At Sony Online Entertainment’s Gamer Day in New York City, the press was given a few updates on the plan for the future of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. For those unfamiliar with the title, the game was launched back in February and has had mixed reviews from both players and critics.

Rumors of an SOE buyout of Sigil Games Online (the developers behind Vanguard) were not mollified as this particular fact wasn’t discussed with the press at the event. This remains sheer speculation from the public. However SOE was kind enough to talk about some of the other updates that will be coming to the game in the near future.

One of the key features that the developers at Vanguard have been working on is the Permanent Group System. This will allow six players to consistently work together in the game world to achieve their goals. As a member of a permanent group, players who cannot make it to a particular gaming night will not feel left out because they will still gain experience as the others play. Types of offline advancement are becoming very popular in other MMOs, and Vanguard looks to integrate the system into its permanent grouping feature.

SOE also gave us a very brief look at the new Ancient Port Warehouse “dungeon”. Unfortunately, there was no time frame given for when this new dungeon will be released. Along with the new areas to explore, players will also get to see the upcoming Dark Elf city which is set on a volcanic mountain. This new cultural center will be one where the players can obtain the quest for the new, rare Wyrm Mount. Let me just say that flying around on a dragon looks pretty bad-ass. Still, it will take some work to get the mount.

Also during the event, SOE mentioned the success of the Diplomacy System in the game and how it has helped the player community grow. Not only that, but Diplomacy has also helped players level faster and gain more experience together. Despite a rough start, the game continues to offer new challenges to players tired of World of Warcraft. According to SOE, you can expect more announcements about the game to come out this summer.

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