These chicks are basking in the hotness that is SAGA’s release

We previously reported on the open beta for SAGA, but now it’s the real deal. Silverlode Interactive has just released the world’s first fully persistent massively multiplayer online real-time strategy game — and you can go download it right now. Full press release follows.

The Saga begins… From now on it’s a persistent world. With over 1000 online quests at launch, SAGA boasts many of the features that made MMOs successful: auction house, guilds, raiding, looted treasure, gear upgrades, collaborative party questing… Combined with the RTS features of city-building, resource management and grand-scale massive warfare, SAGA has changed the landscape of RTS gaming.

Originally built by industry veteran Dallan Christensen (Lead Programmer of Starcraft: Brood War), the SAGA world is a traditional fantasy setting: Elves, Orcs, Dragons, Dwarves, and Giants are the characters in a story that develops through the quest threads and will lead to new expansions and new features as SAGA grows.

“Players are ready for massive online warfare where every battle really counts, because your empire is fully persistent; it doesn’t vanish after every battle.” says SAGA creator Jason Faller

Since Silverlode opened Beta to the public in July of 2007, SAGA has been balanced and rebalanced to suit both casual and hardcore gamers, who can fairly compete head-to-head in this highly tactical strategy game.

SAGA has no subscription fee; the purchase price is $19.95, which includes a persistent account with up to five nations (characters). The game trailer can be found at http://www.gametrailers.com/player/31166.html

Sign up to play SAGA now at www.playsaga.com.

About Silverlode: Silverlode Interactive is a growing game studio outside Salt Lake City, Utah, founded by movie industry professionals. Silverlode’s flagship title, SAGA, is set to revolutionize RTS gaming.

Indie developer Silverlode Interactive accosted me outside the press room at GDC to show me their new MMORTS (Massively Multiplayer Online Real-Time Strategy) game, SAGA. The game looks interesting enough, and given the fact that it’s essentially free, it very well may be worth your time. I checked out the beta yesterday, and I have to say that I have no idea what I’m doing. There seemed to be plenty of people who did, however, so maybe I just missed something.

Either way, SAGA has just entered open beta for the public, so you can give the game a shot for yourself. Full press release after you click the link at the end of this sentence… wait for it… okay, now!

SAGA Enters Open Beta

Silverlode Interactive opened its servers to all players for SAGA– the persistent world MMORTS.

Provo, UT – February 26, 2008

The World’s First Collectible MMORTS entered Open Beta testing on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008. All players who sign up at www.playsaga.com will receive accounts, allowing them to create nations on the Beta servers. For the duration of the Beta test, all game features will be unlocked and available to testers. At release, a full unlocked copy of SAGA will cost $19.95; however, promotions will be available during the open beta period to purchase the full version of SAGA at a reduced price.

During the stress test conducted on Saturday, February 23rd, the servers performed excellently, with no crashes or other server issues. The SAGA servers are expected to support up to 20,000 players per realm with thousands of simultaneous users. Should a greater-than-expected number of players attempt to login to the world at the same time, a login queue will be implemented and additional realms will be brought online.

Go now to www.playsaga.com to check out SAGA Open Beta!

About SAGA – SAGA is a persistent world RTS in an epic fantasy setting. Players collect troops, build armies, conquer new lands and build up kingdoms, complete with resource collection, city building and peasant management. SAGA’s features include massive armies, multiplayer questing, guild wars, espionage, and an auction house for trading troops and spells.

SAGA has no subscription fees. Players pay as little or as much as they decide, by purchasing ‘booster packs’ of random troops and spells, which are traded and customized to create the strategic army of choice for each player. Visit www.playsaga.com

SAGA Screenshots

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The stars continue to align… Following the dubious 20th March countdown on an unknown website, a somewhat reliable Japanese news source has revealed that the Home Open Beta will begin on March 24th in Japan.

Jonnyram, as he is known on the Neogaf Forums, says in carefully chosen words “Home open beta starts 24 March in Japan. Sorry if old.”

It’s very possible that the original countdown is to signify the end of the closed beta and the beginning of a worldwide open beta for Sony’s Home. Though Jonnyram is trusted on the infamous Neogaf forums, his reliability is unknown to us, so take his words with a pinch of salt.

Enjoy some footage of the most recent build of Home below.

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Image: Fragcast