Outspark, the free-to-play MMO portal that offers games such as Fiesta, Wind Slayer and Secret of the Solstice, announced today that Owen Mahoney has been appointed as the company's new chief executive officer. Mahoney has more than 15 years of experience working in the digital media sector and was most recently the senior vice president of corporate and business development at Electronic Arts for nine years. He replaces Outspark's founder and current CEO Susan Choe, who will continue to serve as chairman of the board.

So what does this change mean for Outspark? According to the announcement, "Mr. Mahoney will accelerate Outspark’s continued expansion of its global user base from North America where it is has the largest free-to-play MMO audience." You can read the full press release after the jump.

The latest patch for Secret of the Solstice is now available, introducing a challenging new high level dungeon, community-requested balance changes, and some exciting new in-game events.

The doors sealing the Sleepless Grave dungeon below the sandy city of Eir have been opened, allowing high level players to access the dangerous crypt for the first time. Players willing to brave the mummies, stone warriors, and minotaurs who make the Sleepless Grave their home will be rewarded with valuable Xen Stones. Best of all, the Xen Stone drop rate has been dramatically increased in all of Solstice's dungeons.

The latest patch for Secret of the Solstice has arrived, introducing a new in-game mail system, an easy to use PvP arena, cool Kung Fu items, and a slew of bug fixes.

For a small fee of Kron you can now send, receive, and store messages from other players using a new in-game mail system. In case you'd rather fight than socialize, you can visit the newly-appointed Arena Master in Esper Park instead and best other players in three distinct PvP modes.

New Kung Fu items, including a stylish yellow jumpsuit, nunchunks, and the deadly Dragon Bow are now available in the Solstice Store, allowing you to show off your love for classic Kung Fu movies or just wear something more comfortable when karate chopping your enemies. Besides looking cool, players sporting the Kung Fu Jumpsuit can also participate in the Kung Fu PvP Tournament on Tuesday, September 30th. Form teams of four with three of your friends and put your fighting skills to the ultimate test!

For more information on the exciting new features and items now available in Secret of the Solstice visit the official website now.

The latest patch for the free-to-play MMORPG Secret of the Solstice has something for both new players and battle-hardened veterans alike, including a new starting zone, four new high-level areas, and a brand new quest interface.

Players just starting their Solstice adventure and long-time players creating a new alt to take advantage of the game's branching class tree can now experience an entirely new starting zone. Based on the feedback from the Solstice community, Outspark has implemented a brand new starting zone featuring new quests and a lush jungle environment.

Meanwhile, the evil GM Alastor has fled into the deserts of Xen. Players up to the task must pursue him across four new harsh landscapes - the Emperonie Plateau and the Aserphel, Cretino, and Turmeit deserts - and battle his armies as they come closer to uncovering the secrets of the Solstice Sphere.

Additionally, the new patch also introduces a player-requested overhaul of the game's quest UI. Players can now view all of an NPC's available quests at the same time and choose which mission to undertake.

The latest Secret of the Solstice content patch is available now. For more information, visit the official Secret of the Solstice website .

The Summer Outspark Games have concluded. What other rewards would you expect for such an event other than medals! Winners of the events will receive either a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal. All of the medals will provide a stat increase to your character.

In addition to the medals, the patch will include updates to previous potions to make them more potent. New potions will also be available at various item merchants around the world.

A new mid level dungeon "Underground Brynhilld" has been released for all players who are level 40 and up. With the Underground City destroyed by the evil GM Alastor, it is now home to his army. Players need to watch out for more than just his minions, however, as sometimes Alastor himself attacks players who dare to enter his realm.

For more details on the patch please check the full patch notes at the Secret of the Solstice site .

• 1 grand prize winner will receive an XFX GeForce 9600 video card, an exclusive 60-day Kato Mask, and five Xen Stones
• 5 runner-ups will win a Logitech Precision PC Gaming Headset, a 60-day Kato Mask, and five Xen Stones
  
• 5 more winners will receive a 60-day Kato Mask and five Xen Stones
• 30 lucky players will also win five Xen Stones