For those who might not be aware, can you tell us a little bit about Perfect World International?

Perfect World International is our flagship free-to-play MMO that is an unparalleled fantasy MMORPG. Known for its beautiful graphics and in-depth character customization, PWI runs on our own proprietary Angelica engine, which is designed to scale to any computer system. Because of this, PWI is able to run well on lower spec computers as well as look amazing on higher end systems.

How many expansions has the game seen since its launch in 2008?

We have had three expansions since the game launched in 2008, but Rising Tide is by far the largest and most ambitious expansion we've done to date.

What qualifies something as an expansion for PWI, rather than just a run of the mill update?

We're always looking to add new features in PWI and what really differentiates and update versus an expansion is content. During this past summer, we released a new dungeon called Warsong City rather than waiting for our next expansion, but for big changes like adding new races, classes and areas, we like to release it as an expansion. In short, we define an expansion as a content update that fundamentally alters the way people play the game.

This expansion introduces a new race to the game. Can you tell us a little bit about them?

Definitely, the new race is called the Tideborn and they have existed alongside the other inhabitants of Perfect World, but were contained by a large and powerful magical barrier. It's up to the player to discover why they originally went into hiding and why they are now reemerging, which has a great impact to the main story arc.

They're a race of beings that's heavily rooted and influenced by the ocean and its inhabitants. You'll be able to see a clear aquatic theme both in their armor, as well as their towns and zones.

This expansion introduces two new classes as well. What can you tell us about those?

The two new classes are the Assassin and the Psychic. Previously, we didn't have a rogue class and the Assassin class fits this void nicely with high damage and buffs focused on increasing combat effectiveness. The Psychic class focuses on magical buffs and debuffs and is considered a support caster.

Does the addition of an underwater race mean that players can look forward to underwater content?

Yes, in fact we've created a whole new starting area for the new race and underwater dungeons with new mobs and even more rewarding drops for those who venture forth. There are even boss encounters that lie beneath the waves.

Your promotional material makes reference to another expansion coming after this one. Is there anything you can tell us about that?

There are some ambitious plans for 2010, and while I can't delve into what those specific changes/updates are, you can be sure we'll keep MMORPG fans in the loop as information becomes set in stone.