| Mobile MOBA Fates Forever offers official trailer Posted: 10 Sep 2013 10:00 AM PDT |
| Perfect World Entertainment expands into the mobile market Posted: 10 Sep 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Champions Online, Neverwinter You know Perfect World Entertainment as the publisher of such MMORPGs as Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and Champions Online. All client-based games on the PC, these free-to-play titles fetter players to their gaming rigs. Today, the company announces it's breaking free from those PC bonds and expanding into mobile gaming as both developer and publisher for new titles. The new games will focus on the core genres of action RPG, strategy, TCG, MMORPG, and MOBA games. While looking forward to partnering with more talented development studios around the world, PWE already has a portfolio of mobile games lined up: the trading card game Elemental Kingdoms from China-based iFree Studio; the RPG adventure game The Null Society from San Francisco-based Agent Disco; the turn-based multiplayer game BombBuds from Seattle-based Fugazo; and the MOBA Arena of Heroes from Austin-based Sneaky Games. For a deeper look at this new direction for the publisher, be on the lookout for our exclusive interview with PWE this Friday in MMObility. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]  Perfect World Entertainment expands into the mobile market originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Massively Speaking Episode 263: FunnyCom Posted: 10 Sep 2013 08:30 AM PDT |
| Massively Exclusive: En Masse talks TERA's Dungeon Assault Posted: 10 Sep 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Trailers, Interviews, PvP, PvE, Free-to-Play, TERA, Dungeons, MMORPG TERA: Rising's new Dungeon Assault content patch is prepped for launch today, bringing with it new dungeons, new game modes, new bosses, and high-end gear. Among the added encounters are Wonderholme (a 10-man raid), Channelworks (a three-player mission), Kezzel's Gorge (a seven-player tower defense game), and Shattered Fleet (a five-player "BAM beatdown"). Also new today are the Conjunct, Visionmaker, and Bloodrave armor sets, which represent the most powerful armor on offer once fully leveled and upgraded. We spoke with En Masse about the state of TERA: Rising, the thought process behind the new encounters, and how the studio answers some common fan complaints. Check out our interview and exclusive video and images of the Channelworks dungeon after the break. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: En Masse talks TERA's Dungeon Assault Massively Exclusive: En Masse talks TERA's Dungeon Assault originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| World of Tanks unleashes update 8.8 with new tanks and new tech trees Posted: 10 Sep 2013 07:45 AM PDT Filed under: Video, Patches, Previews, News Items, War, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, World of Tanks Do you think that World of Tanks doesn't offer you a high enough volume of tanks? Have you found yourself driving around in a tank shooting at other tanks whilst thinking, "I guess there are tanks here, but not really a whole world of them?" Then maybe what you were really waiting for was the newest update to the game, update 8.8, which adds a branch of Soviet medium tanks for tiers 6 through 8. There are also significant changes to the German tech tree to enhance and reclassify several tanks. Wait, did you want an update to World of Tanks that was not quite so tank-focused? Well, the new update will also include a new battlefield arena, Tundra, so you can see tanks shoot one another somewhere new. The update is due for release on September 11th in Europe and September 12th in the US, but you can get a small preview from the video just past the cut. (Here's a hint: tanks shoot each other.) [Source: Wargaming.net press release] Continue reading World of Tanks unleashes update 8.8 with new tanks and new tech trees World of Tanks unleashes update 8.8 with new tanks and new tech trees originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| A dragon rises in Guild Wars 2's next update Posted: 10 Sep 2013 07:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Casual, Dungeons It does no good to leave a dragon out of your estimation, alive or dead. Yes, Tequatl the Sunless is dead and vanquished, but the undead lieutenant of Zhaitan was dead the first time you faced him in Guild Wars 2. So it should be unsurprising that the undead dragon can come back for another round. But he's not just coming out with the same old swings. He's faster, stronger, and deadlier, and it remains to be seen if he can be beaten this time around. The next update doesn't just feature an ambulatory dragon corpse with new tricks, though. It also features the long-awaited Looking for Group tool so that players can quickly assemble a full dungeon team without standing around shouting. All of the game's bosses have received a design pass to make them better and more enjoyable in play, and WvW players will enjoy a new power and new ruins. But the video preview is all about Tequatl. When you title an update Tequatl Rising, you put your star front and center. [Source: ArenaNet press release] Continue reading A dragon rises in Guild Wars 2's next update A dragon rises in Guild Wars 2's next update originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Final Fantasy XIV releases iOS companion app Posted: 10 Sep 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, New Titles, Mobile, Final Fantasy XIV You can take your favorite MMO on the go now, as long as that MMO is Final Fantasy XIV. Square Enix has released Libra Eorzea, a companion app for the title, on the iTunes Store for free. The studio promises that an Android version is in development and will be coming soon. Libra Eorzea offers two big features that tie into the game proper: a game database and a character profile viewer. The database can be stored on a player's mobile device to allow access to information regarding items, quests, achievements, and NPCs offline. However, the profile viewer requires an online connection and an account, and can view both the player's and others' character gear and stats. The app also accesses players' friend lists, free companies, and linkshells. Square Enix says that it will be expanding Libra Eorzea to include more features in the future. Final Fantasy XIV releases iOS companion app originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| EA taps Matthew Bromberg as BioWare studio head Posted: 10 Sep 2013 06:45 AM PDT |
| Brad McQuaid working on 'secret' MMO since leaving SOE Posted: 10 Sep 2013 06:30 AM PDT Filed under: MMO Industry, New Titles, Miscellaneous You may or may not have been aware that former Senior Game Designer Brad McQuaid was let go from SOE this past August, but either way, do not fret. The McQuaid cat has landed on his feet and is working on a "secret" MMO in conjunction with his former studio. McQuaid's personal page hints at the project: "Brad left SOE in August 2013 as part of a huge [reduction in force]. With so many jobless developers in the area and so many exciting game design ideas in his head, Brad intends to start something. He's run the ideas by John Smedley, who was visibly excited. More info will be made available on this site and elsewhere when the timing is appropriate." Meanwhile, on Twitter McQuaid set his status as "Working on sekret MMO. That is all for now." He also mentions that "going forward I intend to work as closely with [SOE] as possible." [Thanks to Marianne and Matt for the tip!] Brad McQuaid working on 'secret' MMO since leaving SOE originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Daily Grind: Does progression matter to you? Posted: 10 Sep 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Endgame, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Dungeons For some players, the game is all about the endgame. The reason to play the game is to wind up at the highest tier of content and get the highest tier of gear, and if you are not doing that, then you are fundamentally not playing correctly. That doesn't mean these players do nothing else; it just means that they're going to base their guild choice in Star Wars: The Old Republic on progress concerns before social ones. But then there's the other camp that doesn't care about all of that. Sure, progression is nice to a point, but these are players who derive more enjoyment from the social side of things. They have no interest in joining a guild focused solely upon the endgame; they want to be in a guild for roleplaying or social contacts or whatever. Progress is nice but secondary. So which camp do you veer toward? Does progression matter to you, or are you quite happy finding other ways to play the game?  Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!The Daily Grind: Does progression matter to you? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Sep 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Captain's Log Supplemental: Remembering Star Trek Online video artist Mark Valentine Posted: 09 Sep 2013 08:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Champions Online, Captain's Log Massively tonight extends its deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and coworkers of Cryptic Studios developer Mark Valentine. Mark, also fondly referred to by his handle "h2orat," was a noted artist who was best known for his exceptionally crafted videos for Star Trek Online, especially the trailer that was used to announce the game's transition to the free-to-play format. Before working on Star Trek Online, Mark also worked on the Champions Online team. Prior to his tenure with Cryptic, Mark also worked on Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 for Atari Europe S.A.S.U. as well as Star Trek: Away Team, Battlezone II: Combat Commander, Heavy Gear, Heavy Gear II, Battlezone, and Interstate '76 for Activision. He was a respected STO player and Foundry author whose most recent mission, The Rising Phoenix - Part One, was chosen by his fellow players and the game's community managers to be highlighted as a featured mission. Continue reading Captain's Log Supplemental: Remembering Star Trek Online video artist Mark Valentine Captain's Log Supplemental: Remembering Star Trek Online video artist Mark Valentine originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Not So Massively: Elite's space stations, LoL World Championship, and D3's Mystic revealed Posted: 09 Sep 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Video, Bugs, Business Models, Events (Real-World), Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Dev Diaries, Miscellaneous, Not So Massively, Sandbox, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Elite: Dangerous, Path of Exile Star Citizen came one step closer to hitting its total required funding this week as it passed the $18 million mark, unlocking an exclusive star system for all crowdfunding backers. Developers took the opportunity to announce the contents of the $20 million stretch goal and plans for further stretch goals after hitting its total funding goal. Elite: Dangerous showed off new space station concept art and a great-looking in-engine render of the Federal Battle Cruiser in its latest newsletter, then delved into details of its modular space station system. The final teams have been selected for the League of Legends 2013 World Championship, which is set to begin next week on Sunday, the 15th September, and will continue for three weeks. The overall tournament winner will receive the top prize of $1,000,000 US, with a further $1,000,000 spread among the other teams based on how well they do in the tournament. Console-born MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth enraged fans this week by bundling Raptr with the game download and giving away copies of DLC that some players had paid $70 for. It was revealed this week that parts of Diablo III's upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion will be released in a free patch for all current players and that the expansion will feature the game's first fully randomised tileset. Further details of the Mystic artisan and her enchanting abilities have also been revealed. And Path of Exile fixed a series of abusable bugs in its skill cooldown system, and players finally discovered what the mysterious new Empower support gem does. Continue reading Not So Massively: Elite's space stations, LoL World Championship, and D3's Mystic revealed Not So Massively: Elite's space stations, LoL World Championship, and D3's Mystic revealed originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar Comix Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lore, Opinion, WildStar, The Nexus Telegraph, Subscription, Buy-to-Play I am a really big fan of comics. If this comes as a shock, possibly one that invites shock and horror, I apologize. But I love comics. We have bookshelves filled with comics in my house, I spend a lot of my free time reading comics, and I know a fair bit about comics. Not even close to everything, though, which is half the fun of comics in general. There's always more to learn, always something great that you've never heard of. The point I'm slowly getting to here is that I was pretty excited when WildStar started up a comic. I think this is something that more games should do because comics lend themselves to MMOs pretty naturally. So what's good, what's mediocre, and what's bad in the comics that are running thus far? Even with just two weeks of comics I've already formed some pretty strong opinions about this stuff. Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar Comix The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar Comix originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Chaos Theory: Get your bling on with our guide to The Secret World's Gilded Rage event Posted: 09 Sep 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (In-Game), Opinion, Guides, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play One saying I grew up hearing was, "Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it!" Well in this case, I couldn't be happier that I did! After pleading the case for event encores in The Secret World, we actually have just that. Starting last Friday and lasting for two full weeks is a continuation of the Guardians of Gaia anniversary event. However, Gilded Rage is not an exact duplicate of the one enjoyed when TSW celebrated the one-year mark of its release; rather, it's an additional performance after the main event with definite similarities to the original (fighting a golem!) as well as some distinct differences (fighting A golem!). And this is the place to get the scoop on all of it! Whether you missed the event the first go-around and you want to get in on the experience (and the AP!) this time or you are driven to complete the pet collection ( gotta catch 'em all!), this is the guide for you. With tips, tricks, and valuable intel, you can make the most of this golden opportunity. Continue reading Chaos Theory: Get your bling on with our guide to The Secret World's Gilded Rage event Chaos Theory: Get your bling on with our guide to The Secret World's Gilded Rage event originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Latest DayZ video blog touches on usability, optimization Posted: 09 Sep 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Horror, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox If you've got an extra 20 minutes -- and you're a DayZ fan -- Dean Hall's latest video dev blog is worth a look. Hall starts off with usability changes, and he shows off the new UI along with various context-sensitive improvements and functionality. He also talks a bit about DayZ's work-in-progress animations, its reloading mechanics, and a few other bits and bobs related to the standalone sandbox survival sim's ongoing development. Hall also touches on the network optimization delays that he mentioned at Gamescom. "In order to make our alpha period worthwhile, we want to release with this network bubble, which is the last task remaining before [the alpha]," he explained. Hall goes on to say that the task is currently being overseen by Bohemia Interactive co-founder Ondrej Spanel. Spanel is Bohemia's most senior programmer and is also responsible for co-designing the engine that led to Operation Flashpoint, the Arma series, and of course DayZ. We've embedded Hall's dev blog video after the cut. Continue reading Latest DayZ video blog touches on usability, optimization Latest DayZ video blog touches on usability, optimization originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Hearthstone makes three music tracks available Posted: 09 Sep 2013 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Fantasy, Free-to-Play, Trading Card Games, Music Blizzard wants to give you an earful -- of Hearthstone, that is. The studio's released a handful of music tracks from the upcoming digital card game, and you can get them for free right the heck now. If the score sounds a little familiar, that's on purpose. Lead Designer Eric Dodds commented on the soundtrack's aim, saying, "Ultimately, we wanted the music to convey three important things -- Warcraft, whimsy, and warmth -- to reflect the lighthearted nature of the game, and to make players feel as though they were sitting in their favorite tavern from Warcraft." The released tracks are Hearthstone Revealed, Bad Reputation, and Tabletop Battles. Hearthstone makes three music tracks available originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Trion offers up unique RIFT/Defiance crossover loot for new buyers Posted: 09 Sep 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, MMOFPS, RIFT, Promotions, Defiance, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play Trion Worlds has announced a curious new promo deal for folks who haven't yet picked up a copy of MMO-television hybrid Defiance. Purchasing a physical copy of Defiance now rewards gamers with unique loot in both it and Trion's other big online property, RIFT. Transmedia synergy, anyone? For a limited time (how limited is not mentioned in the announcement), players who buy a standard or collector's edition boxed copy of Defiance for PC, Xbox 360, or PS3 will receive a Votan Fragger weapon transmog (in Defiance) and a Ghost Hellbug mount (in RIFT). Buyers will also get $5 in RIFT store credits. It's an interesting strategy designed to pique the curiosity of current RIFT players, and it's not the first time Trion has sent Defiance's creatures into RIFT's fantasy world. Trion offers up unique RIFT/Defiance crossover loot for new buyers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| Latest ESO AMA talks titles, Shadowscales, and sieges Posted: 09 Sep 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, News Items, Consoles, The Elder Scrolls Online, MMORPG It's time again for ZeniMax Online to field community questions about The Elder Scrolls Online, and this week's Ask Us Anything post covers a wide range of topics from lore to PvP to raw game mechanics. Included in the entry are details regarding three-faction warfare, access to guild stores, the details of becoming an emperor, and plans to balance between factions. ESO players will be able to participate in open sieges on controlled keeps, with the option for two competing factions to team up against the controlling faction or to battle the whole thing out in open warfare. Fans of smaller-scale PvP will be happy to hear that ESO will offer "lots of chance encounters" for open world combat and big-picture strategists will likely welcome the news that factions disadvantaged by numbers will receive special bonuses to help keep resource capturing fair. Smaller details are also discussed; titles are still in consideration, achievements will exist for large quest chains and other feats, and Shadowscales will show their reptilian faces in various ESO locations. Latest ESO AMA talks titles, Shadowscales, and sieges originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| World of Warcraft's patch 5.4 launches tomorrow Posted: 09 Sep 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Video, Lore, Patches, Previews, Endgame, News Items, Subscription Tomorrow's patch for World of Warcraft will not bring about the end of the Horde. It will, however, mark a crucial turning point in the conflict between the Alliance and the Horde when both sides storm the walls of Orgrimmar to take down Warchief Garrosh Hellscream. It remains to be seen just what will happen after tomorrow's patch, but as the preview video past the break shows, things won't be the same after the walls come down. Not that the patch is just about laying siege to the Orcish home city. It also introduces flexible raiding modes to allow groups of any size to tackle raid content as well as the Proving Grounds, which are solo instances that test your tanking, healing, or DPS skills. There are also currency conversions and new items to be obtained, helpfully explained in a small FAQ on our sister site. Do what you need to do today, and get ready to storm the walls tomorrow. Continue reading World of Warcraft's patch 5.4 launches tomorrow World of Warcraft's patch 5.4 launches tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| StarCraft Universe reaches its funding goal on Kickstarter Posted: 09 Sep 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, News Items, Free-to-Play, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding There are a lot of people who would very much like to see an MMO in the StarCraft universe. StarCraft Universe isn't quite the same thing, but it manages to turn StarCraft II into something very close to an MMO. And with just one day left to go on its Kickstarter project, it has hit its funding goal, ensuring that StarCraft II players can turn the real-time strategy game into a third-person MMO-style game at will. So how much does the mod actually contain? Eight classes, vehicle gameplay, customized models, a variety of boss encounters tuned for various difficulties, in-game strategy databases, a fully voiced plotline, and crafting mechanics. There are also single-player and multiplayer components for anyone who wants to experience the game solo, and the entire project can be experienced for free without a need to buy StarCraft II. If you're interested, there's still some time left to toss money into the Kickstarter and pick up a few extra rewards. StarCraft Universe reaches its funding goal on Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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| New trademarks filed by ZeniMax Media Posted: 09 Sep 2013 11:00 AM PDT |
| Neo's Land sandbox launches Kickstarter Posted: 09 Sep 2013 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Video, Game Mechanics, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Player-Generated Content A new Kickstarter project, Neo's Land, doesn't just want gamers to play it -- it wants gamers to create it. NeoJac Entertainment ( Islands of War) has created a toolset that allows players to mold the in-game world from buildings to landscapes. The developers will hold regular contests to prompt more world building. Neo's Land will be a proper MMO, with PvE and PvP play, a skill-based character system without levels or classes, dungeons, and a player-driven economy. As if shaping the game world wasn't enough, Neo's Land will also feature player-created quests. Much of Neo's Land is already complete, but the team wants to raise $100,000 to power up this vision and get the game across the finish line. It's looking at a 2014 release if all goes well, but you can check out the possibilities with the videos after the jump, and expect to see our detailed Q&A with the team in a future installment of Some Assembly Required. Continue reading Neo's Land sandbox launches Kickstarter Neo's Land sandbox launches Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Sep 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Boutique builder crosses Ivy Bridge-E
Money doesn't grow on trees, but SSDs do
"Mulligan!"
Put big things in this small package
