MMO Updates |
- Free for All: Thoughts on SOE's mass MMO sunset
- EQ Next Landmark devs randomly Tweeting free Founder's Pack codes
- Elder Scrolls Online releases cinematic trailer, announces CE info
- A look at WildStar's customization options
- Funcom office raided, charged with suspicion of stock infringement
- The Daily Grind: What zones feel 'real' to you?
- The Stream Team: Upping the difficulty in EQII's solo Skyshrine dungeon
- Hyperspace Beacon: How do I play a Sith in SWTOR?
- Jukebox Heroes: It's time to turn the music back on
- AbleGamers names Final Fantasy XIV accessible mainstream game of the year
- Dota 2's New Bloom update introduces new heroes and more
- Pantheon spotlights Undead race
- Second Life CEO Rod Humble leaves Linden Lab
- DCUO begins the War of the Light in today's update
- The Stream Team: Labyrinth of the Ancients, FFXIV's first raid
- Massively Speaking Episode 282: Crafting and economy roundtable
- The Soapbox: Stop ganking, you ganking gankers
- WildStar's Stephan Frost on creating content and keeping within deadlines
- World of Warcraft breaks out a decade in Azeroth by the numbers
- The Elder Scrolls Online won't require a PlayStation Plus membership
| Free for All: Thoughts on SOE's mass MMO sunset Posted: 29 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Opinion, Vanguard, Free-to-Play, Casual, Free Realms, Kids, Free for All, Clone Wars Adventures, Wizardry Online  Having said that, I will never wager solely on perception. It's my guess that SOE does indeed know what it is doing and that some of this is due to licensing issues, new games from similar developers, or an attempt to streamline an already fat lineup in order to get ready for one or two massive new titles. In other words, there is no conspiracy. It's most likely that this decision was due to boring old business. I decided to break down what each game meant to me in the hopes that the confessional will get me ready for the upcoming sunsets. Here's to hoping. Continue reading Free for All: Thoughts on SOE's mass MMO sunset
|
| EQ Next Landmark devs randomly Tweeting free Founder's Pack codes Posted: 29 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Giveaways, Promotions, EverQuest Next 
|
| Elder Scrolls Online releases cinematic trailer, announces CE info Posted: 29 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription  The clip stars the familiar trio of ESO heroes we've glimpsed in past promotional materials and it pits them against a range of baddies in a nonstop ode to over-the-top action movie violence. It finishes off with ESO's April 4th PC release date as well as a mention of June 2014 for consoles. In related news, information about the collectors edition appears to have been leaked early on Amazon [Edit: And now it's official!]. Like many CEs, this one, dubbed The Elder Scrolls Online: Imperial Edition, offers a fancy box, a book, a map, a statue, a ring, a mount, and a vanity pet. However, this CE is also the only way players can unlock playing an Imperial in any alliance. [Thanks to all who sent in tips!] [Source: ZeniMax press release] Continue reading Elder Scrolls Online releases cinematic trailer, announces CE info
|
| A look at WildStar's customization options Posted: 29 Jan 2014 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play  Customizing your character doesn't end at creation -- it extends to how you play your character, how your character's outfit looks, and even how your mount looks. Not to mention, of course, that there's the housing system. The game's latest DevSpeak video about customization is just past the cut, and we got a chance to talk a little more with the fine folks at Carbine Studios about tuning your character just right. Continue reading A look at WildStar's customization options
|
| Funcom office raided, charged with suspicion of stock infringement Posted: 29 Jan 2014 05:30 AM PST Filed under: MMO Industry, Legal, Miscellaneous  According to several Norwegian news outlets, Norway's economic crime unit paid a visit to the Oslo studio to retrieve "packed boxes of seized documents" thought to be financial records involved in a suspected "infringement of the provisions of the Securities Trading Act." Funcom acknowledged to Norwegian reporters that it was charged with breaching disclosure requirements related to The Secret World when the company failed to report company financial information between August 2011 and July 2012. This has resulted in a temporary closure of Funcom's stock during the investigation. We've reached out to Funcom for more details. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]
|
| The Daily Grind: What zones feel 'real' to you? Posted: 29 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  Then there are those special places that check off all of the boxes on your own list instead, gelling together to create an environment that feels utterly believable. I encounter these places in Lord of the Rings Online quite often, especially when I go through terrain types that exist in the real world but are rarely seen in games. Maybe I'm strange to get a thrill out of a fog-shrouded swamp, but it's better than another lava zone. So what MMO zone feels real to you? What gets you all well and properly immersed?  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 Stream Team: Upping the difficulty in EQII's solo Skyshrine dungeon Posted: 28 Jan 2014 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Free-to-Play, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team  Game: EverQuest II Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 Time: 9:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Upping the difficulty in EQII's solo Skyshrine dungeon
|
| Hyperspace Beacon: How do I play a Sith in SWTOR? Posted: 28 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guides, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG  I should give fair warning before diving into this outline: I'm not going to teach you the basics of roleplay; I'm going to hope that you already know that or that you've hopped over to Storyboard a few times. Secondly, I will use terms like "proper" or "best." Understand that I use those words from my perspective and that other players have a different and equally legitimate perspective, too. Lastly, this is far from exhaustive, and if you have any questions, I will spend some time in the comments answering them, or you can feel free to hit me up on Twitter. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: How do I play a Sith in SWTOR?
|
| Jukebox Heroes: It's time to turn the music back on Posted: 28 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Miscellaneous, Jukebox Heroes  "Oh, I turned the music off a long time ago." It's downright hard to get into any good discussion about music when, y'know, people don't listen to it at all, but I can understand why folks have done this. Heck, I've done this at various points. For me, sometimes the music is far too repetitive when I'm in a zone for a really long time, so I have to turn it off to avoid going mad. Other times I disable the sound because I'm working on other sound-related projects (such as podcasts and listening through other OSTs) while I play. But even though it seems that a lot of us shut off the music, I want to make a case for why it's important that we turn the music back on -- if not all of the time, at least once in a while. Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: It's time to turn the music back on
|
| AbleGamers names Final Fantasy XIV accessible mainstream game of the year Posted: 28 Jan 2014 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, PvE, Final Fantasy XIV, Subscription, MMORPG  This year, Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has taken top honors as AbleGamers's accessible mainstream game of 2013. The organization cited FFIXV's customizable control scheme, adjustable UI elements, and use of text-based story text that moves at the player's pace as strengths for gamers playing with disabilities. Producer and director Naoki Yoshida accepted the award, taking a moment to highlight the Square Enix team's work toward making the game accessible and stating, "I would like to formally express my gratitude to AbleGamers for recognizing our efforts."
|
| Dota 2's New Bloom update introduces new heroes and more Posted: 28 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, MOBA  Most importantly, New Bloom marks the introduction of Terrorblade, the demon marauder, and Phoenix, the, ermm...phoenix, both brand-new heroes in Dota's world. Also new with the update: the ability to jump into any downloaded replay and take control of a character within it, changing it from a replay to a live game in which you can attempt to turn the tides of a loss or find a smarter path toward victory. Dota fans should consult the Day One, Day Two, and Day Three announcement posts for full details, as New Bloom includes quite a few other new features and tweaks.
|
| Pantheon spotlights Undead race Posted: 28 Jan 2014 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Races, Community Q&A, Crowdfunding, Subscription, Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen  A new dev blog on Pantheon's Kickstarter page today shared some of the background of these playable Revenants. Originally from the world of Terminus, Revenants are former spirits that are now bound to corpses using death magic. They're a little psychotic and mean, but the Undead have learned enough control to form the outline of a civilized society in the game. CEO Brad McQuaid also hosted a Q&A video touching on subjects such as the business model (free for the initial levels with a subscription required after that), the Unity engine, the target demographic, the current makeup of the dev team, humor in the game, and pledge rewards. You can watch the video after the break. Continue reading Pantheon spotlights Undead race
|
| Second Life CEO Rod Humble leaves Linden Lab Posted: 28 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Second Life, Free-to-Play, Virtual Worlds, Miscellaneous  In a statement on the move, Humble wished his former coworkers and customers the best of fortunes, stating that he was moving on to form a startup company to make "art, entertainment, and unusual things." Whether or not this will be another startup in the online gaming space or something entirely different remains to be seen.
|
| DCUO begins the War of the Light in today's update Posted: 28 Jan 2014 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Patches, Free-to-Play, DC Universe Online  Senior Creative Director Jens Andersen says that this update will get players to see the game from a whole new perspective: "Players are getting more than just a new storyline with this DLC. We transformed Metropolis for the War of the Light trilogy and created new, expandable environments and content -- separate from the original -- for players to explore." The DLC also includes the tanking rage powerset, more 4- and 8-player operations, plenty of Green Lantern gear, and the Legends PvP characters of Saint Walker and Atrocitus. The update is included with a subscription or can be purchased separately for $9.99. [Source: SOE press release]
|
| The Stream Team: Labyrinth of the Ancients, FFXIV's first raid Posted: 28 Jan 2014 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Endgame, PvE, Final Fantasy XIV, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team, Subscription  Game: Final Fantasy XIV Host: Jasmine Hruschak Date: Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 Time: 3:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Labyrinth of the Ancients, FFXIV's first raid
|
| Massively Speaking Episode 282: Crafting and economy roundtable Posted: 28 Jan 2014 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Podcasts, Economy, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous, Crafting  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: [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. [Stitcher] Follow the podcast on Stitcher Radio. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 282: Crafting and economy roundtable
This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Soapbox: Stop ganking, you ganking gankers Posted: 28 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Aion, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, TERA, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, Subscription, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play  I especially like a good fight when it occurs unscripted and out in the wilds of the world. If you catch me unaware while I'm grinding out one of TERA's BAMs or plucking gold from an ore vein in Aion, I'll be more than happy to cross swords (or trade frostbolts) with you. Winning or losing isn't important to me; the constant threat of attack heightens my enjoyment of and connection to the game's universe. Unfortunately, open world PvP doesn't attract exclusively those people interested in fair fights. And in the games that make it possible, a certain small segment of players is working hard to ruin everyone else's good time. I speak, of course, of gankers. Continue reading The Soapbox: Stop ganking, you ganking gankers
|
| WildStar's Stephan Frost on creating content and keeping within deadlines Posted: 28 Jan 2014 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, News Items, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play  Frost explains that the key to producing an MMO is understanding that it's really more like producing several different games layered on top of one another. He goes on to explain how all content is designed according to a master roadmap, allowing space for individual designers to put their distinct touches on things while still working within an overall vision. If this sort of thing interests you, by all means, take a look at the full article for a deeper look at how these games come to life.
|
| World of Warcraft breaks out a decade in Azeroth by the numbers Posted: 28 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items, Anniversaries, Subscription  There are a lot of interesting bits of information in there as well. As a whole, the game has seen more than 500 million characters created (more characters than there are people in the United States). Approximately 2.8 million auction house transactions take place every day, 11 million achievements have been earned per day since the launch of Mists of Pandaria, and the game currently sits on about 6 million words written for quest content. There's a lot more in the infographic; feel free to jump on over and take a look at it for more stats on the game's decade of history.
|
| The Elder Scrolls Online won't require a PlayStation Plus membership Posted: 28 Jan 2014 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO Industry, News Items, Consoles, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription  Other important points from this blog entry are the fact that the servers for the game will be split by platforms, meaning that PC players cannot play with PS4 players and vice versa. Firor also stated that while the team does not have an exact timetable, a beta on PS4 is incoming for later this year. The game is launching on the PC on April 4th, 2014.
|
| 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 | |
