Sony Online Entertainment has announced that its freemium virtual world Free Realms will launch for the PlayStation 3 console on March 29. The game will be available as a free download through Sony’s PlayStation Network service. Free Realms launched in 2009 for PC and in 2010 for Mac. The game serves over 17 million registered users across both platforms. Free Realms is a virtual world suitable for all ages that lets young players hold one of a variety of jobs, raise virtual pets, and play mini-games.

“Free Realms continues to break new ground in the gaming industry– it will be the first free-to-play MMO to hit any console, the first family-friendly MMO to hit any console, and the second MMO, after our recent release of DC Universe Online, to hit the PlayStation3 to date,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment, in a press statement. “As the only online games publisher that creates accessible and diverse gameplay experiences for the full spectrum of gamers, we are committed to burgeoning innovation and growing the MMO genre by leaps and bounds, bringing in players of all ages.”

The PS3 version of Free Realms will contain the same content found in the PC version with a “streamlined” user interface and allow players to unlock trophies through play. PS3 Free Realms will also support voice chat. SOE says that players will be able to download Free Realms from the PlayStation Store and begin adventuring “within minutes.” Users can click on the Game Guide to access the Activity Finder, Events Calendar, minigames, quests, and Match Making.

Free Realms will launch with 8 environments and 15 jobs available to players, who can switch between them freely. Players on the PS3 version will have access to the same perks as their PC and Mac counterparts, including player housing they can decorate by purchasing virtual goods. Players get access to over 800 quests and the ability to level each job through level 4 as free players. Players can purchase optional subscriptions to gain access to 400 more quests and the ability to level jobs up to level 20.

Join us for the App Developers Conference – October 26-27, 2011 in Santa Clara

Free Realms Launches On PS3 March 29 | Engage Digital

If you have a Wii, this game is awesome!

So, it’s a race to see who will beat the game first, and I’m actually ahead of my co-worker right now. But, if I keep playing dumb like I did last night . . . well . . . it might be a bad ending for the Friendly Necromancer.

Check it out here in my video I’m calling “Epic Fail Mickey.” Since, I just freaking couldn’t jump these cards for some reason. It got to be comical.

As the video says at the end, I finally did get up those stupid cards and, yeah, there wasn’t anything exciting up there. EXCEPT, now that I’m reviewing the video I see a film reel up there that I need to go back and get. DANGIT!

. . . It’s the Friendly Necromancer at his worst . . .

Anyway, of other news, I also Dinged 19 in the mining skill in Free Realms. One away from the max! WOOT!

Yeah, that’s a total test in endurance since you have to play this silver mining game over and over and over to get there. I ran out of quests . . . all that’s left to level me up is to play mini-games.

Man, that’s a lot of mining mini-games. I wonder how many people have actually endured that punishment and made it to 20th level as a miner?

Mining is an Epic Free Realms fail, but I SHALL DO IT! ENDURANCE!!!!

The Friendly Necromancer: Epic Fail Mickey and Ding 19 Miner

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), in collaboration with TransGaming, Inc. (TSX-V: TNG), has released Free Realms for the Macintosh Platform. Mac users can now enjoy the family-friendly online world, integrated into synchronous gameplay on the same game servers as PC players. Free Realms players on the Mac platform will experience consistent controls and functionality and will have full access to the existing Marketplace and community forums.

Free Realms is a free-to-play, online game that has more than fourteen million registered players engaged in its expansive virtual world. In Free Realms, players can customize their characters and play a wide variety of mini games in a safe, online environment, packed with stunning visuals, distinctive environments, and social networking capabilities.

Free Realms is now available for the Macintosh platform. To play, visit: www.FreeRealms.com. Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence.

Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms Now Available For …

Join thousands of other players and make your home in Free Realms! Do what you want to do, when you want to do it, in a lush, living, 3D world filled with lush landscapes and fun wildlife.

Free Realms gameplay is as varied as the people who play. Looking for adventure? Unlock jobs like Ninja, Explorer and Wizard to battle enemies and disarm traps as you search for lost treasure, or duel other players. Battling not for you? Take time to teach your pet a new trick, decorate your house, or grow vegetables and flowers. When you’re ready for a different kind of challenge, play a wide variety of completely integrated mini-games to craft useable items or get your high score onto the leaderboards.

There’s always something new to see and do in the world of Free Realms, with weekly and monthly content updates, regular and special events, and even player-created parties and celebrations.

“Our players wanted a summer of fun in Free Realms, so that’s what we’ve provided. With new items, jobs and quests being added to the virtual world, there are more ways than ever to explore Free Realms,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “Our continued innovation and consistent player engagement have built an incredible forward momentum to take Free Realms into its second year, and beyond.”

Summer Camp, which officially started June 7, is anything but limited to camp activities and is going strong with weekly summer themes, in addition to new items and features that are regularly being added to the game world. Players can grab everything they need for a great day in Seaside with the beach chair, beach umbrella, above ground pool, lifeguard tower and volleyball net, all of which are now available in the Free Realms Marketplace.

In celebration of World Cup Soccer, today the reverse-color Soccer Ball pet is available. The Snowhill Playground is also officially open for adventurers to explore. Players that make it to the top of the fall-away block staircase will find a treasure chest worth 100 coins! Moving platforms, which are housing blocks that move in different directions, Tiger Rides and surfboards will be available soon.

Join the in-game action for the Barefoot Bash, today, June 24, at 3p.m. PDT and tomorrow, June 25, at 9a.m. PDT. Players can head straight to the party through their in-game calendar.

To celebrate the Fourth of July weekend, SOE is running a Double Station Cash Weekend where players can purchase Station CashTM cards, excluding Starter Cards, from local retailers, which can be redeemed from Friday, July 2 at 12p.m. PDT to Monday, July 5 at 12a.m. PDT for double their value in Station Cash, which can be used to buy virtual goodies or upgrade to a Membership status in the game. Also, for those who have wanted to see what the buzz is all about, SOE is offering a free trial membership all weekend long. All players will have access to the membership content during the trial period and at the end of the weekend, players will have the option to keep their member status through a variety of multi-month membership payment options.

Key Features :

• Free Gameplay: Free Realms is free to play, however additional content can be accessed through a membership or micro transaction.
• Rich Character Creation: With thousands of customizations and combinations, you can blend fantasy and reality to create your perfect avatar.
• Be Whoever You Want: Characters aren’t locked into classes or jobs – you can be a wizard one minute and a race car driver the next.
• Kid-Safe: Parental controls allow for the customization of safety options, including pre-canned chat, reporting and filters for younger players.
• Fun for Everyone: With so much to do and see it’s easy to find something for you! Start by playing one of 14 different styles of minigames like cooking, kart racing, mining, demolition derby and music conducting. The action doesn’t stop there, as there are over 460 quests for everyone with an additional 240 available to Members. Even though combat is optional, there are 80 free battles and 15 additional Members Only battles—plenty of action for those eager to fight fierce creatures!
• Vibrant, Deep Environment: Eight distinct, unique and breathtaking environments for gamers to explore for launch. Areas include the snowcapped mountain villages of Snowhill, the dark and mysterious Blackspore, and real fun in the sun at Seaside.
• Connect with Friends: Whether you’re meeting up with old friends or finding new ones, Free Realms lets players stay connected through its social networking page. Just log in, see what your friends have been up to, click their avatars and join them in the game!
• Trading Card Game: The Free Realms Trading Card Game will let players pit a variety of fun characters and creatures against one another in fun, fast-paced combat. Half the game is collecting new cards, to arm yourself with the best line up of attacks and defenses. You can even prove your might in online tournaments!

More articles about Free Realms

Worthplaying | 'Free Realms' Keeps Trucking With 12 Million …

• by AJ Glasser
• June 01, 2010 10:04 AM PT

With BioWare’s Star Wars massively multiplayer online game pushed back to some hazy date in fiscal year 2011, Sony Online Entertainment and LucasArts are clear to bring you a different Star Wars MMO based on the hit TV show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The free-to-play MMO is no Old Republic; the kid-friendly Clone Wars Adventures instead offers lightsaber duels and spaceship battles alongside mini-games and a built-in card battle game. Players who want to “take it to the next level” have to bum Mom and Dad’s credit card to buy a monthly subscription or Station Cash for microtransactions.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures is due out this fall. Check out the website here.

Got any tips, corrections, or feedback? Contact GamePro’s news team or follow the author of this story on Twitter.

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Clone Wars Adventures takes Free Realms approach to Star Wars MMO

Free Realms Party

Press Release

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – March 5, 2010 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced that its family-friendly online game, Free Realms™ (www.FreeRealms.com), has surpassed nine million registered players.

“With Free Realms, we’ve been able to reflect the needs and wants of our players by keenly listening to their suggestions and feedback,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “We believe the persistent exercise of capturing in-game research inside Free Realms has been a huge contributing factor as to why we’ve attracted over nine million players in less than a year. It truly helps us give our players a game where they can do and be whatever they want.”

Continuous development of new features and themed in-game events, as well as persistent marketing support, has drawn a constant influx of new players into the free-to-play virtual world. An example of a customer-requested feature recently introduced in Free Realms is Rides.

Introduced last month, Rides not only look cool and come in multiple color choices, but they allow players who have purchased a Membership to hop on the back of a T-Rex or Dragon and travel anywhere in the overland world at 150% of their normal speed. Building on this player-driven feature request, Horses are the next Rides scheduled to be released, with more types of transportation in the works. The development team is also set to introduce new Owl and Groundhog pets, as well as an exciting new 3-D minigame in the near future.

Free Realms offers an endless array of activities and mini-games to entertain players. From ninja fighting to kart racing to raising pets, Free Realms offers a safe, family-friendly environment to connect with old and new friends. Also available is the Free Realms Trading Card Game: a full-featured trading card game, playable both digitally within the Free Realms online game and offline via physical card decks sold wherever you buy trading cards. Free Realms players can also pop into select retailers to purchase Station Cash™ cards, which can be redeemed for Station Cash, and used to buy virtual goodies or upgrade to a Membership status in the game.

Free Realms is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up with content descriptors of Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence. To play Free Realms, visit: http://www.FreeRealms.com.

About Sony Online Entertainment
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Tucson, AZ and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development.

Sony Online Entertainment Announce Free Realms Has More Than 9 …

Free Realms has over 10 Million registered users, and Sony describe the game as “a free massively-multiplayer online game packed with mini-games”. I think a game that is both free and pretty awesome, and which is a MMORPG will actually fit to the PS3 collection of games.

Sony’s Free MMORPG, “Free Realms”

If you would like to try Free Realms out, just go to www.FreeRealms.com

SickWick » Blog Archive » Gaming News: Free Realms for the PS3

Paranormal AgencyUpdated Apr 30, 2010, 6:43am

It’s tough to tell a good ghost story: in order to make it effective, you need to make sure its various elements balance each other out. It has to be smart, there need to moments of ease to break up the tension, and, most importantly, it has to be scary. Unfortunately the developers behind the recent iPhone port of PC game Paranormal Agency haven’t seemed to figure out the right way to tell their game’s story. There are a few elements that promise something greater, but they never manage to blend together into anything that’s really good.

The game’s plot stars Heather, a woman who can detect ghosts that is called in to an old orphanage to figure out what is haunting the place. After encountering the malevolent spectre, Heather emerges from the battle with stronger supernatural abilities, and becomes the person her city turns to a year later when massive numbers of ghosts start crossing over into the realm of the living.

The story is certainly interesting, but it’s not compelling enough to actually make someone want to play the game for long. Part of this is because the narrative doesn’t actually show Heather encountering too many ghosts, just finding cursed objects or talking to people who have been having supernatural problems. It’s also not terribly scary. Finally, the gameplay just really isn’t all that fun.

It’s hard to make a hidden object game feel original or novel, but Paranormal Agency doesn’t even try. Identifying objects is predominantly handled in one of three ways: you have to find the item matching the word in your queue, match the object with an identical outline, or tap on all the objects that fit a general descriptor like “shiny,” “paper” or “digital”. There are a couple of extra level types like ‘spot the difference,’ but encountering these is rare.

There are even some instances of mini-games (like untangling a web of infernal power so you can close a dark gateway) popping up; these are actually quite fun and serve as a welcome break from the game’s tedium, but they’re so infrequent that they do little to make the game more enjoyable.

Even when you zoom in on the rooms and search for hidden objects, the view is often too small for you to properly figure out what’s sitting on your screen: the object is either too small or its colors blend into the background too well for it to be identifiable. This is further compounded by the fact that some outlines are practically impossible to figure out because they’re so complicated and small on the display.

When this happens, it’s time to take advantage of the free hints you have access to. Thankfully, your hints will replenish between levels and you can accumulate extra ones by finding faded question marks in a room. However, using the hint system is even less fun than the frustrating gameplay, since it really just gives players will a free answer by highlighting a hidden object that hasn’t been collected yet.

That’s the major problem with Paranormal Agency: there’s a constant feeling of laziness that surrounds it. It seems like the developers couldn’t be bothered to make the game enjoyable for those of us using it on an iPod Touch’s screen. The text is difficult to read, the touch detection system has trouble detecting touches on the right object, and you’ll often find yourself revisiting the same few environments in the game as your progress through its plot.

Perhaps the original version of Paranormal Agency is more fun than the iPhone version is. I can see it being much more appealing with the added precision of a mouse and a larger display to look at things, but it’s certainly not terribly enjoyable as it stands. There’s a free version of the game in the App Store, so if you feel compelled to pick this game up, try that out first.

Paranormal Agency Review | Gamezebo

1. Runes of Magic, The most ambitious WoW clone to date, Runes of Magic is a huge MMORPG that currently boasts 8 classes and 2 playable races. With over 2000 quests and dozens of instanced dungeons to explore, RoM is a f2p treasure trove. Perhaps the game’s most interesting feature is the ability to dual class. This opens up many interesting class opportunities such as Priest/Rogue or Scout/Mage. Instanced player housing and a robust crafting system make Runes of Magic a must-try for fans of the fantasy genre.

Runes of Magic Video–

2. Free Realms, The greatest casual MMO release of the year, Free Realms offers a wide variety of activities. Players can battle monsters in traditional MMORPG style or take a break to play cooking, farming, and other mini games. There’s even a whole kart racing mode and trading card game built into Free Realms! The graphics are bright and vibrant and appeal to a large audience. The game may be geared towards kids but Free Realms can be enjoyed by all age groups. The only down side to the game is the fact that many features and classes are only available to paying subscribers.

Free Realms Video–

3. Jade Dynasty, Set in ancient China, Jade Dynasty gives players accustomed to Western style fantasy MMORPGs a new perspective. The gameplay isn’t revolutionary but the interface and graphics are top notch. Players will experience sunsets and sunrises, pass by lush waterfalls, mountains and deserts. Both land based and flying mounts are available, there’s even a marriage system for players who want to tie the virtual knot. Most of the games that made this list rely on an animated art style which are easier to work with but Jade Dynasty deserves credit for taking a more realistic approach.

Jade Dynasty Video–

4. Grand Fantasia, The fantasy world of Saphael boasts bright, anime inspired visuals and a whole lot of land to explore. The game is highly accessible but still features plenty of content in the form of quests, a unique pet system, and mounts which are acquired at an early level. Grand Fantasia doesn’t have the most original gameplay style, but looks and feels like the natural evolution of previous anime MMORPGs including SEAL Online and FlyFF. Players looking to sink their teeth into a deep, involved MMORPG with cheerful graphics should give Grand Fantasia a try.

Grand Fantasia Video–

5. Lost Saga, This MMO fighting game takes the genre to the next level. With anime inspired graphics and fighters hailing from all backgrounds, Lost Saga battles are always exciting. The fluid gameplay also helps tremendously. While other online fighting games suffer from stuttering/lag, Lost Saga runs smoothly. Players start with access to only one fighter, the Shadow Assassin and can unlock new characters as they play. This is the closest thing to a free PC version of Super Smash Bros that’s been released thus far and gamers should check it out.

Lost Saga Video–

6. Dragonica Online, MapleStory may of popularized the side-scrolling MMOPRG concept but Dragonica takes it to a whole new level. The gameplay is fast paced and the game does an excellent job of mixing a persistent world with dozens of instanced dungeons. These dungeons can be played solo or with a group and on multiple difficulty levels depending on the level and skill of the party. While Dragonica is a side-scroller, players can still move in three dimensions, at least slightly. The whole package feels like one of those arcade action-RPGs and is well worth checking out.

Dragonica Online Video–

7. BattleForge, One genre that’s noticeably absent from the MMO scene is the RTS. Strategy games are generally very popular on the PC so its never been clear to me why we’re not surrounded by MMORTS games. Fortunately, BattleForge makes up for the genre’s long absence in spades. Battleforge is a mix of RTS (real time strategy) and TCG (trading card game) but manages to combine the two to produce a highly playable, fast paced game. Besides the exciting multiplayer gameplay, BattleForge has a full feature single player mode with several campaigns, each composed of multiple stages. Anyone looking for a new strategy game with top notch production values should look no further than BattleForge.

BattleForge video–

8. MLB Dugout Heroes, MLB Dugout Heroes marks an important milestone for the free to play model. The game plays as you would expect a baseball video game to. Players pick a team, monitor their players’ stat growth and take control during the process of pitching and batting during their team’s turn. The real interesting thing with MLB Dugout Heroes is the fact that GamesCampus has an official license agreement with the MLB. This means the game uses the names of real players and teams. The gameplay is simple to pick up but requires practice to master. MLB Dugout Heroes makes the perfect free MMO for baseball fans, but fans of sports games in general will appreciate the level of detail put into the title.

MLB Dugout Heroes Video–

9. League of Legends, Who could of imagined that a Warcraft 3 custom map would eventually inspire multiple stand alone game releases? That’s exactly what happened with Defense of the Ancients, or DotA for short. Several people associated with the free Warcraft mod eventually formed their own studio and created League of Legends. Two teams, consisting of up to 5 players each, pick from a large pool of heroes and battle alongside NPC controlled creeps in a race to destroy the opposing force’s base. The graphic style in LoL is much more animated and an in-game match making system ensures players only battle those near their skill level.

League of Legends Video–

10. Battlefield Heroes, The venerable Battlefield series revealed a more casual side with this year’s release. The free to play Battlefield Heroes is a third person shooter with a distinctly cartoon graphic style. Much of the series’s staples such as varied class kits and player controlled vehicles make a return. The small client size and less realistic graphics make BF Heroes the perfect casual shooter since it will run on a wider range of PCs than previous Battlefield titles. Heroes is the first in the series to incorporate RPG elements where players gain experience, level up, and can allocate earned skill points among several abilities.

Battlefield Heroes Video–

Which MMORPG should to play?

T-Rex ride, Free Realms

Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) announced that its family-oriented online game Free Realms has surpassed nine million registered players.

“With Free Realms, we’ve been able to reflect the needs and wants of our players by keenly listening to their suggestions and feedback,” said John Smedley, president of SOE. “We believe the persistent exercise of capturing in-game research inside Free Realms has been a huge contributing factor as to why we’ve attracted over nine million players in less than a year. It truly helps us give our players a game where they can do and be whatever they want.”

Free Realms players enjoy consistent an frequent additions to their game, be it through new features or events. Last month, Free Realms introduced rides to players who purchased a membership. T-Rex and Dragon rides were made available in five different tints for 450 station cash points. These mounts allowed players to travel anywhere in the overland world at 150% their normal speed, and jump, swim, and run however they wished. More types of transportation are in the works, with Horses scheduled for release next.

Free Realms also celebrated the Festival of Hearts last month, which offered many themed events and activities revolving around friendship, love and kindness, and introducing many themed holiday items, such as hearts, candies and flowers.

Free Realms offers a wide range of mini-games and activities that players can take part in. Kart racing, pet raising, sports-playing and fighting are just a few of the many family-friendly activities the game allows. It was only last month that SOE recorded eight million registered users, and no doubt SOE’s constant support of the game and it’s friendly and quirky atmosphere contribute to Free Realms’ tremendous growth.

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SOE reveals Free Realms has broken 9 million users | www …