MMO Updates

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• EVE dev blog teases new player customs offices
• Aion's 3.0 update features extensive housing mechanics, mounts
• New TERA video flies through Fyrmount region
• The Soapbox: Bad beta
• The Daily Grind: Do you care about the lore of non-playable races?
• SOE opens beta registration for EQII Age of Discovery expansion
• John Smedley talks EverQuest, DC Universe Online, and future projects
• Not So Massively: Livestreaming edition
• Cable joins the Marvel Universe Online roster
• BioWare says gamers find it hard to go back to other MMOs after playing SWTOR
• Leaderboard: GW's Gwen vs. EQ's Firiona Vie
• Flameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2
• Wings Over Atreia: Socket this
• Browser-based indie MMO Star Corsairs goes live
• Wizardry Online launches open beta in Japan while eyeing the west
• The Secret World kicks off Week of the Dragon
• CCP readying new EVE bug reporting tool
• Midwestern Conference on Health Games to feature MMO presentation
• Turbine addresses LotRO forum security concerns

EVE dev blog teases new player customs offices Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, Dev Diaries, Sandbox How does the prospect of a player-owned customs office in EVE Online grab you? Whoa, settle down there, Mr. flying-in-space troll, as we're not talking about Incarna-style player housing here but rather a new mechanic that seeks to add a bit more sand to New Eden's sandbox. CCP Omen has the details in the latest EVE dev blog and in a nutshell, player customs houses exist to enable planetary taxation and to add a new wrinkle to the game's planetary interaction mechanics. You'll need to erect a customs office in orbit around a planet (note: there can be only one), and of course it can be attacked and destroyed by your fellow capsuleers. For a list of materials, costs, and associated corporation functionality, warp on over to the official EVE dev blog. EVE dev blog teases new player customs offices originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE dev blog

Aion's 3.0 update features extensive housing mechanics, mounts Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Crafting Remember that really slick Aion "vision" trailer that NCsoft released in November of 2009? If you're a fan of the Daeva-centric fantasy MMO you've probably seen the nine-minute clip floating around the intarwebs (and marveled at its graphical upgrades, mounts, player housing, and various bells and whistles). While NCsoft has already implemented some of the visual tweaks in a previous patch, the housing and mounts have remained conspicuously absent. Now, though, new info leaking out of Korea confirms that the features (and the rest of Aion 3.0) are indeed on the way. Housing will be available at level 21 and will boast many different styles, customizable interiors and exteriors (including color and elevation), functional wardrobes, and a variety of furniture items that will be produced by crafters. Mounts will come in both flying and ground-based flavors, and will need to be hatched from eggs like most of Aion's other pets. Finally, it's worth noting that NCsoft has no official release date for 3.0, and the North American servers usually lag several months behind their Korean counterparts in terms of content updates. Aion's 3.0 update features extensive housing mechanics, mounts originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Aion forums

New TERA video flies through Fyrmount region Posted: 18 Oct 2011 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA TERA fans have been suffering through something of a news drought lately. Since announcing the game's Spring 2012 release date last summer, En Masse Entertainment has been relatively quiet when it comes to hyping the game and showing off any of its features. Frogster, TERA's European publisher, has stepped up to the plate this morning by releasing a new fly-through video that takes viewers on a journey around Fyrmount. What's Fyrmount, you say? It's a volcanic region intertwined with the destinies of the Castanic race according to Frogster's press release. Young Castanics are sent to the hellish region "to be pushed to their limits" and are only accepted into adult society if they find something of value and return with it. Check out the video after the cut and head to the official TERA website for more info on Castanics and the game itself. [Source: Frogster press release] Continue reading New TERA video flies through Fyrmount region New TERA video flies through Fyrmount region originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: Bad beta Posted: 18 Oct 2011 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous 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. So the beta for Star Wars: The Old Republic is currently taking place. And while you may be under an NDA and not allowed to say anything, I can freely say that I am not under an NDA without fear of reprisal. I can tell you that despite the fact that almost every other writer on staff seems to be in the beta -- I'm not in it. And truth be told, I'm not sure if I would be logging in even if I were part of the beta. Not because I don't want to play the game -- no, I preordered as soon as the option was available; I've been watching the news and looking forward to release for quite some time now. I've liked what I've played, and I know I'm going to buy it. But the fact of the matter is that betas are just plain terrible, for several reasons. Continue reading The Soapbox: Bad beta The Soapbox: Bad beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Do you care about the lore of non-playable races? Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Lore, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Races, Miscellaneous The Guild Wars 2 development team has spent much of the past year releasing information about its game, and it's not all class reveals and gameplay demonstrations. Much time and attention has been given to the lore and design of the so-called "lesser races," such as the Skritt, the Quaggan, and most recently the Grawl. ArenaNet's not the first developer to place so much emphasis on the all-around development of a race fans can't play, but is it worth it? Does knowing the history, beliefs, and behavior of the other inhabitants of a game world draw you in and interest you, or is it mere window-dressing for the main part of the game? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: Do you care about the lore of non-playable races? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SOE opens beta registration for EQII Age of Discovery expansion Posted: 17 Oct 2011 09:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, EverQuest II, Classes, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons The Age of Discovery is coming to Norrath, and Sony Online Entertainment has just released the beta registration info for EverQuest II's eighth expansion. SOE's press blurb says that applications will be reviewed beginning on October 27th, with the expansion closed beta period beginning on November 14th. While Age of Discovery will not feature any new overland areas, dungeon-based content, or zones, it does boast the long-awaited debut of the Beastlord class as well as the Dungeon Maker player content system. Mercenaries, tradeskill apprentices, and item reforging round out the new stuff, and SOE expects to release the content toward the end of November. SOE opens beta registration for EQII Age of Discovery expansion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: AoD beta registration

John Smedley talks EverQuest, DC Universe Online, and future projects Posted: 17 Oct 2011 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, EverQuest Next It's impossible to deny the huge influence that EverQuest has had on the face of MMOs, something reflected by its recent induction into the GDC Hall of Fame. According to John Smedley, however, the game is in no way experiencing a decline. In a recent interview, he compares the game to several older gaming franchises such as Dungeons & Dragons, noting that he hopes to keep the game vibrant and updating for several years to come. Smedley also touches briefly on EverQuest Next, saying that he hopes the team can deliver something akin to the re-envisioning of the Star Trek franchise in the 2009 film. He goes on to discuss the change in DC Universe Online, the possibility for future projects on the upcoming PS Vita, and other projects further on down the line. It's an interesting look at what's next for a game that's defined the MMO since its launch. John Smedley talks EverQuest, DC Universe Online, and future projects originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Interview with John Smedley

Not So Massively: Livestreaming edition Posted: 17 Oct 2011 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Video, Game mechanics, New titles, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Monday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions and more. With over 200 viewers tuning in to watch last week's Path of Exile beta livestream, this week we'll be continuing the new tradition with our third Not So Massively livestream. Tune in to the Massively livestream channel on Friday, October 21st at 6 p.m. EDT to catch me and a few of the Massively staff playing incredibly popular MOBA League of Legends. Riot recently released a new champion spotlight on Teemo, one of the older champions and definitely the cutest. This week, Bloodline Champions revealed details of upcoming bloodline Metal Warden along with an interesting photo contest to win one of several Metal Warden pre-order packs. Firefall developer Mark Kern showed off the Forge level editor this week and discussed the team's daunting goals for content scale. Rise of Immortals released a Halloween themed update along with new immortal Talia, and Blizzard announced a massive Diablo III beta key sweepstakes. Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs. Continue reading Not So Massively: Livestreaming edition Not So Massively: Livestreaming edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Cable joins the Marvel Universe Online roster Posted: 17 Oct 2011 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, News items, Free-to-play, Marvel Universe Online Marvel Universe Online's roster keeps growing steadily, with newcomer Cable being announced as the latest playable character at New York Comic Con this weekend. The gun-wielding, telepathic, telekinetic son of Cyclops joins Wolverine and Deadpool as the game's third announced character. Also teased is another hero whose silhouette should be distinctive to any comics fan (or anyone who went to the movies anytime this summer). Who could this mysterious avenger possibly be? Follow on past the cut and find out for yourself. Continue reading Cable joins the Marvel Universe Online roster Cable joins the Marvel Universe Online roster originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MMMSociety Tumblr

BioWare says gamers find it hard to go back to other MMOs after playing SWTOR Posted: 17 Oct 2011 04:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic As Star Wars: The Old Republic's release date looms larger on the calendar, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk are starting to be seen with increasing frequency on the PR circuit. The latest sighting comes courtesy of The Gaming Liberty, and the dynamic doctor duo offers up some interesting commentary on SWTOR and the logic behind setting up BioWare's new customer service center in Ireland rather than Canada or the U.S. There's a "fair, reasonable tax and regulatory structure the government here [in Ireland] has provided for us which creates an entrepreneurial environment [...] which is a big bonus," Muzyka explains. The interview also touches on lore inspirations for both The Old Republic and the classic single-player Knights of the Old Republic RPG, as well as the team's confidence in its new massively multiplayer product. "One of the most common things we're already hearing is that people seem to find it hard to go back to other MMOs once they play The Old Republic," Muzyka said. BioWare says gamers find it hard to go back to other MMOs after playing SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The Gaming Liberty

Leaderboard: GW's Gwen vs. EQ's Firiona Vie Posted: 17 Oct 2011 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard Like breakfast cereals and discount tire retailers, MMO companies have a long tradition of cultivating mascots to promote their games. Typically, said mascot is on the cover, shows as much cleavage as the ESRB allows, and is shooting rainbow magic from her navel. Or something. Today, Leaderboard is pitting two of the more well-known MMO mascots against one another, sort of like Top Model if Top Model contained three-dimensional characters. In the left corner is Guild Wars' Gwen, an orphan, refugee, warrior, and storybook princess all rolled into one. In the right corner is Firiona Vie, the Vanna White of EverQuest box art. Firiona may be flaunting a bit more skin than battle protocol requires, but it's certainly served the purpose of getting players to pick up the box and wonder whether true Elfy love lies within. Gwen's recent marriage to Keiran Thackeray unfortunately takes her off the market to those hoping that a sentient computer would digitize and throw them into a video game in the hopes of (ahem) mesmerizing her with charm. It's Elfish mage vs. human mystic, blonde bombshell vs. goth cutie in today's knockout poll! Hit the jump to cast your vote. Continue reading Leaderboard: GW's Gwen vs. EQ's Firiona Vie Leaderboard: GW's Gwen vs. EQ's Firiona Vie originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Flameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2 Posted: 17 Oct 2011 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Guild Wars 2, Races, Flameseeker Chronicles I was pretty excited to see this week's addition to the ArenaNet blog for a couple of reasons reasons. First, I'm a big fan of Jeff Grubb's style of storytelling. It's clear, informative, and entertaining, with just enough of Jeff's wry sense of humor to surprise a laugh out of me now and again. Second, it's about the Grawl! This is a race that I really underappreciated in the past, just like the blog entry said. The Grawl came to my attention only when I was giggling as my miniature Grawl talked to himself while running behind me, raging at multiple Grawl Udolytes in hard mode, and cracking up while watching one of my favorite fan videos. I want to take a closer look at the Grawl, but there's more -- it was an exciting week in Tyria, so follow along after the jump and let's get started! Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2 Flameseeker Chronicles: A closer look at the Grawl of Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wings Over Atreia: Socket this Posted: 17 Oct 2011 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Game mechanics, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia Ooo them's fightin' words! Any time you bring up the subject of manastones, it's like twisting a hot serrated knife in the collective bellies of Aion's community. It isn't the manastones per se, with their little tempting pluses to different stats, but rather it's the actual process of socketing them into gear that brings pain, frustration, and despair to the masses. If you operate under the premise that a game is a form of entertainment to be, oh I dunno... entertaining (dare we hope fun and enjoyable also?), then you have to wonder what exactly transpired to bring about this particular feature. Seriously, who kicked the dev's dog to make him retaliate with a thing like manastone socketing? Despite NCsoft's initial attempt to assure players that manastone socketing isn't that bad (that Shugo obviously works on consignment), the company appeared to about-face by recently offering no-fail supplements in the cash shop for a limited time. While socketing is a repeat headache for many Daevas, this particular move brought the subject (and the whole pay-to-win argument) to the forefront of community discussion. However, what really drew me back into the fray was the fact that I finally got myself a Stormwing armor drop and -- masochist that I seem to be lately -- I actually tried to socket it. I couldn't even get the first one in let alone the other four! Seraphim Lords help me if I have to do another six-slotter! So what's with this game mechanic? Why is it even in Aion? This week, Wings Over Atreia theorizes on the motivation behind this arguably flawed feature and offers some healthier alternatives. Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Socket this Wings Over Atreia: Socket this originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Browser-based indie MMO Star Corsairs goes live Posted: 17 Oct 2011 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, Launches, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser Indie developer Machine 22 is at it again. Following the 2006 release of Golemizer, the one-man studio has now released Star Corsairs, a sci-fi title focusing on real-time starship battles. Players can explore the depths of outer-space, craft upgrades for their starships, do battle with alien species and other players, and form alliances to conquer entire space systems. The game is free-to-play and browser-based, meaning that anyone can play it on almost any machine (as long as you're not running a Commodore 64, in which case you're on your own). More details on the game can be found at the title's official site, or you can jump past the cut for Star Corsairs' release trailer. [Source: Machine 22 press release] Gallery: Star Corsairs core gallery Continue reading Browser-based indie MMO Star Corsairs goes live Browser-based indie MMO Star Corsairs goes live originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wizardry Online launches open beta in Japan while eyeing the west Posted: 17 Oct 2011 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, PvP, Free-to-play Gamepot's hardcore do-or-die Wizardry Online took a big step in its development last week as the title went into open beta in Japan. Over 100,000 players stormed the castle gates to get a peek at this permadeath MMO, and Gamepot had to add several additional servers during the first day to handle the influx of adventurers. Gamepot's Shuhei Ueda says that seducing Japanese players is just the first step in the company's plans: "For Gamepot, it is truly amazing to see so many enthusiastic fans of the Wizardry franchise participate in the open beta testing, and now live service, of Wizardry Online. Bringing this innovative and legendary series to a new platform has been a rewarding process and we're looking forward to continuing our world-wide rollout to fans around the globe." Work continues on an English version of Wizardry Online, which Gamepot hopes will make it across the Pacific sometime in 2012. The studio is also seeking out a publisher for North American and European markets. While you wait, you can read up on our first look at Wizardry Online from this past summer's E3. Gallery: Wizardry Online [Source: Gamepot press release] Wizardry Online launches open beta in Japan while eyeing the west originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Secret World kicks off Week of the Dragon Posted: 17 Oct 2011 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Screenshots, News items, The Secret World Take a seat, Templars and Illuminati -- it's the Dragons' time to shine. Over at The Secret World's official site, Funcom has announced this week as Dragon week, meaning that as the week goes by, we'll be granted new information and assets focused on the Seoul-based secret society. The game's director, Ragnar Tørnquist, says, "Revealing new things about the Dragon is exciting for us, as the very nature of the Dragon is to stay hidden and create chaos behind the scenes to reach their ultimate goal." So it should be interesting to see what kind of tricks the organization has up its sleeves. Whether you're a Dragon initiate looking to find out more about your chosen secret society or you're a member of the Templars or Illuminati ready to build a dossier on your opposition, keep your eyes open in the coming week as the shady secrets of the Dragon are brought to light. In the meantime, though, check out the gallery below for six new Dragon-centric screenshots. Gallery: The Secret World The Secret World kicks off Week of the Dragon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: The Secret World: We kick off Week of the Dragon!

CCP readying new EVE bug reporting tool Posted: 17 Oct 2011 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox Bug reporting is rarely sexy, but it's one of those necessary evils that comes with the territory when we're talking about complex pieces of software like EVE Online. Bug reporting has also been something of a pain for CCP customers prior to this week, and hopefully that will change with tomorrow's update. CCP Redundancy has the details via the latest EVE dev blog, and the long and short of it is that there's a new crash-reporting tool scheduled to go live on October 18th. The tool has been tested internally and is just now ready for prime time, and Redundancy hums a few bars relating to the whys, the hows, and the privacy concerns. You can read all about it at the official EVE website. CCP readying new EVE bug reporting tool originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EVE dev blog

Midwestern Conference on Health Games to feature MMO presentation Posted: 17 Oct 2011 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous Academic conferences aren't normally hotspots for MMO players, but you may find a few at this year's Midwestern Conference on Health Games in Indianapolis. One of the talks scheduled for October 28th is called Benefits of Massive[ly] Multiplayer Online Games for Gifted Students, and Steven Moore, husband of presenter Dr. Beth Moore, wrote in to give us the skinny on his wife's research. "Benefits of MMO games will be presented with a focus on the social/emotional health of gifted students. Gifted students need opportunities to build social skills and collaborate with others, enhance leadership abilities, roleplay, and problem solve --all of which MMOs provide the framework [for]," Moore says. Midwestern Conference on Health Games to feature MMO presentation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MCHG website

Turbine addresses LotRO forum security concerns Posted: 17 Oct 2011 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play While it's not quite a conspiracy unmasked, Turbine has officially acknowledged a bit of a security issue with its Lord of the Rings Online-related web applications. Last week we reported on the temporary closure of the game's official forums, and today Turbine has issued a press release that touches on the situation. As you would expect, it's all very hush-hush in terms of details, and the release recommends password changes for all LotRO players. While the game itself remains open for business, there is no time table for the restoration of forum services. "We are continuing to investigate and the forums will not reopen until this work is complete," Turbine says. Turbine addresses LotRO forum security concerns originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Turbine press release

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General gaming

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• BioShock Vita Still Very Early, Development Could be Handled Externally
• Jersey Shore's Snooki Has Games, Apps Coming to Facebook and iOS
• New XIII Game Coming in November
• Facebook Alters How App Users are Measured, Revealing Lower Figures for Games
• First Weekend for iPhone 4S Sees 4 Million Units Sold
• Halo Anniversary Kinect Support Revealed
• Review: Professor Layton and the Last Specter is an Awful Lot of Game
• Devil May Cry HD Collection Confirmed for 2012
• New York Comic Con 2011 Cosplay Photo Gallery Part 2

BioShock Vita Still Very Early, Development Could be Handled Externally Posted: 17 Oct 2011 03:28 PM PDT Irrational Games' Ken Levine had two surprises to share when he took to the stage during Sony's E3 press conference in June. BioShock Infinite will support PlayStation Move and a new BioShock game is being developed for Vita. Although several months have passed since then, development on the Vita game hasn't progressed far, and it's not a guarantee that Irrational will even develop the entire game internally. Speaking with Joystiq, Levine described the game as being "in the paper design stage." Confirming what he said in June, the idea is still to create a brand-new game for Vita as opposed to porting the original BioShock or Infinite to the handheld, although "things can change."

Jersey Shore's Snooki Has Games, Apps Coming to Facebook and iOS Posted: 17 Oct 2011 02:28 PM PDT Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki on Jersey Shore, has agreed to a deal with a developer to release a number of apps and games starting next month. The deal is with Apps Genius Corp, a company whose lone game on iOS is Slap a Friend, an app where you can plaster someone's face onto a character and proceed to beat them around with a bat, drop bowling balls on them, and so on. It's an appropriate partnership as I can imagine Snooki's face has been used in this game a number of times. The other iOS release from Apps Genius is Bed Bug Alert, an app that allows you to keep track and report bed bug infestations. (No, it's not a game.) Its website lists some of its Facebook projects, which include Bruisers (a "turn based strategy war game" with pirates and ninjas), Drama Llama ("Now you can track who causes the most drama among your friends and family"), and My Mad Millions (a game where you must spend $300 million and have nothing left over at the end).

New XIII Game Coming in November Posted: 17 Oct 2011 01:55 PM PDT Eight years after it was first adapted into a videogame, another game is being developed based on comic book series XIII. This was revealed by a teaser released by French publisher Anuman Interactive. It mentions that players will be able to go back to the origins of the conspiracy in November on several platforms: PC, Mac, iPhone, and iPad. XIII was first turned into a game in 2003. A cel-shaded first-person shooter, XIII (pictured above) starred David Duchovny in the titular role of XIII, an amnesiac who works to uncover the plot of a conspiracy. It was quite the apt role for someone who played Fox Mulder for the better of a decade on The X-Files. The XIII comics themselves were based upon The Bourne Identity novel released in 1980.

Facebook Alters How App Users are Measured, Revealing Lower Figures for Games Posted: 17 Oct 2011 12:41 PM PDT Zynga's line of games have long been among the most popular apps on Facebook. While its games do draw in millions of users of a daily basis, changes to the way Facebook counts active users have given us a better picture of how many people are really using apps and playing games on Facebook. The change was first announced last month during Facebook's f8 event. It was then implemented this past Friday and, as expected, has caused a significant, one-time drop off in the popularity of Facebook apps.

First Weekend for iPhone 4S Sees 4 Million Units Sold Posted: 17 Oct 2011 11:09 AM PDT The initial reaction was tepid at best, yet iPhone 4S pre-orders started out hot. Apple announced last week that more than one million phones were pre-ordered in the first 24 hours of availability on October 7, far exceeding the 600,000 that the iPhone 4 did when it launched on AT&T in June 2010. With Verizon on board at this phone's launch and Sprint added as a new carrier in the United States, Apple's latest device had a big opening weekend. Four million iPhone 4S units were sold in its first three days. According to Apple's Philip Schiller, that's "the most ever for a phone and more than double the iPhone 4 launch during its first three days." Not to take anything away from Apple, but keep in mind the circumstances are much different. This phone launched on three carriers as opposed to the iPhone 4 initially being available only on AT&T. Even with that model coming to Verizon earlier this year, there may have been many who ignored it and opted to wait for the next model believing it would be revealed and then released in June as the past several models had been.

Halo Anniversary Kinect Support Revealed Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:26 AM PDT Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary looks nicer for sure but is still largely the same game we first played ten years ago. Kinect support is a non-visual feature that has the potential to really differentiate the remastered game from the original Xbox FPS. A big part of what Kinect provides is voice control support which may not immediately sound compelling, but one component of it will be of particular interest to fans of Halo lore. Franchise development director Frank O'Connor told 1UP last month that an example of the Kinect voice support is allowing players to switch between the original and updated graphics by saying, "Classic" or "Remastered." He said more actions would be revealed in October, and true to his word they now have been, including some that replace simple button presses and others that provide an all-new experience.

Review: Professor Layton and the Last Specter is an Awful Lot of Game Posted: 17 Oct 2011 10:00 AM PDT The Professor Layton series is meant to evoke the spirit of a sort of fictional post-Edwardian England, so it's wholly fitting that the games themselves display a spiritual similarity to the pulp novels of that era. They're hardly the tawdry, poorly written tripe common to the penny dreadfuls of those days, but like classic cheap pulp entertainment, they're formulaic and comfortable. Level-5 set down a pattern for the series with the very first game, Professor Layton and the Curious Village, and the puzzle-solving protagonist's latest adventure never strays an inch from that prescribed format. You don't play a Professor Layton game because you're looking for a shocking new form of interactive narrative, though. You play because you like the characters -- the erudite gentleman who serves as the hero, his eager young assistant Luke, and the frequently odd folk who surround the latest mystery -- and because you enjoy solving riddles, both in the sense of overt brain-teasers and the inevitable nesting puzzles that comprise each game's plot. A Professor Layton game is a whimsical, intriguing detective novel crammed with both cartoons and overt calls for mental gymnastics. More Professor Layton and the Last Specter Videos

Devil May Cry HD Collection Confirmed for 2012 Posted: 17 Oct 2011 09:27 AM PDT Following previous rumors that a bundle of the first three Devil May Cry games would be released this year to celebrate the series' 10-year anniversary, Capcom has announced it plans to bring out a remastered collection of all three next year. ESRB listings for the trio were updated not long ago with Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 being added as platforms, so we knew they would be coming in one form or another. Today's press release notes that they will be upgraded to feature HD graphics, bonus content of some kind, and Achievements/Trophies.

New York Comic Con 2011 Cosplay Photo Gallery Part 2 Posted: 17 Oct 2011 09:03 AM PDT GALLERY New York Comic Con 2011 Cosplay Photo Gallery Part 2 Here's more of the best cosplayers from days 2 & 3 of NYCC. VIEW AS:   List Slideshow Viewing: Page 1 / 2

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