MMO Updates |
- EA-BioWare acquires KlickNation, rebrands it BioWare Social
- This Week in MMO: The Crucible Edition
- EverQuest II drops Age of Discovery's NDA
- Marvel Universe Online assembles Iron Man
- The Firing Line: Getting into Global Agenda
- The Daily Grind: Are you giving the gift of games this year?
- The MMO Report: Schreinercraft edition
- Star Wars Galaxies updates players on the end
- Bethesda and Interplay continue to sling stones over Fallout Online
- Dan Stahl beams back aboard Cryptic Studios
- New SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online trailer shows off gameplay
- Conquer Online's upcoming expansion introduces new zone, Pirate class
- The Guild Counsel: To kick or not to kick
- End of Nations kicks off the Warfront series with beta signups
- Behind the Mask: Are grab bags a scam?
- Video series chronicles the evolution of MUDs to MMOs
- Fallen Earth's December State of the Game talks F2P transition, new features
- May the score be with you: SWTOR releases one music track a day until launch [Updated]
- The Perfect Ten: The upcoming contenders
- CCP expands EVE's asset search functionality
- We've got your key to the Rosh Online closed beta!
| EA-BioWare acquires KlickNation, rebrands it BioWare Social Posted: 02 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Casual, Miscellaneous  KlickNation operates social games including SuperHero City and Six Gun Galaxy, and while the company's monthly active user base has declined from 1.3 million to 400,000, EA and BioWare see it as a growth opportunity. KlickNation's expertise in building innovative and compelling RPGs for social platforms makes them a seamless tuck-in with the BioWare team at EA," says Ray Muzyka. The new unit has been renamed BioWare Social, and thus far the company has not announced any concrete plans relating to new or existing titles.
|
| This Week in MMO: The Crucible Edition Posted: 02 Dec 2011 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Sandbox  The gang also examines Neverwinter's latest story trailer and comes away feeling somewhat underwhelmed. Finally, Bigpoint's controversial microtransactions also merit some discussion, and you can watch the full show by clicking past the cut. Continue reading This Week in MMO: The Crucible Edition
|
| EverQuest II drops Age of Discovery's NDA Posted: 02 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, EverQuest II, Expansions, Free-to-play  There are a couple exceptions to the NDA dropping, however. Testers still may not share anything that's being posted in the beta forums, and no screenshots taken during the testing period may be made public. Age of Discovery is launching on December 6th. and includes many new features to the game, including the Beastmaster class, the Freeport revamp, and the dungeon maker tool. Oh, and there's also a small matter of the entire game going free-to-play, but you knew that already. Because you didn't zip your ears closed.
|
| Marvel Universe Online assembles Iron Man Posted: 02 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Previews, Free-to-play, Marvel Universe Online  In any case, Marvel Universe Online is proud to reveal its next major superhero in the game's line-up, and Tony Stark is proud that you're giving him your full attention right now. MUO's Iron Man looks similar to the latest movie version, with the triangle chestpiece and ribbed design. If you're a fan of the character, comics, or movies, then this should be a thrill for you! Just try not to think about how small his waist must be to fit into that techno-armor. This marks the latest reveal of the Marvel lineup for the game by Gazillion, which has been slowly rolling out the classic characters for a couple months now.
|
| The Firing Line: Getting into Global Agenda Posted: 02 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Global Agenda, The Firing Line  You're not sure, but you think it's kind of an MMO, given that it has persistent territory control, lots of quests, and plenty of progression-based gameplay. Maybe you're a pro skillz baller, or maybe the extent of your shooter knowledge is which end of the gun gets pointed at the bad guys. Either way, you'll likely have a good time in Hi-Rez's spy-fi action title, and you'll have an even better time if you understand a few key points about the game prior to diving in. Continue reading The Firing Line: Getting into Global Agenda
|
| The Daily Grind: Are you giving the gift of games this year? Posted: 02 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  Digital gifting does have a dark side, though, or at least a hmm-that's-kind-of-impersonal side. While most of us would never turn down a virtual copy of Skyrim or a few funny bucks to spend in an MMO cash shop, it is nice to get (and give) an actual present that someone's taken the time to wrap and deliver. What about you, Massively crew? Are you giving the gift of digital gaming this year?  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 MMO Report: Schreinercraft edition Posted: 01 Dec 2011 07:00 PM PST Filed under: Video, MMO industry, Opinion, Humor, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous  Finally, he dives into Uncle Casey's Mailbag and asks readers to mail him the story of their first MMO experience for possible inclusion in a future show. All this and more in the full HD video behind the break! Continue reading The MMO Report: Schreinercraft edition
|
| Star Wars Galaxies updates players on the end Posted: 01 Dec 2011 06:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, News items, Star Wars Galaxies  On December 14th, at 9:00 p.m. PST (midnight EST), the Civil War scoreboards will close, with a final winner declared overall. This will be accompanied by server restarts, followed by a number of optional battles and skirmishes in the 15th. So spend the next two weeks getting ready for the last push to grab all the marbles because when the shutdown comes on December 15th, the war will be over... for good.
|
| Bethesda and Interplay continue to sling stones over Fallout Online Posted: 01 Dec 2011 06:15 PM PST Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Legal, Fallout Online, Miscellaneous  Bethesda's complaint, in essence, argues that Interplay's complaint blocked testimony that would have established Bethesda as being the party in the right beyond a shadow of a doubt. Whether or not this is accurate will be established when the companies have their date in court on December 5th, which should put an end to this mess once and for all... although if previous events show anything, it's that both Bethesda and Interplay will fight this out to the bitter end.
|
| Dan Stahl beams back aboard Cryptic Studios Posted: 01 Dec 2011 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play  Stahl, who left STO for Zynga in September, posted on the o-boards earlier this evening announcing his return. "There is something magical going on at Cryptic these days and I'm very happy to be back working on the MMOs that I personally love to play," he said. The Foundry is Cryptic's suite of user-generated content tools that is currently available in Star Trek Online and slated to appear in the company's upcoming Neverwinter title.
|
| New SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online trailer shows off gameplay Posted: 01 Dec 2011 05:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Free-to-play  The game is quite fittingly action-based, and the trailer shows off several of the franchise's more iconic mecha in their SD form. Also shown off in full detail are the many, many ways for players to unleash rocket-powered death upon the poor cannon fodder Zakus wandering through the map, which is somewhere between endearing and almost mean. If you're looking forward to the game when it fully launches later this month, click on past the break to check out the trailer. [Source: OGPlanet press release] Continue reading New SD Gundam Capsule Fighter Online trailer shows off gameplay
|
| Conquer Online's upcoming expansion introduces new zone, Pirate class Posted: 01 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Expansions, News items, Free-to-play  Watch yer booty, mateys! No, I meant your treasure, you freaks. Jeeze. NetDragon WebSoft has announced a new expansion for its free-to-play MMORPG, Conquer Online. This update does what it says on the tin: Invasion of Pirates. Players will find themselves on a brand-new map, facing off against new monsters, discovering new quests, and playing the Pirate class. The new class brings an entirely new playstyle with new weapons and abilities to use. And players will need every bit of firepower they can get, as bands of evil pirates arrive upon a newly discovered island in search of a dark and mysterious treasure. Of course, it's up to players to ensure that the pirates do not succeed in their mission. The expansion will go live in January 2012, so you've got plenty of time to head over to the game's official site and sign up. [Source: NetDragon WebSoft press release]
|
| The Guild Counsel: To kick or not to kick Posted: 01 Dec 2011 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous  But removing someone from the guild is a pretty big decision, and it can have a ripple effect throughout your roster that might lead to further unhappiness and drama. When is the right time to boot someone from the guild? In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll take a look at what to do when you think it might be time for a guild removal. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: To kick or not to kick
|
| End of Nations kicks off the Warfront series with beta signups Posted: 01 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, New titles, News items, MMORTS  Fans will need to sign up for the End of Nations newsletter before being eligible to sign up for beta testing, but that likely won't deter anyone who's followed the game this far. There's also an announcement of new previews to be found on the game's official Facebook page, with the usual social media request that you head over and throw out a "Like." While the video is fairly short, most fans have probably absconded as soon as they heard they could sign up for beta -- but if you'd like to see the full webcast first, jump on past the break. [Source: Trion Worlds press release] Continue reading End of Nations kicks off the Warfront series with beta signups
|
| Behind the Mask: Are grab bags a scam? Posted: 01 Dec 2011 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Economy, Opinion, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Behind the Mask  Gift box items sell to a variety of people. Some find the idea of chance more fun, and others absolutely must have the rare items and will spend lots of money trying to get them. Are the grab bags a scam, though? After the jump, we'll look at just why that is and hopefully give you enough information to come to your own conclusion. Continue reading Behind the Mask: Are grab bags a scam?
|
| Video series chronicles the evolution of MUDs to MMOs Posted: 01 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Video, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  MUD pioneer Richard Bartle shows up in Koster's comment thread, and he's even more direct. "I wonder why so few of those who make this kind of documentary actually ask the people they're talking about whether what they're saying about them is factually correct? It's not like we're dead or anything," Bartle muses. Why watch the vids, then? Mainly for the exposure to pre-2004 MMORPGs, according to Koster. The clips are "worth a look, even if only to get a rare glimpse of actual video footage from some of the older games that many folks today don't even know existed," he says. Check out all three installments after the break. Continue reading Video series chronicles the evolution of MUDs to MMOs
|
| Fallen Earth's December State of the Game talks F2P transition, new features Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Bugs, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  It's finally December, which means that I can go into a store and not fly into a rage when I discover that it's already playing Christmas music. It also means that it's time for Fallen Earth's December State of the Game letter. This is the first State of the Game since the title's change to F2P last month, so can you bet your hide there's a lot to cover. Marie Croall begins by talking about some of the "less sexy but ultimately critical things" that the team has been working on since the transition. Lots of bug-fixing has taken place as the Fallen Earth team works to iron out some of the kinks that arose during the F2P transition. Meanwhile, the town of Embry got a bit of a makeover. The art team went into the city and "replaced high-poly, high-batch buildings with newer ones that will improve performance and the overall aesthetic appeal of the town." The team is also working hard at developing new content and features, such as world events, farms, and the upcoming augmentation system. Croall closes out the post with some dates: Territory control, the revamped map, new world events, and New Embry will be added to the game in mid-December, while everything else will have to wait until next year. For the full details, head on to the game's official blog.
|
| May the score be with you: SWTOR releases one music track a day until launch [Updated] Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Previews, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Giveaways  This is true: As a special treat to its fans, BioWare is doling out one music track from its Star Wars: The Old Republic score every day, starting today and going until the December 20th launch. These tracks are available on both on the SWTOR Facebook page and official YouTube channel. The first track is called The Mandalorian Blockade and is composed by Mark Griskey, Wilbert Roget II, Gordy Haab & Lennie Moore. Give it a listen after the jump! [Update: It looks like music is not the only thing the BioWare folks have in store for you in the lead up until launch. Apparently, the team is doing at least one more round of beta testing starting tomorrow, so check your inboxes!]
|
| The Perfect Ten: The upcoming contenders Posted: 01 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Marvel Universe Online, The Secret World, Warhammer 40k, DUST 514, TERA, EverQuest Next, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous, ArcheAge, WildStar  So I'm here to say to you today that, like World of Warcraft, SWTOR isn't the be-all, end-all of the MMO field. It's a part of it, but just one part, and there are many, many others in the works as we speak. Mama always told me never to put all your eggs in one basket anyway, so I'm spreading my eggcitement across many cyber-nests. This is the bone I'm throwing to all of you this week: a list of 10 Midichlorian-free MMOs that have me -- and should have you -- extremely buzzed about their development. In putting together this list, I realized that there are so many promising prospects that I divided them into two groups. This week I'm presenting the strongest contenders that should make it to launch with a solid product, while next time I'll list promising prospects that may be more of a long shot. I'm 47% confident that I will not forget your most-anticipated title. Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The upcoming contenders
|
| CCP expands EVE's asset search functionality Posted: 01 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Sandbox  The latest EVE Online dev blog has the details on the asset search functionality updates, and they include new keyword searches and a complete listing of keyword values. "There [is] definitely more we can do with this in the future but we started this rather late and [we] didn't want to add lots of broken functionality, but rather a few simple options that work and cover the basics and a bit more," the dev blog explains.
|
| We've got your key to the Rosh Online closed beta! Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Contests, Giveaways  Rosh Online has entered closed beta and will finish off this round of testing in the middle of next week, so if you want to check it out, Massively's here for you. We've got 500 closed beta keys for the game, so head to our giveaway page to pick up your key. Register at Rosh Online, enter your key at the "redeem beta key" page, and you're all set! Have fun, and join us in thanking Ignited Games for the keys! 
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Massively To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
