Frogster kicked off the first round of closed beta today for its upcoming MMORPG, Eligium – The Chosen. The closed beta phase is set to run through January 18th, 2012 and offers players a chance to test out three of the game's races and several features through level 45. Unfortunately, fans of the Panda Monk will have to wait until the start of closed beta phase 2 to get their hands on the class.

You can sign up for the closed beta on the Eligium – The Chosen website. Check out the official press release and presentation video after the break for more.

 Explore the lands of Galgaron

– Official closed beta test has begun! –

Berlin, 19.12.2011: The first closed beta test for ELIGIUM- The Chosen One, the newest MMORPG from Frogster, begins today at 16:00 CET. Players fortunate enough to get their hands on one of the limited beta keys can start their adventure today - a little present before Christmas.

Pandaring to the Masses

The closed beta will run until the 18th January 2012. During that time players will be able to sample a selection of ELIGIUM?s many features and raise one of three selectable races to level 45, the level cap for the closed beta. Players who are waiting to follow the path of the brave Panda will have to practice the art of patience and await the second phase of beta testing where the Panda will make its glorious entrance. Knowing the Panda, this will be hard to miss.

To accompany the launch of the closed beta Frogster has also prepared a special ELIGIUM presentation video which gives players a run through of the game?s key features, such as the skills and virtues, to help players get to grips with their new world.

You can still register on the main website to participate in one of the upcoming beta key waves, as well as numerous other competitions. For more details please visit our official website: www.eligium.com

To the view the video please follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-1BiQ15qBM

For other ELIGIUM information please visit the official website www.eligium.com and our official profile on Facebook.

About ELIGIUM – The Chosen One

The fantasy MMORPG ELIGIUM – The Chosen One sets itself apart through the extraordinary depth of its gameplay and a range of features that will impress fans of all genres. The game is set in an impressively atmospheric world where players battle evil and each other, guided by hundreds of exciting quest series. ELIGIUM?s demanding boss battles, group instances, mounts and pets, guilds, PvP and ranking systems, item upgrade system and many other features provide players with a great deal of variety. Upon selecting a character, players have a choice between four races which are linked to specific classes. Will the next Chosen One be a human warrior or mage, an elven hunter, a virid druid or a panda monk? The choice is yours. www.eligium.com

ELIGIUM Features:

? Five playable race/class combinations and endless possibilities for customization through a skill system and extensive item upgrades

? Demanding instances and dungeons

? Cross-server PvP battles, epic guild battles, housing, a ranking system and much more

? Detailed server-wide statistics and rankings

? A novel mount system allowing players to raise and train their own companions who will support them in battle

About Shanda Games

Shanda Games Limited (NASDAQ: GAME) is a leading online game developer, operator and publisher in China. Shanda Games offers a diversified game portfolio, which includes some of the most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) and advanced casual games in China, targeting a large and diverse community of users. Shanda Games manages and operates online games that are developed in-house, co-developed with world-leading game developers, acquired through investments or licensed from third parties. http://ir.shandagames.com/“

Frogster – We take you to a new world!

The Frogster group is a Berlin-based international publisher of online games. Frogster has focused on the growth sector of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) from early on. The company licenses, markets, and operates its virtual worlds for millions of players in Europe, North America, and Oceania. With its top titles „Runes of Magic? and „Bounty Bay Online? Frogster has already gathered over 6 million registered players worldwide. Three other ambitious MMO games, „TERA?, „Eligium – The Chosen One?, and „RaiderZ?, are slated for release in 2012. At its offices in Berlin and San Francisco, the Frogster group employs more than 200 staff members in the fields of licensing, IT, web design/web development, product management, business development, marketing, PR, community management, customer support, hosting, sales, billing, and finance/administration. In 2008, Frogster won the title of “Landmark in the Land of Ideas” in a competition under the patronage of the German president. Additional information is available at: www.frogster.de