Some troubling news for TERA fans out there, as NCsoft has filed another lawsuit against Bluehole Studios, but this time with the intention of squashing their North American launch of TERA. As a quick summary of the events thus far, TERA developers Bluehole Studios employs a large number of ex-NCsoft employees, and this is no odd concidence. Back in 2008, Lineage 3 project lead, Yong-Hyun Park, left NCsoft with a large number of employees in tow. Together, this group formed Bluehole Studios and created TERA, which NCsoft claimed at the time was very similar to Lineage 3 (in other words, NCsoft accused YHP of stealing L3's ideas).

Rumours run rampant from here, and Yong-Hyun Park has since left Bluehole Studios, citing stress from the NCsoft lawsuits and accusations. It was rumoured that NCsoft has since scrapped work on Lineage 3, instead releasing news of Lineage Eternal at this year's G-Star 2011 trade show. Regardless, NCsoft sued Bluehole Studios and won in 2009, but the case was appealed down the line. Now, with the announced launch of TERA, NCsoft is back at it again, as MMO Culture is reporting that another lawsuit has been filed, accusing Bluehole Studios of making off with "copious amounts of confidential and proprietary NCsoft information, computer software, hardware and artwork relating to Lineage 3." We'll keep you posted on how this turns out in the future.

[UPDATE 1/27/2012] En Masse Entertainment's Publishing Vice President, Chris Lee, had this to say on the subject:

"We are disappointed that NCsoft is attempting to mar the launch of TERA. Unfortunately we can't discuss much publicly due to the sensitivity of legal actions, but we do outright reject the NCsoft claims, and we are going to do everything in our power to defend and protect ourselves.

To all our supporters who have been anticipating the arrival of TERA – please know that this situation has no impact on our continuing efforts to realize the vision we have for our game. We are committed to making TERA awesome and delivering the game to you on time on May 1. Thank you for your patience and support."

All I can think of while watching the trailer is that their armor must be very, very uncomfortable. That being said, TERA has released a brand new trailer that really redefines what it means to be a "reveal trailer." This new trailer lets players see various Castanics in action while showcasing their uber-sultry outfits. While not quite NSFW material, maybe you should close the door before watching. Just a suggestion.

Some big news for TERA fans hoping for an early Spring release: TERA will be launching in North America on May 1, 2012! Featuring a Standard and Collector's Edition at retail and digital distribution, TERA is looking to kick this spring off with a bang.

For European players, Frogster has confirmed that they plan to launch on May 3, 2012.

If you're looking to try out this gorgeous triple-A MMO, it's not too late to sign up for TERA's beta sign-ups, or you can take part in TERA's mouthful-of-a-contest, the "Beta Retweetstakes" for the chance to receive an all-access TERA beta invitation for every closed beta and open beta test. Get a-twitterin'!

Check out ZAM's other Top Five Most Important MMOs of 2012:

• Guild Wars 2
• The Secret World
• Firefall
• PlanetSide 2

If 2011 was the year of blockbuster RPGs and FPSs, then 2012 will certainly be the year of MMORPGs and online games. With almost a dozen highly anticipated titles confirmed to launch in 2012, there can be no doubt that this year will be a revolutionary one for MMO gaming. That being said, not all of you will have the time to check out all of these big releases, so ZAM has compiled a list of what we consider to be the Top Five Important MMOs of 2012. In this top five series, we'll be looking at some of the most innovative titles of 2012 and why you should keep a close eye on them. Today ZAM Staff Writer Patrick "BakersMan" Do will talk about.... TERA!

Action MMOs are a big thing in Asia right now - we're talking life-sized Gundam big; and TERA has thoroughly embedded itself into the narrative as one of the best entries the genre has to offer. Stateside, however, the idea of the action MMO has yet to capture the collective imagination of the North American public. Short for The Exiled Realm of Arborea, TERA is an online action MMORPG developed by Bluehole Studio and published in America by En Masse Entertainment. The game was released in South Korea last January and is slated for a spring 2012 release in North America and Europe. When it finally does arrive on our shores, a minefield of tribulation awaits it. The most interesting aspect of TERA will not be the game itself, but rather how the game is received. 

Onward ho! The official TERA closed beta sign-ups are rolling out today, with players able to register their emails for consideration. En Masse Entertainment has also confirmed in the post that they will be ending with an open beta test just before TERA launches, so if you missed out, don't fret!

As a final note, each Closed Beta Test will require a unique invitation, so if you do get one, do remember that it might not be for every testing session. All TERA alpha testers, however, will continue to have access to TERA's beta tests.

Now go sign up!

It's a lion! It's a man! It's a statue! No! It's a.... Prion! TERA's latest monster bestiary reveal is the deceptively vicious-looking Prion, with the historical background noting that while Prions may look "fierce and beastlike," there are actually "quite intelligent and count many scholars among their number." There was no indication if the writer of the historical excerpt, one "Rukal," was a Prion himself, so I can't really call bias at this moment in time.

Anyway, go read up on the Prions over at the TERA bestiary!

Normally I resize these kind of images, but perhaps... not today. Look at that smooth dancing! In a new holiday post from En Masse Entertainment, the team behind TERA's North American localization wants to let players know that they're more excited about 2012 and launch than the actual holiday break. In fact, some of the team is looking forward to launch so much that they're spending a portion of the holidays to work on pre-launch events next year!

Take a break guys! Go drink some Eggnog and Rum!