the most World Firsts or gains the newest rare item. It is harder, however, to rate the quality of a guild’s sense of community. While most of us play this game with some degree of social connectivity— Downfall is truly a family. 

Guilds can share the wealth, but how many share anything else?

After the Tyria Sweepstakes, the party at Guild Wars continues in celebration of the coming of its expansion pack, Guild Wars: Eye of the North. If you've put your creative skills to the test in designing weapons, you might fancy naming a boss this time. 

In "Brand the Bosses 2007 Contest", players will have a chance to immortalize their creative ideas by naming a boss for GW:EoN. Got the imagination to come up with something like Alana Pekpek? Now is your time to step up .

Being 13+ in North America or 18+ in Europe is required for anyone to be eligible. Some places in the U.S., U.S. territories, military installations and commonwealths, and Canada's Quebec can't join the contest. For some reason most of us probably don't know, Canadian candidates will be required to answer a mathematical question before claiming the prize.

Ten grand prize winners, whose entries will be used in-game, will receive either a signed copy of GW:EoN or the full Guild Wars Skill Pin Set #1. Depending on the quality of the entries, up to 20 honorable mentions may be chosen to have their names be used in the game and receive a couple of random pins from the same set. Up to 70 finalists will receive codes for an in-game miniature.

For full info about the contest, just check out the Guild Wars site via the Read link below.

CMP Technology, the organizers behind GDC China, has unveiled a few more details about the upcoming developers conference. The event is set to take place in Shanghai this August and will focus on topics such as online gaming, outsourcing, recruitment and mobile gaming. A short list of speakers who have already signed up for GDC China include the following:

• David Coleman (EA Canada)
• Tom Leonard (Valve)
• Mark Ollia (Nokia)
• David Perry (Gameconsultants.com)
• Gordon Walton (Bioware)

According to GamesIndustry.biz, GDC China is being jointly produced with IDG and will be overseen by an advisory board that includes a number of Chinese developers from companies such as Epic Games China, Shanda and JDL International. GDC China will take place at the Shanghai International Convention Center on August 27 to 29.

Jagex Ltd today announced that as of this month, its popular RuneScape game has now exceeded one million subscribers worldwide. The browser-based game has attracted popularity across the globe with strong subscriber communities in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Scandinavia.

"It is a huge acknowledgement from our global gaming community that being presented with new adventures and challenges in a rapidly evolving world are what gamers want in a multiplayer online game," said Constant Tedder, Managing Director of Jagex Ltd. "Development efforts have been rewarded with a steady and steep rise in player numbers. And we're not resting on our laurels - there's a huge amount still to come!"

Part of the upsurge in RuneScape's popularity could probably be attributed to Jagex's recently launched German-language RuneScape beta. Jagex also has a solid reputation for its rigorous security policy. The company now has over 150 support staff able to deal with any issues that arise around the world 24/7.

  

UltraGames101 and Star Productions team up to bring the first OfficialUltraGames Expo over to Toronto, Ontario, Canada for a video game event bonanza for consumers and industry leaders alike. As announced in an official press release, Star Productions and UltraGames101 hope to combine the best elements of a video game trade show with a consumer even focused on the past, present and future of the video game industry.

"It will be the biggest video game event to hit Canada!" said UltraGames101 president Mark Bartkowiak. Canada is site of two of the world's largest development studios, including Electronic Arts Canada and Ubisoft Montreal.

The event is planned to be a major software showcase, for consumers to try out games offered by publishers and developers slated for release soon. The event will also sport conferences, press events, live demonstrations of new video game technology, but may be subject to being an invitation-only affair.

Evenings will allow attendees to mingle with developers, publishers, retailers and media folk at informal gatherings, while being able to watch video game titles to be released for the year. The event will be open to the general public, although there has been no official announcement of ticket prices or entrance fees.

Companies involved in the PC, online, console, and mobile game industries are all eligible to participate in the event. Even hardware manufacturers of gaming peripherals are also invited to attend. Certain meetings and demonstrations will be invitation-only, however. There is no word yet on the official even bookings, but the venue could be at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

In the next six months, the announcement of the official Exhibition venue, date and location will be made. Alan Smithson, President of Star Production, concluded the announcement stating:

The UltraGames101 Game Expo 2K8 is first and foremost biggest video game event to hit Canada! When UltraGames101 asked its members they heard that they wanted opportunities for a video game expo to happen in Canada. And after careful consideration UltraGames101 and Star Productions have partnered up to make this event happen.

The special edition of The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar from Turbine Inc. and Midway Games Inc. will be released this April 24th in the U.S. and Canada, along with the standard version of the game. Hardcore Tolkien fans and collectors may be pleased to know that the Special Edition of this MMORPG will be going for only US$ 59.99.

Jeff Anderson, President and CEO of Turbine Inc., spoke of the game, saying "We have experienced unbelievable anticipation and support for The Lord of the Rings Online throughout the development process." He also added, "We knew that the game had to provide a terrific experience to the millions of Tolkien fans and we wanted to enhance that experience even more with this Special Edition."

The Lord of the Rings Online Special Edition will contain:

• 30-days of free online play
• Free 10-day Buddy Key
• "Beyond the Shadows. . .The Making of The Lord of the Rings Online" DVD
• The Lord of the Rings Online Soundtrack
• Exclusive In-Game Item – "The Glass of Aglarel"
• A Full Color Special Edition Manual
• Exclusive map of Middle-earth

On top of that, there's still that offer where those who pre-order whichever version of the game are automatically considered Founders and get all the perks associated with it. If you're looking for an MMORPG to play but are finding it hard to find your niche with the current games on the market, then you might want to consider giving this title a try.