MMO Updates |
- DarkEden returns from the grave with Ignited Games' help
- Command & Conquer: Tiberian Alliances MMORTS announced
- On the third day of giveaways, Wargaming.net gave to me...
- Vindicia CEO: MMOs are launching with the wrong business model
- The Iron Pine Peak Curtain falls: RIFT launches in Russia
- Amazon bumps up SWTOR shipping schedule
- EA denies Richard Garriott's claims of Ultima Online discussions
- The Daily Grind: How will you say farewell to SWG?
- EverQuest II previews new live event: A Goddess Risen
- Star Trek Online announces Junior Officer Appreciation Weekend
- iOS MMO Lords at War to launch this Friday
- Little Space Heroes launches into orbit
- Diablo III and Torchlight II compared via infographic
- BioWare updates fans on staggered SWTOR launch
- MMO Family: Heroing-up in Super Hero Squad Online
- Free for All: What F2P and indie games can learn from SWTOR
- SOE hands out suspensions to over 700 players as 'a first warning'
- Massively Exclusive: The Force ghosts of past, present, and future with SWTOR's James Ohlen [Updated]
- NCsoft answers questions on Aion's F2P transition
- NCsoft adding new Lineage II shard, server-first competitions abound
- Guild Wars 2 to 'officially enter closed beta' this Friday [Updated]
- A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The power reset
- Choose My Adventure: A male Dark Elf Fighter in Aden
| DarkEden returns from the grave with Ignited Games' help Posted: 15 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Launches, Free-to-play  Ignited Games CEO Peter Kang hopes that the isometric MMO will appeal to those looking for a well-established throwback: "DarkEden offers online gamers a nostalgic journey to the classic era of MMORPGs. The game's macabre setting invites fans of vampire-centric movies and lore to experience the style of gameplay that launched an entire genre of online gaming." As part of the launch celebration, DarkEden is hosting several events and promotions including handing out starter packs to anyone who joins by January 11th, a "Bible War" contest, a Christmas Stocking Hunt, and a merry chase to capture Rudolph. Seeing as how the population of the game is made up of vampires, we are a little worried for Rudolph's eventual fate, but such is afterlife. Ignited Games did not wipe characters from the second closed beta, and those toons have already made the transition to launch.
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| Command & Conquer: Tiberian Alliances MMORTS announced Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Free-to-play, Browser, MMORTS  The recently announced Tiberian Alliances is being shaped as a free-to-play MMORTS in which players can choose one of three factions (The Forgotten, GDI, and NOD) and duke it out over a war-torn battlefield. Developed by German studio Phenomic, Tiberian Alliances will be playable in a browser and is currently accepting applications for its beta testing program. Will this be the MMORTS for you or will you call in an orbital strike on its prospects? Hit the jump to see the announcement trailer for your first taste of the latest chapter in C&C history. Continue reading Command & Conquer: Tiberian Alliances MMORTS announced
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| On the third day of giveaways, Wargaming.net gave to me... Posted: 15 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Contests, War, Free-to-play, Giveaways, World of Tanks  On the second day of giveaways, BioWare gave to me... two warring factions! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Day three of Massively's 12 Days of Giveaways has arrived, and World of Tanks joins our lineup with a bang (har har). The generous team at Wargaming.net has given us three codes, each worth a year of WoT premium account status. Premium account holders enjoy bonuses to XP and credits earned in battle, along with plenty of other perks in game. The World of Tanks crew has added one more present under our virtual tree, and it's an impressive one. This one is for new players only. If you don't have a World of Tanks account yet, visit our giveaway page and pick up a code for a gift package containing one day of premium access, 300 gold, and a T2 light tank. Create your new account using this link, and when you are asked "Have an invite code?" key in your new code. These codes are good on North American and European servers. Now, how about that year of premium? You can still enter even if you picked up a new player code. All you need to do to enter is be eligible according to our official contest rules, then hit the comment button and let us know what you like most about World of Tanks. The deadline to enter is tomorrow, December 16th, at 11:00 a.m. EST. Best of luck, and thanks to Wargaming.net for the prizes!  
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| Vindicia CEO: MMOs are launching with the wrong business model Posted: 15 Dec 2011 07:45 AM PST Filed under: Business models, Economy, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous  Now he advises companies regarding online business models, distribution, and monetization, and he casts a critical eye on the MMO industry and its slow march toward more flexible payment schemes. "Look, some of these MMOs are launching and they're really bad," he tells GamesIndustry.biz. "You don't want to say that too loudly to them, but seriously, these guys need to do a lot more content before they launch. So why not price it that way?"
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| The Iron Pine Peak Curtain falls: RIFT launches in Russia Posted: 15 Dec 2011 07:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, RIFT  This follows a string of beta tests and language localization for the title in the region. To make this happen, Trion Worlds partnered up with Belver, which will operate the MMO in the area. Russian fans can now check out a localized edition of the RIFT website in their native tongue. Next up on RIFT's worldwide tour? The game is headed to South Korea "sometime next year." [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
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| Amazon bumps up SWTOR shipping schedule Posted: 15 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  The online retailer has issued a statement saying that it's going to ship BioWare's new sci-fi MMO earlier than expected due to the change in the title's release schedule. Amazon says that customers need take no action, as order updates and shipping times will be handled internally and posted to your account order page. The company has also published a handy list of receiving dates that correspond to your selected shipping method, and you can find that and more on Amazon.com. [Thanks to Brady for the tip!]
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| EA denies Richard Garriott's claims of Ultima Online discussions Posted: 15 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Ultima Online  A few days ago, Richard Garriott spoke up on the possibility of a reincarnation of the Ultima franchise through talks "at very high levels with Electronic Arts about access to the property." But EA is now denying this claim. EA's Jeff Brown recently told IndustryGamers in a candid interview that he's not sure what Lord British is talking about. "No one at EA is discussing partnership or licensing opportunities related to the Ultima Online franchise." Sorry Ultima Online fans, it seem that either the talks were supposed to be confidential, or they simply didn't happen at all.
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| The Daily Grind: How will you say farewell to SWG? Posted: 15 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, MMO industry, Star Wars Galaxies, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Massively Event Coverage, Miscellaneous, Sandbox  And yet log in I will because a game only has one ending. Some of our writers will be chronicling the last hour on a livestream; others will be hanging out in social centers like Mos Eisley to watch the twin suns set. I'm planning to join a few guildmates near the location of our first guild city, formed just over eight years ago. What about you, readers? Where will you be at the end -- how will you say farewell to SWG?  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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| EverQuest II previews new live event: A Goddess Risen Posted: 14 Dec 2011 08:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, Previews, News items, Free-to-play  EverQuest II only just released its latest expansion, Age of Discovery, but already it's gearing up for its latest in-game live event, A Goddess Risen. To help ring in the event, Sony Online Entertainment has decided to give players a behind-the-scenes look at what the event will entail. Game designer Nathan "Kaitheel" McCall explains that the event will take place within the Shard of Love, but it's not the same Shard of Love that players may know from past visits. Things have changed within the Shard, but what does it have to do with A Goddess Risen? Kaitheel says we'll just have to head to the Shard of Love when the event goes live tomorrow to find out for ourselves. In the mean time, click on past the cut for the full video. Continue reading EverQuest II previews new live event: A Goddess Risen
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| Star Trek Online announces Junior Officer Appreciation Weekend Posted: 14 Dec 2011 08:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries  Star Trek Online junior officers, do you feel under-appreciated? Taken for granted? Well chin up, because Cryptic Studios wants to make it up to you with the upcoming Junior Officer Appreciation Weekend. The event will run from 1:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, December 15th until 1:00 p.m. EST Monday, December 19th. All players have to do is speak to their duty officer in their respective academies, and they'll receive "up to a 50% bonus to all duty officer assignment Commendation Experience Points for the weekend." They will also receive a free "special purple quality duty officer with a unique active roster power." For details on the entire event schedule, head on over to the STO official site, linked below.
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| iOS MMO Lords at War to launch this Friday Posted: 14 Dec 2011 07:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Mobile  Veraxon Entertainment announced today that its new free-to-play iPad and iPhone title, Lords at War, will launch this Friday. The title is a resource-management strategy game that takes place in the World of Midgard, where a war between the factions of Alliance and Fury is taking place. Players will have to build up a city, raise an army, and go to war for their faction of choice. The title is available on iOS this Friday.
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| Little Space Heroes launches into orbit Posted: 14 Dec 2011 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Kids, Family  According to the game's backstory, the evil Lord Shadowbot has stolen the Glows, the source of light in the player's galaxy. Each player must begin a quest to try to recover the Glows, restoring light and happiness and foiling Lord Shadowbot in turn. Bubble Gum Interactive has stated that its goal is to create a gaming experience fun for kids and parents alike, so if you're looking for something to try out with your little ones, this might be just the game. (You can also take a look at our first impressions of the game if you need a little more information.)
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| Diablo III and Torchlight II compared via infographic Posted: 14 Dec 2011 05:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play  GameArena has made that task quite a bit easier thanks to a comprehensive new infographic that appeared earlier this week. Whether you need a quick glance at the games' classes, a breakdown of the various single- and multiplayer options, or a look at intangibles like the modability and offline play of Torchlight II, the infographic has you covered. There's even a section on pets and a mini-bestiary!
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| BioWare updates fans on staggered SWTOR launch Posted: 14 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Today, we invited people who had pre-ordered up to the very beginning of October (roughly). Tomorrow, we're going to be inviting the same number of people again; that will take us up to the last week or so of November. On Friday, we'll be inviting even more, and we'll give you an update on that tomorrow.That's good news for those who pre-ordered late and who otherwise might have thought they'd have a much longer wait.
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| MMO Family: Heroing-up in Super Hero Squad Online Posted: 14 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Opinion, Free-to-play, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Super Hero Squad Online  I've spent some time in the game, along with my two young testers, to find out what the buzz is all about. We formed up a squad and set off to check out missions, the card game, our headquarters, and the opportunities for exploration out in the world, and our first impressions are found below. If you've ever wanted to know what the little super heroes eat or what holiday treats are available at the Parker household, you'll definitely want to read on! Continue reading MMO Family: Heroing-up in Super Hero Squad Online
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| Free for All: What F2P and indie games can learn from SWTOR Posted: 14 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Business models, Launches, Opinion, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Free for All  Fans of indie or free-to-play games might think that SWTOR will have no effect on our worlds or influence over our favorite titles. I beg to differ. SWTOR is an MMO all the same, and its launch will have effects on the industry just like the last dozen major titles did. What does it mean for a tiny game that has been lovingly crafted by one designer? What can the world of free-to-play learn from this latest major release? Click past the cut. Continue reading Free for All: What F2P and indie games can learn from SWTOR
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| SOE hands out suspensions to over 700 players as 'a first warning' Posted: 14 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Events, in-game, News items  A couple of weeks ago, Sony Online Entertainment threw down the gauntlet to the ne'er-do-wells of EverQuest, telling them simply to "stop now." Well, as often is the case with the scum of the MMO world, many didn't listen to SOE's ominous words of warning. On Friday, December 9th, they paid the price... in blood! [Insert maniacal laughter here.] SOE has since suspended over 700 accounts "for a number of days by way of a first warning." Community Manager Piestro closes out with another word of caution: "Remember that these suspensions are merely the first wave, and further action is on the horizon. We will not rest, but will instead continue to gather data and take action as necessary on behalf of the entire player base. Don't cheat -- it's not worth it." Also, it still makes you a jerk. In still other EQ news, SOE has announced that it is tweaking the rate of experience gain on progression-locked servers.
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| Posted: 14 Dec 2011 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Economy, Interviews, New titles, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Massively Interviews, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Crafting  We went with the last one. After the break, find out what Ohlen had to say about SWTOR's legacy system, customizable ships, and other future content.
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| NCsoft answers questions on Aion's F2P transition Posted: 14 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  NCsoft announced earlier today that it has partnered up with Gameforge to transition Aion Europe to a F2P model. Now Gamespot UK has a new question-and-answer session with NCsoft that explains a bit about the reasons behind the transition. For instance, what can players expect when Aion goes F2P, considering it already had a cash shop to begin with? In the F2P version, the shop will be accessible from inside the game itself, allowing players to make purchases on the fly instead of exiting the game to do so. Gamespot also asks the company's opinion on the ongoing F2P-vs.-subscription war. The company believes that "more and more games will directly launch into a free-to-play business model in the future," but for now it's also "shown that transitioning to free-to-play has become a valid option to extend a game's life cycle." For the full Q&A, head click on over to Gamespot UK.
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| NCsoft adding new Lineage II shard, server-first competitions abound Posted: 14 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lineage 2, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play  The shard is open for business as of today, and it's been christened Bartz as a nod to an older (and extremely popular) server that was merged earlier in the game's lengthy lifespan. NCsoft is not allowing transfers to the new shard, so you'll have to create a new toon if you want to check it out. On the plus side, there are several server-first rewards up for grabs, all of which will result in immortality via the Lineage II website. Competitions include forming the first party, defeating the Queen Ant raid, being the first clan to reach level five, and being the first player to complete the first and second class transfer quests. Finally, NCsoft has announced a spiffy exclusive for denizens of the Shilen server. The first character who completes his or her awakening quest will receive a jet bike mount bracelet that grants a permanent skill transformation and the appearance of riding on a huge steampunk bike (pictured above).
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| Guild Wars 2 to 'officially enter closed beta' this Friday [Updated] Posted: 14 Dec 2011 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Guild Wars 2  While it's something -- and definitely more than anything we've seen so far -- the population at large shouldn't expect to see closed beta key applications and giveaways popping up all over the place. NCsoft seems to be continuing its pattern of very limited testing for GW2. Still, it's a step in the right direction for eager fans. [UPDATE: ArenaNet elaborated on the beta information by explaining "We have a studio internal selection process for our Closed Beta that starts on Friday. There will be no public application form."]
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The power reset Posted: 14 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter  And in City of Heroes, you get three of them. This is the sort of thing that raises a few eyebrows, since having a limited number of choices to rectify your already-limited number of choices is not something to inspire confidence. And I'm not going to lie to you: It's certainly not the brightest decision in the world. But the hard limits on the total number of respecs you get doesn't actually mean you're forever locked in to terrible decisions. The fact of the matter is that for a number of reasons, you won't really care. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The power reset
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| Choose My Adventure: A male Dark Elf Fighter in Aden Posted: 14 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Polls, Screenshots, Video, Lineage 2, Opinion, Free-to-play, Choose My Adventure, Livestream  Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. I had to start out at the bottom of the barrel. For the first 20 levels, I called Talking Island Village home, until I was transported to the mainland and a little town called Gludio. I discovered, among other things, that there are many tantalizing spots to see in the game -- if you are willing to travel off the beaten path. These spots are well worth the layover, especially if you have a powerful-enough machine. As old as Lineage II is, it's strikingly gorgeous. I didn't dawdle for too long, as I had some leveling to do, and I made a few discoveries along the way. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: A male Dark Elf Fighter in Aden
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