MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Stream Team: Dungeon Tours visits Vanguard's High Elves

Posted: 18 Jan 2014 09:00 AM PST

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Dungeon Tours is slowly sweeping across Vanguard's European-esque continent of Thestra. After last week's stop with the Vulmane, Massively's MJ moves on to adventure through the starter dungeon for the High Elves of Leth Nurae. The city of Leth Nurae itself imbues all who enter with peace, but Arcanium lies just outside of the city limits and those blissful feelings don't follow those who venture there. If you haven't visited Arcanium, a dungeon for levels seven through 12, now is your chance. Join us live at 12:00 p.m. to to see what secrets hide within.

Game: Vanguard
Host: MJ Guthrie
Date: Saturday, January 18th, 2014
Time: 12:00 p.m. EST

Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

Continue reading The Stream Team: Dungeon Tours visits Vanguard's High Elves

MassivelyThe Stream Team: Dungeon Tours visits Vanguard's High Elves originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jan 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Shroud of the Avatar raises $3 million in crowdfunding and prepares for Release 2

    Posted: 18 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

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    Shroud of the Avatar has hit a significant fundraising milestone and is throwing a party to celebrate. Richard Garriott announced that the title has crossed the $3 million mark and he will be hosting a late-night video hangout on Thursday, January 23rd to mark the occasion.

    In other Shroud of the Avatar news, the game will roll out Release 2 next week for select backers. Details of the release will be, erm, released on Wednesday the 22nd. If you haven't backed the game and want to experience Release 2, it will cost you $45.

    Portalarium also showed off the Founder Edelmann Village Waterfront Cabana, founder starter weapons, and the incredible cooking pot of prosperity.

    MassivelyShroud of the Avatar raises $3 million in crowdfunding and prepares for Release 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jan 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    WRUP: Can't tell you what this bird is edition

    Posted: 18 Jan 2014 07:00 AM PST

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    Sometimes it's more fun to be disallowed.
    Sorrow weighs heavy upon my bosom, dear readers, because I cannot tell you about this bird. When I discussed my original idea for this installment of WRUP with Bree -- I like to keep her abreast of my thought process -- she immediately declared that I was not allowed to use its name in the title or body of this work. As a result, the supple curves that originally market this installment of the feature have now sagged into nothingness.

    We'll do our best to bounce back, however. This week's installment still features the Massively staff's plans for the weekend to nip any confusion in the bud, and you are more than welcome to leave your own plans down in the comments. So while I can't name the bird or discuss its fantastically fluffy chest, I'm sure that your own enjoyment will remain firmly supported as you run down our planned diversions.

    Continue reading WRUP: Can't tell you what this bird is edition

    MassivelyWRUP: Can't tell you what this bird is edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jan 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Are there games you miss but still don't play?

      Posted: 18 Jan 2014 05:00 AM PST

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      I will remember, but it's not home any more.
      I don't really play Final Fantasy XI these days. I miss it, though -- quite a bit, even. It was my first MMO, and while a lot of its feel shines through in Final Fantasy XIV, it's not quite the same. But I don't really have the time to play it even by its lonesome, let alone with multiple other games already on my agenda, so it's not on my playlist, even though I still get the periodic urge to throw caution to the wind and dive right back in.

      There are games we want to play but can't (such as City of Heroes, in my case) and games we want to play and do, but we don't talk much about the games we want to play but still don't. Are there games you miss but still don't play? Are they previous favorites you grew out of, places with lots of emotional memories that don't hold up to reality, or really fun games that just get edged out by games you find even more fun?

      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!

      MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are there games you miss but still don't play? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jan 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Storyboard: Being who you aren't

        Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:00 PM PST

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        Pretty sure I've used one of these before, but oh well.
        There is, as I have discussed, a group of roleplayers for whom the game is the thing. If the game doesn't allow you to be a moisture farmer, then why would you want to pretend to be a moisture farmer? Similarly, if you're not actually a master of the marketplace or sitting on huge assets in the game, why would you want to pretend that you are?

        I am not one of those people. I'm playing a financial wizard partly because I am not a financial wizard. And it's not that I don't love games where that's a viable option, but that's a different discussion.

        However, this does raise the question of how you can pretend to portray something you aren't intimately familiar with. If I'm playing a doctor, I'm going to run into the simple problem that I'm not a doctor in real life (full-time writers rarely receive extensive medical training). All of roleplaying is some degree of pretending to be something you're not, but how do you do so when it's something that's a bit harder to fake?

        Continue reading Storyboard: Being who you aren't

        MassivelyStoryboard: Being who you aren't originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          MMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito details Tribal Wars 2

          Posted: 17 Jan 2014 06:00 PM PST

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          Tribal Wars 2 screenshot
          Tribal Wars 2 is the successor to Innogames' oldest title, Tribal Wars. The original is (to put it gently) ugly as sin, but that has never stopped it from being one of the most popular titles the German publisher produced. As a matter of fact, 2013 was the biggest year for the original game... after a decade in existence! You might have heard of some of the other titles in the Innogames lineup or watched an advertisement for two of its largest games, Grepolis and Forge of Empires. So how does Tribal Wars 2 compare to these other games?

          First of all, it offers much of the same intense gameplay as the publisher's other, larger titles. Grepolis is sort of the spiritual successor to Tribal Wars and features water-based gameplay that makes ships and deities an integral part of play. Grepolis also offers a more wide-ranging playerbase, thanks to television advertising that helped to pull in more casual players.

          Tribal Wars is much more hardcore, and Tribal Wars 2 will be no different. It will look a heck of a lot prettier than its earlier sibling, though! I sat down with Fabio Lo Zito of Innogames to talk about the changes.

          Continue reading MMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito details Tribal Wars 2

          MassivelyMMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito details Tribal Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Betawatch: January 11 - 17, 2014

            Posted: 17 Jan 2014 05:00 PM PST

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            At this point we'll all be able to play it just as soon as we've forgotten why we cared!
            Good news to those of you who have been waiting for ArcheAge for what seems like forever (because it has been): The game is in testing! Not open beta testing, no. Or closed beta. In fact, it's really just the most rudimentary stage of alpha testing. But that's something, right? It's at least more than anyone had expected.

            Not many new betas kicked off this week, but War Thunder did expand its expansion testing with new vehicles and maps, and Hearthstone's development team took the time to say that fewer card changes will be made in the upcoming open beta. WildStar, meanwhile, shrank a little. After a fashion.

            Anything else? Well, we do have our usual list of games in testing past the break, and we've got a bit more in the Testing Notes this time around. As always, feel free to let us know down in the comments if a game managed to add in a cash shop without our noticing.

            Continue reading Betawatch: January 11 - 17, 2014

            MassivelyBetawatch: January 11 - 17, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Cryptic toughening up Star Trek Online's Undine

              Posted: 17 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST

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              STO Undine
              Cryptic is tweaking Star Trek Online's Undine, otherwise known as species 8472. You might recall from Star Trek: Voyager that the Undine were powerful enough to give the Borg fits, so Cryptic has "decided to go back and make them a little bit smarter, a little bit faster, and a little bit tougher."

              The latest STO dev blog, penned by systems designer Jeff Hamilton, has all the details.

              MassivelyCryptic toughening up Star Trek Online's Undine originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Landmark producer video teases upcoming updates

              Posted: 17 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST

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              Terry Michaels
              SOE has released another EverQuest Next Landmark video producer's letter. The two-and-a-half-minute clip features producer Terry Michaels, who says that alpha is just around the corner. He also plugs the recent claim-focused livestream -- which Massively's own MJ live-blogged for your perusing pleasure. Finally, there's some new fiction in the works along with some community questions and answers and a contest geared toward EverQuest vets.

              Oh, and Michaels also says to keep your eyes peeled for a new dev diary focused exclusively on Landmark's mysterious crafting system. We've embedded the producer letter video after the break.

              Continue reading Landmark producer video teases upcoming updates

              MassivelyLandmark producer video teases upcoming updates originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Hi-Rez adds Geb, new arena map to SMITE

              Posted: 17 Jan 2014 02:00 PM PST

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              SMITE's Geb
              Hey SMITE fans! Hi-Rez has released a new god called Geb. Geb is the god of earth, who "pummels his opponents as a guardian," according the latest reveal vid. In case you're wondering, Geb's passive ability is called Hard as Rock, which causes opponents' crits to only do a percentage of damage instead of the usual 100 percent.

              Hi-Rez has also introduced a new arena map and an alternate game mode with this patch. Click past the cut to see Geb's video and hit the links below for the full patch notes.

              Continue reading Hi-Rez adds Geb, new arena map to SMITE

              MassivelyHi-Rez adds Geb, new arena map to SMITE originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Bungie really wants you invested in Destiny

              Posted: 17 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST

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              Destiny
              How does a game get stuck to you -- or you to it? Bungie thinks it's all about getting players invested with broader experiences and a living community.

              In a recent podcast, Investment Lead Tyson Green said that Destiny is aiming to stick around: "Investment is not about experience points, [and] it's not about item drops; it's about having an enduring attachment to a game and to a community so that that community can exist and thrive. If you unlock new abilities and you give people different weapons that are balanced but different, then those are valid rewards that don't change the game or ruin the game but [...] broaden the game, [...] give people more interesting opportunities, and give people more varied experiences."

              These varied experiences, according to Green, include rewarding players for actions outside of the norm and encouraging social gameplay. Bungie hopes that you'll play the game not out of obligation but because you are invested in Destiny and its community.

              MassivelyBungie really wants you invested in Destiny originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Pantheon reveals the Cleric

              Posted: 17 Jan 2014 12:30 PM PST

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              Pantheon is still in the early stages of its Kickstarter campaign rollercoaster and has revealed its first (non-stretch goal) class: the Cleric.

              According to the announcement post, the Cleric is a battle priest who's big on doing nice things for good folks while smashing bad folks with blunt instruments. The Cleric uses divine spells to heal friends and harm foes backed up with his or her trusty warhammer or flail and a lot of heavy armor. It looks as though players will have an option to eschew this mode and spec as a lightly armored spellcaster or an astral Paladin.

              One of the most interesting aspect of the Cleric is his or her choice in deity. That choice won't be merely for roleplaying purposes but will influence which spells and abilities will be granted to the Cleric.

              MassivelyPantheon reveals the Cleric originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Stream Team: Instantly adventuring in RIFT

              Posted: 17 Jan 2014 12:00 PM PST

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              Does this ever happen to you? You're in the mood for an adventure, but you just don't have the time to sit around and wait for one to happen? Wait no more with RIFT's Instant Adventure! Pop this queue in your microwave on high for 45 seconds and you'll have a piping hot adventure ready in no time. Just watch how Massively's Jasmine instantly adventures her way through Telara live at 3:00 p.m. EST! Results may vary, void where prohibited, see store for details.

              Game: RIFT
              Host: Jasmine Hruschak
              Date: Thursday, January 16th, 2014
              Time: 3:00 p.m. EST

              Enjoy our Steam Team video below.

              Continue reading The Stream Team: Instantly adventuring in RIFT

              MassivelyThe Stream Team: Instantly adventuring in RIFT originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Another stretch goal hit for The Repopulation, another short story chapter posted

                Posted: 17 Jan 2014 11:30 AM PST

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                Catering to the large portion of MMO players who see something large enough to accomodate their butt and immediately wish to ride it.
                The second Kickstarter for The Repopulation is humming along at a decent clip at this point. It's already met its target goal, and now it's just a matter of smashing down stretch goals. The latest mark has funded the addition of calprate mounts to the game; they're the vaguely deer-goat-thing displayed in the header image, for the record. Except that one doesn't have a player-shaped bit of cargo on its back. Baby steps.

                In addition to looking forward future stretch goals, the team is also posting chapters of a short story to the official website. Chapter 4 of "Evening Star" is available to read now, detailing more of the world and feel of The Repopulation for existing backers and potential future backers. Or just people in need of a science fiction story to read on a Friday afternoon -- they're welcome as well.

                MassivelyAnother stretch goal hit for The Repopulation, another short story chapter posted originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                World of Warcraft to award instant level 90 characters with Warlords of Draenor pre-purchase

                Posted: 17 Jan 2014 11:00 AM PST

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                I'm at the cap!  And now... I wait.
                It's easy to kind of get stuck in the pre-expansion doldrums in World of Warcraft right now. Yes, you really want to have one more character up at the level cap, but you can't bear the thought of leveling any more. So what are you going to do? Well... you could just pre-purchase the expansion and get your instant level 90 character immediately, thereby saving you any more work leveling through the expansion and letting you just catch up a bit before its launch.

                All right, you can't do all of that right now, but the development team has confirmed that digitally pre-purchasing the expansion will give you your instant 90... instantly. No word yet on launch dates, but players can opt in for the beta testing right now via the Battle.net account management page. The company is also testing the idea of adding in the level 90 boost to the game's store, allowing you to bring as many characters as you want up to the cap without any fuss.

                MassivelyWorld of Warcraft to award instant level 90 characters with Warlords of Draenor pre-purchase originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                WildStar to reduce character breast size

                Posted: 17 Jan 2014 10:30 AM PST

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                WildStar
                Citing feedback from testers and others, WildStar developers will be reducing the breast size for Exile, Cassian, and Aurin characters in an upcoming beta patch.

                The change to bust sizes will bring the characters into a more reasonable proportion. As of right now, all players will receive the same body models per race and gender, although Design Producer Stephen Frost hinted that body shape sliders could be a post-launch feature. Chua will also get a character creation screen change in the form of underpants.

                MassivelyWildStar to reduce character breast size originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Tamriel Infinium: What to do in The Elder Scrolls Online besides PvP

                Posted: 17 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST

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                Tamriel Infinium: What to do in ESO besides PvP
                As a part of my series of articles that explain some of the core features of The Elder Scrolls Online, I want to talk about what most people would consider obvious activities in the MMOs, but because of the way ZeniMax has advertised the game up to this point, many casual followers have come to believe that ESO will not have much in the way of PvE activities. Of course, players will level up via PvE, but beyond that, is there anything to do? What about group activities while you're leveling up? Are there endgame group activities? Is there raiding?

                Although I like PvP, much of my focus in MMOs is PvE-related. I enjoy story, exploration, and group activities. Save for the group activities, that's what The Elder Scrolls is to me. Exploring every ruin and cave or finding a hidden cult or hearing the NPCs talk about how they each took arrows to their knees defines the series for me. I don't think I could call a game Elder Scrolls without attaching defining PvE moments. I believe the developers at ZeniMax understand this, which is why they have hired some amazing voice actors to the game and why much of the website advertising revolves around the lore of the game. But is it enough to tell us what the game is about, and will ZeniMax finally show us?

                Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: What to do in The Elder Scrolls Online besides PvP

                MassivelyTamriel Infinium: What to do in The Elder Scrolls Online besides PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jan 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  MMORPG News

                  MMORPG News


                  General: Legends Online: New Era Lauches on iOS

                  Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:51 PM PST

                  Legends Online: New Era Lauches on iOS

                  Mobile MMO fans will want to check out the latest game to launch on iOS. Called Legends Online: New Era, the game is described as an action-packed medieval styled MMO filled with warring kings and marauding monsters.

                  Shroud of the Avatar: Three Million Dollar Milestone Passed

                  Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:43 PM PST

                  Three Million Dollar Milestone Passed

                  The Shroud of the Avatar juggernaut continues its meteoric fundraising campaign and the team has announced the passing of the $3M mark. To celebrate, Richard "Lord British" Garriott will be hosting a video hangout on Thursday, January 23rd.

                  EverQuest Next: Landmark: January Producer's Video Teases Crafting Info Incoming

                  Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:28 PM PST

                  January Producer

                  Senior Producer Terry Michaels takes to the airwaves with the EverQuest Next: Landmark Producer's Letter for January. Michaels looks back at the releases up to now and gives a few hints about things that players can expect as the month comes to a close. He lets slip that crafting will be spotlighted in an upcoming developer diary.

                  General: Undead Labs Wants to Change Your Perception of a Zombie MMO

                  Posted: 17 Jan 2014 04:50 AM PST

                  Undead Labs Wants to Change Your Perception of a Zombie MMO

                  Last week it was announced that Undead Labs, creators of the cult hit zombie sandbox RPG State of Decay, had signed a multi-year and multi-title deal with Microsoft Studios. When Jeff Strain, former lead at Blizzard and Cofounder of ArenaNet announced the formation of Undead Labs, it was with the sole purpose of creating the best zombie-based games on the market. While some folks claim they're sick of the Walking Dead, there certainly seems to be no sign of zombies' decay anytime soon.

                  Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen: First Character Class Revealed: The Cleric

                  Posted: 17 Jan 2014 11:13 AM PST

                  First Character Class Revealed: The Cleric

                  Not resting on the week's laurels, the first character class has been revealed for Patheon: Rise of the Fallen. The Cleric is described both from a lore perspective and a game play perspective. As expected, the Cleric is the game's healing class.

                  General: The Decline of MMORPGs

                  Posted: 17 Jan 2014 04:46 AM PST

                  The Decline of MMORPGs

                  Give me a moment to get down dirty and all controversial. Think of this statement as a written, MMO-centric cousin to the Miley Cyrus 'twerk' or even the last howl of a man with nothing left to lose. Ready? The MMORPG genre is in decline. I'm sensing a thousand crazy eyes glaring in my direction, but like an intrepid adventurer I'll continue to pose my declaration of war.

                  Star Wars: The Old Republic: January Old Republic Insider Released

                  Posted: 17 Jan 2014 09:11 AM PST

                  January Old Republic Insider Released

                  Bioware has released the January edition of the Old Republic Insider to give Star Wars: The Old Republic players a look at what the team has been working on, what's been happening in the game and announcements of new features (team death match) coming to the game.

                  EverQuest Next: Landmark: Georgeson Recommends 64-Bit OS for Alpha

                  Posted: 17 Jan 2014 09:02 AM PST

                  Georgeson Recommends 64-Bit OS for Alpha

                  Dave Georgeson has recommended that EverQuest Next: Landmark alpha testers use a 64-bit operating system due to the game not yet being optimized. The statement was made via Georgeson's Twitter account.

                  Camelot Unchained: The Becoming: The Trials of Nuada Part VII

                  Posted: 16 Jan 2014 03:45 PM PST

                  The Becoming: The Trials of Nuada Part VII

                  MMORPG.com has teamed up with City-State Entertainment to bring our readers a brand new developer blog that gives insight into the design process behind one of Camelot Unchained's iconic heroes, Nuadha Airgetlám. Read the seventh installment of the series to find out more and let us know what you think in the comments. Then head to the Camelot Unchained site to read the lore.

                  EverQuest Next: Landmark: Transparency and the Way Forward

                  Posted: 16 Jan 2014 03:22 PM PST

                  Transparency and the Way Forward

                  For as long as I've been writing for MMORPG.com and, in fact, long before that, I've had a keen interest in transparency and openness. It's why I'm a fan of Square Enix's Naoki Yoshida and his handling of Eorzean matters. It's also why I wanted desperately to to discuss some recent goings-on on the Planetside Reddit, which basically struck all the right kinds of goodie-goodie feels in me regarding Everquest Next's future.

                  Ultimate Naruto: Battle Tactic Feature Added in Latest Patch

                  Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:15 AM PST

                  Battle Tactic Feature Added in Latest Patch

                  Naruto Saga is a game that requires tactical game play and with the addition of the Formation Interface, players will have the ability to arrange ninjas in a tactical arrangement before, during and after battle.

                  General: Bound By Flame Website Launches

                  Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:09 AM PST

                  Bound By Flame Website Launches

                  RPG fans will be happy to hear that the Bound by Flame site has officially launched. According to published information, the site is a wealth of information, screenshots, gameplay mechanics, information about the combat system and much more.

                  General: The Worst MMOs of 2013

                  Posted: 16 Jan 2014 03:23 PM PST

                  The Worst MMOs of 2013

                  Even in the best of years, we come across games that just aren't very good. Whether it is the poor writing and forgettable story of Asura Force or the ultra-grindy repetitive questing of Ragnarok Online 2, some games just aren't worth your time. There are games that should be good and aren't which somehow makes them even worse. This year was light on releases but there was no shortage of bad games vying for your attention.

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