If grinding reputation with obscure factions wasn't enough to keep you busy, then 500 or so achievements should do it. Blizzard's put together a preview page to show off the new functionality, which will debut with the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. According to the page, achievements can be unlocked by tasks as basic as getting a haircut or, if you're a glutton for punishment, collecting 25 vanity pets.

A new character window will be implemented, allowing you to check out your own glories and those of others. The page mentions that some achievements will come with rewards, but they'll be "purely cosmetic".

Player Achievements Preview [World of Warcraft]

Codemasters Online's free-to-play MMO ArchLord is technically getting a bit more free as the company readies the third free expansion pack, Episode 3: Spirits Awakening, which adds "up to 30% new game content". I am assuming they measured that out using suitably scientific methods. The update will introduce 3 new game zones, over 80 new skills, new ArchLord abilities, collectible armour sets, and a bunch of new enemies to thrash soundly about the head and neck, all of which adds up to more or less 30%. This pleases the Relfling.

Ed Relf, Director of Marketing, Codemasters Online commented, "We are pleased to be able to set out our exciting new expansion plans for ArchLord. As recently announced ArchLord is now more popular than ever with thousands of new players taking up the challenge every day to compete to become the games all-ruling leader!

Episode 3 is due to go live "in the coming weeks".

A press event earlier these week has resulted in a veritable flood of new information regarding the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. Most of the news floating about is regarding the Death Knight hero class, fleshing out the details of the eagerly awaited addition, as well as some information on the raids players will encounter in the frozen lands of Northrend.

Don't know what Soviet Assault is? Do keep up. It's the next World in Conflict release: for PC owners, it's a big expansion, for console owners, it's a standalone title. Here's the first footage to go along with the first details, along with the first [sigh] developer diary.

The latest chapter in the ever-expanding Lord of the Rings Online introduces Forochel, a new region which lies in the far, frozen north of Eriador, which gives players their very first chance to see the ocean in the game. It's funny how you don't notice such a thing missing until it's pointed out to you. Along with giant patches of water, Book 13: Doom of the Last-king promises new cold-based terrain effects. What that means exactly I have no idea. Perhaps slippery patches of ice? It's about time for an MMO to introduce slippery patches of ice. Failing that, some really well-crafted fjords. Turbine promises more info on the next free expansion shortly. For now, it's LotRO on ice!

Are you a C&C 3 fan? Even if you're not and you somehow ended up with a copy of the game (and enjoyed it), you might be interested to know that the latest expansion Kane's Wrath is available in Australia as of today.

With a new campaign, six sub-factions and epic units, it's about as hefty as an expansion pack can get without imploding. There's also a key for the Red Alert 3 beta if EA's retro RTS series makes happy noises play in your head.

The press release, which you'll find after the jump, also mentions that Kane's Wrath will be out for the Xbox 360 later in the year.

Xbox 360 owners won't have to wait for the upcoming Galactrix to get their Puzzle Quest fix, as D3Publisher announces Puzzle Quest 1.5, and expansion pack due out this spring for Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. Don't like the name Puzzle Quest 1.5? Starting today at noon central, fans can head over to www.puzzle-quest.com and enter their name suggestions for a chance at leaving their mark on the franchise. The expansion features an all-new storyline involving Lord Bane's brother, Antharg, the Lord of the Plague, who is a bit pissed off that you killed his bro with glorified Bejeweled. The game takes you into the newly uncovered Southern portion of the map, and features over 25 new quests, more than 50 new spells, 40 new items, plus new monsters and bosses to take on. The expansion also features four new player classes - bard, rogue, ranger, and warlock - which should prove just as entertaining and refreshing in multiplayer as they will in single player. I suppose now I am going to have to spend hours and hours leveling up my new rogue once the pack hits, No word yet on pricing, but where my PQ addiction is concerned, money is no object.

With so much free content coming on a regular basis for Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online, the announcement of the first retail expansion, Mines of Moria, took me completely off guard. Announced today at the Connect 08 event and slated for a fall release, the expansion signals the beginning of Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online, and brings with it some pretty significant new features. First and foremost the expansion includes two new classes, the Rune-keeper and the Warden, both of which they can take up to level 60 with the accompanying increase in level cap. The expansion will also introduce item advancement, which allows you to craft magnificent, customisable weapons that level along with you, complete with weapon titles, virtue advancement, and runic legacies. To celebrate the announcement, players can register at http://www.unlocktheminesofmoria.com, where starting March 31st they can play mini-games that will unlock previews, assets, and in-game items.

NCsoft's free-to-play hack and slash game Dungeon Runners is getting another update, only this time it isn't a full blown "Chunk" expansion - merely a "Heave" - there's that trademark highbrow Dungeon Runners humor for you. New content includes Balzack's Barrow, which is a new dungeon for players 55 and up, an NPC snowman named Chill Bill *groan* available at level 30 that helps players fight enemies, and a visit to Townston by Shivery the Incorrigible Snowman, a victim of dungeon warming that gives players a special quest while telling them they were adopted. 51 new quests, new armor sets, new mythic items, a two-handed ranger rifle and some general interface tweaking round out the update.

"I think that Dungeon Runners players will find these new features, especially the snowmen as being pretty cool...literally," said Stephen Nichols, Dungeon Runners' producer.

It wouldn't be a Sim game without expansion packs, and come this May SimCity Societies is officially a Sim game. EA has announced the first expansion for the latest version of the city building sim, SimCity Societies Destinations, which gives your sims a place to go once they get tired of being crushed under the heel of your totalitarian regime. Players will be able to create a wide variety of vacation spots, from sun-drenched beaches to gigantic theme parks. The expansion comes complete with over 100 new buildings to help distract your sims from the fact that back home you've set all of their houses on fire.