D&D / RPG News for Wednesday, 22 December, 2010

Morrus · 22nd December 2010, 04:35 PM

Atari & Bedlam Games Announce Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale for XBox, PSN and PC‏

The Forgotten Realms are under attack by the evil Zhentarim, as the next generation of the most popular fantasy role-playing game launches another thrilling interactive adventure. Atari, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment and Bedlam Games announced today Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale. Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale marks the first digital download release for the franchise on Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®Network, and Windows PC Download at Atari.com in Spring 2011.

Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale centers on the desperate struggle to defeat the evil Rezlus and his Zhentarim in their attempt to invade and conquer the Dalelands. Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale is an engaging multi-player experience that introduces a riveting narrative and treacherous new characters. Players are charged with the task of restoring order to Nentir Vale by unlocking the secrets of the Mines of Tethyamar, defeating the evil within the treacherous Tower of the Void, leading to the final confrontation with Rezlus himself.

Action-packed RPG gameplay allows for solo and co-op play for up to four players. Gamers use intuitive pick-up-and-play combat combined with a wide assortment of weapons, feats and powers to defeat a wide range of deadly enemies. Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale boasts an array of stunning levels and exploration opportunities set in the richly detailed environments.

“The Dungeons & Dragons franchise remains a priority for Atari as we continue to build upon the ever-evolving narrative with Dungeons & Dragons Daggerdale” says Jim Wilson, President and CEO of Atari, Inc. “As the first D&D cross-platform digital download title we look forward to expanding the franchise to a growing gaming audience."

“Wizards of the Coast is excited to offer another great Dungeons & Dragons play experience,” said Liz Schuh, Brand Director at Wizards of the Coast. “This exhilarating game will be a thrill for both current fans of the brand and new players alike.”

WotC Employee Steals $45,000 of rare Magic cards

According to this report an employee of Wizards of the Coast, Donald J Henry, stole large quantities of rare Magic cards and sold them via a "store owner acquaintance".

A former Wizards of the Coast employee from Burien, Washington stands to lose a lot more than his job as King County prosecutors file felony theft charges over the theft of $45,000 worth of rare Magic: The Gathering cards.

Twenty-six-year-old Donald J. Henry has been accused of the massive theft after a fellow employee observed a vendor trying to sell the rare cards at a Magic tournament in Portland, Oregon this past September. The employee determined that the vendor and Henry were acquainted and reported the incident to the company.

Henry was hired on at Wizards of the Coast's Renton headquarters in December of 2009, fired in September when an investigation into the incident was launched. The investigation found that during his brief employment Henry had made 70 trips to a storage locker the company uses to hold rare promotional cards - far more than his job description warranted.

A meeting with members of the Wizards of the Coast staff led to Henry's store owner acquaintance returning some 1,753 remarkable cards with an estimated market value of $44,828.

Henry has been charged with fist-degree theft, having admitted to stealing more than 200 of the rare cards returned to the company. Prosecutors seek to prove that he stole the whole lot.

The moral of this story? There is no good reason to dual-class as both a Wizard and a Rogue.