TURBINE GREEN
LIGHTS NEW ASHERON’S CALL EXPANSION PROJECT
Expansion Pack Is Company’s First
Self-Published Video Game
WESTWOOD, Mass. – April 13, 2004 –Turbine
Entertainment Software Corp. today announced that fans of the
award-winning 3D massively multiplayer online role playing game
Asheron’s Call® (AC) will receive a new expansion
pack in early 2005. Available for the PC, the latest AC installment
will offer fresh challenges to experienced players while welcoming new
gamers to the colorful and exciting fantasy world of Dereth.
“When Turbine first created Asheron’s Call
we knew the game would be exciting, but we couldn’t have imagined it
would have such an overwhelming following of dedicated players,” said
Jeffrey Anderson, president and CEO, Turbine Entertainment Software.
“This expansion is a great way to say ‘thank you’ to all of the AC1
players. They are the reason that AC will remain a popular and exciting
online role playing game for a long time to come.”
The Asheron’s Call expansion pack is
the first video game completely self-published by Turbine Entertainment
Software. In addition, this project will be the first title developed
in the company’s new West Coast Studio located in Santa Monica, Calif.
The expansion pack will be the third installment in the original AC
series, following the launch of Asheron’s Call in 1999 and
the Asheron’s Call: Dark Majesty® expansion
published in 2001.
Key Expansion Pack Features
·
Graphics Upgrade: A substantial
upgrade of Turbine’s first generation graphics engine, the Turbine
Engine®, which serves as the backbone to Asheron’s Call.
The upgrade is expected to more than double the original texture size,
resulting in more detailed characters, creatures and landscapes. Most
importantly, the improvements won’t significantly impact performance,
allowing robust play even on lower-end machines.
·
New Elder Game: An intricate and
involved strategic resource and land control system that will allow
players to compete for enhanced skills and town ownership. Through a
new land-raid system, players will also be able to invade other
allegiance’s territory and attempt to plunder the opposition’s
resources, skills and abilities.
In addition to these key features, there will be many new
stories, monsters and hours of additional game play. Turbine also plans to
support the expansion’s release with a new story arc promoted through
in-game episodic content. This approach will further build upon the massive
amounts of existing content by providing new and exciting story lines and
adventures. Turbine will release further details about the new chapter –
such as the complete feature set – in future announcements. Additional
information about the Asheron’s Call video games can be found
online at
http://ac.turbinegames.com.
About Asheron’s Call®
Launched in 1999, Asheron's Call®
is a critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game
(MMORPG) that draws together thousands of players within an evolving and
dynamic persistent 3D world. With an exciting ever-evolving storyline,
thrilling adventures and quests and regular content updates, Asheron's
Call immerses players in an intense role-playing
environment. An extensive system of formal Allegiances and player influence
greatly enhances social interaction within the game. Asheron’s Call
spawned its first expansion, Asheron’s Call: Dark Majesty®,
in 2001. For more information, visit
http://ac.turbinegames.com.
About Turbine Entertainment Software Corp.
Headquartered in Westwood,
Mass., Turbine Entertainment Software Corp. is a premier provider of online
subscription entertainment. Formed in 1994 and with more than 150 employees
on two coasts, the company is one of the largest online game studios in
North America. The company’s proprietary technology, the Turbine Engine®,
generates some of the most sophisticated 3D graphics in the world, producing
the memorable projects Asheron’s Call®,
Asheron’s Call: Dark Majesty®
and
Asheron’s Call
2:
Fallen Kings®. Turbine is currently developing
The Lord of the Rings™: Middle-Earth™ Online and Dungeons &
Dragons® Online. For more information, visit the
company’s web site at
www.turbinegames.com.
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