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New DAOC expansion

The Minotaurs are coming.

EA Mythic has unveiled Dark Age of Camelot's seventh expansion, due out in late 2006 in the US to celebrate the MMORPG's fifth anniversary.

Called Labyrinth of the Minotaur, it aims to shake things up with a new race, character class and "the largest single dungeon in any MMO", the titular Labyrinth, buried beneath the Frontiers.

As you might have guessed, the new race is in fact the Minotaur - incredibly strong, half-human-half-bull creatures, naturally, who are so brutish they can wield two-handed weapons like tennis rackets.

Which is just as well, because in Labyrinth the powerful, corrupting Minotaur Relics have been unearthed and have started threatening Camelot, and it's all-of-your job to sort that out. With horns.

Basically you go looking for them, and can even grab them for yourself, but in doing so you also become a target for the other Realms. "This new RvR gameplay will bring Camelot's popular relic raid experience to small groups on a daily basis," Mythic reckons.

The new class, offered by the Minotaurs in return for everyone's help sorting out those pesky relics, is the Mauler - a brawling class that offers a new set of skills and abilities that Mythic reckons will further spice up PvE and RvR play. The Minotaur emissaries will also help any Champion of the Realms expand their powers and abilities over five Champion levels.

More details should be revealed at the end of September, while those pre-ordering in the US will receive an exclusive pet, the Clockwork Kitten. For more info, including pretty pictures, see the official Labyrinth of the Minotaur website.