BT Gold

Curse, Inc. continues to grow with a new U.S. headquarters in downtown San Francisco, additions to the executive team and a growing staff of nearly 25 full-time employees.

With more than 4 million unique visitors each month, and over 6 million projected by early 2008, Curse reaches the MMO player demographic in a way that no other site can, and offers publishers the opportunity to connect directly with their users. A centralized hub for MMO gamers, the company recently announced more than $5 million in Series-A funding.

As a result of its growth and expanded service offerings, the company has gained the expertise of industry veterans Kurtis Buckmaster and Lars Koschin. Curse also underwent a management restructuring: Founder Hubert Thieblot continues as the company’s CEO, with General Manager Wilson Kriegel assuming the duties of Executive Vice President in addition to his previous role. New addition Lars Koschin will manage the technical direction of Curse as CTO, with Kurtis Buckmaster rounding out the executive team as Vice President of Marketing and Product Development.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: U.S. Headquarters

K2 Network has announced the expansion of the cash shop within its epic Age of Exploration MMORPG Sword of the New World: Granado Espada.

There is more than 30 new and exciting items that have been added to the cash shop for gamers to buy will allows players to personalize and enhance their gaming experience while playing Sword of the New World: Granado Espada.

On offer will be a plethora of must-have items including:
- School Costumes – A unique costume that changes your character’s appearance overriding any armor that your character may be wearing. School costumes apply to all base classes.
- The Memoir (Veteran) – A book that will restore stat points used after reaching Veteran Status, In Sword of the New World one stat point can mean the difference between life and death, so don’t waste time with a stat point in the wrong spot.
- Triumph Fillers – Acquiring these will increase attack and defense ratings for 10 minutes and with the addition of this item ALL players will gain the ability to complete Irawain’s quest line and obtain his UPC card. Irawain is a UPC from the Far East who specializes in the Mui Thai fighting style. He is a powerful ally to have in the dangerous new world.
- Forgotten Dungeons – The wide selection of items from the expanded cash shop vary from changing appearance, to gameplay updates like the new Forgotten dungeons which lets players access new premium-only dungeons where they can fight stronger monsters with better loot!
- Wings – Give your characters that epic look and feel everyone desires! While wings won’t actually let you fly, they are the perfect way to make your characters shine.
- Combat Manuals – Increase the amount of experience your character receives from killing monsters. These Manuals come in multiple bonus experience levels and last anywhere from 15 to 30 days. Hardcore gamers and Casual players alike will find these manuals a useful tool to advance their characters.
- Strategy Manuals – Increase the amount of experience your character gains from using their stances and skills. With several levels of Strategy Manuals available players will be able to cut the amount of time to max out their stances and skills in half. These manuals will last anywhere from 15 to 30 days.

Many more invaluable items will be offered and whatever the players style or needs, there is something for everyone at the Sword of the New World: Granado Espada cash shop.

Player can purchase gold to spend on items to make life a little easier via a simple online process.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Cash Shop Expanded

Valve has once again wowed us all with the release of Half-Life 2: Episode 2. The latest chapter in the journey of Gordon Freeman has received rave reviews for good reason, allowing gamers to quickly forget any frustration that might have been caused by the wait between episodes (a little under two years for Episode 1, a little over a year for Episode 2). After all, Games For Windows Magazine (then Computer Gaming World) once graced its cover to their magazine exclaiming, “A new Half-Life every six months!”

There has been a subtle but perceptible shift in tone when Valve representatives discuss the Half-Life Episodes since their original announcement. The developer has moved away from the term “episodic content,” despite being one of its biggest supporters when Episode One was announced. More recently (and explicitly), Valve co-founder Gabe Newell admitted that they might re-think episodic gaming after their trilogy is finished. Continue reading »

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Episodic Gaming

Eidos Interactive says that Tomb Raider: Anniversary for PlayStation Portable will be released on October 26th throughout Europe. Inspired by the first Tomb Raider videogame, originally released in 1996, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a totally new adventure for Lara, faithfully preserving the elements which made the original Tomb Raider such a classic (selling over 7 million copies worldwide). The Tomb Raider series is still one of the best selling videogame franchises of all time with over 32 million copies sold and two major feature films released, starring Angelina Jolie.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary will also be available on Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii this holiday season and is already available on PlayStation 2 and PC Games for Windows.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: PSP, Tomb Raider

Residents of Second Life can now become cash buyers for land and property in their virtual world. By stepping up to the Ukash terminals located in the Bulido Money Service outlets in the phenomenally successful virtual world, the millions of Second Lifer residents can now use Ukash cash vouchers to get Linden Dollars, the official Second life currency. Cash consumers, and those without credit cards or with concerns about providing their financial details online, get Ukash vouchers from thousands of convenient locations across Europe.

“Ukash transactions are growing across Europe because of the convenience and security it provides to those who wish to spend cash online, so it’s natural to offer the same benefits to those who wish to transact within Second Life”, says Mark Chirnside, Chief Executive Officer at Ukash. Continue reading »

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Cash Alternative

Codemasters Online announce§í that RF Online is now a completely free-to-play MMORPG with the full game now available for download with no monthly subscription required.

RF Online is an epic mix of traditional fantasy and futuristic Sci-Fi set in the deep space galaxy of Novus where three races compete in an ultimate struggle for power and resource. Celebrating the games re-launch, new players can now also experience the all-new free expansion, Episode II: Pioneers of Novus available for free to all players of the game.

Following the recent re-launch of ArchLord as a free-to-play game growing the games player base by 700%, Codemasters Online are looking forward to attracting a surge of new interest in this amazing and now free MMORPG.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Online Goes

THQ announces the release of the Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth video game, based on the animated Nickelodeon television series. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth is currently available for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, Nintendo’s Wii home video game system, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. In addition, the game is scheduled to be released for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft next month, marking the debut of the first Nickelodeon title for this system.

Based on the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series from Nickelodeon, players will follow the storyline of the second season as Aang puts up a courageous fight against the evil Fire Nation to restore balance in the war-torn Earth Kingdom city. Players will be able to experience an epic adventure playing as five new playable characters including Appa, Jet, Toph, Zuko and Uncle Iroh as they experience brand-new firebending moves and go head-to-head in the all new Arena Combat for intense fighting action. Dramatic air battles will also take place as players experience new flying levels while playing as Momo and Appa.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Burning Earth, Last Airbender

Perspective Studios has entered into an agreement with Kohnke Communications to manage the company’s corporate strategy and public relations interests. Kohnke Communications, a San Francisco-based agency with strong ties to the gaming and digital entertainment industries, will be coordinating press outreach for the accomplished production studio.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Hires Kohnke Communications

Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, announces that Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis for the Wii home video game system from Nintendo is now available at North American retail stores.

Developed by Rockstar Leeds in collaboration with Rockstar San Diego, Table Tennis utilizes the Wii’s motion-sensitive Wii Remote to offer a frenetic and intense experience. Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis for the Wii is rated “E” for Everyone. The title will reach European retail shelves

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: game, Wii

Promaginy announces that Hero’s Path Games has reached a new milestone of 60 games, expanding tenfold from the six games it started with in November 2006. Utilizing the Reflexive Entertainment GameCentre Solution, fifteen high quality downloadable computer games are available for sale. These new games continue to capture the spirit of the hero’s path. Players can now find classic heroic games like Crimson Tide to recently released games like The Dark Legions and Grimm’s Hatchery All games are freely downloadable so that customers can try before they buy.

Players will find Action & Tactical games in the first Stage of the Hero’s Path: Call to Action. All heroes are spurred into action because they are forced to. These games force the Hero to think fast and to act smart.

Adventure & Roleplaying games are found in second Stage of the Hero’s Path: A Heroic Journey. Following the elimination of the threat, the Hero must set out on a dangerous and exciting journey to discover himself and the surrounding world around him.

Strategy & 4X games are found in third Stage of the Hero’s Path: Return as Ruler. Knowing who he is and what dangers lurk in the surround lands, the Hero returns to his home and begins his reign as ruler of the kingdom.

written by BTGold.com \\ tags: Grows Tenfold