Hot Rumor
Posted by Amid on Wednesday Jan 22, 2003 11:08 AM
Gamespy is reporting that MS has reportedly purchased Vivendi Universal
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Microsoft has allegedly bought the game division of the French conglomerate Vivendi Universal, according to various online publications. In all rumors on the subject Microsoft has been regarded as the most potential candidate to obtain Vivendi Interactive. If the reports are in fact true we should expect to receive an official announcement soon. Thus far both companies have refrained from releasing anything concrete. Rumors also suggest that Microsoft will make a major announcement later this week - perhaps on Friday. Of course there have been a lot of rumors in the past about Vivendi Universal's games division in the past, so take this news with a grain of salt until Microsoft of Vivendi make an official statment on the matter.
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This is even more interesting because Vivendi has the rights to Middle Earth Online (ala the Lord of the Rings franchise) and yet another rumor says that Vivendi has contracted with Turbine to use thier engine. From Computer Games Magazine....
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"Finally, Asheron's Call's own Turbine Entertainment is working on the genre that almost seems to be an old standby at this point--another massively multiplayer online game. Middle-Earth Online sets itself during the fellowship's conflict with Sauron, and will entail Men, Dwarves, Elves and Hobbits working together in small and large groups, where they will explore the world, build homes and craft Mithril Swords, or just get drunk and sing. A large number of resources will enable you to create more powerful weapons and armors, and even food or decorative items. High-end crafters can create the most interesting items in the game.
You'll undergo the usual activity of creating and developing a character and choosing its specialties, but, as in Asheron's Call 2, nothing is ironclad. You'll be able to reevaluate your decisions as the game progresses. For short-term adventures you may have up to nine characters in your party or "fellowship," and their will be Kinships (think "guilds"), and online marriages and adooption. Turbines track record indicates that you can probably expect a solid product, but at this writting, it looks like there's nothing perticularly new. But since this, too, is a 2004 product, don't count on finding out anytime soon."
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nicht weinen 
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) und auch niocht toben 
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