Lineage launched in North America

Korean game company NCsoft has announced the release of the North American version of its popular online role-playing game Lineage: The Blood Pledge. The new version is now available for free download at the official Lineage Web site. New players get a free 30-day trial period, after which they are charged $15 per month. Beginning next month, Lineage will also be available on a CD for $2.99 from Electronics Boutique.

Lineage: The Blood Pledge was first launched in Korea in 1998 and currently claims more than 3 million subscribers worldwide, making it the most popular online role-playing game in the world. In May, NCsoft announced a partnership with Richard Garriott's development studio, Destination Games, to help promote and launch the game in North America. The companies later announced that Garriott's online game persona, Lord British, will also make an appearance in Lineage. Garriott is best known for creating the long-running Ultima role-playing game series.

"I'm thrilled that Lord British has found a new home," said Garriott, now an executive producer at NCsoft's Austin, Texas, office. "And I'm happy that home is Lineage. Players in North America are about to find out why Lineage is so incredibly popular in other parts of the world. Its unique features offer something that people here have never before experienced."

Lord British is scheduled to make his entrance into the world of Lineage on November 26 as part of a four-week-long special event. For more information, take a look at our previous coverage of the game and visit the official Lineage Web site.