14 DAY TRIAL // The MMO fans are eagerly awaiting to see what Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, from Mythic and Electronic Arts, plays like when it launches later in September. But there's another MMO launch that is being planned, which has received much less coverage and which could prove just as important in the long run.
A popular and interesting China created MMORPG, called Perfect World, is on schedule for a late fall release in the Western world. The game is pretty much playable in Asia but the international servers are going to be coming online with a localized English version of the game. And if you're interested, then developers of Perfect World Entertainment are inviting you to take part in the beta that they are now implementing.
The game was initially a traditional subscription based MMO but the conditions of the Asian videogame market have gotten developers to switch over to a free to play model. Perfect World currently has more than 2 million players in 10 countries, it looks and plays a bit like Lineage II and the developers are really hoping Western audiences will like it too.
There are three races, Humans, Untamed and Winged Elf and they all get two classes. The game has guild vs. guild battles, a feature called Territory Wars in which 160 players battle it out for control over territory and for some monetary rewards. There is also an in-game marriage system, as well as a lot of crafting, and the developers are always launching world events.
Perfect World International is now in open beta, with places available on both Player Vs Environment and Player Vs Player servers. If you get into the beta now you will be able to keep your character when the final version of the game launches. It will be interesting to see how this Asia developed MMO will fare on the Western market.