[Claire Goldenbeach]

A new story entry has been added:

Free Realms Hits 8 Million! Festival of Hearts and New Pets Announced!

Quote:

Straight from the SOE Press Center this morning!

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – February 8, 2010 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) today announced that more than eight million unique users have registered to play Free Realms™ (www.FreeRealms.com), the free-to-play, family-friendly hit online video game. Free Realms has steadily increased its player base by continuing to support development of compelling content and shared user experience. New features, such as Player Housing, have encouraged players to customize and create their own unique definitions of gameplay, while instigated Live World Events and player parties engage the community at large, allowing players to interact, discover and explore.


“Free Realms is more than just a virtual world for our players; it is a portal for imagination. A place where players transform their house into a jumping maze for friends to compete or a petting zoo that boasts all their pets,” said John Smedley, president of Sony Online Entertainment. “Our job as developers is to listen to and predict what they want and give them the tools that inspire and compel them to share their experiences with eight million others.”


Later this week, Free Realms is scheduled to kick off the Festival of Hearts, a special month long event that celebrates love, friendship and kindness. All players will be able to participate in themed events, daily social activities and storyline quests that incorporate traditional items and rewards which embody the holiday: hearts, candies, forget-me-not cards, flowers, love potions and more. Heart Breakers are invited too, as even the Stone Hearted can participate in the world events that ensue. New Hippo, Tiger, Beetle, Groundhog and Owl pets will also be available in the Marketplace.

Recently nominated in the category of Best New Social/Online Game by the organizers of the tenth annual Game Developers Choice Awards, Free Realms continues to redefine the scope and pace of online games.

[Meagan Goldlight]

Omg this is such good news!
Congrats to SOE for all the members and progress
Im gonna need more SC. They are really going all out on the pets. My house is now literally gonna be a zoo!
Yay for friend ship cant wait !

[Nymo]

Festival of Hearts! I called it!

anywho, The festival sounds like a blast, and the new pets sounds awesome too! now, To gather up some SC to buy them!

Congrats SOE on hitting 8 million registered players! Quite a big feat for a game that's not even a year old yet!

also, My guess is that this is your last chance to pick up Zilla the limited-edition (and pricey) pet! now, Do i spent a load of SC on a pet that won't come back to the marketplace, or on a bunch of new pets... decisions decisions...

[Claire Goldenbeach]

There's a tiger out there with my name on it.

[Meagan Goldlight]

They are out already?

[Nymo]

Originally Posted by Meagan Goldlight

They are out already?

Unless there was a server shutdown and maintenance last night while I was sleeping: Nope, not yet.

The press release says "later this week", but who knows when that will be...

[Pilar]

Originally Posted by Meagan Goldlight

They are out already?

The newly - announced pets ?
No . But they will be out soon .....

[Aleya]

Interesting new pets. I think I will wait till they go and sale to buy any of them though. Best use my SC on the "Festival of hearts" items they release.

[Nymo]

Originally Posted by Aleya

Interesting new pets. I think I will wait till they go and sale to buy any of them though. Best use my SC on the "Festival of hearts" items they release.

Same here. The rest of my SC is going to Festival of Heart merch.
If only one of those new pets was a Chatdy clone, I'd buy it in a heartbeat

[wolftaviche(octavio somb)]

awesome