Michael Jackson, the world’s one and only King of Pop, has passed on but his legacy will continue to live in the memories of millions of adoring fans who, surprisingly, include hundreds if not thousands of online game players. I realize that this tribute is a bit late so I’ll keep it short.
Frankly, I was surprised at the reaction of different massively multiplayer online game communities when news of Michael Jackson’s death hit the headlines on June 25, 2009. In China, home of hundreds of thousands of MMORPG players, the outpouring of grief was pretty evident in the way they …read more

I’ve stumbled upon this video on YouTube featuring United States President Barack Obama, or a likeness thereof, in a machinima based on the new massively multiplayer online role-playing game Aion, and it’s hilarious! Actually, I’ve known about it for quite some time, but haven’t had opportunity to view it.
Go check out President Obama in Aion:
If the video is indeed based on Aion, it shows a lot in terms of the versatility of the game’s engine. Can’t wait to play it … that is, if I can.

Talk about ambitious. After raising awareness of the masses about Aion: The Tower of Eternity with the help of giant Chinese characters on the facade of one of the world’s tallest buildings, online games operator Shanda Entertainment now wants to build a theme park based on the game.
Here’s the lowdown from China-based online games portal 17173:
Shanda to build a theme park for Aion
Shanda Entertainment has announced that it will partner with Long Chuan Xia Travel Company in Tai Jiang City, Zhejiang Province, to build a theme park based on Aion.
Li Yu, chief executive officer of Shanda Games, revealed that they …read more

Look at this picture and tell me what you think:

Source: 17173.com
For those who can’t read Chinese, the characters that are lighting up the facade of the Shanghai Jinmao Building, purportedly the fourth tallest building in the world, spell out “Yong Heng Zhi Ta,” or simply Aion.
Yes, it’s an advertisement for Shanda Entertainment’s newest acquisition, Aion Online.
Still in the dark about Aion Online? Check out this video on the character classes available in the game:

Yes, it’s a big thing, to answer that nagging question, “What’s the big deal with Aion coming out on top?”, doing the rounds of your noggin. Well, if the news means nothing to you, it simply means you don’t know about the friendly competition between online games developers in China and those in Asian MMORPG capital South Korea.
I remember publishing an article on MMOtaku that detailed an escalating industry “war” between massively multiplayer online games developers in the two countries.
Here’s an excerpt from that story:
Here’s old news that’s still relevant today: Korean MMOs are losing out in China. According to …read more

Pardon me for posting this video if you’ve already seen it. I haven’t been keeping tabs on Aion: The Tower of Eternity since its teaser website made my computer crash a several months ago. So you can just imagine the wonder in my eyes when I saw this video:

The graphics of Aion looks great and the sound effects seem crisp, but I just have to go hands on to pass judgment. Knowing NCsoft, however, I’m sure disappointment will be far from my thoughts.
Now, the only hindrances are Aion’s actual release date in North America (yes, I’ll be playing on the …read more

My God! USD 14,000 for a single closed beta activation key to the world of Aion? Well, not really. The kingly sum is actually from dozens of CBT keys. How did a single player get so many Aion CBT activation keys?
Let me direct your attention to China-based online games portal 17173 for the answer:
A scandal has recently popped up in the official forum of Aion. A guild leader has revealed in a post how he managed to get over 200 closed beta activation keys and gained over RMB 100,000 (around USD 14,500) by selling them. He allegedly conned members of …read more

No, they’re not my screenshots. The game, Aion: The Tower of Eternity, hasn’t been released yet. It’s still in closed beta testing in Korea and is set for release in 2009. Before we get down to viewing the wonderful screenshots, let’s take a closer look at the game and its mechanics.
Aion: The Tower of Eternity is a visually stunning massively multiplayer online role-playing game featuring cutting-edge imagery, breath-taking environments, and a unique world of fantasy. You play a pivotal role in the fate of Atreia, where flying takes on a completely new role and the enemy is not only the …read more

If the list of Top 15 Most Expected Online Games in China is to be believed, the popularity of South Korean-made Ragnarok Online 2: Gate of the World is starting to flounder.
Is it because of its delayed release? Last year, the online gaming markets in several Asian countries were abuzz with news about the release of Ragnarok Online 2 that had been originally slated for December 2007 (at least in the Philippines).
Closing the gates to the refurbished Rune Midgard in the ancient land of China are three upstarts, namely Dungeon and Warrior, SGC Online, and Fun Online. Ragnarok Online 2, …read more

Shanda, an operator of massively multiplayer online role-playing games in China, is gunning for online gaming godhood.
In a recently released statement, Tan jun, chief executive officer of Shanda Interactive Entertainment Ltd., said the company would operate 20 online games in 2008.
Here’s a quick rundown of Shanda’s plan:
Shanda Interactive has announced plans to operate over 20 online games next year right after bagging the license to operate upcoming 3D MMORPG Dragon Nest, which is being developed by Korea’s Eyedentity Games Inc. Shanda also plans to bring in and operate over 50 online games between 2008 and 2010.
At the earlier Q3 conference …read more