Elemental: War of Magic Officially Available

In case you haven't been keeping tabs on Stardock's Elemental: War of Magic, here's a press release that officially ushers the strategy/RPG into the PC gaming market. Note the blurb below that promises free DLC to anyone who buys the Destiny's Embers novel:
Stardock's Long-Awaited PC Fantasy Strategy Title, Elemental: War of Magic Now Available!

Plymouth, MI August 24, 2010 Independent developer and publisher Stardock released the much-awaited PC fantasy strategy title Elemental: War of Magic today. Elemental: War of Magic opens a world of magic and ancient lore as players begin the game as one of the few beings in the world still able to channel power from shards of magic a series of mystical artifacts left over from a great cataclysm. You must decide how much of your power to imbue into your heroes as you build cities, explore dungeons, learn spells of ever-increasing power and negotiate with friends and foes.

Elemental: War of Magic is available at retail stores throughout North America starting today. The Limited Edition ($69.95) and the standard edition ($49.95) are also available via Stardock's digital distribution platform, Impulse (www.impulsedriven.com) or via the game's web site (www.elementalgame.com.)

This latest title from Stardock is heavily inspired by classic games from the golden age of PC gaming. The game's Lead Designer and CEO of Stardock Brad Wardell said, (The main idea behind Elemental was that we wanted to create gameplay that was both an advancement of the genre and a throwback to old-school gaming on the PC. Elemental: War of Magic accomplishes that and more.)

Included with the game are a series of integrated modding tools allowing fans to create their own fantasy maps, monsters, tiles, effects and much more. The game's story-driven campaign, written by Random House's writing team, was made exclusively with the built-in modding tools.

Wardell continued, "The game allows players to strategize, customize and mod in depth while also providing straight-forward accessibility for those who just want to jump in and get in the game as quickly as possible.)

Besides including the sand box game and campaign, Elemental also includes a multiplayer mode in which up to 16 players can play online while taking simultaneous turns. Players can save their multiplayer games online and return to them to continue in order to support players who wish to play more epic-sized games.

Also launching today is the companion novel to the PC title, ELEMENTAL: DESTINY'S EMBERS, written by Elemental: War of Magic Executive Producer Brad Wardell. The novel weaves a captivating tale that takes place in the land of Elemental, giving readers and players alike a unique perspective on the land in which they seek to rule in the game. The novel is available at bookstores nationwide from Random House's Del Rey publishing division.

Customers who purchase a copy of the book ELEMENTAL: DESTINY'S EMBERS will be able to download the additional, exclusive video game campaign, Elemental: Destiny's Embers. The campaign will release in four stages, with the first component being released in September.

About Impulse
With Impulse, users purchase their game and can then immediately download and install the game through the Impulse client which seamlessly manages updates, community features and more. Games become part of that user's account such that when a user purchases a new machine, a user can simply re-download the Impulse client, logon to their account and re-download all their purchases, even years into the future. Download Impulse at www.impulsedriven.com.

About Stardock
Stardock is one of the world's leading developers and publishers of PC games and desktop software. Its PC games include Sins of a Solar Empire, the highest rated and best selling PC strategy game of 2008 as well as the critically acclaimed Galactic Civilizations series. Its desktop software includes Object Desktop, WindowBlinds and a host of other programs for customizing the Windows experience. Learn more about Stardock by visiting www.stardock.com.