MMO Updates

---

• Hands on with the Elite: Dangerous alpha
• Albion's next alpha test starts March 24
• EVE Valkyrie Oculus Rift demos available in London this Friday
• Path of Exile's Sacrifice of the Vaal expansion lands today
• The Daily Grind: Which MMO has the best soundtrack?
• Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #30-21
• Pirates: Treasure Hunters MOBA reveals new official trailer
• Allods Online outlines changes to the Astral
• Indie sandbox MMO The Chosen is the 'game-child' of EVE Online and Fallout 3
• Star Wars: The Old Republic 2.7 patch promises big guns and fast ships
• RIFT gives the new Steppes of Infinity Conquest map a spin
• Get ready for Diablo III's expansion with a 50 percent XP boost
• Funcom's financials take a sharp blow
• Cait Sith avatar coming to Final Fantasy XI
• Pearl Abyss gearing up for Black Desert's beta phase two

Hands on with the Elite: Dangerous alpha Posted: 05 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, PvE, Hands-On, First Impressions, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Elite: Dangerous I don't have much history with Elite. I played the original, circa 1985 on my dad's green monochrome Apple II, but frankly I didn't understand a bit of it and subsequently went back to Sundog and subLOGIC's fledgling wireframe Flight Simulator as a result. By the time Elite II and Frontier: First Encounters shipped in the early to mid 1990s, I was already losing copious amounts of my adolescence to Wing Commander, Privateer, and X-Wing, all of them of course indebted to the space trading flight sim thing that David Braben and Ian Bell published a decade earlier. For all intents and purposes, then, I'm an Elite virgin despite a lifetime of playing nearly everything in the genre it inspired. And if the Elite: Dangerous alpha client is an accurate barometer, gosh have I missed out. Continue reading Hands on with the Elite: Dangerous alpha Hands on with the Elite: Dangerous alpha originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Albion's next alpha test starts March 24 Posted: 05 Mar 2014 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox Sandbox Interactive wants you to know about its upcoming Albion Online alpha test. It starts on March 24th, and it will be "the biggest we've ever run," according to SI community manager Yasmin Babb. You can sign up for a key on the official Albion website, but be aware that there's a long waiting list. Albion's alpha FAQ states that keys are normally distributed between six and 10 days prior to the next testing phase. Albion bills itself as the world's first true cross-platform sandbox MMORPG. Click past the cut for the full press release. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release] Continue reading Albion's next alpha test starts March 24 Albion's next alpha test starts March 24 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Valkyrie Oculus Rift demos available in London this Friday Posted: 05 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Subscription A gaggle of CCP devs will be hanging out at Goodman's Field pub near the Tower of London this Friday, March 7th. CCP Guard, CCP Xhagen, CCP Duchess, and CCP Masheen are bringing their Rifts, too, and starting at 6:00 p.m. the quartet will be demoing EVE Valkyrie on the new Oculus virtual reality device. The announcement post says that the number of sessions will be limited due to time constraints, so get there early! EVE Valkyrie Oculus Rift demos available in London this Friday originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Path of Exile's Sacrifice of the Vaal expansion lands today Posted: 05 Mar 2014 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Launches, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dungeons, Path of Exile Get your mouse-clicking fingers ready because today developer Grinding Gear Games releases Sacrifice of the Vaal, a mini-expansion for online roguelike Path of Exile, the first of the game's promised triannual updates. Expect a showdown with the Queen of the Vaal, new skill gems, new Vaal-themed areas, a free-for-all PvP mode, and new leagues that dare players to undertake specific challenges before the timer runs out. GGG reminds players that the first 50 folks to defeat the Queen in each of the new challenge leagues will receive an exclusive Vaal effect, so go get your murderin' gear on. We've tucked the expansion's official trailer after the break in case you missed it. Continue reading Path of Exile's Sacrifice of the Vaal expansion lands today Path of Exile's Sacrifice of the Vaal expansion lands today originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Mini-expansion promo page

The Daily Grind: Which MMO has the best soundtrack? Posted: 05 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Music As the resident MMO music nut here at Massively (but not the only one, oh no), I spend probably more time than is healthy listening through soundtracks and hunting down pieces of music that ears have not heard in years. I've got my favorites: The Guild Wars and World of Warcraft albums are a no-brainer, but I'm equally partial to Runes of Magic and Lineage II as well. If I have to pick a "best" out of the lot, my brain shuts down, I panic, and I grab the first Hello Kitty Online folder I see. So I'll leave it up to you all: Which MMO has the best soundtrack? 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: Which MMO has the best soundtrack? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #30-21 Posted: 04 Mar 2014 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Aion, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, The Secret World, Free Realms, Mabinogi, Wizard101, EverQuest Next, Miscellaneous, The Elder Scrolls Online, Jukebox Heroes, Age of Wushu, Music We're back with our second part of our Top 40 MMO main themes countdown, this time digging into the middle of the pack. To repeat my self-imposed rules for this list: I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So there were no points added or subtracted based on my love of the game; I'm counting down the best music, period. If you missed the first part, check out themes #40-31. Otherwise, hit that continue button and get listening already! Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #30-21 Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #30-21 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Pirates: Treasure Hunters MOBA reveals new official trailer Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, New Titles, MOBA Netmarble is getting into the MOBA business with Pirates: Treasure Hunters, a new title first announced for South Korea last November. The competitive multiplayer game looks to be pirate-themed (surprise!) and is developed by Virtual Toys of Spain. There's currently no word of an English port, but you can check out the full video over at MMO Culture and the debut trailer after the jump below. Continue reading Pirates: Treasure Hunters MOBA reveals new official trailer Pirates: Treasure Hunters MOBA reveals new official trailer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Allods Online outlines changes to the Astral Posted: 04 Mar 2014 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Patches, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Allods Online The Astral is a big part of Allods Online, the big twisting magical space upon which the fragments of land float steadily. Adventuring in this space is a big part of high-level play, and with the game's next major update it's seeing a large-scale overhaul. A new official posting reveals how the environment will be changing and how players will navigate the new regions, hunting down valuable equipment in unexplored regions. With the new update, the map will be divided into four layers of seven sectors each, with better gear available as players unlock maps leading into deeper and more dangerous regions. Players piece together maps by retrieving fragments of said maps in the Wild Shore and will be exploring eight new Astral islands in total. For more information on these changes, including the sector breakdown and the improvements to ship equipment, take a look at the full development blog and get ready for exploration. Allods Online outlines changes to the Astral originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: A Closer Look at Astral Changes

Indie sandbox MMO The Chosen is the 'game-child' of EVE Online and Fallout 3 Posted: 04 Mar 2014 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox Sci-fi pseudo-MMO The Chosen -- not to be confused with Snail Games' Chinese historical MMO of the same name -- is hoping sandbox fans will back its new Indiegogo campaign. Studio Fair Games Productions today announced the game's crowdfunding plans, promising an EVE Online-style space exploration game that will "most likely be classified as MMORPG" and features FPS and TPS rather than point-and-click gameplay. "If EVE Online and Fallout 3 were to have a game-child," says the press release, "that would be The Chosen." The developer's website notes planned game systems such as a player-driven economy, a persistent universe, dynamic missions, and both interior and exterior ship design (yes, you can walk around inside your ships). Fair Games hopes to collect at least a million dollars by April 25th, but under Indiegogo's "flexible funding" rule, all funds pledged will go to the studio even if the game fails to completely fund. We've included the campaign trailer just after the cut. [Source: Fair Games Productions press release] Continue reading Indie sandbox MMO The Chosen is the 'game-child' of EVE Online and Fallout 3 Indie sandbox MMO The Chosen is the 'game-child' of EVE Online and Fallout 3 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Wars: The Old Republic 2.7 patch promises big guns and fast ships Posted: 04 Mar 2014 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic The public test notes are out for Star Wars: The Old Republic's Patch 2.7, and if one thing's for certain, this update is going to be a meaty one indeed. On the Galactic Starfighter front, BioWare is adding two new scout ships and two new strike fighters to the roster. There will also be an additional map, Denon Exosphere, to be that hotshot flyboy or flygirl you know you are in your heart. This map takes place in and around a wreckage field and a space station. Patch 2.7 has plenty for the ground game as well. It will conclude the first season of ranked arena PvP, add a Quesh Huttball warzone, give the Dread Fortress a nightmare mode, and jumpstart the next portion of the story with two flashpoints: Korriban Incursion and Assault on Tython. Star Wars: The Old Republic 2.7 patch promises big guns and fast ships originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dulfy

RIFT gives the new Steppes of Infinity Conquest map a spin Posted: 04 Mar 2014 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Previews, PvP, Free-to-Play, RIFT This past weekend, RIFT players and devs alike jumped into the new Steppes of Infinity Conquest to try out the PvP map on the test server. On the forums, a dev gave players an idea of what to expect from the map, saying that teams will be ferrying stones between upgradable forts for points. However, once 1,750 player deaths occur, players have a five-minute timer to score as much as possible followed by loot for the winners. The devs followed up the playtest with a peek at some of the upcoming goodies for the game, including an Umbral Budgie mount, a mech mount, and a new powerful focus. RIFT gives the new Steppes of Infinity Conquest map a spin originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: RIFT Dream Dimensions, RIFT forums Via: RIFT Junkies

Get ready for Diablo III's expansion with a 50 percent XP boost Posted: 04 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE, Diablo III, Buy-to-Play Hey look, it's more Diablo III news! It's almost like there's a forthcoming expansion or something. In any case, Blizzard is offering 50 percent bonus experience, which should give you a head-start on the new Paragon leveling system. The bonus period ends on March 24, and it only applies to PC and Mac versions of the game. If you want a full run-down of everything new and improved with the recent 2.0.1 patch, click past the cut and watch the What's New video. Continue reading Get ready for Diablo III's expansion with a 50 percent XP boost Get ready for Diablo III's expansion with a 50 percent XP boost originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Battle.net

Funcom's financials take a sharp blow Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Age of Conan, Anarchy Online, Business Models, MMO Industry, The Secret World, Legal, Miscellaneous The earnings report for Funcom's fourth quarter 2013 is in -- and it doesn't look pretty. The studio reported that revenues are down both year over year and quarter over quarter due to deferred billings with The Secret World and increased competition. However, Funcom said that a better business model and new marketing programs are resulting in a stronger first quarter for 2014 and that its MMOs are "cash-flow positive and will remain so in the foreseeable future." Funcom said that it is taking steps to turn around the business with a new strategy to focus on more mid-core online games with smaller budgets and shorter development time. It's also continuing to invest in LEGO Minifigures Online and the Dreamworld technology. The latter is important so that the studio can release games across multiple platforms including Android and iOS tablets. LEGO Minifigures Online is scheduled for open beta testing this summer. The Økokrim charges regarding possible market manipulation between August 2011 and August 2012 were mentioned. Funcom said that no employees have been charged, and the company is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. Funcom's financials take a sharp blow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Q4 2013 Earnings Report Via: MMO Fallout

Cait Sith avatar coming to Final Fantasy XI Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE The latest bit of Final Fantasy XI fan service takes the form of Cait Sith. More specifically, FFXI Summoners are getting a Cait Sith avatar which will offer various types of magic damage as well as anti-wipe spells like raise and re-raise. ZAM reports on a new Caith Sith acquisition quest, which requires that players complete the Wings of the Goddess "A Token of Troth" mission. More details are available on the FFXI forums. Cait Sith avatar coming to Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: FFXI forums Via: ZAM

Pearl Abyss gearing up for Black Desert's beta phase two Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Black Desert Steparu reports that Pearl Abyss is giving away 400 Black Desert phase two beta keys on a newly created Facebook page. Unfortunately for you English speakers, both the Facebook destination and the beta are intended for Korean audiences. 2P reports that the beta will run from March 4th through March 16th, and the site is also hosting a pair of gorgeous new Black Desert screenshots. Pearl Abyss gearing up for Black Desert's beta phase two originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Steparu

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