I'm not sure if it is a good thing that the best MMO at E3 2008 could be a game aimed at 9-14 year-olds, but I am sure that Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms is a very good thing indeed. There are plenty of free MMOs aimed at the kid market out there, but they all tend to share certain bad traits. Shoddy graphics, poor-quality interfaces, and an overall lack of polish. SOE is taking the social children's game concept, applying a World of Warcraft level of polish, packing it with personality and mini-games, and unleashing it upon the computing family for free. They are going to tear the kid's MMO sector apart.

Kotaku's Pre-E3 Party

With most of Kotaku Tower emptying out to fly to Los Angeles this weekend it would be a crime not to throw a party. So of course we are. Come join us for a some pre-E3 libations on Sunday July 13 at LA's historic Golden Gopher.

Among the guests will be weekend warriors Maggie Greene, plus yours truly (in the I Heart Hot Moms shirt from the GTA:DUI video). Also appearing are Brian Crecente, Brian Ashcraft and Mike McWhertor. You'll also be able to catch up with Leigh Alexander and Mike "Mountain Man" Fahey, plus Intern Adam Barenblat, who interrupted me amidst a phone call with a ladyfriend last night and now must buy me a beer. (What, that cost me $5.99 a minute. Damn right I'm making the intern pay.)

The thing kicks off at 8 p.m., when the place opens, and we will, for a time, have an open bar. The place isn't gigantic, and in Tokyo we managed to burst Mother at the seams, so you may want to try and get there on the nose.

If you plan on making it, make sure to obtain a wristband from one of us once you arrive for the free drinks. The party is 21 and older only, unfortunately. Sorry.

Golden Gopher

Why Korea Matters: Learning from Difference

Kotaku's Pre-E3 Party

With most of Kotaku Tower emptying out to fly to Los Angeles this weekend it would be a crime not to throw a party. So of course we are. Come join us for a some pre-E3 libations on Sunday July 13 at LA's historic Golden Gopher.

Among the guests will be Kotaku's own Maggie Greene and Owen Good as well as such surely editor types as Brian Ashcraft and Mike McWhertor. You'll also be able to catch up with Leigh Alexander and Mike "Mountain Man" Fahey. I'll be around as well, probably demanding things of Intern Adam, like having him fetch me sammiches.

The thing kicks off at 8 p.m., when the place opens, and we will, for a time, have an open bar. The place isn't gigantic, and in Tokyo we managed to burst Mother at the seams, so you may want to try and get there on the nose.

Give a shout out in comments if you plan on making it and make sure to obtain a wristband from one of us once you arrive for the free drinks. Oh, 21 and older only, unfortunately. Sorry.

Golden Gopher

Remember the uproar that was stirred when folks thought that EA's Battlefield: Bad Company would have weapons only available for purchase? For the few of you who actually liked the idea, Nexon presents Combat Arms, their first multiplayer online FPS. Along with a hearty selection of free weapons, Nexon allows players to purchase new weapons and equipment from their online store, tricking out their character to their hearts' and wallets' content.

You can head over to the official website to download the game for free and check out the tons of new content Nexon has added in honor of today's official launch, including new weapons, a new map, and the addition of a new game mode, Capture the Flag. Wait, they've only just added Capture the Flag? This should be entertaining.

UPDATE: Nexon contacted us to clarify that while items will be eventually be available for purchase for Nexon cash, upgraded weapons never will. Hit the jump for the full "Free to Play Pledge".

The Witcher: DuelMail Becomes The Witcher: Versus

Remember The Witcher: DuelMail, the free-to-play browser fighting game based on the hit PC RPG that ate up a whole lot of productivity when it went into open beta back in March? Well the beta is over, and the game has a new, more sensible name - The Witcher: Versus. More than 48,000 people participated in the beta, offering feedback that brought about changes in the release version of the game. Updated features include multi-channel chat, a new player tutorial, enhanced graphics, and a more demanding character development system so you can fully customize your character's skills.

I'm assuming they also fixed whatever it was that was letting me kick so much ass in the beta version, as evidenced by the frustrated comments in the original post. Only one way to be sure though...head over to The Witcher: Versus and challenge the powerful sorceress Kotaku to a duel. Muhahahaha.

The Witcher: Versus [CD Projekt Red]

Retailer Amazon has listed tentative dates and platforms for Star Wars Battlefront III, long rumored to be in development at Free Radical, developers of Haze and Timesplitters. While we've been under the impression that the UK based dev was hard at work we didn't know how hard at work they are. According to Amazon, Battlefront III is coming to everything — Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, DS, PSP, PlayStation 2. OK, not everything, since it doesn't list a PC version, but if these listings are accurate, anyone and everyone will have access to a version of the game come March 2009. We await more news at E3 next week.

Star Wars Battlefront III [Amazon via GoNintendo]

Fable II Pub Games: Get Gold Before Game Day

I fully approve of the developing trend of letting you play bits of the game before they come out, with the bits you play actually effecting the full game. The Spore Creature Creator, for instance, which lets get your creatures ready for the full release, and now the Fable II Pub Games. The Fable II Pub Games, which will be available on Xbox Live Arcade next month, will allow players to participate in three lively fantasy gambling games, with the money you earn transferring over to the main game upon release. Earn big bucks playing “Keystone,”, “Spinnerbox,” and “Fortune’s Tower,” and your character will be able to start off the game right, ready to purchases weapons, dog tricks...the sky's the limit.

Best of all, while the Fable II Pub Games will be available for purchase at 800 MS points, preordering the game from participating retailers gets you the mini-games for free, my personal favorite price.

Build Your Fable II Gold with Pub Games [Xbox.com - Thanks Peter!]

Digital Extremes, the team behind such mediocre titles as Dark Sector, Pariah and Extreme Pinball, have signed on to help optimize Bioshock for the Playstation 3. To be fair, DE did also produce the fair to middling Unreal Tournament 2003, and they do have a way with death frisbees.

The game is still behind developed by 2K Marin, 2K Boston and 2K Australia, so it's unclear how much impact the inclusion of a fourth cook in the kitchen will actually have on the game.

"When 2K approached us to assist with development on BioShock for the PLAYSTATION 3 system, it was a no-brainer," said James Schmalz, CEO and founder of Digital Extremes. "You really can't ask for a more exciting, technically impressive world to work in than Rapture, and the incredible knowledge and talent between the 2K studios and our team at Digital Extremes is unprecedented. The collaboration on this project will make the PLAYSTATION 3 system sing with Big Daddy goodness and Little Sister 'thank you's'."

Just so they don't top their chorus off with Hayden Tenno emo sucktitude, it'll be fine.

Come Party With Kotaku

With most of Kotaku Tower emptying out to fly to Los Angeles later this month it would be a crime not to throw a party. So of course we are. Come join us for a some pre-E3 libations on Sunday July 13 at LA's historic Golden Gopher.

Among the guests will be Kotaku's own Maggie Greene and Owen Good as well as such surely editor types as Brian Ashcraft and Mike McWhertor. You'll also be able to catch up with Leigh Alexander and Mike "Mountain Man" Fahey. I'll be around as well, probably demanding things of Intern Adam, like having him fetch me sammiches.

The thing kicks off at 8 p.m., when the place opens, and we will, for a time, have an open bar. They place isn't gigantic, and in Tokyo we managed to burst Mother at the seams, so you may want to try and get there on the nose.

Give a shout out in comments if you plan on making it and make sure to obtain a wristband from one of us once you arrive for the free drinks.

Golden Gopher

Sams: No Free WoW

It's currently popular to theorize that nearly all gaming will end up free or nearly free at some point, distributed via browser and monetized through ad support, microtransactions or scalable subscription models. Faith in this business model's been instated by the early success of many free-to-play web-based MMOs (many of them for kids, mind).

But what about the arguable king of all MMOs, World of Warcraft? Will it ever get on the trendwagon and go free, or offer a free option, at least? Not so much, says Blizzard COO Paul Sams, as part of an in-depth Gamasutra interview:

Jagex has launched the live beta of their long-awaited RuneScape update, RuneScape High Detail. The popular free browser-based MMO has had its graphics completely overhauled to better appeal to people finally ready to leave Ultima Online behind. The beta is really only a beta to forgive any bugs that might crop up, as subscribers who join the beta do so with their live characters, with anything that occurs in beta carrying over when the beta ends.

While the beta is currently only for paying subscribers, Jagex will be letting everyone else in on the fun in due time. Hit the jump for the new trailer for the title, which features the awesome blurb "Now Playable In Full Screen" which makes me giggle every time I see it.

Top Gun Theme Free on Guitar Hero III

To celebrate Fourth of July, and perhaps move a few more Guitar Hero IIIs, Activision is giving away the Top Gun Anthem song via the Playstation Store and Xbox Live starting this Thursday.

Anthem is the guitar-heavy song from Top Gun, not to be confused with Kenny Loggins's Danger Zone. Unfortunately the free DLC won't include a heavy metal fro or aluminum parachute pants.

IMVU on Creating a World From the Avatar Up

New Frontlines Map Appears On Xbox Live

The first of five new maps for THQ's Frontlines: Fuel of War has hit Xbox Live, available now for the low, low price of free. Boneyard features Western Coalition and Alliance forces facing off at a fully functional nuclear missile facility, which is sure to mean ensuing hilarity for all involved. The new map also features several new toys to play with, including the automatic shotgun, Red Star transport heli, and the enticingly named rocket jeep.

I was really hoping Frontlines would do better so I could use the Top Spot image above, but I think sharing a name with dog flea medication and a map called Boneyard is enough to run with it.

DLC: Frontlines: Boneyard Map (Free) [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

Nexon's Sugar Rush Arena in Closed Beta

Codemasters Details Archlord Update

Codemasters Online's free-to-play MMO ArchLord is technically getting a bit more free as the company readies the third free expansion pack, Episode 3: Spirits Awakening, which adds "up to 30% new game content". I am assuming they measured that out using suitably scientific methods. The update will introduce 3 new game zones, over 80 new skills, new ArchLord abilities, collectible armor sets, and a bunch of new enemies to thrash soundly about the head and neck, all of which adds up to more or less 30%. This pleases the Relfling.

Ed Relf, Director of Marketing, Codemasters Online commented, "We are pleased to be able to set out our exciting new expansion plans for ArchLord. As recently announced ArchLord is now more popular than ever with thousands of new players taking up the challenge every day to compete to become the games all-ruling leader!

Episode 3 is due to go live "in the coming weeks".