MMO Updates

MMO Updates

New summer events on tap from Angels Online

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Angels Online recently added a new server and now the team at IGG is gearing up for a series of special summer events designed to bring players more content. First up is a leveling contest that runs from June 23rd to July 21st. The six players who attain the highest level on the new Nyx server by 1:00 a.m. EDT on the 21st will walk away with some significant rewards including a grand prize level 100 armor set and 100,000 in-game coins.

IGG is also hosting a double XP event that runs from June 23rd through June 30th on the new shard. Finally, the new Summer Breeze promotion features fruit-themed outfits that "let you show off your summer style and take advantage of huge power boosts," according to an IGG press release.

Angels Online is free-to-play play, and you can download the game at IGG's official website.

MassivelyNew summer events on tap from Angels Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom reveals three new monsters of The Secret World

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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Good things often come in threes and when it comes to The Secret World, scary things do as well. Funcom has just released a new monster information triple-pack for its horror-conspiracy MMORPG, and the official TSW website has the goods on the wendigo, the deep ones, and the ak'ab.

The wendigo are apparently descended from a tribe of humans who went cannibal, and Funcom's intro blurb cites their cursed metabolism and describes them as "more sickness than species." No less chilling are the deep ones, fearsome inhabitants of the Atlantic Ocean who are known to "drag victims into a death-dive until the unfortunates are crushed into more edible material." Finally we have the ak'ab, and Funcom's website quotes H.P. Lovecraft to help set the mood for describing these "cold, pale things of native myth" that do the nefarious bidding of sorcerers and necromancers.

MassivelyFuncom reveals three new monsters of The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GamersFirst welcomes World of Warcraft to 'the free-to-play revolution'

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 08:30 AM PDT

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Sarcastic, genuine or merely self-promoting? An open letter sent to media outlets from GamersFirst's Joshua Hong to Activision-Blizzard's Bobby Kotick following World of Warcraft's surprise move to an indefinite free trial could be all three. "I wanted to congratulate you on taking your first big step to join the Free2Play(R) revolution," Hong writes.

He certainly isn't shy in expressing what he sees as GamersFirst's great accomplishments in the market: "Having created this market in the western hemisphere, it's very encouraging for us to see the last bastion of the subscription-only online gaming business joining the Free2Play movement... Given our recent success in reviving APB Reloaded, which launched as a subscription-based game we transitioned to Free2Play, we know that the first steps are often the hardest. But the proof is in the metrics, as APB now has more than three times the active player base than when it initially launched as a subscription product. We also plan to repeat this success with Fallen Earth."

Hong continues the letter by "extending [his] friendship and support" to Blizzard, invites Kotick to the free-to-play party at Gamescom, and hopes that the company's entire library will be made free in the future.

MassivelyGamersFirst welcomes World of Warcraft to 'the free-to-play revolution' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA: '200 hours of gameplay per class' in SWTOR

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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For most single-player video games, eight to 20 hours of gameplay is currently considered "sufficient." For Star Wars: The Old Republic, those numbers are merely a prologue to the main event.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Electonic Arts' Frank Gibeau said that players should expect around 200 hours of core gameplay per class, not including side activities like PvP and raiding. He was responding to a question about the game's allegedly high budget, which Gibeau says is worth the investment: "It's vast. It's a gigantic game. And that costs money. But when you get one of these launched they persist for a long period of time."

Gibeau also commented on the decision to exclusively release the digital version of SWTOR through EA's Origin service: "In the case of Star Wars we're trying to build an audience for Origin. And it's also an opportunity for us to better manage the downloads and how we bring people over from the beta and that sort of thing. For a lot of reasons it made sense for an MMO, which is a highly complex deployment."

MassivelyEA: '200 hours of gameplay per class' in SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Online Entertainment issues an official response to Star Wars Galaxies petitions

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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The news that Star Wars Galaxies will soon be shutting down has been met with quite a bit of sadness from the players, for understandable reason -- the game has just recently hit its eight-year anniversary and remains a large and unique game in many respects. Players had banded together to start a petition to save the game, one that got large enough to merit an official response from Sony Online Entertainment. But we're sorry to say that this isn't something to get excited about -- the official response is, essentially, that the decision is made.

Posted by Linda "Brasse" Carlson, the short response thanks players for their dedication and commitment to the game, but notes that the agreement between SOE and Lucasarts has been made after a great deal of discussion, and it's not going to be reversed. The letter closes by urging Star Wars Galaxies players to enjoy the game's twilight months by playing the game while it's still around -- good advice, but certainly sad news for those who had held out hopes for an eleventh-hour reprieve.

MassivelySony Online Entertainment issues an official response to Star Wars Galaxies petitions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Does summer vacation affect your playtime?

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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Massively readers, being people of excellent taste in entertainment, know there's a lot of fun to be had sitting down and logging in to their favorite MMO for a few hours of fun. The problem with kicking back and relaxing like this for any period of time is that eventually real life is going to rear its head and you're going to have to step away. (This is a good thing, mind you.)

The summer months are here for much of the world, and that affects MMO playtime in one way or another for many gamers. Are you one of those gamers? Maybe school and studying have kept you busy and now you're free as a bird with more time to play. Maybe you're a parent, and now that the kids are out of school, they're keeping you hopping. Do you have a job that changes according to the weather or seasons?

Hit the comment button and let us know how the summer months affect your gaming time!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Does summer vacation affect your playtime? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Agenda patch 1.44 goes live tomorrow

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 09:00 PM PDT

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Hi-Rez Studios has some goodies in store for Dome City-dwellers, as Global Agenda's patch 1.44 arrives tomorrow. It's a rather small patch, and it includes such details as the closing of Carter's Seasonal Accessories (with a new fashion store known as Burning Fashion opening up in its stead) and the grand-opening of Skyward Jetpacks for those who want to zip around in style.

The largest new additions with the update come in the form of two new maps opening up for players. The PvP Control map Magmarock graduates from beta to live status, becoming accessible for Mercenary PvP players, while a new PvP Payload map known as Haulin' Acid is added to the Beta Maps queue. For the full notes and more information on the patch, head on over to Global Agenda's official site.

MassivelyGlobal Agenda patch 1.44 goes live tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima Worlds Online: Origin

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Two months ago, we heard a rumor (which has since gone quiet) that a new Ultima Online sequel might be in the oven in Electronic Art's kitchen. As with any rumor, it was important to take it with a grain of disbelief, although a pinch of hope seems appropriate in this case as well. After all, Ultima Online's been begging for a sequel ever since the hit MMO started facing stiff competition in the form of 3-D worlds like EverQuest and Asheron's Call.

For some of us gamers, word of a UO sequel feels like deja vu, and rightly so. This wouldn't be the first time that EA embarked on a project to make a more modern Ultima Online, nor would it be the second time. Indeed, the saga of Ultima Online's canceled sequels is as torrid as it is steamy and lusty. Ignore the words in the previous sentence, as those are just to up the hits on search engines.

In our continuing series on the "what ifs?" of axed MMOs, we're going to head into a two-parter full of savage truth, dangerous decisions, and full-frontal nerdery. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the saga of Ultima Online 2.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima Worlds Online: Origin

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima Worlds Online: Origin originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Post mortem

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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When a company ends a project or when a theatre production ends, the producers and directors will usually do an analysis of the project. They will give a rundown of what performed well and what performed poorly. The idea is to ensure that the next project delivers better results than the previous one. Granted, we will not be able to sit in on the official post mortem meeting for Star Wars Galaxies, but we can do our own analysis of what happened.

As I said above, the idea is to take what we learned from the previous project and apply it to the next one. In the eyes of a Star Wars MMO fan, the next project will be Star Wars: The Old Republic. Now to be fair, I already have a series of articles that feature the mistakes SWG made that we don't want to see in The Old Republic, so this time around, I figured it would be best to show off the good things SWG did that should probably be repeated in SWTOR. This is by no means exhaustive, but it's a couple of the big ones in my mind.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Post mortem

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Post mortem originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft's Rage of the Firelands brings indefinite free trial

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 04:15 PM PDT

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In a display of what can only be described as showmanship (given the fact that we can probably count on one hand the number of people who haven't dabbled in World of Warcraft at this point), Blizzard has announced that the coming of WoW's patch 4.2 will also herald the arrival of something known as the World of Warcraft Starter Edition.

That's right, now that the Rage of the Firelands is upon Azeroth, the Alliance and Horde are going to need all the help they can get. Thankfully, the free trial -- which previously spanned 14 days -- now lasts indefinitely, though trial players are capped at level 20 until they purchase the full game. Do note that the Starter Edition does not include Cataclysm content but does include some Burning Crusade content such as the ability to roll Blood Elves and Draenei. And for those who decide to upgrade, the World of Warcraft Battle Chest (which includes vanilla WoW and The Burning Crusade expansion) is on sale for a paltry $19.99.

And of course, there's more to patch 4.2 than the Starter Edition, and our sister site WoW Insider has your bases covered.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's Rage of the Firelands brings indefinite free trial originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interplay v. Bethesda deathmatch continues

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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The punches keep flying between Bethesda and Interplay in the battle for Fallout Online. A recent court filing from Interplay claims that Bethesda knew good and well that its in-development Fallout MMO would (prepare for a shock!) include elements from the Fallout universe, despite Bethesda's claims to the contrary.

The filing goes on to confront Bethesda's arguments that the MMO would lead to confusion amongst players of Fallout 3 due to plot conflicts between the two games. Interplay points out that this is a rather ironic statement, considering that "Bethesda contends Interplay should have created an entire game of incompatible story, characters, and art and labeled it Fallout only in name." Between this legal sparring and Interplay's financial woes, the future of Fallout Online remains to be seen.

MassivelyInterplay v. Bethesda deathmatch continues originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Guild Wars 2 dev diary details dungeon-building

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 03:30 PM PDT

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Following the recent blog posts on Guild Wars 2's underwater combat and dungeon-building, ArenaNet's William Fairfield stepped up to the plate today to give players another inside look at what goes into the creation of the game's dungeons. The post focuses on two dungeons that William has been involved with: the haunted Ascalonian Catacombs and Sorrow's Embrace.

It's a very interesting bit of insight into how one goes about building a dungeon for the game that claims to have done away with the fabled "holy trinity" of MMORPGs. Another interesting point is the focus that went into ensuring that GW2's dungeon mobs seem to work together in unison, rather than just being separate parts of a disorganized mob. There's far too much to cover in-depth in the span of a news post, so head on over to the official blog to get a delicious taste of dungeon-building goodness.

MassivelyNew Guild Wars 2 dev diary details dungeon-building originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SOE All Access pass goes live

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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Sony Online Entertainment has finally lowered its monthly all-you-can-eat MMORPG subscription plan. All Access (formerly known as the Station Pass) grants you unlimited time with all of SOE's titles for a single monthly fee of $19.99.

Games include DC Universe (sorry PS3 users, this is for the PC version only), EverQuest, EverQuest II, Vanguard, and Star Wars Galaxies. You also get premium access to free-to-play titles like EQ2X, Free Realms, and Pirates of the Burning Sea. The All Access service, which previously set you back $29.99 per month, returns to the price point enjoyed by SOE customers prior to the April 2007 rate hike.

The reduction follows the announcement that SWG will terminate services on December 15th and will be freely playable to recent subscribers beginning in the fall.

MassivelySOE All Access pass goes live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Why so serious?

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Great gear doesn't only have to be about having the most intimidating weapon or the scariest armor. Sometimes it's good to take a walk on the lighthearted side and pick up some gear just because it's fun. Massively reader JK shows us an example of this very thing in Lord of the Rings Online:
The Beaver Mask in LotRO made me an unstoppable killing machine.
Ready to show off your gear? Send a screenshot of your favorite items to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a paragraph or two telling us what your items are and how you got them!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Why so serious? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Staying desktop-free with Splashtop Remote and Warspear Online

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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Let's face it: If you are frequenting this site and specifically this column, you probably have a soft spot in your heart for gizmos, gadgets, and gear. I know I do. But all that cool stuff costs a lot of money. When I spent the first half of my life as a drummer, I was known as the "duct tape drummer" because I used it for everything from bandages to kick drum holders. I could achieve what I wanted at a fraction of the price mainly because I wasn't worried about how my drum kit looked or how new my gear was.

I bring that same mentality to my gaming. This column was born out of the need for gaming-on-the-cheap and more mobility, and today I wanted to give you two examples of how this mentality works in my life. Remember, the ultimate goal here is to have fun, and I have had more fun since I started this column than I have had in a long, long time.

Click past the cut and let me show you some new ways to game!

Continue reading MMObility: Staying desktop-free with Splashtop Remote and Warspear Online

MassivelyMMObility: Staying desktop-free with Splashtop Remote and Warspear Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: Sandparks

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 12:30 PM PDT

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Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

The war between sandbox and themepark MMOs is being fought now, not just in the hearts and minds of players but in the simple matter of which project is getting funding for development. It's a war in which adherents to one design philosophy loudly decry the other, where both sides sling insults at one another and mourn how the other side has damaged the promise of MMOs or has no idea how to make a compelling gameplay experience. It's a battle of words and of subscription fees.

It's also really, really stupid.

Setting up the MMO sphere as a battle between two opposing design philosophies probably feels like a great chance to explore a two-faction system in real life, but it's also shortchanging not just MMOs but games on both sides of the nonexistent fence. It sells a number of games short, and it adds nothing useful to the genre as a whole. It's time to stop seeing the onling gaming sphere as a match of opposing forces and start seeing it as a varied and frequently awe-inspiring spectrum.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Sandparks

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Sandparks originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gods & Heroes outsells RIFT on Steam, claims weekend top spot

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Well someone's certainly playing Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, the newly launched fantasy MMORPG from Heatwave Interactive. It's a safe bet that said someones are playing via Steam, as Valve's digital download platform is reporting that the Roman mythology-flavored MMO outsold all challengers over the weekend.

Despite some predictions of a lukewarm reception due to the glut of fantasy MMOs and a hefty box fee (as well as a subscription model), Heatwave's game sold well enough to outpace RIFT as well as Guild Wars, DC Universe, and EVE Online, all of which could be had at or lower than Gods & Heroes' $39.99 price point.

Is it a case of a better-than-expected game or another example of how MMO players will buy anything and everything if it's new and shiny? Let us know what you think in the comments.

MassivelyGods & Heroes outsells RIFT on Steam, claims weekend top spot originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix to host Wakfu panel at Anime Expo 2011

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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Do you like a little tactical strategy in your MMORPG? Are you planning on attending Anime Expo 2011 in Los Angeles? Then boy howdy do we ever have an announcement for you.

Square Enix, publisher of the upcoming turn-based tactical MMO Wakfu, is slated to host a panel at the massive California anime convention. Producer Franko Fonseca will be present at the panel to discuss the upcoming title and reveal new information on the game's development. To top it off, panel attendees will have a chance to win some adorable Wakfu plushies. So if you're looking to attend Anime Expo 2011, be sure to swing by the panel and let us know how it goes (and win us a plushie while you're at it!).

MassivelySquare Enix to host Wakfu panel at Anime Expo 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Shri Krishna

General gaming

General gaming

Nintendo's E3 Showing Big in Japan

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 07:06 AM PDT


Both this guy and the majority of respondents to a Famitsu magazine poll agree: Nintendo had the best showing at the Electronic Entertainment Expo earlier this month.

The publisher, which formally announced the Wii U and announced updates to a lot of their core franchises at E3, took the top place in a poll run on Famitsu's website that asked readers which company put on the strongest overall presentation at the show. President Satoru Iwata won top marks as the person who had the greatest impact on this year's E3, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was the E3 title that Japanese gamers are looking forward to the most.

However, even though Nintendo is still number-one in Japanese gamers' hearts, the nation's game-industry analysts weren't so kind to them. "Nintendo's stock price plummeted after the Wii U announcement, partly because of 3DS sales falling below expectations," SMBC Nikko Securities analyst Eiji Maeda told Famitsu. "I also think that while the E3 presentation explained the device well, the mainstream press just described it as a 'tablet controller' and didn't make a great effort to push the value of it. It was a lot easier for people to get the impression that Sony was trying hard with the PS Vita, especially on the price."

Eiji Aonuma Wraps Up Zelda: Skyward Sword's E3 Showing

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 06:30 AM PDT


In case you don't have an aversion to very minor Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword spoilers, here's a whole bunch of random tidbits from an E3-era interview with producer Eiji Aonuma that were printed in this week's Famitsu magazine:

- In this game, Zelda starts out as a childhood friend of Link's -- and not royalty. "She's not a princess this time," Aonuma said, "which is something I'll pretty much have to put forth right now in order to talk about this title. She's a childhood friend, but she goes away in the midst of the game and it's Link's job to search for her."

- The starting plot unfolds quite a bit differently from other Zeldas. "This game's plot is something like a school drama, you could say," Aonuma noted with a laugh. "The flying sequence at the E3 demo is Link competing against his classmates. One of them looks kind of a like a bad guy, as you saw, and he shows up in other ways in the game too, since he has a major thing for Zelda."

Yasumi Matsuno Hints at His New Level-5 Project

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 05:27 AM PDT


Yasumi Matsuno, one of the designers who defined the strategy RPG genre as we know it today on game consoles, wouldn't seem like a very good fit with the Layton-ites at Level-5 at first glance. According to Matsuno, however, he and Level-5 head Akihiro Hino have been in talks for over a year now about making a game together. "I had actually been talking with Level-5 along the lines of making a game for them for a while now," he told Famitsu magazine this week, "so after Tactics Ogre wrapped up and things were calmer, I started talking with Hino about getting things moving, and we just kind of clicked."

"Just kind of clicked" might seem like a tenuous reason for Matsuno to join Level-5 after over 20 years in the game business, but the timing might be more apt than you'd expect. "There are several reasons," he said, "but one lies in how charming I think Level-5 is as a business. I've been playing their games, so I'm familiar with the unique touch they put in them. Another reason is that I think Level-5 and I share the same vision on where we want to go. If you keep making things in the same style as time goes on, then I think you miss out on the younger audience, and that's something Level-5 really understands. Something I've noticed at my age is that my nieces, my nephews, and my friends' children don't play my games. I ask them what they do play, and it's always Inazuma Eleven. I really do want to have kids like that playing my games, and being able to work with Hino and an outfit with real solid ideas about that audience is something I have a serious ambition for."

So what is Matsuno working on, exactly? He and Hino aren't talking much yet, although they did release a couple of concept illustrations in this week's Famitsu -- including a lineup of characters that look a lot like your typical strategy-RPG class units. "The idea here is that if someone told me to make a new Ogre, then this is what I'd do," he said. "I've had the core idea around for about a decade now -- I've refined it over the years, but the core has always been the same, something I thought I'd enjoy playing myself."

Elder Scrolls Developer Bethesda Softworks Turns 25

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 06:36 PM PDT

Bethesda Softworks Terminator games

The company responsible for The Elder Scrolls series, Fallout 3, Wayne Gretzky Hockey, the very first Terminator game, and many more titles is 25 years old today.

Bethesda Softworks got its name from the city of Bethesda, Maryland, where it was originally located. (It has since moved to the nearby city of Rockville.) It got started in 1986 with Gridiron, a football sim. From there it would move on to make a series of hockey games starring Wayne Gretzky and the very first licensed Terminator game.

Strategy RPG Pioneer Yasumi Matsuno Jumps to Level-5

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 06:19 PM PDT


The biggest story from the latest issue of Famitsu magazine isn't about a game at all -- it's news of a job transfer that could have major impact for anyone who loves console strategy RPGs.

Yasumi Matsuno, creator of Ogre Battle, Tactics Ogre and the Final Fantasy Tactics series, has reportedly taken a new job with Level-5, the Fukuoka-based publisher of both hardcore RPGs (White Knight Chronicles) and more casual stuff like Inazuma Eleven and the Professor Layton series. Matsuno was personally invited to the outfit by Level-5 founder and president Akihiro Hino, who said it'd offer the designer an opportunity to work on stuff he's never had a chance to before, according to Famitsu.

While neither Hino nor Matsuno commented in depth on what they might work on, Hino stated that it won't take two years or so for the next Matsuno project to come out and that it could be "something that the nieces and nephews of Matsuno fans might also enjoy."

Hackers Targeted Sony Because it Protected its IP, CEO Says

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 05:25 PM PDT

Howard Stringer

There are many theories for why Sony has repeatedly been targeted by hackers as of late, starting with the PlayStation Network breach. A popular one is that it was retaliation for the company's lawsuit against George Hotz, who uncovered and published the PlayStation 3's root key. Perhaps referring to the same incident, Sony CEO Howard Stringer told shareholders why the company feels it has been targeted.

"We believe that we first became the subject of attack because we tried to protect our IP [intellectual property], our content, in this case videogames," he said earlier today, Reuters reports.

Sony is hardly the only company to have been attacked by hackers in recent months. A number of videogame companies have been hacked, although none of them can compare with the PSN breach which saw millions of users' data compromised.

The 1UP Community Reacts to the California Video Game Law

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 04:39 PM PDT

The Supreme Court passed a 7-2 vote in favor of video games yesterday, saying that "Video games qualify for the First Amendment protection." Similar to other forms of protected entertainment such as books, movies and plays, video games also qualify for "the basic principles of freedom of speech." The topic of selling violent video games to persons under 18 has always been a heated topic but here are some of the arguments that have stemmed from the 1UP Community as a result of the yesterday's outcome.

It's not too late to participate in the discussion! Be sure to stop by the Supreme Court Violent Games Ban Ruling thread on the 1UP Boards and let your opinion be heard.

Taiwan Animation Sums Up the Supreme Court Decision

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 04:33 PM PDT


On the heels of many news stories, whether it be Conan O'Brien losing the Tonight Show to Jay Leno or Osama Bin Laden being killed, Taiwan's NMA is on the case with a downright bizarre, animated news report to summarize things in hilarious fashion.

Yesterday's decision by the Supreme Court to strike down the California videogame law that would ban the sale or rental of violent videogames to minors is no different. The video above was posted on NMA World Edition's YouTube page today and features all of the ridiculousness we've come to expect, including the justices firing assault rifles, Justice Antonin Scalia firing guns into the air along with two children, and then him yanking an issue of Penthouse out of a young man's hands.

One thing that's not covered in the video is the response by the bill's author, California Senator Leland Yee. He suggested that the Supreme Court had sided with the likes of Wal-Mart and corporate interests over children and indicated he would look to find a way to reintroduce the law that would be constitutional.

PlayStation Plus is One Year Old, Subscribe and Get Free Time

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 03:40 PM PDT

PlayStation Plus

At last year's E3, Sony announced its long rumored PlayStation Network subscription service, PlayStation Plus. It launched later in the month, on June 28, as a part of the v3.40 firmware update. After one year of availability, Sony has revealed some numbers on what's been offered in its first 12 months and a deal for anyone who signs up in the next two weeks.

From now through Monday, July 11, anyone who signs up for or renews their Plus subscription will be entitled to free Plus time. Buy a three month package ($17.99) and you'll get one free month, or pick up a full year ($49.99) and you'll get three extra months for free.

Sony is currently offering anyone who had a PSN account prior to the April breach a free 30-day subscription to Plus (or 60 days for existing Plus members). You can pick that up now from the PlayStation Store and see what it's like before the July 11 deadline for this deal is up.

Uncharted 3 Beta is Live, Naughty Dog Aware of Connection Issues

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 02:59 PM PDT

Uncharted 3

If you're fortunate enough to have secured an Uncharted 3 beta code -- or own Infamous 2, or took advantage of Sony's free PlayStation Plus offer as a part of the PSN Welcome Back package -- you'll be happy to hear the multiplayer beta is now live and can be downloaded from the Plus section of the PlayStation Store.

As it is a beta, things aren't off to a completely smooth start. There have been numerous reports of players being unable to play because of connection errors ("Connecting..." and "Error initializing session manager" seem to be the most popular of the bunch; I've personally been getting the latter) and Naughty Dog says it's "aware and getting things back up." On Twitter, it says it's working to get things back up "ASAP."

"A lot of people hitting our servers is precisely what one of the things we're looking forward to as part of this Beta," community strategist Arne Meyer wrote in the comments of the PlayStation Blog earlier today. "We believe we've got a setup that will handle a huge amount of traffic, but I know we definitely want to test server load."

Posted by Shri Krishna
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