MMO Updates |
- Vindictus Europe getting new dungeon content, transformation skill
- RuneScape warms our hearts with subscription deal
- Nexon raises $1.17 billion from IPO, stock subsequently drops
- On the second day of giveaways, BioWare gave to me...
- Fable developer Lionhead seeking experienced MMO programmer
- Namaste Entertainment trumpets upcoming Storybricks beta
- ArenaNet unveils the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer
- Square Enix Members server hacked, personal info possibly compromised
- The Daily Grind: Have you ever had a last-minute change of heart?
- Aion going free-to-play in Europe
- Stephen D'Angelo promises 'one more surprise' for Star Trek Online in December
- Ring in the new year with Warhammer Online's Keg End
- Massively Exclusive: The story and presents behind RIFT's Fae Yule
- The Game Archaeologist crosses Meridian 59: The highlights
- Star Wars: The Old Republic looks to the future [Updated]
- SOE gears up for Star Wars Galaxies' closing events
- Hyperspace Beacon: Best of...
- Paragon Studios announces the fall of the Statesman
- The Soapbox: On gold-farming and the grind
- Massively Speaking Episode 178
| Vindictus Europe getting new dungeon content, transformation skill Posted: 14 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Vindictus, Dungeons, Crafting  New skills are coming too, foremost among them the transformation ability that features both a temporary boost in ability and a permanent (i.e., irreversible) decision to walk the path of the Paladin or that of the Dark Knight. There's also a new town in the update, and Rocheste features many new characters and side quests as well as the chance to create personal weapons via the new expertise system. Finally, Nexon is raising the level cap to 70, and you can get a glimpse of the update in the Cohlen in Flames and Transformation videos after the break. Continue reading Vindictus Europe getting new dungeon content, transformation skill
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| RuneScape warms our hearts with subscription deal Posted: 14 Dec 2011 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, RuneScape, Free-to-play, Promotions  Until January 4th, 2012, RuneScape players can sign up for six months of membership for the price of four, which basically gives two free months of premium service. As if that wasn't enough, Jagex is also handing out spiffy reversible ice masks -- with angry and happy sides -- to those who snag this deal. RuneScape's membership starts at $5.95 a month, and upgrades the free-to-play title with additional quests, landscape, minigames, player housing, and no advertisements.
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| Nexon raises $1.17 billion from IPO, stock subsequently drops Posted: 14 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Business models, Economy, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous  Nexon's IPO was the largest on the Tokyo Stock Exchange this year, and as a result the company is now valued somewhere between $7.69 billion and $8.97 billion according to GamesIndustry.biz. Even so, Nexon's stock price slipped by 3.9 percent on its first day of trading.
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| On the second day of giveaways, BioWare gave to me... Posted: 14 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Contests, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Giveaways  On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Welcome to day two! BioWare is joining the lineup today with... well, double-bladed sabers and dancing Twi'leks. It may not invoke the hilarity of the holiday machinima, but the Star Wars: The Old Republic crew is going to make one Massively reader very happy with a digital copy of SWTOR! Our winner will receive a retail code for the standard digital edition of the game, so if you're ready to jump into SWTOR for free, read on to see how to enter! Check out our contest rules below to make sure you're eligible, then leave a comment here telling us about your first TOR character. What kind of character will you make right away on launch day? The entry deadline is tomorrow, December 15th, at 10:00 a.m. EST. We'll choose and contact a winner as soon as the deadline arrives. Best of luck!  
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| Fable developer Lionhead seeking experienced MMO programmer Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:45 AM PST Filed under: MMO industry, New titles, News items, Miscellaneous  Further requirements include "a minimum of one shipped MMO as a network programmer." Lionhead shipped Fable III in October of 2010, and the company is rumored to be developing a "controller-based" Fable IV in 2013, according to Eurogamer. When contacted by Eurogamer, Lionhead had this to say in an official statement: "Thanks for checking in with us! We're happy to tell you all about what we're working on. Just apply, get hired, and we promise to spill our guts!"
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| Namaste Entertainment trumpets upcoming Storybricks beta Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Video, Dev Diaries, Miscellaneous, Sandbox  Namaste announced that Storybricks' beta is scheduled for February next year, and if you want to check it out, all you need to do is sign up for the newsletter and you'll be on the list. The beta will be a "skeletal version" of the toolkit without the associated game, but it should allow players to fiddle around with creating their own MMO scenarios and worlds. During the beta process, the devs will be actively creating Storybricks content and releasing it for testing as well. To cement the good news, Lead Designer Stephane Bura and MMO Architect Brian "Psychochild" Green have put forth their first developer diary talking about the lead-up to beta and what is planned for early next year. Feast your eyeballs and eardrums on the excitement after the jump! Continue reading Namaste Entertainment trumpets upcoming Storybricks beta
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| ArenaNet unveils the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, News items, Guild Wars 2  OK, maybe that's a little on the dramatic side, but after fans waited through seven other classes, two books, and quite literally years of development news, it's Kind of a Big Deal. Now it's finally here, so what's it like? Let's take a closer look at the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer class. Continue reading ArenaNet unveils the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer
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| Square Enix Members server hacked, personal info possibly compromised Posted: 14 Dec 2011 05:30 AM PST Filed under: MMO industry, Legal, Miscellaneous  Fortunately, it doesn't appear as if credit card information is at stake, although some users' personal information may be: We are assessing the full extent of this potential breach to determine what data, if any, was compromised and will provide more details as soon as possible. While some personal information may have been accessed, we can confirm that there is no possibility of any credit card information leak from this incident, since the server in question stores no credit card information. We estimate that the suspension will continue for a few days until we complete our investigation and counter-measures. We will update you as we learn more.Square Enix Members is a loyalty program that dishes out rewards in exchange for players who register Square-Enix games with the service. The website does store users' names, addresses, usernames, and passwords.
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| The Daily Grind: Have you ever had a last-minute change of heart? Posted: 14 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  That said, I've certainly not been immune to making last-minute changes. Maybe I'm totally dedicated to rolling a certain class, but once that character creation screen is up there, I trust my gut and go with something different. Or I'll spend months saying that I have absolutely no urge to play an upcoming MMO, but at the 11th hour I break down and buy it. Has this ever happened to you with MMOs? Have you ever had a last-minute change of heart when it came to a major (or even minor) decision? How did it turn out?  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!
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| Aion going free-to-play in Europe Posted: 14 Dec 2011 03:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items, Free-to-play  So says the Aion team in a surprising announcement overnight. NCsoft has teamed up with Gameforge to bring free-to-play Aion to the European servers (yet). The change is scheduled to take place in February of 2012, and will not affect the NA servers. The new Aion free-to-play site is set up to answer all of players' immediate questions and concerns, featuring an extensive FAQ and an outline of the three account types that will be available. Check out the free-to-play trailer beclow, and you can find all of the details on the new Aion F2P site. Continue reading Aion going free-to-play in Europe
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| Stephen D'Angelo promises 'one more surprise' for Star Trek Online in December Posted: 13 Dec 2011 07:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries  He highlights the game's first holiday, Q's Winter Wonderland, and the minigames and activities in which the players can participate to get the most out of this whimsical event. Of course, it's not all fun and games when serious prizes, like a holographic bridge officer or a Jem'Hadar Attack Ship, are on the line. D'Angelo also says that a Duty Officer mini-event is on the docket for the month, as will "one more fun surprise." He concludes his letter by sharing the news that the team is now focusing on February's Dominion Episodes and ground skills/UI improvements.
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| Ring in the new year with Warhammer Online's Keg End Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, News items  The rewards for the event haven't changed much this year, with the usual assortment of Party Kegs, Keg Taps, and Battlebrew Backpacks. There are giants roaming the field looking for their own ale and a handful of sporting battles, and there are plenty of special drinks to be sampled just for the event. So get yourself ready to log in tomorrow and take a nice roll through fields filled with blood, beer, and battle. Especially beer.
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| Massively Exclusive: The story and presents behind RIFT's Fae Yule Posted: 13 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Lore, RIFT  So why do the inhabitants of Telara celebrate Fae Yule and take time out of their busy schedule of slaughter and soul-absorbing to decorate the town and scarf down bucketfuls of eggnog? What do they sing about when gathered around a crackling fire? What kind of present is appropriate for the fellow who already has the gift of immortality? It's time to sit on Trion's lap and ask for your greatest wish in game while jolly St. Hartsman tells you all about the lore and in-game goodies behind RIFT's festivities. Ho-ho-hit that jump and let's get started! Continue reading Massively Exclusive: The story and presents behind RIFT's Fae Yule
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| The Game Archaeologist crosses Meridian 59: The highlights Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Meridian 59, MMO industry, Free-to-play, The Game Archaeologist  Welcome to 1996 and one of the very first -- if not the first (more on that later) -- graphical MMOs to hit the scene. Meridian 59 may not have been one of the biggest games in the genre, but it was arguably one of the most important, the John Adams to World of Warcraft's Abraham Lincoln. If you were wondering, Darkfall was Chester A. Arthur. It seems fitting to end 2011 by touching upon this significant title that, against all odds, continues to operate today. Meridian 59 weathered studio shutdowns, newbie developers in every sense of the word, and a world that wasn't quite sure what to make of these fancy-schmancy massively interactive roleplaying games. MIRGs! Oh, that would've been such a better acronym, but I digress. Let's set the wayback machine to 1978 to see how one amateur game led to another that led to the birth of an industry. Continue reading The Game Archaeologist crosses Meridian 59: The highlights
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| Star Wars: The Old Republic looks to the future [Updated] Posted: 13 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, Previews, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  You may think that now that Star Wars: The Old Republic's early start underway and moving nicely, the developers over at BioWare are sitting back and enjoying a celebratory glass of champagne (or bottle of whiskey). You would be wrong, however, because a new post on the official site shows that BioWare is already looking toward the future. But what can players expect from the future of The Old Republic? Guild functionality is high on the priority list, and players can expect everything from guild banks to guild capital ships in the future. UI customization is also "a very big priority" to BioWare. The studio also has "an entire team dedicated to adding content and features to [PvP]." The space system, the legacy system, and the galaxy as a whole are also on board for future updates. For the full details, just head on over to the official SWTOR site. [Update: The team has also just posted an address to those who are not yet part of the early access pre-launch. We've included the contents of the message behind the break. Thanks to Onyx for the tip!] Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic looks to the future [Updated]
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| SOE gears up for Star Wars Galaxies' closing events Posted: 13 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, MMO industry, New titles, Star Wars Galaxies, Sandbox  Before it rides off into the twin sunset, SWG is holding a series of farewell events. According to the patch notes for today's update, the Galactic Civil War score will be frozen on Wednesday, December 14th at midnight EST, at which time Jabba's event kicks off near the Sarlacc Pit in the deeps of the Tatooine desert Three more events will begin at server restart on Thursday, December 15th, sometime around 7:00 a.m. EST: one near the Research Outpost on Endor, one in the Nub Shanda zone of Coronet, Corellia, and one in the city of Theed on the planet Naboo. Massively's Karen Bryan and the rest of the SWG-fans among the Massively staff will be livestreaming the final countdown on the Starsider server on Thursday, starting at 11 p.m. EST. Join us as we reminisce about and salute this groundbreaking sandbox.
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| Posted: 13 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, Launches, Lore, New titles, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guides, Hyperspace Beacon, Crafting  Even if you didn't pre-order in time, you'll want your SWTOR fix, and I have the solution for you right here: the Hyperspace Beacon. Each week for the last year and a half, I have written a guide to the world of Star Wars: The Old Republic, covering everything from lore and game mechanics to speculation and community. Ultimately, I hope to better prepare you for the launch of this highly anticipated MMO. However, 67 articles can be tough to sift through, so I've narrowed down the list to the best of the best. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Best of...
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| Paragon Studios announces the fall of the Statesman Posted: 13 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Lore, Previews, News items, Free-to-play  Prepare for a shock, City of Heroes players. One of the game's most symbolic characters, Statesman, is going to die. In true comic-book fashion, Paragon Studios has announced the impending death of the leader of the Freedom Phalanx. But players will, of course, have their parts to play as well. They will be tasked with "unraveling the scheme that leads to the demise of our intrepid hero." And players will be able to do just that when Signature Story Arc #5 goes live in January. The update will be available free next month to VIP players. Premium players can purchase it from the cash shop if they please. So brace yourselves, City of Heroes players, for the fall of an icon. Villains are free to celebrate now if they wish. [Source: NCSoft and Paragon Studios press release]
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| The Soapbox: On gold-farming and the grind Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Soapbox  You're no doubt aware of a certain sci-fi MMORPG that's launching this week. As is the case each time a new major title releases, I'm curious to see how (or if) the developers will deal with the inevitable real-money trade. BioWare has been fairly quiet about gold-farming and the steps it may take to combat it, which isn't too surprising given the unglamorous and often controversial subject matter. Few game devs mention their anti-RMT plans prior to launch, but plenty of dev teams complain about RMT after their game has been released. And yet, the usual solutions to black market currency trading are continuously ineffective at stopping it. Continue reading The Soapbox: On gold-farming and the grind
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| Massively Speaking Episode 178 Posted: 13 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Podcasts, Culture, Opinion, Humor, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous  Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes. [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 178
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