MMO Updates

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• The Tattered Notebook: What EQII can learn from Minecraft
• WRUP: Go gnome or go home edition
• The Daily Grind: Would you play another Ultima MMO?
• Labor Day weekend brings bonus XP weekends to all
• Fallen Earth set to go free-to-play on October 12th
• Betawatch: September 2-8, 2011
• Dragon Nest patch brings players to the Edge of Darkness
• Wasteland Diaries: The old vs. the new
• Storyboard: Balancing the failing act
• RIFT releases more patch 1.5 details, new features hit the PTS
• Celebrate World of Tanks' Labor Day events with a giveaway from Massively!
• CCP offering first ever bulk PLEX discount for EVE Online
• One Shots: The best view ever
• Wizard101 celebrates another anniversary of taking over the world
• Some Assembly Required: Is the sandbox dead?
• Indie sandbox Embers of Caerus needs your support
• TERA podcast highlights convention news

The Tattered Notebook: What EQII can learn from Minecraft Posted: 03 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Tattered Notebook EverQuest II's Update 61 is officially here, and the sweeping itemization revamp has been about as pleasant as the arrival of Hurricane Irene. I spent the better part of a morning trying to go through all my gear and then redo all my AAs. But I was one of the lucky ones because I don't really have alts. Some of my guildmates had at least half a dozen or so toons to fix, and they had to do that two or three times because hotfixes were resetting gear all over again. It's not really that surprising when we consider there's a mountain of gear in game, and over the years, certain stats grew in value only to be de-emphasized in a future expansion. But it's frustrating for players because some hard-earned gear has become less powerful by comparison, and that's altered the landscape when it comes to old content and challenge. I ran out of gas about two-thirds of the way into respeccing, and I decided to shift gears and check out the new housing changes. The leaderboards are great because people can surf the list of homes and directly port to them to see them up close. The problem right now is that the ranking system could use a little work; it currently allows for abuse and griefing. But despite the issues, it's helped put the decorating community in the limelight, and it's given housing a new purpose in game. That got me thinking about the future of EQII's housing system and the upcoming addition of player-created dungeons. With the new focus on player-generated content, EQII could learn quite a lot from an unlikely candidate -- Minecraft. Let's take a look at how. Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: What EQII can learn from Minecraft The Tattered Notebook: What EQII can learn from Minecraft originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

WRUP: Go gnome or go home edition Posted: 03 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Massively meta, Races, Miscellaneous Last week, we asked the Massively readers whether or not short races are persecuted in MMOs. For some of you, shorties are the cutest, perfectest, most adorablest little gnomeykins in gaming, while for others, the altitudinally challenged are worthy only of a good old fashioned punting. But whether you love them or hate them, someone must play them, else developers wouldn't keep recycling them into fantasy and sci-fi games alike! So in today's What Are You Playing, we asked our own staff members to put aside their machismo and 'fess up their propensity for short stuff. More on point, we also asked them what they'll be playing this weekend. Hop on past the break to see what we're up to, then tell us in the comments how you'll be spending your holiday weekend. (Bonus WRUP points if you're a card-carrying member of a shorties guild like Gnomeland Security or Gnomercy.) Continue reading WRUP: Go gnome or go home edition WRUP: Go gnome or go home edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Would you play another Ultima MMO? Posted: 03 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Opinion, Ultima Online, Massively meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous The last time rumors of a new Ultima MMO flew, the Massively readership collectively drooled all over our site. This time, it's less a rumor and more a what-if: In an interview with IndustryGamers, Ultima series founder Richard Garriott stated that he has his "own very particular ideas for what Ultima can and should become over time" and that he'd be open to collaboration with Electronic Arts, which currently owns the IP. Given Garriott's current interest in social media gaming, we have to wonder whether a new Ultima game -- a spiritual successor to the still-going Ultima Online and its canceled sequels -- might someday enter the MMO arena. What do you think? Should Garriott and EA make another Ultima MMO or stick to single-player romps? And if an Ultima sequel actually made it to launch, would you play it? 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: Would you play another Ultima MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Labor Day weekend brings bonus XP weekends to all Posted: 02 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: EverQuest II, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, News items, Vanguard, Champions Online, Miscellaneous Labor Day weekend is upon us, and EverQuest II, Champions Online, Warhammer Online, and Vanguard are all getting in on the festivities. In addition to celebrating Labor Day, Champions will be celebrating its two year anniversary by giving players gift boxes, party favors, and new costume pieces. Meanwhile, Warhammer Online is keeping it simple with a 50% XP and RP bonus for all players. Vanguard players get bonus experience as well, whether it's of the crafting, adventuring, or diplomacy variety. EverQuest II is also providing bonus experience -- double experience, to be exact -- for AA, tradeskill, and adventuring experience. If you're a regular of any one of these games, or if you just want to pop in to see what the fuss is about, it sounds like this weekend is the right time to do it. See something we missed on our list of Labor Day weekend events? Tell us in the comments! [Update: Commenter Furdinand reminded us that Star Wars: The Old Republic's beta test weekends began today, and commenter Dartanis points out that RIFT's half-birthday celebration continues throughout the weekend, providing players with a wealth of bonuses.] Labor Day weekend brings bonus XP weekends to all originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fallen Earth set to go free-to-play on October 12th Posted: 02 Sep 2011 06:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fallen Earth, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic It's been two and a half months since we heard the news that GamersFirst acquired Fallen Earth and planned to implement a free-to-play business model. In those months, the question on everyone's lips was "When?" Tonight we finally get our answer: GamersFirst has released a new dev blog announcing an October 12th free-to-play conversion date, details of a "mostly-finalized structure of free accounts and Premium Subscriptions," and appreciation gifts for veterans. While the date and details are exciting, the Fallen Earth team is bringing more to the table for players. There is a new world event system coming as well as some celebratory events for Fallen Earth's second birthday. You can check out all the details on the Fallen Earth dev blog. Fallen Earth set to go free-to-play on October 12th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Betawatch: September 2-8, 2011 Posted: 02 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Massively meta, Betawatch, Miscellaneous Welcome to Betawatch, Massively's weekly report on the state of MMO betas. In each installment, we'll report everything from the latest open betas, closed betas and even alphas in one convenient place. Plus, we'll make sure to include as much info on each game's current status, including projected release dates (if known) and links to the sign-up forms to get yourself into that beta you've been seeking. It's another quiet week on Betawatch as the gaming industry recovers from PAX. We've got a few changes, however. Luvinia Online announced an open beta date of September 7th this week, so if you missed the closed beta test of the game, get ready because the doors will open to all next week! Starjack Online is making room on our open beta list ahead of time -- Limbo Studios announced last week that the game is officially live. Continue reading Betawatch: September 2-8, 2011 Betawatch: September 2-8, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dragon Nest patch brings players to the Edge of Darkness Posted: 02 Sep 2011 05:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News items, PvE, Free-to-play, Dragon Nest Nexon's latest free-to-play dungeon-crawling beat-'em-up (look at all those hyphens!) Dragon Nest received a lovely new patch today. The update brings players a load of new content, including the Edge of Darkness dungeon, the Daredevil Faire (and its associated dungeons), and the 1v1 PvP ladder. In addition, the patch brings a number of new items to the Dragon Vault, including Item Protection Jelly to protect your gear from failed upgrades, a Marketplace Pass for the auction house fiends, and six new costumes for each class. The Edge of Darkness is a level 15 dungeon and is divided into the Rozin Sanctuary and the Jealous Atrium. The Jealous Atrium is unique in that players must contend with wave after wave of monsters rather than progressing through the dungeon traditionally. The players must protect the Goddess' statue from the enemies while simultaneously eliminating them all. Any player who dies in the dungeon cannot be resurrected, and the dungeon ends only after players have eradicated the 24th wave of enemies, or all players have died. The Daredevil Faire, meanwhile, offers dungeons for a wide range of character levels, and these dungeons reward players with tickets that can be redeemed for a variety of prizes. And finally, the 1v1 PvP ladder is now open, allowing players to prove their PvP superiority by rising in the ranks of the PvP ladder. The fights aren't just for bragging rights, though. Players will be rewarded with Ladder Points for winning matches. These points can be exchanged for a variety of items to help assist the player in future endeavors. For the full details, check out the patch notes on Dragon Nest's official site. Dragon Nest patch brings players to the Edge of Darkness originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wasteland Diaries: The old vs. the new Posted: 02 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, PvE, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic When it was first introduced, the new combat system seemed pretty awkward and cumbersome. As with all new game systems, you just have to get used to it. Luckily, due to the extreme familiarity I have with Fallen Earth, I adapted fairly quickly. But I didn't like it much at first. It was too healer-centric in PvP, and it was nearly impossible to die in PvE with such a large health pool and awesome self-heals. Instead of grinning and bearing it, I complained and hoped for a fix. It got fixed, and though it's not perfect, it's pretty close. In this post, I will take a look at the new system and how it differs from the old one, now that I've had some time to think it over. I'm still not sure whether I like it better than the old system yet, but it's growing on me. There's a lot of stuff that I miss from the old system and a lot of stuff I'll never miss. Knockdown and stuns are two of those things. A lot of players were worried that the new combat system would take ages to tweak, but it seems like it's pretty close to the mark already. A few minor adjustments might be needed, but it's already close to a finished product from what I see. After the cut, I'll tell you why I think that. Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: The old vs. the new Wasteland Diaries: The old vs. the new originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Storyboard: Balancing the failing act Posted: 02 Sep 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous Two weeks ago, we talked about the essence of roleplaying and making your character miserable, helped substantially by having your character fail at pretty much everything he or she sets out to do. That's all well and good in the abstract, sure, but I also mentioned that there's a distinct problem with having your character go too far in the direction of self-pity and hopeless failure. Eventually it starts to be something of a downer rather than an endearing character trait, and that's no good either. Unfortunately, noting that a balance is important is very different from actually providing some guidelines on how to achieve that balance. And while there's always some room for fuzziness, having some idea of what to aim for is a good place to start off. So this week, I'm going to take a closer look at bringing your character's failures right into that sweet spot between hopeless misery and mild inconvenience. You want to fail, sure -- but you don't want your character to be a bummer to interact with. Continue reading Storyboard: Balancing the failing act Storyboard: Balancing the failing act originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

RIFT releases more patch 1.5 details, new features hit the PTS Posted: 02 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News items, PvE, RIFT RIFT's patch 1.5 is set to hit the live servers later this month, and boy is it a doozy. RIFT's Community Manager Elrar hit the forums today to drop an information bomb on the players. This bomb exploded into a number of bullet points outlining the latest features that players can expect from patch 1.5 on the public test server. For starters, we've got the Planar Attunement system. This system is being introduced to allow progression for level 50 players, and it awards attunement experience for any activity that would normally grant you experience points. With each level of attunement experience accrued, players are awarded attunement points that can be spent in attunement trees (each associated with one of the six planes) to grant further bonuses for their characters. Also coming to the game are the Chronicles of Telara instances, which are one- to two-player instances designed for players just getting started on progression after reaching level 50. For players looking for a bigger challenge, the team is introducing Master mode dungeons, which are much more difficult than the current tier 2 Expert dungeons. Of course, with the greater challenge comes greater rewards, such as Marks of Ascension, which allow players to purchase tier 1 raid gear. For the PvP-minded, Accolades have been introduced into the game's Warfronts. These Accolades reward exceptional gameplay, such as getting the first kill of a match, killing a number of enemies without dying, or wiping out the entire opposing team. The full details can be found on the official forum posts, and all of this is up and available for testing on the public test server. So what are you waiting for? Go do your duty to Telara, Ascended! Thanks to ren54 for the tip! RIFT releases more patch 1.5 details, new features hit the PTS originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Celebrate World of Tanks' Labor Day events with a giveaway from Massively! Posted: 02 Sep 2011 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Contests, War, Free-to-play, Giveaways, World of Tanks The folks at Wargaming.net have been pretty busy with World of Tanks events lately, and they're not planning to slow down any time soon. This holiday weekend will feature some fun events on the North American servers, giving players in the US even more of a reason to play during the long weekend. Here at Massively we've got a little something extra to help you celebrate: a gift package containing 500 gold, 20,000 credits, and one day of premium account access during which you'll gain a 50% boost to XP and credits earned. The package is valid on all accounts, new or old. Simply visit our giveaway page to pick up your key, apply it on the World of Tanks promo code page, and enjoy! Celebrate World of Tanks' Labor Day events with a giveaway from Massively! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

CCP offering first ever bulk PLEX discount for EVE Online Posted: 02 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox If you've been searching for a way to spend more money on EVE Online, CCP has just announced a bulk discount on its PLEX currency. What is PLEX, I hear a few of you asking? It's shorthand for Pilot License Extension, and it takes the form of an in-game item that provides one month of game access. The kicker is that it may be legally bought, sold, or traded for other in-game items (or cold, hard cash). The system was originally put in place to combat third-party ISK trading, but many long-time EVE players have amassed enough wealth to enable them to buy PLEX and avoid paying the regular monthly subscription fee. For a limited time (through September 16th, to be exact), CCP is offering 13 PLEX for $199.99, and the one-line press blurb on the official EVE website encourages you to "play the market, pad your wallet, and build your empire." CCP offering first ever bulk PLEX discount for EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: The best view ever Posted: 02 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Star Trek Online, One Shots We're moving away from bugs with mounts today to take a look at a glitch on a much larger scale, thanks to Star Trek Online fan Michael: I know some bugs are frequent in STO. This one involved walking into a wall on Earth Spacedock, teleporting away, and teleporting back. This landed you outside of the space station on a ledge. After dancing for a bit, I jumped and ended up with this fantastic screenshot. Enjoy! While we've still got room for a few more bug images this week, it's also time to start looking forward. We've showed off some of the most attractive landscapes, characters, mounts, armor, and more, so we figure it's only fair that we give a nod to the opposite end of the spectrum. Next week is ugly armor week. Whether you have an eye-searing color scheme, a set of armor pieces that clash like crazy, or something that you just put together for a laugh, we want to see. Send your screenshots in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature them in next week's One Shots! Gallery: One Shots: 2011 One Shots: The best view ever originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wizard101 celebrates another anniversary of taking over the world Posted: 02 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Free-to-play, Casual, Kids, Wizard101, Family Ah, Wizard101. My, how you have grown. So much has happened over the last three years that we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at some of the milestones that happened during that time. Instead of going all the way back to the beginning, we'll be covering the major happenings over the last year. If we wrote up all of the patches and major updates to the game from the beginning, we would be here all night. Feel free to retell some of your favorite memories in the comments section, and join us in wishing a happy birthday to KingsIsle and its baby, Wizard101! Click past the cut! Continue reading Wizard101 celebrates another anniversary of taking over the world Wizard101 celebrates another anniversary of taking over the world originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Some Assembly Required: Is the sandbox dead? Posted: 02 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, A Tale in the Desert, Darkfall, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Ryzom, Wurm Online, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, Free-to-play, Dawntide, Xsyon, Post-Apocalyptic, Perpetuum, Miscellaneous, Some Assembly Required, Sandbox, Crafting Let's face it, folks, 2011 has been a fairly bad year for sandbox MMORPGs. Whether we're talking about the premature (and, ahem, forced) demise of Star Wars Galaxies, EVE Online's public relations disasters and its capitulation to the cash-shop-in-a-sub-based game fad, or Earthrise's rough launch, there hasn't been a lot to celebrate for fans of non-linear MMO gameplay in quite a while. I've even had several friends ask me point blank: Is the sandbox dead? The short answer is not just no, but hell no. Join me after the cut for a few bright spots as we look to the future, take stock of the present, and try to forget about the past. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Is the sandbox dead? Some Assembly Required: Is the sandbox dead? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Indie sandbox Embers of Caerus needs your support Posted: 02 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Miscellaneous, Sandbox Play MMOs long enough and chances are you'll become something of an armchair developer. I could make a better game than that, you might say, or why the heck are they doing it this way? While most of us don't have the programming chops to make the transition from imagined prototype to working code, Forsaken Studios is offering the next best thing. Call it an armchair supporter opportunity. The indie devs behind Embers of Caerus are asking for your donations, as the fantasy title is in need of a bit of capital to offset the fact that the team is working for free. What exactly is Forsaken Studios working on? It's a safe bet that it isn't your average fantasy themepark clone if the prose on the game's official forum is any indication. Forsaken is "made up of gamers who are tired of companies not quite getting it right, or worse, selling out in order to earn more money from what producers deem to be the more lucrative markets (easier content, real money item shops, etc)." What will become of your donations? The EoC support plan page lists everything from software and licensing costs to hosting, technical equipment, and various legal/company expenses. "Even when you don't have to pay anyone, it's still not a cheap business," Forsaken says. You can get a look at a nine-minute engine test in the video after the cut. Continue reading Indie sandbox Embers of Caerus needs your support Indie sandbox Embers of Caerus needs your support originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TERA podcast highlights convention news Posted: 02 Sep 2011 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA Episode five of the official TERA podcast is in the can, and it's also available for your listening pleasure on the TERA website. The show finds En Masse community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman talking with producer Chris Hager and COO Patrick Wyatt for approximately 20 minutes. The subject? Convention season, of course, and the gang talks about everything from the TERA Gamescom demo to the preparation necessary to convey a certain message to members of the gaming media. The trio also mentions the challenges inherent in answering difficult questions on stage at a major convention, and Wyatt even chats briefly about his experiences working on Blizzard's seminal StarCraft RTS. TERA podcast highlights convention news originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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General gaming

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• Postcards from CoD XP: Burgertown is Overpriced
• Publishers "Getting the Living Crap Kicked Out of Them by Microsoft," Claims Sony
• Snatcher Radio Drama's First Act Now Available
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution's First DLC Discovered
• Dragon Quest Game to be Revealed Sunday Night
• No Modern Warfare 3 Prestige Edition, But There is a Console, Controller, and Headset
• Call of Duty Elite Costs $49.99 Per Year, This is What it Gets You
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Multiplayer Feels Different And Better Than Expected
• Watch the Call of Duty XP Keynote Right Here
• The Most Prolific Video Game Voice Actors

Postcards from CoD XP: Burgertown is Overpriced Posted: 02 Sep 2011 09:34 PM PDT Activision recreated the Burger Town fast food joint from Modern Warfare 2 on the grounds of Call of Duty XP. While the interior isn't accurate, it's a pretty good recreation (we don't however remember a scrapyard, zipline, and military obstacle course sitting next to Burger Town in the game. While I was tempted to try out the food, the $12 price tag for a fast food burger and fries put me off.

Publishers "Getting the Living Crap Kicked Out of Them by Microsoft," Claims Sony Posted: 02 Sep 2011 05:11 PM PDT Sony has responded to a recent report revealing the lengths Microsoft goes to in ensuring its platform gets first dibs or at least has the same amount of content as competing platforms, and it wasn't too kind in doing so. Last week, European Xbox boss Chris Lewis spoke with Eurogamer about a number of policies Microsoft has regarding third-party content. Microsoft's Content Submission and Release Policy, which Eurogamer got its hands on, requires a number of things, such as a demand that publishers release multiplatform games on Xbox 360 at the same time as on other platforms. The 360 version must also have at least as much content on the disc as on other platforms. And if they don't comply? "If these conditions are not met, Microsoft reserves the right to not allow the content to be released on Xbox 360," the document notes.

Snatcher Radio Drama's First Act Now Available Posted: 02 Sep 2011 04:27 PM PDT The first act of the Snatcher radio drama has been released alongside the official launch of the Sdatcher website. Hideo Kojima is collaborating on the project with Goichi "Suda 51" Suda, who is writing the script, Grasshopper's Akira Yamaoka, who is doing the music, and Snatcher contributor Satoshi Yoshioka, who was signed on to do character design and illustrations. It's being released for free and will be sold on CD later. You can check out the first act on the website of Kojima's podcast, Hideradio, right here. Of course, you'll need to know Japanese in order to actually understand it, but you can still enjoy the music and the official website's artwork. On the same note, the audio file itself might be difficult to find; it's located here, which should save you the trouble of clicking around aimlessly.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution's First DLC Discovered Posted: 02 Sep 2011 03:41 PM PDT The ticker bar at the bottom of the Deus Ex: Human Revolution menu teased an announcement of some sort coming on August 29. What this led to was not especially obvious; a series of numbers and letters appeared that were meant for the community to crack. Through some impressive work by the game's fans -- all of it documented on the official forums -- the code led to a website asking for a username and password. Entering the correct combination leads to the image above, showing Adam Jensen with a thicker-looking beard and the text "What Is The Missing Link?" Meanwhile a listing in the Deus Ex website's RSS feed was found that lays out exactly what this all is about: a new downloadable content release called The Missing Link. Jensen goes missing for three days, during which time he's trapped on a freighter and stripped of his augmentations, a wrinkle that should make things much more difficult.

Dragon Quest Game to be Revealed Sunday Night Posted: 02 Sep 2011 02:43 PM PDT Square Enix plans to host an event in Japan on Monday where it will reveal the next Dragon Quest game. While it wasn't specifically pegged as the game in question, Dragon Quest X is more than likely what will be featured. It was first announced in 2008 but has been heard from very little ever since; no screenshots have been released and the company has been hesitant to tell us much of anything about it. The Dragon Quest series celebrated its 25-year anniversary earlier this year. Unlike the most recent numbered entry in the series, Dragon Quest IX, DQX will be on Wii, not DS.

No Modern Warfare 3 Prestige Edition, But There is a Console, Controller, and Headset Posted: 02 Sep 2011 01:20 PM PDT Update: Listings for the Hardened Edition have gone live at both Amazon and GameStop. It will cost $99.99, so essentially you get the game and Elite (with special "Founder" status) for $10 less than they would cost separately, plus the other stuff for free: a SteelBook case, a "field journal" recapping the series, and a free Avatar costume or PSN theme (depending upon your platform). Original Story: Unlike the last several Call of Duty games, you'll only have two versions of Modern Warfare 3 to choose from: the Hardened Edition and the plain game. Activision really wants you to spend your money on Elite, which may explain the absence of a super-expensive Prestige Edition, although it's giving you plenty of other ways to spend your money on something special. The contents of the Hardened Edition were leaked this week and then confirmed during today's Call of Duty XP keynote. Most notably, it comes with a year's subscription to Call of Duty Elite, a $49.99 value. We still haven't gotten an official price on the Hardened Edition; listings for it should be going up soon on retailers' websites.

Call of Duty Elite Costs $49.99 Per Year, This is What it Gets You Posted: 02 Sep 2011 12:32 PM PDT Towards the end of the Call of Duty XP keynote, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg detailed what Call of Duty Elite subscribers will get and how much it will cost. We already know all of the stuff that Elite provides players for free. As for the premium side, Elite can be subscribed to one year at a time for $49.99. The most important feature is access to all of that year's downloadable content. Not only will subscribers get access, they'll own the content so it doesn't disappear should the subscription come to an end. Given that four DLC releases over the course of a year would normally cost $60, this is immediately a good deal for any frequent DLC buyers.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Multiplayer Feels Different And Better Than Expected Posted: 02 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT If you've played a previous game in the Call of Duty series you know what to expect from Modern Warfare 3 -- or so you think. Reductionist haters will choose to see it as more of the same. Those that choose to dig under the surface will find a game filled with subtle changes -- changes that may make the game the best multiplayer shooter on the market. The first, and perhaps most drastic change affects Call of Duty's kill streak system. The designers at Infinity Ward found that kill streaks worked well in deathmatch, but that the best players wouldn't get access to them in objective-based modes. Good players are too busy completing goals for the team to bother focusing on racking up kills. So the designers transformed kill streaks into "point streaks"; now capturing points, flags, and completing objectives will count towards your kill streak count.

Watch the Call of Duty XP Keynote Right Here Posted: 02 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT Call of Duty XP will open today with a keynote that you can watch in the video above, courtesy of our friends at IGN. You can expect to see the reveal of Modern Warfare 3's multiplayer, a new short called Operation Kingfish from the Find Makarov guys, and more. Afterward, stay tuned to 1UP's XP hub for all the latest news out of the two-day event.

The Most Prolific Video Game Voice Actors Posted: 02 Sep 2011 11:26 AM PDT Feature Share it: Tweet The Most Prolific Video Game Voice Actors No, you're not hearing things -- these voices should all be very familiar. By Scott Sharkey The other day someone was talking about Nolan North, which not many people seem to be able to do without complaining about him. It got me thinking about the gulf that exists between some of the most recognizable voices in our games, and the ones we hear the most often, and how there's usually a pretty big gulf between the two. Nolan North is one of the few who manages to be both, but it's a broad spectrum. I thought I'd run down a quick list of the notable actors that come to mind, not in terms of best or worst, but starting with the ones I feel are easiest to recognize, and ending with the ones who actually appear in the most titles. Those two things aren't mutually exclusive concepts, but it's kind of startling how much they seem to form a spectrum. David Hayter If there's a spectrum of prolific vs. recognizable, David Hayter exists on the furthest end. He's best known for his gravel gargling performances as Solid Snake, probably on account of that's very nearly the only videogame role he's ever taken up. His voice is inextricably knotted up with the one character, to the point where hearing him as anyone else would be just too weird. Hayter pretty much is Snake at this point, and it's actually disorienting to hear his normal speaking voice; It's like someone finally gave Snake a much needed throat drop. Most everyone else on this list shows a ridiculously broad range, and the most prolific have such malleable voices that you've probably heard them dozens of times without realizing that it's the same person, but Hayter has made himself a household name simply by playing one single character really, really well. And no, Naked Snake doesn't count as a separate character. Stop being pedantic. John DiMaggio He's the Juggernaut, bitch. He's also Gears of War's Marcus Fenix, Destroyer from Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, Madworld commentator Kreese Kreely, FFX's Wakka, the voice of Halo's Brutes, a fistful of random thugs in Yakuza, and outside of videogameland we probably know him best as Futurama's Bender. That's actually a pretty broad range, but if all his characters have anything in common it's a basic, blue collar, no-fucking-around attitude and just enough of a hint of Jersey accent to make it believable. Whether he's a lovable rogue or a brutish thug, DiMaggio is the man you go to when you need a toughguy. Michael Bell

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