With gamescom set to deliver a barrage of gaming news this week, free-to-play publisher gamigo kicked things off by revealing new details about their upcoming Otherland MMOG based on the series written by Tad Williams under the same name.

According a to a press release earlier today, gamigo has acquired exclusive rights to publish the game online, leaving dtp entertainment free to focus on the retail version of the game. The game has been in development since 2006 and is scheduled to begin its beta testing in the first quarter of 2012.

IGN recently had the chance to speak with gamigo's Patrick Streppel and RealU's Andrew Carter about the game to learn more about the game’s setting, backstory, content and the various stages of death penalty. A new trailer has also been released for the title and you can check it out after the break along with today’s press release.

Sources:

IGN

Press Release Below




OTHERLAND - gamigo acquires license for multimillion dollar MMOG

Hamburg, August 16, 2011 - Best-selling author Tad Williams' Otherland series is quite possibly one of the most thrilling virtual reality novel series of our time. In 2012, gamigo and dtp entertainment will bring an incredibly elaborate free-to-play online game based on the novels to Europe and North America. The two Hamburg-based publishers have signed a license agreement that gives gamigo the exclusive rights to publish the game online in the West while dtp focuses on the retail version of the game.

The dtp studio RealU, an international team made up of experienced developers, has been working on the action-packed and story-driven MMORPG built on the Unreal 3 engine since 2006.

Patrick Streppel, Executive Board Member at gamigo, said: "Otherland marks another milestone in gamigo's history. As an up-and-coming AAA game in the free-to-play market, the game boasts superb graphics, fascinating scenarios and truly innovative gameplay. Otherland will be our flagship game in the coming year and will provide a unique game experience for players from Europe and North America."

Frank Brügmann, CEO of dtp entertainment added: "With Otherland, our studio RealU is creating a revolutionary online game that is already considered one of the most promising games of the upcoming year. We are confident that we have found the right partner in gamigo and are really looking forward to working together and to the upcoming year, when players will be able to set foot in the fascinating universe of Tad Williams' novels for the first time." Registration for beta testing, which is scheduled to begin during early 2012, is now open at Otherland-Game.com.

More about the action MMORPG Otherland: Otherland features lush landscapes, highly-detailed character models and top-notch effects thanks to the state-of-the-art technology of the Unreal Engine 3. The developers had a wealth of material to draw upon when creating the highly-varied mulitverses.

There is little to limit the imagination in virtual reality, making an endless variety of settings imaginable. "Eight Squared" is a classic medieval world with fairy-tale castles and massive chess pieces floating the air. Mars is hardly a red wasteland but instead boasts impressive Oriental buildings. Additional worlds are already in development.

The "non-targeting system" makes fighting in Otherland focused on the action. The game features long-range weapons such as bows or guns as well as weapons designed for melee combat such as clubs, swords and lances. Attacks are not aimed at a specific target, so sweeping blows or mighty swings will hit all enemies within range! Position and separate targeting are important aspects of battles, making them far more dynamic and intuitive.

Socializing plays a huge role in Otherland. In the colorful neon gorges of the "Lambda Mall", players can make plans to meet up for a chat in one of the many bars to unwind from the hubbub of battle. They can also take part in a variety of mini-games such as dancing competitions or aerial combat. The Lambda Mall is a central meeting place, a shopping center and a place for relaxation, all rolled into one.

Those who prefer to have their own private place to relax can create their own little realm in "MyLand". Throughout the multiverse, players can gather what is known as "eDNA" from opponents. After collecting enough eDNA, they will be able to place, among other things, creatures to protect them in the MyLand.

Closed beta testing for Otherland is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2012.

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About gamigo AG

gamigo AG, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Axel Springer AG, was founded in 2001 and has grown to become one of the leading publishers of free-to-play MMOGs in Europe. Since 2010, gamigo also publishes its games globally. A team of more than 100 employees works in the company headquarters in Hamburg and its branch office in New York City. The key to success is the emphasis on publishing high quality games supervised by first-rate community management. The portfolio includes games from all ends of the gaming spectrum - from Facebook games and browser-based games to elaborate MMORPGs.

About dtp entertainment

dtp entertainment, estimated 1995, is one of Germany's largest independent games publishers and multimedia distributors. The company employs more than 200 people at its offices in Hamburg/Germany (headquarters), Hanover/Germany and Singapore. dtp entertainment develops and publishes games internationally for all interactive entertainment platforms. dtp entertainment holds top 10 market share position (German PC, Nintendo DST markets; 2009; according to media control).

Since 2005, dtp entertainment products have won more than 140 press and 17 industry awards, such as German Computer Games Awards or German Developer Awards. Some of the most successful dtp entertainment releases are Drakensang (holding simultaneously positions 1-3 of the German media control PC charts when released 2008), Drakensang: The River of Time, the Black Mirror series or Summer Athletics (ranked top 5 in German media control WiiT charts for several weeks; ranked best as a 3rd party publisher for Nintendo® platforms within the German market).

www.dtp-entertainment.com


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Otherland Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

About The Author

Stacy "Martuk" Jones was a long-time news editor and community manager for many of our previous game sites, such as Age of Conan. Stacy has since moved on to become a masked super hero, battling demons in another dimension.

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