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We have moved our blog operations to the new Gogogic home page. Please follow us at http://www.gogogic.com/blog/ to stay updated on the latest news about Gogogic.

Sneak Preview of new Vikings of Thule items!

Here is a sneak preview of a few of the many new items that may end up in the Vikings of Thule marketplace soon. What do you think?

New Vikings of Thule Gameplay Video

Vikings of Thule has evolved quite a bit over the past year. Because of this, we have updated our gameplay video to include new features and graphics.

This is a simple introduction to the gameplay in Vikings of Thule, an innovative social MMORPG on Facebook.

Your goal is to be one of the 39 most respected chiefs in the land. To do so, you will have to duel against other Vikings in live, online animated duels or offline battles, accumulate wealth and respect, manage your land and followes, and prove your might in Thule.

http://www.vikingsofthule.com
http://apps.facebook.com/vikingsofthule

Gogogic at Icelandic Gaming Industry event

Gogogic is proud to be a part of The Icelandic Gaming Industry, a group of 8 gaming companies in Iceland. The group formed early in May of 2009 but was formally established as a part of the Federation of Icelandic Industries (SI) on September 24th, 2009. To celebrate its first year in existence IGI will host a conference at one of Iceland’s most impressive spots, the Blue Lagoon, on September 24th, 2010.

The title of the conference is “The first IGI anniversary Conference: The future is… bright……. “. The title of the conference highlights the optimism that exists within the IGI. Currently more than 400 people work for the eight member companies in Iceland, and on a global scale the companies have close to 800 employees. The conference will therefore focus on the opportunities that lie before us as companies in the gaming sector of the digital entertainment industry. The speakers will focus on the global opportunities for the gaming industry by discussing the future of digital media and entertainment, how it will be used and produced. Speakers will also focus on the Icelandic Gaming Industry and how companies in Iceland can be a part of the global gaming industry in the future.

Keynote speakers for the event will include:

Pablos Holman – Futurist
Jason Della Rocca – Perimeter partners

Other speakers include:

Andie Nordgren – CCP
Peter Warman – Newzoo
Ville Miettinen – Microtasks
Torfi Frans Ólafsson – CCP
Jonathan Osborne – Gogogic
Deepa Lyengar – Mindgames
Þorsteinn Högni Gunnarsson – CCP
Jónas Björgvin Antonsson – Gogogic

Registration on midi.is (http://midi.is/events/1/6125/)

For group registration please contact Björn H. Reynisson bjorn@islandsstofa.is or Þórey Þ. Þórarinsdóttir thorey@islandsstofa.is

Further information on speakers and titles will be available shortly.

This conference is held in cooperation with:

Federation of Icelandic Industries
The trade council of Iceland

Preliminary fix for daily update glitch in Vikings of Thule

We will be updating Vikings of Thule later today with a preliminary fix for a glitch that has appeared in the daily update system while we continue to work on a permanent solution. Players who may not have received their earnings in the past days should start receiving them within the next 24 hours.

FIRST VIKINGS OF THULE QUEST RELEASED – CHAPTER 1: SLAYER OF WYRMS

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FIRST VIKINGS OF THULE QUEST RELEASED – CHAPTER 1: SLAYER OF WYRMS

Vikings of Thule, one of the first MMORPGs for Facebook,  now offers gamers a challenging expansion to the social role-playing game. This new expansion will be followed by future adventures as determined by the players.

 

REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND – August 17, 2010 – Gogogic announces the installment of a new expansion for Vikings of Thule, the innovative social MMORPG for Facebook. Vikings of Thule – Chapter 1: Slayer of Wyrms introduces a dedicated single player quest to the game.

The quest is shrouded in mystery, but involves gamers embarking on a mythical journey filled with adventure and a great challenge awaiting at the end. Those who successfully make their way through the perilous paths can expect great rewards. Players can select different difficulty levels, making the quest accessible for both new players and those who have reached advanced ranks.

“We have been pleased to see more players than ever before engaging with Vikings of Thule, so we wanted to create a whole new experience for them. The new quests will add even more depth and involvement to the game,“ says Iris Kristin Andresdottir, Senior Producer for Vikings of Thule.

The game‘s map has also been redesigned to reflect the changes made to the game with the new quest addition and the growing number of players who have immersed themselves in the world of Thule.

All in all, this opens a new chapter in the Vikings of Thule saga with player participation and feedback determining the nature of future chapters.

 

About Vikings of Thule
In Vikings of Thule – http://www.vikingsofthule.com/ – you will have to fight bravely and manage your resources carefully in order to climb up the social ladder in the harsh Viking society. Only the most skilled, cunning and respected Vikings will be chosen to join the ancient parliament, the Althingi. 

The game introduces a unique Player vs. Player battle system that will test your abilities as a Viking warrior against both live online players and an offline AI system.  Should you gain the skills and the prestige needed, you will be able to call upon the aid of Thule’s mythical beasts, the Wights.  The in-game marketplace offers an abundance of beautifully designed weapons, armor, shields, clothing, jewelry and other exquisite items to equip a number of male or female avatars.  Your gear allows you to grow stronger in battle, helping you to gain ranks and earn the respect of others. As you progress in the game you will earn the favor of the gods such as the mighty Odin, Freyja the goddess of fertility and the mischievous Loki, who looks to your skills in looting and plundering.  A recent additon to Vikings of Thule are challenging quests, which players can embark upon.

Play now by visiting http://apps.facebook.com/vikingsofthule

 

About Gogogic ehf
Headquartered in Reykjavík, Iceland, Gogogic ehf – http://www.gogogic.com – was created by a group of passionate gamers to build and introduce new and innovative social games on a variety of platforms including social networks, the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.  The company’s mission is to grow and become an exciting, influential provider of innovative and emerging gaming experiences while crossing platforms to enhance each release.

 

For further information please contact:

Erla Bjarney Arnadottir
Director Public Relations and Communications
Tel: +354 898 9363
E-mail: erla@gogogic.com

Jon Thorsteinsson
Chief Marketing Officer
Tel: +354 899 9249
E-mail: jon@gogogic.com

Vikings of Thule Chapter 1 released tomorrow

Our team at Gogogic are hard at work preparing Vikings of Thule Chapter 1: Slayer of Wyrms for release. We are polishing a few items in the expansion to make sure it is perfect. Because of this, the release has been delayed 1 day and will now come out on Tuesday, August 17th.

Vikings of Thule Chapter 1: Slayer of Wyrms released soon!

Years have passed since the settlement of the promised land. Each quadrant has been claimed and many a fine chief have risen. The population is migrating to the land’s four most favored settlements, giving the most able dwarves the incentive to create a new map of Thule. Not only will this move enhance relations, but it allows Viking chiefs to stand side by side in a world teeming with imminent threats.

Prepare yourselves for an exciting expansion to the world of Thule. We are simplifying the game’s layout and paving the way for even more content in the near future with Chapter 1: Slayer of Wyrms. While the current gameplay is basically unchanged, we are adding adventures geared to drawing in new players and building up our player base. This will result in a more active battlefield as new players come into the game. The introduction of our new adventure system might seem simple at first, but it will be expanded upon greatly to include microgames, tactical choices, and indepth stories.

Some points of notice with this expansion are:
•There will now be 4 major settlements. You will automatically be moved to the settlement in your quadrant.
•The map has been redesigned to accommodate upcoming features. While many settlements are gone, no windfalls have been removed.
•We have introduced the first adventure to embark upon. This adventure is a simple introduction to our new adventure system and will pave the way for many more adventures, which will test your wit and skill in upcoming releases.
•Expect many bug fixes and improvements.

Chapter 1 will be released on Monday, August 16th, 2010.

Gogogic conquers a mountain a day!

Our brave staff at Gogogic have been conquering one Icelandic mountain per day this week. They have woken up early, put on their hiking gear, and climbed to the highest points in the country. Part one of our plan to conquer the whole country. 😉

Here are some pictures from the adventures:

Your Viking Story contest winner

Congratulations to Bendik the Great, who has won our “Your Viking Story” contest on the forum and will receive the limited edition Vikings of Thule poster. This was his Viking’s incredible tale:

The mighty warrior thegn, Assgrim the Bellowing, happily went to visit his gods. It had been a great battle, and he had just witnessed his fourteenth son be torn from his mother’s womb – just as his sire too large in birth to allow the wench to live. This on the very battle field where the mangled corpses of three Earls now lay, slain by Assgrim himself. His usually stony and unrevealing face split in a rare grin, as he thought of how they would be picked clean by Odin’s Swans before long. One cleaved swiftly in half by his giant axe, Þorgnýr. The second crushed to a pulp with a swat of his bear paw hand. The third scared straight to Helheim by his trademark battle roar and a mere glance of his evil eye. What a glorious day it had been!

During his berserker rage he had not noticed the hail of throwing spears thudding into his broad back, but now they had finally claimed his life. No matter. The enemy was all but routed and his work done. He thrust the standard firmly far into the blood-soaked ground, and looked around to catch his liege’s eye, idly keeping the remaining attackers at bay with his axe.

– “Håkon!” He bellowed, calling him only by name, and deafening three nearby warriors for life. “I’ve done most of your work for you this day. Now I have a boon to ask.”
– “Speak it, and it is granted”, his liege replied, ducking from a stray arrow. He glanced grimly up at the myriad grievous wounds and various weapons protruding from Assgrim’s sturdy frame, wondering how the man could still be standing.
– “In the grove over there is my last son, soon to be an orphan. His mother is not yet cold, and the valkyries are drooling to collect my soul.” Assgrim paused to retrieve Þorgnýr from a particularly thick enemy scull, where the axe had lodged.
– “I’ll raise the boy as my own”, Håkon offered.
– “No,” Assgrim continued evenly, “that is not what I ask. You are a kind-hearted and generous ruler. You’ll spoil him rotten. I want him to grow up to be a true warrior as his forefathers before him. Take him to my brother on Iceland. That quarrelsome ******* will put the fear of the gods in him and make him a man, or kill him in the process.”
– “Nid-Egil the Mad? That’s who you would put in the boy’s path?” Håkon asked in disbelief. Seeing Assgrim was serious, he nodded. “Very well. So be it. Have you a name for your son?”

Assgrim furrowed his brows in thought. His steel grey eyes were starting to cloud over, but suddenly they gleamed with their old mischief. He had spotted a priest on the other side, administering to the enemy wounded (and no doubt picking them clean of valuables in the process). So he yelled over the dwindling battle din to catch the priest’s attention:
– “O robed one! Crossbearer! What is your name, you dress-wearing excuse for a man?”
– “Ehrm, my name is Bendik, warrior. It means “the blessed one” in the Chruch tounge.” the shocked priest called back, looking with horror on the Norse apparition looming in the distance.
– “Hah! Perfect.” chuckled Assgrim, and muttered to himself: “That’ll put some gravel in the boy’s gut and make him remember his father, though none too fondly, I’m sure.”

Turning back to Håkon, he stated gravely:
– “You have a name and a mission, and I have no more business here in Midgard. I shall see you again in Valhall.”

With that he waded back into the fray and through the enemy ranks as through a field of spelt, killing and maiming left and right in a last outburst of massive force. His onslaught punched straight through the crumbling shield wall opposing him. Then he was surrounded and pierced from all sides by spears and swords alike until he could move no further. Laughing, he threw off his helmet and tilted his face to the sky for a final roar:

– “Odin! Count the dead, and make room at your table! Let all of Asgard know I’m coming, and let word of my deeds echo forever!”

– “Oh yeah, and hide your mead and women!” he added as an afterthought.

Closing his eyes, he let himself drift away and fell like a thundering avalanche, crushing eleven of his surviving assailants as he went down. The crows who had gathered in the nearby tree tops took to the air, scared by the earth-shattering crash. Then the enemy warriors bowed their heads in respect and threw down their arms, and a hushed silence spread across the battle field.

Assgrim lay dead in the Outlands.

A warrior close to Håkon was the first to break the silence.
– “By the gods.” he said. “We’ll never see another one like him. Probably a good thing too.”
– “Yeah”, grunted Håkon, starting towards the grove. “I wouldn’t be too certain about that. Only the Norns know the future, but I’ll sure as Hel do my part to follow their threads.”

So begins the tale of Bendik the Great, a long and harsh ordeal indeed, but perhaps one that will make him even greater. In time.