NCSoft is sending word that it's got two to-be-named MMO games in the works. What makes this announcement interesting is that both titles will be powered by the Unreal Engine 3 - the same engine used in high-profile titles like Gears of War. More details are available in the full article.

In line with the recent release of Issue 11: A Stitch In Time, NCSoft is sending word of two referral programs it's set up which entitles residents of their City of Heroes and City of Villains MMORPGs to a free extra game credit. Head on over to the full article for further details.

NCSoft is sending out word that the Guild Wars Bonus Mission Pack has been activated and is now accessible the next time you go online. Wondering who you need to meet in-game to take advantage of this special treat? Head on over to the full article to find out!

You can now take that love for NCsoft's Guild Wars to a new level, because a bunch of goodies are up for grabs. Whether you're into art prints, stylized shirts, pins, or other Guild Wars-themed swag, either the Guild Wars Gear Store or PlayNC Merchandise Store should have something in store for you.

Find out more at the full article!

NCSoft is sending an early season's greetings to the players, as they announce their upcoming Guild Wars holiday promo. This promo will entitle purchasers of the Guild Wars: Eye of the North expansion to hefty discounts for any other Guild Wars expansion packs they choose. Full promo details are available in the full article.

New details about the upcoming Guild Wars Bonus Mission Pack have been revealed by the pack's design lead, Colin Johanson. The Bonus Mission Pack is a four-mission collection that NCSoft is giving away as a thank you to players who have spent at least US$ 29 or purchased Guild Wars: Eye of the North during NCSoft's in-game store and PlayNC promotion.

The pack contains four single-player story missions. Each mission is tied to the Guild Wars games, with one story each for the original Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, and Guild Wars: Eye of the North. Players will get to play as a historical character - Saul D'Alessio, Master Togo, Turai Ossa and Gwen, respectively - with a custom Skill Bar and specialized attributes.

The missions will take place in existing Guild Wars world maps but the events themselves will take place in the past. No artwork has been recycled. Players will be able to check out, for example, some early Ascalonian architecture as well as how the river of Elon looked before the construction of the Fortress of Jahai.

The Guild Wars Bonus Mission Pack is available for a limited time only. Those interested should try and get their hands on one before the promotion ends on October 31.

Online gaming fans planning to take on Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa by NCSoft should take note of the following pricing information, to better plan your budget ahead of time.

Those who wish to pay by credit card have the following options to choose from:

• US$ 14.99 per month
• US$ 41.85 per 3 months (pay only US$ 13.95 per month)
• US$ 77.70 per 6 months (pay only US$ 12.95 per month)
• US$ 143.40 per year (pay only US$ 11.95 per month)

If you think you're going to like Tabula Rasa enough to keep playing for more than a year, then its a good idea to just go all out and plonk for dough for the US$ 143.40 annual payment.

On the other hand, those who do not wish to use their credit cards can buy the generic PlayNC game time cards. Cards for other NCSoft games such as City of Heroes, City of Villains, Lineage II can also be used for Tabula Rasa.

UK or European customers take note: if you want to get a non-European version of the game for some reason you may do so. However, charges will be billed in US$, which can get a bit tricky. In addition to that, the non-European version of Tabula Rasa can only access North American servers, so there may be some problems if you want to play with your neighbors.

With the game's release on October 16, it's a good idea to start planning ahead. No one wants to wake up only to find out that his game account is way over due with his account suspended.

If you want more details on the Guild Wars: Eye of the North sneak peek weekend, NCsoft has posted a list of things you can do once it becomes available. It's doubtful that you'll be able to play all the content given the amount of stuff the developers added, so you might as well focus on the stuff you know you'll enjoy right?

The most important thing to do is to secure yourself a slot for the sneak peak. Follow the short list below to be able to access the content:

1. Pre-order now via the Guild Wars In-Game Store, the PlayNC store, or one of our many retail partners.
2. Early access begins on August 24, 2007 at 12:01 AM Pacific time (-7 GMT). To travel to the Far Shiverpeaks and access the Sneak Peek content, speak with one of the following NPCs:
• Len Caldoron in Lion's Arch
• Minister of Maintenance Raiugyon in Kaineng Center
• Bendah in Kamadan

Note: Early access ends on August 26, 2007 at 11:59 PM Pacific time. All progress, items, skills, and Heroes you have unlocked and obtained during the Sneak Peek Weekend will be accessible again when the game goes live on August 31.

If you've already pre-ordered the game, here are the things you'll be able to do during the event:

• Be among the first to immortalize your character's accomplishments in the Hall of Monuments.
• Enlist the aid of two new races—the barbaric Norn and the magical Asura.
• Answer the challenge of the Norn Tournament and boost your reputation by defeating battle-hungry opponents.
• Train with the infamous Kilroy Stonekin in the art of Dwarven boxing.
• Venture into the newly discovered Depths of Tyria, overflowing with dangerous creatures and vast rewards.

So get ready Guild Wars players, this may very well be the last big hurrah of this game before the great exodus to Guild Wars 2. In case you'd want to find out even more info, click on our read link to head over to the Guild Wars official site.

NCsoft's Eye of the North has been billed as the first true expansion for the Guild Wars series. If you can't wait for its release, you might be interested in knowing that a pre-release bonus pack is going to be released on July 20.

This is pretty big news considering that the official release of this game is on August 31. Players who pick this up will be ahead by around a month or so, giving them a significant advantage in the ever competitive PvP ladder. The bonus pack will be available through retailers in North America and Europe. In addition to this, it will also be sold at the NCsoft store at PlayNC.com and through the official Guild Wars online store.

It wouldn't be a bonus pack if you didn't get some pretty cool stuff with it. The bonus pack includes some exclusive weapons such as the Glacial Blade, Hourglass Staff, and the Darksteel Longbow - all of which are based on the winning designs from the Guild Wars Design-a-Weapon Contest held earlier this year.

Players who don't decide to bite the bullet and just pre-order the regular version will be getting a little bonus as well. These gamers will be getting access to the new content from August 24 to 26 in an event aptly named Sneak Peek Weekend. Everything players obtain - items, XP, Heroes, and loot - will be permanent and available when the expansion goes live.

   

An official announcement by PlayNC on the City of Heroes website has pegged a special weekend for gamers just coming out of school and entering the lazy days of summer. In celebration of the lapse between schooling (and Father's Day?), PlayNC will be doubling your experience points in one weekend.

The special weekend will begin on Friday, June 15 on 8:59 a.m. PST (11:59 a.m. EST) and will end on Sunday, June 17 on 8:59 p.m. PST (11:59 p.m. EST). Gamers who don't have an account and want to take advantage of a special opportunity that happens only twice a year can get a friend to refer them to the game for a 10-day free trial.

And those currently active on City of Heroes might want to take advantage of the Referral Program for free game time in return. And not limiting only to the good side, City of Villains players will also enjoy a double experience weekend in parallel with the protagonist experience.