Funcom announced the launch of the pre-order campaign for 'Rise of the Godslayer', the first expansion for the highly acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game 'Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures'. The expansion, set in the eastern empire of Khitai, builds on an already extensive Conan universe and will let players travel to a unique part of Conan's world where an ancient traditional culture clashes with dark forces.
The expansion will launch on May 11th and will be available both through retail and as a digital download. In retail the expansion will come in an all-new packaging that includes both the expansion and the original game, allowing new players to quickly get up to speed with all the new content and gameplay. The retail product comes bundled with a new social pet as well as a package of virtual items to welcome new players to Hyboria.
Funcom is working with two new distribution partners, Deep Silver for the European territories and CompuExpert for the North American markets. Both Deep Silver and CompuExpert are heralded industry-leading distributors with over 35 years of combined experience.
"We are now ready to publish the expansion and it feels great to sound the horn and let players into this great new world that we have created," says Morten Larssen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Funcom. "It is also very exciting to be re-engaging with retail together with our great distribution partners with an updated product that contains both the expansion and the original game, making this release relevant to both new players, previous players and our current playerbase."
As a pre-order reward a new form of in-game pet that aids players in battle is premiered. This pet will immediately be given to all existing customers that pre-order before the launch date, as well as to all retail customers that register up until the 25th of May. Combined with this launch, Funcom is also introducing a digital Collector's Edition optional upgrade, which among other things gives immediate access to a flying fighting pet. The upgrade to the digital Collector's Edition is now available through the customer account page.
The soundtrack of the expansion content is simultaneously being made available in all major territories through Grappa records, including a bonus DVD with full 5.1 surround recording. The soundtrack will also include a key that will unlock a unique in-game bone flute.
Launching in May 2008 'Age of Conan' quickly became a smash hit in retail, shipping over 1.2 million copies around the world. In North America, the most prominent online gaming market in the west, 'Age of Conan' became the third best-selling PC title of the year in 2008. In the weeks after launch 'Age of Conan' simultaneously topped the charts in 17 countries, and the game received critical acclaim from gaming press across the globe. 'Age of Conan' is now available in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Polish localized versions, and is being prepared for launch in Korea as well.
