Microsoft unveils Fantasy MMORPG for Xbox
Proper unveiling set for TGS 2002
As we suspected they might, Microsoft plans to make a major Xbox Live announcement at this year's Tokyo Game Show - an Xbox-exclusive massively multiplayer online RPG by the name of True Fantasy Live Online, developed in-house with the help of Level-5 Inc. True Fantasy Live Online is set in a fantasy world where wizards (complete with broomsticks and pointy hats) fight alongside heavily armoured knights in an ongoing quest to vanquish evil. As is typical of MMORPGs, players can tailor their in-game avatars to fit their playing style and personal preferences, but TFLO makes a big departure by harnessing the Xbox's voice communication feature. This is probably a first for a game of this kind. Microsoft believes that it's "a far cry from bulky keyboards that require putting down the controller," and they're right, but we'll be interested to see how the legions of MMORPG fans out there adapt to voice chat. Xbox Live is due out later this year and the European starter kit which gets you going includes 12 months prepaid subscription, the Xbox Communicator device and a series of demos which can be played online. Related Feature - Showtime in Japan, Tokyo Game Show 2002