Sad tidbit right here. If you've been following the progress of MMO titles like 9Dragons and Carpe Diem, then you might have heard that their developer, Persistent Worlds, has gone kaput. In their official website for 9Dragons, the only thing that's left for us to see is this vague and sad statement:

It is with regret that we have to announce that as of Jan 22nd Persistent Worlds has ceased trading. The servers will be shut down in due course.

As for the reason why this happened, nobody knows for now. From what we can see, 9Dragons and Carpe Diem get a lot of attention every time we feature something about it. The Martial Arts MMO 9Dragon indeed offers something different to players while the Fantasy MMO Carpe Diem is also making some noise in the scene. For now, we do not know what's gonna happen to them aside from the servers shutting down.

We'll give you more updates as things become clearer in the coming days.

If you've been keeping track of the latest developments in 9Dragons, you'd know how the developers churn out interesting tidbits about the game. So far, we've been introduced to the clans, the reputation system, fighting styles, and the list of weapons we can use.

Persistent Worlds CEO Ken Johnston keeps us updated by bringing us the lowdown on the in-game items we'll find when we enter the world of 9Dragons.

When you start off as a wandering vagabond, you'll be immersed in the breathtaking sites of ancient China. In between interactions with villagers, traders, and warriors, you're sure to find fabulous riches. But before it falls into your hands, you'd have to find the items that will turn them into a great treasure - one that would be desired by others, even the Imperial Emperor.  

The items you find and carry will also change your stats as you continue to explore the lands of China. They may increase your strength or raise your dexterity. The effects may be temporary or permanent, but either way, they will give you an edge in battle. Countless items are scattered throughout the land, it's up to you to find them and make use of them to enhance your skills and abilities.

You probably want a hefty serving of 9Dragons screenshots to go with that items, don't you? Say no more, here are the freshest screens for your viewing pleasure.

   

   

  

Developer Persistent Worlds was very pleased to announce that Carpe Diem, its newest fantasy MMORPG offering, has entered its Alpha Stage today.

Alpha Testing, otherwise known as Acceptance Testing, is wherein a new product in pre-release is tested internally before testing it with outside users. Says Persistent Worlds' Director of Technology and Operations, Phil White, "The Alpha test will allow us to ensure that all servers, support and game play changes are working properly before moving to the next stage."

The Alpha Test appears to be going well so far, and they expect to go to closed beta in about two weeks. Already being highly-anticipated, Carpe Diem already has received heaps of requests from gamers who want to take part in the game's Beta test. The positive response from the beta test survey also contributes to the optimistic outlook of the game's developer.

Included in the game's features are several new innovations that have not been tried before in MMO gameplay. Its Unscripted Action feature allows gamers to unite to defeat the threat posed to Uzziel the Evoker's kingdom. As Uzziel is played in the game by a real person, and is able to set challenges for the players during gameplay, spontaneous and unexpected fun in the game is then guaranteed.

From the very early stages of the game, there already is a Mounted combat, where your personal mount has its own statistics and abilities. The Possession system, on the other hand, is unique as it allows to players to combine as one fighting unit. And finally, four unique weapons of legend can be found by the gamers, which if united, can challenge Uzziel himself!

Carpe Diem will surely seize the MMORPG world by storm the day it comes alive!