Despite initial difficulties and delays in trying to secure a rating for Diablo III from Korea's Game Rating Board, Blizzard has finally received a classification for the upcoming game -- the dungeon crawler will release for PC with an 18+ rating when it ships this year.
Those early difficulties stemmed from the GRB postponing its review as it waited for Blizzard to provide more information on Diablo III's controversial in-game auction house, which allows players to purchase virtual items with real money, as well as cash out in-game currency as real money.
The GRB reviewed multiple builds trying to determine whether the auction house functions could be considered gambling. The game has received a rating, but players in Korea will not be able to cash out virtual currency as real money (though they can still purchase in-game goods.).
NCsoft shutting down another casual MMO
NCsoft will close down casual MMORPG Punch Monster (known as Blue Tears in Japan and China) on February 15 due to low player numbers, less than two years after the game's open beta launched. The publisher has alread shut down its in-game shop.
The game's cancellation follows the closure of several other NCsoft casual MMORPGs like Dragonica, Point Blank, and Steel Dog. A representative said the company will still make casual titles, though: "We will continue to develop and publish casual games with the experience we have gained so far."
Ntreev bringing Heroes of Newerth to Korea
Ntreev Soft has signed a publishing contract to bring Heroes of Newerth, the free-to-play real-time strategy game from California-based developer S2 Game, to Korea. The publisher expects to finish localizing the title some time in the first half of 2012.
Source: www.gamasutra.com
