MMO Updates

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• Meet Haku, one of Path of Exile's new Forsaken Masters
• Pathfinder early access starts September 15, cash shop structures revealed
• Star Citizen's Arena Commander open to all backers
• The Daily Grind: Do you (still) pre-order MMOs?
• The Stomping Land is switching to Unreal Engine 4
• SMITE reworks Nu Wa, adds treasure boxes
• ArcheAge will host another closed beta event next weekend
• Defiance launches the Silicon Valley update
• RIFT launches patch 2.8, Madness Wakes
• World of Warcraft will offer minipets and nostalgic gameplay for its anniversary
• DC Universe Online unleashes the Halls of Power
• The Stream Team: Island hopping to Landmark's Foundation Museums
• Check out 93 minutes of Skyforge's gameplay
• Albion Online founder's packs available for purchase
• Heroes & Generals hosting free veteran weekend

Meet Haku, one of Path of Exile's new Forsaken Masters Posted: 07 Aug 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, Path of Exile The titular feature of the upcoming Forsaken Masters update for Path of Exile comes in the form of seven notable NPCs who have special tasks -- and rewards -- for the players. Each master is willing to train players and bestow upon them special hideout decorations, hideout tilesets, and crafting options. Yesterday the team unveiled the third Forsaken Master, Haku the Armormaster. Haku is an armormaster who wants you to do a bit of ghostbusting while recovering an ancient spirit that's near and dear to his heart. We've got a quick video featuring the Master and his insane missions after the break! Continue reading Meet Haku, one of Path of Exile's new Forsaken Masters Meet Haku, one of Path of Exile's new Forsaken Masters originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Pathfinder early access starts September 15, cash shop structures revealed Posted: 07 Aug 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Pathfinder Online GoblinWorks has posted some "major announcements" on its Pathfinder Online website. They include the start date for early enrollment (September 15th) as well as tweaks to early enrollment packages and a new Explorer Access package. Gameplay-wise, the firm has unveiled premium cash shop items, which it says "are not going to be mechanically superior to player-character crafted items." Two of the items will regenerate power, though, so it's worth reading the full explanation if you're concerned about potential monetization intrusions in your fantasy sandbox. Finally, GoblinWorks talks up Pathfinder's individual player structures, which are also available via the cash shop. Base camps serve as adventure-sustaining settlements when you're far from home, and they remain active for five days once deployed. Once they despawn, they're on a 15-day cooldown. They're priced at $50. Smallholdings are also available and feature "a substantial amount of local storage" for $200. Pathfinder early access starts September 15, cash shop structures revealed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Star Citizen's Arena Commander open to all backers Posted: 07 Aug 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play Cloud Imperium released Star Citizen's July update this week, which says that the dev team has "finally achieved victory" in its long battle with the game's pre-alpha rubber-banding issues. Arena Commander multiplayer is "playing like we originally intended," the firm explains, and as a result the module has been made available to all eligible SC backers. The rest of the update letter details happenings at all of CIG's studios around the world. [Thanks Cardboard and James!] Continue reading Star Citizen's Arena Commander open to all backers Star Citizen's Arena Commander open to all backers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: July report

The Daily Grind: Do you (still) pre-order MMOs? Posted: 07 Aug 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Business Models, Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind As we reported yesterday, Activision says that pre-orders are declining across the game industry. Here in MMOland, pre-orders are still kind of a thing, but they're also being supplemented/supplanted by early access sales. What about you, personally, though? Do you (still) pre-order MMOs, whether for the in-game goodies or just out of general excitement? Why or why not? 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: Do you (still) pre-order MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stomping Land is switching to Unreal Engine 4 Posted: 06 Aug 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Sandbox Dino-delay or evolutionary upgrade? The situation might be both for The Stomping Land, which has been on the down low while its developer works to bring it to a new game engine after the old engine lost studio support. "It has been quiet in The Stomping Land community but that is certainly not the case behind the scenes!" Developer Alex "Jig" Fundora told Kotaku. "The game is being moved to Unreal Engine 4 to take advantage of technical and creative opportunities, and while the game was so early in development, I didn't want to keep working for years with a game engine (UDK) that had officially lost support by Epic. The move has put a bit of more work on my plate, but the already discovered opportunities using UE4 are exciting, and I'm confident fans will be satisfied with the long-run decision." The dinosaur-themed survival sandbox went into early access this past May 30th. The Stomping Land is switching to Unreal Engine 4 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kotaku

SMITE reworks Nu Wa, adds treasure boxes Posted: 06 Aug 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play SMITE got a bit of rework this week, with new skins, a new Zeus model, and a complete update of Nu Wa headlining the changes. Hi-Rez also added RNG treasure boxes to its fantasy/mythology MOBA as well as several tweaks to custom game functionality. View the complete update notes via the links below, and don't forget to have a look at the new skins video after the break. [Thanks Sorenthaz!] Continue reading SMITE reworks Nu Wa, adds treasure boxes SMITE reworks Nu Wa, adds treasure boxes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

ArcheAge will host another closed beta event next weekend Posted: 06 Aug 2014 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, News Items, Free-to-Play, ArcheAge, Sandbox Trion Worlds has announced that the third ArcheAge closed beta event, dubbed Blood & Bounty, will run from 7 a.m. EDT on August 14th to the same time on the following Monday. The studio noted in a producer letter today that the last beta event was focused on sorting out the billing interface, adjusting the marketplace, and catching bots and scammers, the last of which was, according to the team, "a little overzealous" in that systems apparently flagged legitimate accounts in addition to problem players. Trion is also continuing to tweak the complicated labor system. If you're not already in the beta, your chance to receive an invite will improve this round; Trion promised that it will be more than doubling invites to those who signed up via the official site. ArcheAge will host another closed beta event next weekend originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ArcheAge dev post

Defiance launches the Silicon Valley update Posted: 06 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Defiance It's time to take it to the ruins of California in Defiance's latest patch, which introduces a large free expansion in the form of Silicon Valley. Karl Von Bach has disappeared into the region with plenty of his followers, but it turns out that the area is slightly less pleasant than advertised. Specifically, it's overrun with a cult called the Pilgrims of the Guiding Light as well as Grid, giving players plenty of things to shoot. The team behind the game has put together a new trailer to help players get excited about a trip through the valley. Aside from new missions, players can unlock new outfits and synergies, new weapon mods, and an expanded EGO cap. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start shooting; those cultists aren't going to deal with themselves. That's the Acolytes of the Getting Out Of Your Way Conveniently -- that's not even in this expansion. [Source: Trion Worlds press release] Continue reading Defiance launches the Silicon Valley update Defiance launches the Silicon Valley update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Update page

RIFT launches patch 2.8, Madness Wakes Posted: 06 Aug 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, Endgame, News Items, Free-to-Play, RIFT, Dungeons It's not quite time for the next RIFT expansion, but it is time to prep for it. Patch 2.8: Madness Wakes adds a new series of quests to lead into the story of the next major version update, with players heading to Tempest Bay to confront some dark dreams. That pairs up with the addition of a new five-person level 60 dungeon, Nightmare Coast, with new items and quests to send players after a mysterious cult. Players also have access to a revamped auction house (which has caused some player consternation regarding its fees), major updates to the Pyromancer soul, and the ability to see the source of an item when inspecting another player. There are also various bugfixes, balance changes, and the like. Check out the full patch notes here, and if you're ready to start gearing up for the game's second expansion, log in and start getting crazy. Continue reading RIFT launches patch 2.8, Madness Wakes RIFT launches patch 2.8, Madness Wakes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: RIFT 2.8: Madness Wakes patch notes, The new Auction House

World of Warcraft will offer minipets and nostalgic gameplay for its anniversary Posted: 06 Aug 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, Endgame, News Items, PvE, Dungeons, Anniversaries, Subscription As World of Warcraft gears up for its 10th anniversary in November, Blizzard has announced its plans for celebrating. Of note, the team is creating a 40-player raid finder version of Molten Core for "max-level" characters, who can "relive the experience of hunting down Ragnaros and his minions" and snag a new mount and achievement. A new deathmatch-style battleground will also be opened in an attempt to replicate the early Tarren Mill/Southshore PvP experience. If you don't really care about nostalgic raids and PvP, how about some free stuff? WoW will bestow a Molten Corgi minipet on everyone who logs in during the event. World of Warcraft will offer minipets and nostalgic gameplay for its anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Blizzard blog

DC Universe Online unleashes the Halls of Power Posted: 06 Aug 2014 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Trailers, Video, Patches, Endgame, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, DC Universe Online It's been years since DC Universe Online launched, and yet players have spent all of that time without nearly enough material on the New Gods. But that's changing now; the Halls of Power part I DLC has just been released, and that includes exactly what you'd expect if you know who the New Gods are. Darkseid's son Kalibak and the villainous Mantis are seeking out relics beneath the surface of Apokolips and New Genesis, leading Mister Miracle and Big Barda to recruit heroic forces to stop their malevolent designs. The DLC contains two new Raids and one new Operation for eight players, along with an Alert and an Operation for four players. It also offers six new Skill Points, new styles and gear, new feats, and all of the other widgets like base items that you'd expect. This content is available now for players on both consoles and PCs, so even if you're not versed enough in DC lore to understand what's going on, you can still take part and start smashing (or helping) the villains. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] Continue reading DC Universe Online unleashes the Halls of Power DC Universe Online unleashes the Halls of Power originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Island hopping to Landmark's Foundation Museums Posted: 06 Aug 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Free-to-Play, Livestream, Sandbox, Housing, The Stream Team, Player-Generated Content, Landmark Part of the allure of Landmark is the ability to help create EverQuest Next. And now that the winners for the first racial building contest are up for display on Landmark's Foundation Museums island, Massively's MJ is taking a tour. Want to see what fellow players have envisioned for the Dark Elves? Join us live at 4:00 p.m. EDT to take a look at the winning pieces all in one place. As a bonus, there are more codes to give away! Game: Landmark Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, August 6th, 2014 Time: 4:00 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Island hopping to Landmark's Foundation Museums The Stream Team: Island hopping to Landmark's Foundation Museums originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Check out 93 minutes of Skyforge's gameplay Posted: 06 Aug 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Skyforge Seeing is believing, da? Oh, that "da" is "yes" in Russian, which is a language that you'll need to be intimately familiar with if you desire to understand all of the commentary that comes with the following Skyforge gameplay video. Even if your Russian Rosetta Stone hasn't come in the mail yet, you can probably get the gist of this video even so. Most of it is a guy running around fighting, although you can see various menus and get a feel for how the game handles movement and world interaction. Check it out after the break and let us know what you think! [Thanks to Dystopiq for the tip!] Continue reading Check out 93 minutes of Skyforge's gameplay Check out 93 minutes of Skyforge's gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: YouTube

Albion Online founder's packs available for purchase Posted: 06 Aug 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Promotions, Sandbox Let's cut to the chase: You want to know how much it'll cost you to get into Albion Online alpha program in September? Fifty bucks. Thirty dollars if you're willing to wait for next year's beta. Now that your curiosity is sated, let's talk about the trio of founder's packs that Albion Online has just made available to buy. The least expensive tier is the veteran pack at $29.95, which comes with beta access in Q1 2015, in-game currency, and 30 days of premium access. The epic and legendary packs are $49.95 and $99.95 respectively, and include (among other goodies) access to the summer and winter alpha program, special nametags, cosmetic outfits, and even (in the case of the lgendary pack) mounts. Various questions about the founder's packs have been answered on a separate FAQ page. [Thanks to Laurence for the tip!] Albion Online founder's packs available for purchase originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Founder's packs

Heroes & Generals hosting free veteran weekend Posted: 06 Aug 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Business Models, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, War, Free-to-Play World War II shooter/strategy hybrid Heroes & Generals is celebrating its first 30 days on Steam by hosting a free veteran weekend. Reto-Moto's title is free-to-play, but of course you'll progress faster and probably enjoy yourself more if you pony up for the game's veteran access. Starting Friday, August 8th, you can enjoy said access for free through Monday August 11th. Veteran membership grants a 25 percent XP boost, 50 percent credit and warfund boosts, a 25 percent ribbon XP boost, and more. If you're already a vet, Reto-Moto is adding 72 hours to your membership! Heroes & Generals hosting free veteran weekend originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

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