Funcom's award winning massively multiplayer online game, Anarchy Online, gains a whole new type of gameplay with group-based combat in the company's first booster pack, The Notum Wars. The booster pack features will be enabled for play at 9 a.m. GMT on November 28th, 2002.

Funcom will continue to produce booster packs in future production plans in addition to traditional expansion packs and regular free downloadable updates to the original game.

"We are quite pleased with the press and player reaction we've already seen for The Notum Wars," said Funcom President Trond Arne Aas. "We are giving fans a whole new way to play Anarchy Online and we're excited to see the results later this week."

The main feature of The Notum Wars is land control. Only player created groups, known as "organizations," will be able to lay claim to areas that give gameplay bonuses and both personal and group-wide advantages. However, these bonuses are only available as long as the group continues to control their area. With limited land control spaces, competition will be fierce and enemy organizations will certainly be a threat to those who own the land.

Specific areas in the existing Anarchy Online world will be opened up for this land control option with sections divided into level ranges. Areas will be available for all players to enjoy, regardless of their character’s level range. Player organizations will need to cooperate to purchase defensive towers and to coordinate attacks on enemy bases.

The Notum Wars ships to stores in most territories worldwide this week and servers will be enabled for play on November 28th. The product will be available in France during the first of January and in the UK the first of December. The game will initially only be available through retail chains, but a downloadable option may be made available at a later date.