MMO Updates

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• New ArcheAge clip shows off CBT4 transportation
• Eligium launches website and reveals... panda monks. Really.
• League of Legends turns two, reskins Fiddlesticks
• Vindictus: A one-year retrospective
• Blizzard's Morhaime: F2P not right for WoW
• TERA exalts its game testing team
• The Daily Grind: Do you prefer content celerity to quality?
• EverQuest's Veil of Alaris expansion slated for November 15th
• SOE announcing DCUO's freemium launch date tomorrow
• Blogger raises funds for raiding guidebook
• New hack-and-slash MMO Core Blaze discusses boss fights, platforming details
• Newest update to Final Fantasy XI is empty inside
• Super Hero Squad Online introduces new heroes, reveals Challenge System screens
• Free for All: Why RuneScape is almost perfect for me, not bots
• Hands-on with Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 12: Vaults of the Artificers
• Bethesda appeal denied for Fallout Online, work continues by Interplay
• Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC
• Guild Wars 2 and The Old Republic earn awards at Paris Games Week 2011
• RIFT lore details Kelari High Priestess Anthousa Mona
• Rappelz expansion coming in November
• You put the Lime Odyssey in the screenshot gallery and drink them both up
• Riot Games announces LoL's Season Two Circuit, Spectator Mode beta
• New Dark Age of Camelot patch introduces New User Experience, RvR changes
• Blizzard hosting live Mists of Pandaria dev chat on October 27th
• PlanetSide 2's scale dwarfs Battlefield, Call of Duty franchises
• Prius Online releases Stronghold of the North expansion

New ArcheAge clip shows off CBT4 transportation Posted: 27 Oct 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge, Sandbox Starving ArcheAge fans, take heart. With the onset of the game's fourth Korean closed beta test, we'll likely be seeing more news and views from the upcoming fantasy sandpark over the next few weeks. Today's reveal is a two-minute video focusing on the game's mounts, and while there are a couple of clips that we've seen before (notably portions of the hang-gliding footage and the airship shots), there is a whole bunch of new stuff as well. There are the requisite horses, of course, but also some nifty steampunk automated carriage thingamabobs. The video also features some mouth-watering shots of player ships complete with unfurling sails, what appears to be functional rigging, and players climbing masts, turning the ship's wheel, and more. See for yourself after the cut. Continue reading New ArcheAge clip shows off CBT4 transportation New ArcheAge clip shows off CBT4 transportation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Eligium launches website and reveals... panda monks. Really. Posted: 27 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Classes, Free-to-play Oh Blizzard, did you think you were the only company looking at kung-fu pandas for inspiration? Sorry to tell you, but panda fever is sweeping the globe, and Frogster's upcoming Eligium is going to cash in on that craze like nobody's business. Today Eligium launched its official website, replete with a beta signup form, videos, screenshots, and forums. On top of that, Frogster announced two of the fantasy free-to-play MMO's races: Pandas and Elves. The Pandas are described as "masters of the martial arts" as they harness their chi to unleash it on their enemies. At level 15, Panda players can choose between two skill specializations, including Fire Breather. The Elves, on the other hand, fit more into standard fantasy tropes, being experts at archery and trees. The race will eventually segregate into either a defensive or long-range attack skillset. You can take a gander at Eligium's goodies and sign up for the closed beta over on the official site. [Source: Frogster press release] Eligium launches website and reveals... panda monks. Really. originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

League of Legends turns two, reskins Fiddlesticks Posted: 27 Oct 2011 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play It's hard to believe that League of Legends is two years old this week, but time marches on and so does the requisite birthday celebration. Riot has updated its website with an anniversary post and the game itself boasts a new legendary skin for Fiddlesticks, also known as "everyone's favorite Harbinger of Doom." The special model will dent your wallet for 975 Riot points (what, you didn't expect to pay for your birthday gift?!) and it boasts "new and sinister" sound effects on all the champion's abilities. Party hats and balloons are also part of the package, as are some "frighteningly festive" spell effects. As always, more info is available on the official League of Legends website. League of Legends turns two, reskins Fiddlesticks originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Anniversary announcement

Vindictus: A one-year retrospective Posted: 27 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Vindictus It's time for a celebration, y'all. It's been a year since Nexon's popular physics-based hack-'n'-slash title, Vindictus, officially launched, and what a year it's been. Between constant content updates, seasonal events, awards, and more, Vindictus has had a rather successful first year, and it doesn't seem to show any signs of stopping. So exactly how far has Vindictus come since the title's inception a year go? Well, follow along past the cut and join us as we take a short look at the game's history and find out how it holds up today. Continue reading Vindictus: A one-year retrospective Vindictus: A one-year retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blizzard's Morhaime: F2P not right for WoW Posted: 27 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business models, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play Before you burn Blizzard at the stake, free-to-play fans, it's worth noting that head honcho Mike Morhaime isn't dismissing the model forever. In a new interview at Eurogamer, though, he does say that it makes little sense for an insanely profitable enterprise like today's World of Warcraft. "I think that there's an underlying, a fundamental assumption right now, that the less you charge, the more money you make. Which isn't true. And it doesn't necessarily make for a better game. I mean, everybody likes free... I think that definitely, players have seen a lot of really great quality free-to-play experiences, but I'm not sure it's the best model for us right now," Morhaime explains. The interview also touches on the controversy surrounding the new Mists of Pandaria expansion as well as the business logic behind Blizz's decision to give away Diablo III to long-term WoW subscribers. Head to Eurogamer for the full report. Blizzard's Morhaime: F2P not right for WoW originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Eurogamer

TERA exalts its game testing team Posted: 27 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, TERA, Dev Diaries "You'll probably never see our names until you read the credits, but we have one of the most important jobs in game publishing," writes Scott James Magner. He heads up the "unsung heroes" of the TERA development team -- the game testers -- and he's written up a few fun insights into the behind-the-scenes process that is helping to refine this MMO as it heads to launch. According to Magner, the En Masse QA team's been flooded with requests to join the testing and feedback process as they continually poke and prod at all of TERA's systems and content. "At this point," he says, "we've played every class and race multiple times, but no one is tired of coming to work." The team is currently testing fights against "Big-Ass Monsters" in the Celestial Hills, and Magner says he's still learning new combos and techniques even after a full year of testing. While the testing team usually is far out of the spotlight, he says that its job is crucial to the game's success and that all of the testers are "you" at heart -- passionate gamers who want the best for this title. [Thanks to Joseph for the tip!] TERA exalts its game testing team originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: TERA

The Daily Grind: Do you prefer content celerity to quality? Posted: 27 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business models, Expansions, MMO industry, Patches, Opinion, Massively meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Gamers love to mock Blizzard Entertainment for the "glacial" pace of content updates to World of Warcraft. Patches and expansions seem to trickle out so slowly that players have time to unsub and resub multiple times between updates. Trion Worlds, on the other hand, seems determined to push RIFT patches through on a monthly basis, as if to show WoW how it's done. And yet there are trade-offs to speed. All other things being equal, more time spent on content means more polished content. And content released at break-neck speed can wind up launching more quickly than subscribers can actually digest it, leading to players who find themselves lost and languishing in the wake of a game that's effectively lapped them. That leads us to today's Daily Grind topic. We often clamor for more content and faster updates, but is that really what players want? When it comes to your content, do you prefer celerity or quality? 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: Do you prefer content celerity to quality? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EverQuest's Veil of Alaris expansion slated for November 15th Posted: 26 Oct 2011 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Expansions, MMO industry, News items EverQuest's graphics aren't the only thing dated when it comes to Norrath! Oooh, yeah, that was cold, but the good news is that we still love dear old EQ, and we'll be checking out expansion number 1,342,756 (actually, number 18) in just a couple of weeks. We know this because Sony Online Entertainment has announced the official release date for the Veil of Alaris content update, which is November 15th. Pre-orders have already begun, and you'll want to check out the official pre-order page to see if SOE's digital carrots are enough to entice you to part with your hard-earned dollars prior to release day. EverQuest's Veil of Alaris expansion slated for November 15th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EQ VoA announcement

SOE announcing DCUO's freemium launch date tomorrow Posted: 26 Oct 2011 08:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, DC Universe Online Well folks, we'd love to tell you the official date that DC Universe Online is switching to its freemium business model. The only problem is that Sony Online Entertainment isn't making that information available until tomorrow. Why this post, then? So you can mark your Bat-calendars of course! SOE will make the date official at 7:30 p.m. EDT on October 27th via its Stickam portal (so, yes, this is effectively an announcement about an announcement). As we reported last month, SOE will be moving DCUO to a tiered access plan and eliminating the barrier that is the monthly subscription fee -- although gamers who choose to continue paying it in the form of the Legendary plan will enjoy numerous perks including free DLC and lots of character slots. [Source: SOE press release] SOE announcing DCUO's freemium launch date tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blogger raises funds for raiding guidebook Posted: 26 Oct 2011 08:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Miscellaneous, Dungeons Adam "Ferrel" Trzonkowski, author of The Guild Leader's Companion, is working hard on his follow-up book to assist MMO raiders. Titling his second guidebook The Raider's Companion, Trzonkowski is pairing up with artist Amanda Martin to create a book full of advice on how to tackle some of the toughest content in online gaming. To help fund this project, Trzonkowski has launched a Kickstarter project to raise $4,000 that will go toward the expenses of publishing, art assets, marketing, and so on. If you find this a worthy project to assist, then your donation will make you eligible for a variety of rewards including signed copies of the book, hardback editions, and art prints. The Kickstarter project is well underway and will continue until November 25th. You can read our previous interview with Trzonkowski his previous book and thoughts on guild leadership. [Source: Epic Slant Press release] Blogger raises funds for raiding guidebook originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kickstarter

New hack-and-slash MMO Core Blaze discusses boss fights, platforming details Posted: 26 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, New titles, News items What is Core Blaze? Well, to be honest with you, we weren't entirely sure either. But from the looks of things, it's an upcoming Unreal-Engine-3-powered action MMO from Gamania and RedGate Studios. "Big deal," you might say. "There's a ton of action MMOs out there already," you might also say. So what separates Core Blaze from the chaff? RedGate Studios' chief operating officer Jacky Chu sat down with PC Gamer to try to answer that very question, and then some. Chu claims that the key factor that will separate Core Blaze from other hack-and-slash MMO titles is its cerebral nature. He emphasizes that the game is "much more than a mindless adrenaline rush." Boss monsters are designed like "a puzzle that can be solved in multiple ways," requiring players to work together to develop and execute a strategy rather than running in sword-swinging and spell-slinging until one side isn't standing. Chu puts emphasis on the fact that players should have ultimate freedom rather than being restricted into one optimal build, one optimal equipment set, one way to kill a boss, or one way to traverse a level. Players looking for an action-based MMO with a great degree of personal choice should likely keep their eyes set on Core Blaze, though no North American release date has been announced. For the full interview, head on over to PC Gamer. New hack-and-slash MMO Core Blaze discusses boss fights, platforming details originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PCGamer

Newest update to Final Fantasy XI is empty inside Posted: 26 Oct 2011 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles, Dungeons With Halloween just around the corner, perhaps your thoughts have turned to some of the genuine horror lurking throughout Final Fantasy XI. The Emptiness that was the focal point for several parts of Chains of Promathia was genuinely terrifying, conceptually as well as mechanically, for a very long time. (The removal of level restrictions made it a bit less frightening to run through.) So it's fitting that the game has just unveiled a minor version update in time for the holiday that takes players back to the Emptiness for a few new battles. New Burning Circle battles can be fought at the spires of Holla, Dem, Mea, and Vahzl, using orbs obtained via Kindred Seals. Victories produce items that can be traded in at the NPC Shami for rewards. There are also updates to the Voidwatch battles and a few bugfixes, which should prove a nice garnish to the main course of the update's Emptiness-related battle candy for Final Fantasy XI's players. Newest update to Final Fantasy XI is empty inside originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: October version update notes

Super Hero Squad Online introduces new heroes, reveals Challenge System screens Posted: 26 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Galleries, Screenshots, Patches, Previews, News items, PvE, Free-to-play, Kids, Family, Super Hero Squad Online Time to assemble your heroes, Super Hero Squad Online players! A few new heroes are joining the ranks of SHSO's characters. Players can now take on the role of the telekinetic Psylocke, the arcane master Doctor Strange, and the quasi-vampiric vampire-hunter Blade. We've also got some new screenshots of the recently announced Challenge System, so head on to the gallery below to check out some shots of the new heroes and the Challenge System interface. And to get in on the action yourself, just fly, swing, or teleport your way to the game's official site. [Source: Gazillion Entertainment press release] Gallery: Super Hero Squad Online Super Hero Squad Online introduces new heroes, reveals Challenge System screens originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Free for All: Why RuneScape is almost perfect for me, not bots Posted: 26 Oct 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Screenshots, Culture, Opinion, RuneScape, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Free for All As I write this, I am eagerly awaiting the morning and the Bot Nuking Day in RuneScape. Hopefully, this means that "98 percent" of the bots in game will be busted, destroyed, banned and "nuked." Of course, I can't say that I have ever met a bot. For all I know, they are a friendly bunch, restricted only by the crippling desire to grind out items and gold. Poor fellows; this is going to hurt to watch. Other than the bots (who otherwise seem like charming individuals,) I enjoy myself in the game. In fact, I love the game. There are few titles that reside in that warm spot in my gut (I keep my heart there), but RuneScape is one of them. If you'd like to skip the article so you can post snarky comments about how horrible Jagex is and to claim I'm not actually having fun, you have my permission. Otherwise, click past the cut! Continue reading Free for All: Why RuneScape is almost perfect for me, not bots Free for All: Why RuneScape is almost perfect for me, not bots originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hands-on with Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 12: Vaults of the Artificers Posted: 26 Oct 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Previews, Free-to-play, Massively Hands-on Turbine has kept to a regular schedule of updates for Dungeons and Dragons Online for a long time now, which means that it's time for us to start preparing for Update 12. The updates have been pretty exciting, rolling out new adventure packs, bringing new races and classes, and introducing a detailed crafting system. The focus on Update 12 is the new adventure pack, one that is a sharp departure from the previous packs. While earlier adventure packs have been story-driven, some even serving as a continuing story arc from their predecessors, this one serves as pure fun for players to challenge themselves with. DDO devs Eric Boyer and Ian Currie were kind enough to invite me on a tour of the new content, so follow along after the jump to see all the details! Continue reading Hands-on with Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 12: Vaults of the Artificers Hands-on with Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 12: Vaults of the Artificers originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Bethesda appeal denied for Fallout Online, work continues by Interplay Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Legal, Post-Apocalyptic, Miscellaneous Are you enjoying the game of Fallout Online? No, not the actual online game in which you adventure in a shattered wasteland, but the constant back-and-forth between Interplay and Bethesda over which company is allowed to work on the development. The game has been tied up in court for roughly forever, with Bethesda trying to block Interplay's further development via legal tactics, and while the first injunction was denied, the studio appealed to have the development halted. It turns out that the courts remained firmly on Interplay's side, however, as the appeal has been denied and Interplay is in the clear to continue developing the game. Unfortunately, the game will still require express permission from Bethesda to launch, meaning that there's still no end in sight to the legal fighting and name-calling by both companies. For the time being, all that fans of the franchise can do is wait and see... assuming that Interplay remains financially able to develop the game after all. Bethesda appeal denied for Fallout Online, work continues by Interplay originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Joystiq

Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift After dining on enough beef brisket to feed an army of hungry cowboys, I returned from Austin's GDC Online to chip away at the Ashes of History world event quests. RIFT had a nice showing at the GDC Online Awards ceremony, walking away with awards for Best Online Technology and Best New Online Game. In addition, Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman gave a talk about RIFT's pre-launch preparations and post-launch plans. GDC was dominated by a handful of common topics, like free-to-play, metrics, monetization, and technology. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll take a look at a few of these to see how they apply to RIFT, and then we'll look at the big takeaways from GDC overall. Continue reading Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2 and The Old Republic earn awards at Paris Games Week 2011 Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic The results are in from Paris Games Week 2011, and two big-name MMOs have taken spots amongst the show's award-winners. ArenaNet's upcoming (eventually) Guild Wars 2 took home the Prix du Public -- that is, the People's Choice award -- while BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic walked away with the Prix du Jeu MMO, which named it the top MMO title of the convention. Congratulations to both titles for their success. Now can we please get a launch date for GW2? [Thanks to Rhodanum for the tip!] Guild Wars 2 and The Old Republic earn awards at Paris Games Week 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Paris Games Week award results

RIFT lore details Kelari High Priestess Anthousa Mona Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Lore, News items, RIFT Attention, Telaran lore junkies! We've got a treat for you today in the form of some new background lore on the High Priestess of the Kelari, Anthousa Mona. The snippet gives some background into Mona's history prior to the Kelari exodus, including a confrontation with Karris, whom RIFT players will recognize as a former Kelari priest consumed by the power of Maelforge. Follow on past the cut for the full story. Continue reading RIFT lore details Kelari High Priestess Anthousa Mona RIFT lore details Kelari High Priestess Anthousa Mona originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rappelz expansion coming in November Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons Gala Networks Europe wants you to know that a new Rappelz expansion is launching in November. The firm also mentions that you'll be in good company if you check it out, since Rappelz has been enjoyed by over 5 million players worldwide. In terms of new content, Epic VII Part 3: The Trial brings the long-awaited master class quest for players at level 148 and up, and the challenging encounter features battles with Lucian and an evil witch in addition to a foray into the Espoir dungeon. The expansion also boasts the game's first solo dungeon, and the Vulcanus instance is designed for players at level 30 and above. Finally, there's a new Rappelz creature coming with the content update. The Cube is a golem "formed of pure mana crystals that have been brought to life with magic and ancient mysterious technology," according to Gala's press release. You can learn more about the expansion at the official Rappelz website. [Source: Gala Networks Europe press release] Rappelz expansion coming in November originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

You put the Lime Odyssey in the screenshot gallery and drink them both up Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Free-to-play We simply cannot be the only ones who see the title of Aeria Games' upcoming MMO and instantly start singing, "You put the lime in the coconut and drink them both up." Please tell us we're not. We may go mad otherwise. In any case, Lime Odyssey has released 10 new screenshots today showing off many of the lush vistas of its game world. Included in the batch are views of the Human stomping grounds of the Blue Coral Forest, the desert plains of West Tumbara, and the Muris starting zone of Haze Island. Lime Odyssey will launch with four classes, three races, and four gathering and crafting professions. You can get an eyeful of limey goodness in the gallery below, and if it piques your interest, head on over to the official site to sign up for the beta! Gallery: Lime Odyssey Core Gallery [Source: Aeria Games press release] You put the Lime Odyssey in the screenshot gallery and drink them both up originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Riot Games announces LoL's Season Two Circuit, Spectator Mode beta Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play Riot Games has announced that the League of Legends Season Two Circuit is on its way to North America and Europe, and we've got some details on what players can expect from it. All live events from this point forth will award the top eight competitors in each event with Circuit Points. At the season's end, the top players from each region will go on to face off with the rest of the world at the League of Legends Season Two Championship, which features a prize pool of a whopping 5 million USD. If you're a pro LoL player who has already participated in events such as the Intel Extreme Masters or Major League Gaming tournaments, don't worry. Riot will be retroactively awarding points to the top players from those events, though it's important to note that players can only earn points from events that take place in their region. The long-awaited Spectator Mode has also entered limited beta. During designated testing periods, players will be able to jump into a game as a spectator and watch the action unfold. The feature is limited to custom games for now, but Riot stresses that "like all things League of Legends, there are still plenty of updates to come." For the full details on the Season Two Circuit and Spectator Mode, head on over to the official announcement at League of Legends' official site. Riot Games announces LoL's Season Two Circuit, Spectator Mode beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: League of Legends Season Two Circuit announcement

New Dark Age of Camelot patch introduces New User Experience, RvR changes Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Patches, PvP, News items, PvE It's a big day for Dark Age of Camelot players, as patch 1.110 is going live today. The update includes the revamped New User Journey, which redesigns the tutorial and many mainland areas in each of the three realms in order to "make character progression more efficient and enjoyable than ever before." And of course, DAoC is all about the RvR, so many updates have been made to the game's Battlegrounds in an attempt to make them a "one-stop source for character progression and RvR action through level 49." A number of UI updates have been made as well, which should hopefully make the game more user-friendly and customizable. Balance passes have been made on all classes, with some classes being given free respecs to account for the changes. All-in-all, it seems to be a rather comprehensive update to the game, so if you're a denizen of DAoC, head on over and check out the changes. New Dark Age of Camelot patch introduces New User Experience, RvR changes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dark Age of Camelot patch 1.110 notes

Blizzard hosting live Mists of Pandaria dev chat on October 27th Posted: 26 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries Oh, those crazy Blizzard devs! They just can't seem to stay out of the news lately. The latest bit of panda-related madness comes courtesy of tomorrow's dev chat announcement. If you've got questions about the newly revealed Mists of Pandaria expansion pack, you'll want to sign up for a CoverItLive account and prepare to fire away at Blizz's best and brightest. If you've got complaints, well, it's a moderated dev chat so you're probably out of luck. In any event, the fireworks start at 8:00 p.m. EDT, and you can read all of the details at the official Battle.net website. Blizzard hosting live Mists of Pandaria dev chat on October 27th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Battle.net

PlanetSide 2's scale dwarfs Battlefield, Call of Duty franchises Posted: 26 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2 Does it strike anyone else as particularly fortuitous that Sony Online Entertainment chose the week of Battlefield 3's release to let a bit more PlanetSide 2 info slip through its tightly clenched marketing fist? Regardless of the timing, today's article in the new issue of PC Gamer will likely help the three-faction juggernaut gain some more momentum. SOE creative director Matt Higby is featured heavily in the PC Gamer piece, which intimates that PlanetSide 2's battles will dwarf those of the much-loved Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises. "You're going to be fighting in battles sometimes when it's 200 people fighting against 30 people," Higby explains. "Because there's only 30 people defending that base and then suddenly 200 people log in from the other group and go do it." This is a far cry from the 64-player limit on Battlefield 3's PC version, and PlanetSide 2 will also offer huge maps that measure eight square kilometers as well as weapon ranges up to a full kilometer. Oh, and did we mention the persistent gameplay elements? [Thanks to PlanetSide Universe for the tip!] PlanetSide 2's scale dwarfs Battlefield, Call of Duty franchises originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PC Gamer Via: PlanetSide Universe

Prius Online releases Stronghold of the North expansion Posted: 26 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons A couple of weeks ago we told you about Prius Online's new Stronghold of the North expansion. The content was slated to release sometime in October, and today we're finally able to report that it is in fact live and available for you to download. Stronghold adds 500 quests, three new dungeons, two exotic mounts, and a new item upgrade system that "allows players to design their own gear with powerful stats and a unique appearance that suits their character," according to the latest gPotato press release. That's not all, either, as the expansion brings new looted gear and a new city-based venue for guild siege warfare. Finally, gPotato is offering up a double XP weekend to celebrate all the new content. From October 28th through October 30th, players can look forward to XP bonuses, double drop rates, and welcome back bundles for returning players that include combat enhancers and premium item upgrades. Check out some of the new gear (and the two mounts) in our gallery below. [Source: gPotato press release] Gallery: Prius Online Prius Online releases Stronghold of the North expansion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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