SAN FRANCISCO--Atlantica Online, the free-to-play, online, turn-based, fantasy-themed strategy game is one of many gamespresent at GDC 2009. The game was originally launched in the US in 2008 after experiencing considerable success in Asia, despite its unusual setup. It'sa multiplayer online turn-based strategy game where you hire and outfit mercenary armies to do battle in your name, earn experience levels and loot, and maybe buy a few in-game items with real-world money by way of microtransactions.

　　Gather up your armies for ongoing turn-based battles in Atlantica Online.

　　Chapters 1 and 2 of the game's post-launch content updates have already gone live, and the next update will includenumerous new features, such as two newdungeon areas,the first quest-laden"hometown" for one of the game's many mercenary characters (there will be more hometowns for other mercs in later updates), and the "Titan server," a cross-server player-versus-player area for expert players to compete in weekly competitions to control plots of land and win unique items.

　　Other planned future updates include a new "tactical battle system," reminiscent of real-time strategy games, that will let up to 200 players concurrently do battle while gathering resources and making tactical use of the 3D terrain. In addition, later updates will include in-depth player housing that will let players attach resource mines and gardens, along with crafting workshops and a coffee-table "diary" item filled with playerstatistics to their humble abodes. Future updates will also include new mercenaries to recruit, such as the Hwarang, a fantasy interpretation of the elite caste of soldiers from Korea's ancient Silla Dynasty period.