AFTER months in the free play, open beta stage, Lineage 2 celebrated its much-awaited commercial launch with a grand celebration at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) last Jan. 12. Hundreds of people—players and non-gamers alike— flocked to the mall’s Music Hall to witness the biggest, grandest game launch yet this side of Asia.
Simultaneous launch
The massively multiplayer online role-playing game celebrated its Southeast Asia launch simultaneously in four other venues as well: Baguio, Cebu, Davao, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Live broadcast feeds connected all five venues to each other.
Lineage 2’s kickoff party lasted all afternoon and well into the night as various contests, activities, and performances peppered the event. As the rains poured outside the MOA during the launch, so did the prizes. A total of P700,000 in cash and gift packs were given away, in addition to the much-coveted, premium in-game items.
Some 5,000 people attended all four event venues.
For the long-time Lineage 2 players, the MOA launch held a Battle Tournament that pitted some of the best in the game. As the ultra-competitive Battle Tournament went underway, Lineage 2’s very own Game Girls further turned up the heat with their song and dance performance of their first single, “Have Fun, Go Mad.”
Music acts
Some of the country’s popular music acts came to further enliven the crowd: Sugarfree, Paraluman, and Top Junk.
Alert eyes and skilled hands not only participated in the Battle Tournament but also in the equally challenging on-the-spot drawing contest, placard contest, and in the Lineage 2 Amazing Race.
The guest speakers came to the stage later on. The VIP speeches were led by Asian Media Development Group’s chairman Arturo B. Diago, Jr. Others who provided speeches were NCSoft representative Brian Kang, and chief operating officer Ronald Allan Aquino.
Capping the night was music band Callalily’s much-awaited performance.
