Team Fortress 2 has new maps and a new mode on the way! The team working on TF2 decided that the new modes and maps should be tested with the wider audience. Now when you search for servers and game modes you can opt in to play the beta maps. Of course there are plenty of official servers running the new beta and private servers are also invited to run them too.

Whether you are pushing the cart up Cactus Canyon or blasting your way through the enemy team’s robots on Asteroid it’s pretty fun to get in on the maps while they are still fresh to everyone.

Have you ever wanted to construct battle arenas where mercenaries fight to the death over important global issues, but found you would rather shoot people in those arenas instead of riveting things that need riveted? We’ve got a position for you! Now is your chance to boss around the little guy as you stand on the ground floor of cutting edge environment construction!

FAQ:

How do I participate?

Click on Play Multiplayer, enable Play Beta Maps checkbox, and then choose a mode to play.

Why are you running a maps Beta?

We would like to include the community early in the development process to gather feedback as we try variations in the map layout and game play mechanics.

What sorts of things can I do to help the development process?

Continually playing the maps is one of the biggest ways you can help us develop. Having servers full of users interacting with each other quickly points out problems with the gameplay that need to be addressed.

How do I submit feedback?

To help gather feedback, send us links to discussions happening on your favorite community forum. Or you can write us directly to express your thoughts. We will also be joining servers to play alongside you, shooting down enemies for the greater benefit of the team.

Will the maps be changing a lot?

Yes. There will be times when a change will be needed. That change may be as small as moving a health kit to a different room or it may be a larger change, such as reworking an entire section of the layout.

Are the game mode rules final?

No. We may see drastic swings in rule sets to make comparisons to previous versions. We may change the rule set one update only to find the previous iteration was better.

Are there Beta map servers? Can we host our own?

Yes and Yes. We’re running a set of official Valve Beta servers using quick play matchmaking. Community server owners are welcome to host beta maps.

Source.

Webzen have started the open beta for Archlord 2. Any player with a free account will be able to access Archlord 2 without a Beta key. Players without a WEBZEN account can create one for free www.webzen.com

The Open Beta will offer a choice of 4 servers, based on different regions and languages. To help players better understand the server structure of Archlord 2 and which server they should choose to get the most out of the game, WEBZEN has prepared a special announcement which can be viewed here.

Players can select between two different factions, with one race each. For the Open Beta, character progression will be capped at Level 41, and a good amount of new and updated content will be made accessible, including massive battleground events every evening, each day with different maps and objectives.

ESTsoft Inc, developer of Cabal Online, has announced the development of CABAL Online for the Android TV platform, bringing the exciting and cutting edge MMORPG experience to a Smart TV platform for the first time. In June, at its I/O Developer Conference, Google unveiled a new Smart TV operating system called Android TV which enables users to watch live broadcasts, stream video files, play games, and enjoy a plethora of online features and content.

ESTsoft has already begun its development of CABAL Online for Google’s new Android TV platform, and plans to expand its robust online game service to other platforms such as Chrome OS, Amazon Fire TV and others. The development of a multi-platform CABAL Online experience is expected to bring a significant increase in accessibility and playability to the game and continue the growth of its constantly expanding global service.

Apart from the platform expansion, a browser based game and mobile game utilizing the CABAL Online brand are both currently in development. In addition, the new CABAL Online based mobile game will bring action and RPG elements to the mobile scene in true CABAL Online style. The mobile game has a target release date of Summer 2015.

The BISBOG Group have announced that Astro Lords: Oort Cloud has officially launched in English language territories, as of 10AM PDT / 1PM EDT July 1, 2014. Following a successful three-week beta test, the free-to-play science fiction, mmo is now available to all players in North America and Europe. Everyone can create an account and dive in right now, for free at the official website.

During beta testing, over 2,800 players registered and logged more than 45,000 hours of Astro Lords browser gameplay. Players mined over 17.5 million crystals, earned over 10.7 million credits and racked up over 19,000 victories in the combat arena.

All beta testing activity has been wiped from the game, ensuring a fresh start for all players. Everyone will start on an equal footing at the Tutorial stage, meaning all early players in the game will have the advantage over latecomers, with more time to develop their asteroids, sciences and skills.

Be prepared for fireworks this Independence Day! Aeria Games can announce that their free-to-play anime MMORPG Aura Kingdom has successfully passed Steam’s Greenlight process, and will be available on the well-known platform from July 4th.

The game, which was officially launched earlier this year through the Aeria Games website and Aeria Games’ own gaming platform Aeria Ignite, has already proved very popular and has a vast, loyal set of fans. Now Aeria Games is excited to welcome a host of new players into the fold by making the game available on Steam.

“Having a game launch on Steam is a sign of trust in the quality of the game and the service we provide,” said Dr. Pascal Zuta, CEO of Aeria Games. “We are very excited to now be able to offer Aura Kingdom to a wider audience through the Steam platform.”

In Aura Kingdom, players take the role of envoys of Gaia, gifted individuals who set out to save the world of Azuria. Together with their companions, the eidolons, which they collect along the way and can perform devastating combo-attacks with, they can go on quests, explore dungeons and battle fellow envoys in PvP arenas. To celebrate the launch, all defeated monsters will be offering a 50% increase in drops, for this weekend only.

Steam page.

WarpPortal are inviting players from the Philippines to join in on the adventures of the MMORPG Ragnarok Online 2. With fantastic in-game events planned to help new players get up to speed, RO2 is looking forward to the communities Filipino players will bring to the game.

To celebrate new players coming to RO2 from the Philippines, WarpPortal are hosting the following events in-game:

•     Pre-Registration Event! – Welcoming Philippines players to RO2!
•     Register for a Cocka-Racer! – New Ragnarok 2 registered accounts within the time period will automatically qualify to earn a Cocka-Racer!
•     Rally Your Allies and Win! – Recruit your friends and earn Kafra Cash and items for everyone! During the time period, the more new registrations we receive, the more Kafra Cash everyone will have the chance to earn!
•     Play to Earn PowerUp Boxes! – Play for at least 10 hours each week, and you’ll earn a unique PowerUp Box!
•     Level Up for a Large Bag! – If a player reaches level 25 within the time period on a character, they will qualify for one, free Large Bag!
•     Elite Players Only! – If you accumulate at least 100 hours of play time during the time period, you will earn one, free Elite Membership Card!

Source.

Webzen have released thier teaser trailer video for the new class coming to their mmo, Continent of the Ninth Seal (C9)

Starting Tuesday, July 8th, 2014, C9 players will be able to access Erta, the newest advanced class for the Mystic. The Erta is an aerial juggler who excels at dealing damage with quick, powerful melee attacks. She’s also very mobile, able to deceive her enemies with lightning-fast dashes.

Erta mainly utilizes Stance Change and Teleport skills. She can execute powerful combos by switching between ranged and melee skills with Stance Change. Also, she can use Teleport and Link to move instantly for a trick attack on the enemy. Her primary weapon is the Chakram, a throwing weapon which is circular in shape, with a sharpened outer edge to slice through enemies.

http://youtu.be/vpg1os6TXeY

Official site.

Similar in concept to the crazy Big Ten event that ran two months ago, today’s launch for Marvel Heroes brings back fan favorite in-game specials alongside new features.

Thank you so much for an amazing first year of Marvel Heroes! With the bar set so high from our Big Ten event this year, we knew we had to deliver even bigger for the momentous end of our anniversary month for Marvel Heroes 2015. For Epic Twelve, we not only brought back favorite events from last year but have created several new events!

Here’s the list of events that make up the Epic Twelve celebration this weekend:

1. Return of the Reaper – Every few hours, a different game mode will have increased loot, rotating between Terminals, Midtown, and X-Defense and Holo-Sim.

2. Legendary BOGO – BOGO for heroes and costumes are back along with a 15% bonus G sale.

3. Even More Cowbell – Log in on Saturday, 6/28 for a Cosmic Cow King Crate. Loot for the Bovineheim and Confidential Bovine Sector will also be increased!

4. Devs with Benefits – Play with the devs, ask them questions & receive codes for mystery gifts.

5. Runes Reloaded – Drop rates for the rarest of runes have been increased as well as sale values.

6. World Cup Fever – Collect flags from the various World Cup countries for a special item.

7. Cosmic Chaos – Cosmic Doop spawn rate has been increased and will drop random a Cosmic Medallion and Cosmic Ring. Cosmic Penta Boosts also make a comeback in the store.

8. Summer BBQ – Collect summer BBQ drops including hot dogs and Omega Red Ketchup.

9. Alpha Omega – Earn more Omega Orbs as rewards for Shared Quests are tripled and are 10% easier to acquire. Log in each day to receive an extra Omega Orb.

10. Teamwork 101 – Team Insignias drop rates will be increased, Team-Up Heroes will deal increased damage and all Team-Up Heroes prices will be 20% off! Log in each day and receive an Epic S.H.I.E.L.D. Team-Up gear.

11. Accidents Happen – Server side rarity boost will have a few unexpected increases at random times through each day, lasting anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.

12. Old School – Hero Tokens for any hero have a small chance of dropping across the game.

Source.

The sandbox MMORPG Xsyon has just released a massive terrain reversion update.

The Xsyon landscape is always shaped and molded by the players. Over the years many unsightly mounds and ruins of abandoned sites have built up across the land. The terrain reversion update gradually restores this neglected land to its original state. Felled tree stumps and logs that have littered the landscape also decay over time.

For new players, this provides expansive areas of pristine terrain to start new homesteads, villages and monuments. For current players this facilitates travel and trade and prepares areas for expansion and migration. Terrain reversion will be a continuous process as abandoned lands will constantly decay, making way for new inhabitants of Xsyon.

It makes sense and will give the world more of a living feel.

Official site.

The trailer for Final Fantasy XIV Patch 2.3 is here. The update is called ‘Defenders of Eorzea’ and it’s scheduled to go live on 8th July.

Delve into the mystery of Ramuh and learn why he must be faced in combat. As well as the latest story content, new dungeon environments and quests, ‘Defenders of Eorzea’ will also see the introduction of the highly-anticipated three-faction Frontline PvP, Chocobo Raising, desynthesis, Hullbreaker Isle and more. Watch the video to whet your appetites, it’s eight minutes long and in true final fantasy fashion you’re treated to some nice new visuals.