Asiasoft to Release Ray City and Monster Forest in Southeast Asia

Last week, we received word from Asiasoft Online that they have secured the rights to publish the racing MMORPG Ray City and the pet-themed MMORPG Monster Forest at their games portal Playpark.net.  Both of these games look very interesting and I can't wait to see them make their way around the world.  This is the first look at both of these titles in an English version.  Asiasoft sent out a massive amount of assets for both of these titles and we will be showing it to you in several parts.  For now though, we have the release, some conceptual art from Ray City and an introductory video trailer from Monster Forest. [and guys make sure to check out the wallpapers at the Ray City website]

Asiasoft Online Pte Ltd (“Asiasoft”) joins forces with the biggest game developers from around the world – 9you from China and Electronic Arts Inc. (“EA”) from the USA – to launch two new Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) in Singapore and Malaysia in the first half of 2010.

On March 16 2010, Asiasoft and EA will commence the week-long Closed Beta Testing phase of RayCity (http://raycity.playpark.net/). Developed by EA Seoul Studio, this will be the first English service of this popular MMO racing game. In RayCity, gamers can savor a new approach to racing with the added dimension of MMORPG features such as character leveling, unlockable maps, photorealistic graphics, engaging quests and interesting Non-playing Characters (NPCs).

Having already captured over 15 million gamers in Asia , RayCity’s wacky and over the top gameplay will put a twist on conventional racing, while its plethora of customizations will allow for an endless pimping of in-game rides!

RayCity is also the flagship game of the newly revamped PlayPark Passport (http://www.playpark.net/), which enjoyed a successful soft launch on February 9 and has since seen a daily growing number of new registrants. Each new registrant will receive the in-game ANX, a car that can hit speeds of up to 230km/h, for use during the RayCity Closed Beta Testing period.

The new PlayPark Passport will congregate members of various Asiasoft game forums and communities in one central portal, and in the pipeline are more community-based features, member perks and even a social network just for Asiasoft gamers. Registration of the PlayPark Passport remains absolutely free of charge and gamers will be able to use their PlayPark Passport login ID and password to play RayCity.

“We are thrilled to bring RayCity to gamers in Singapore and Malaysia, who are in for a real treat when they peel off the many layers of this wacky and unusual game,” said Kenny Goh, Deputy Managing Director of Asiasoft Online. “We are also honored to be collaborating with EA Seoul to launch this one of a kind racing MMORPG in our market.”

Asiasoft aims to further grow the RayCity gaming community with regular cyber café tournaments, leading up to the annual Asiasoft Game Festival scheduled for late May 2010.

Quickly following the launch of RayCity with EA, Asiasoft will team up with 9you to kick off Closed Beta Testing for Monster Forest (http://www.monsterforestsea.com/) in May 2010. The free-to-play 3D MMORPG combines gameplay concepts that were previously predominant only in console and browser games, such as turn-based skill card battles, pet breeding and mini land farming, to cater to the avid MMORPG fan.

For pet lovers, Monster Forest unleashes over 500 different exotic pets to tame, each with their own intricate evolution and breeding patterns. Pets range from adorable cacti to ferocious demons, all of which pack equally nasty punches in Player versus Player (PvP) showdowns.

For casual gamers who are glued to Facebook farming games, Monster Forest offers a simple yet addictive mini land system that allows enterprising gamers to cultivate crops and lifestock, share their harvests with fellow gamers, and even run their own cafés. Hard work is handsomely rewarded when NPCs make random visits to these cafés and successfully order certain meals and drinks!

Four months ahead of its launch, Monster Forest has already been voted by gamers as MMOSite.com’s “Most Anticipated MMO” in January 2010, averaging a score of 9.1 over 10 for graphics, originality, gameplay and community.

“Monster Forest truly does offer something different for every kind of gamer and it breaks convention by adapting the various kinds of gameplay that were previously seen mostly in console or browser games, into a holistic MMORPG experience,” said Ng Kok Khwang, Marketing Director of Asiasoft Online. “It is also a great privilege to be working with 9you, one of China’s gaming giants, to bring this dynamic title to whet the different appetites of gamers here in Singapore and Malaysia.”

Asiasoft is set to launch the Monster Forest Cash Shop, where gamers can purchase cosmetic and functional add-ons via micro transactions, from the very first day of the game’s Open Beta Testing phase in mid-2010. This will allow gamers to immediately plunge into the full game experience and to further enjoy all that Monster Forest has to offer.

The publisher is also exploring outdoor PvP tournaments and pet lover activities, which may see gamers fighting it out at their computers one minute and walking their dogs together the next!