[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource GamesPress.]
SEATTLE, Washington – September 7, 2010
– Weeks away from the one-year anniversary of the Western
release of Aion, the entertainment phenomenon that has captured
millions of players globally, NCsoft
®
today released Aion: Assault on Balaurea, a free and
feature-rich expansion in which players can enjoy new levels, pets,
weapons, items and skills within engaging solo and multiplayer
zones and instances. To celebrate Aion: Assault on Balaurea’s
release, NCsoft is offering exclusive pets for a limited-time
through select retailers.
Assault on Balaurea introduces the game’s passionate fans
to the next exciting chapter of Aion in which characters align
together to launch a massive counter assault against the invading
Balaur in their homeland. Along with the ability to explore new and
updated zones and instances, the expansion provides players with an
increased level cap, new weapons, items and skills as well as
enhanced flight mechanics. Because exploring is never fun alone,
Aion introduces completely unique, functional pets equipped with
in-game benefits to keep characters company along the way.
“Assault on Balaurea is more than a free expansion
consisting of new and exciting game experiences for our players,
but a sign of our commitment to providing players hours of fun and
excitement they can’t experience anywhere else,” said
Jaeho Lee, CEO NCsoft West. “With this expansion, we continue
to make Aion a truly global franchise by offering customized
features catering to Western audience gameplay styles, something
we’ve been looking forward to bringing our players since
launch.”
Consumer excitement for Aion has never been stronger as the free
expansion provides Western players with an unmatched regionalized
gameplay experience featuring several in-game functions that
utilize the breathtaking graphics, innovative gameplay and
engrossing story Aion is known for. With a massive global audience
that has wowed millions of gamers in the East and West, Assault on
Balaurea extends the experience with several key features,
including:
•
New Instances: Aion hosts eight new instances each
filled with fantastic challenges and enticing rewards. These new
instances experienced at both lower and higher levels offer a range
of challenges for all varieties of players ranging from solo
adventures to full-on Legion raids.
-
Pets: Pets are no longer only decorative. Aion
redefines how MMORPGs approach pets, creating an entire new
subsystem for players to explore as they acquire functional pets
capable of storing goods, assisting with crafting or acting as
guardians by alerting their masters to nearby enemies. Pets are
acquired through in-game purchases, quest rewards, item drops,
NCsoft Store, and special promotional events.
-
New Zones: Players will explore the vast lands of
Balaurea, the home of the Balaur, ruled by the Dragon Lord Tiamat.
The Asmodians and Elyos have established fortresses in the two new
zones: Gelkmaros and Inggison, each area featuring completely new
environments, powerful monsters and unique flight mechanics for
players to enjoy.
-
Increased Level Cap: Five additional levels can be
achieved. With an increased level cap of 55, characters will
discover new weapons, earn new items and learn new skills as they
explore the dangerous lands of Balaurea.
-
Enhanced Flight Mechanics: Brand new flight
options in the form of Windstreams allow characters to traverse the
vast new zones of Gelkmaros and Inggison with increased speed and
unlimited flight time. Windstreams have varying strengths and
effects, adding a further layer of depth and strategy to
Aion’s highly-acclaimed flight mechanics.
-
Twitter Integration: Aion’s new Twitter feed
functionality makes player bragging rights easy with its fluid
integration into the game. Players can capture and Twitpic up to
ten of their favorite screen shots using the updated in-game
UI.
Aion: Assault on Balaurea is available today digitally and at
retail in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore (MSRP
$39.99), and launches at retail this Friday, September 10th in
Europe. The retail version features the exclusive premium Speckled
Ailu (Panda) Pack pet along with a limited-time retailer specific
pet exclusive from NCsoft Store, Amazon, Best Buy/Best Buy Canada,
GameStop, QVS, Steam and Wal-Mart. In addition to the exclusive
pets, the retail version comes with the full game client, expansion
content and 30 days of game time.
For players looking to quickly increase their pet companions
beyond in-game purchases, quest rewards and item drops, the NCsoft
Store will feature an additional pets starting tomorrow.
For more information about Aion and Assault on Balaurea, go to
www.aiononline.com or
http://press.ncsoft.com/ for art and video
assets.
About Aion:
Unlike any MMO before it, Aion is a uniquely crafted online
gaming experience where flight offers much more than just a way to
gracefully explore the landscape - it is a strategic and integral
part of combat, quests, and exploration. Players will experience
breathtaking graphics and innovative gameplay as they dive into
battle and plunge through thousands of unique, story-driven quests,
all while trying to save and control a world literally shattered in
half from centuries of brutal conflict.
In Aion: Assault on Balaurea, the next exciting chapter within
Aion, characters have the ability to align together to launch
massive counter assaults against the invading Balaur on their
homeland while experiencing new and updated instances and zones, an
increased level cap, pets, weapons, items, skills and added flight
mechanics.
About NCsoft
NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world's premier
publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games,
including the critically acclaimed Aion
®
, Lineage
®
, Guild Wars
®
and City of Heroes
®
franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds
operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South
America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found
at
http://us.ncsoft.com.
NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, PlayNC, Lineage, Guild Wars,
City of Heroes, Aion, and all associated logos and designs are
trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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