General Gaming Article

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• Most Relaxing PC Games
• Manufacturing Defect Forces Intel to Delay Broadwell Until Q1 2014
• Roccat's First Mechanical Keyboard is Now Available in the U.S.
• AMD May Extend Never Settle Game Bundle to R200 Series Graphics Cards
• Microsoft is Sending Mixed Messages Regarding Security Essentials AV Protection
• Lenovo Launches 8-inch Miix2 Tablet with Bay Trail-T, Windows 8.1 for $299
• Enermax Gives Ostrog Mid-Tower Chassis a Pink Makeover
• Newegg Daily Deals: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 Motherboard, Dell UltraSharp 21.5-inch LCD, and More!

Most Relaxing PC Games Posted: 16 Oct 2013 04:30 PM PDT Calm things down with these PC games Though gaming is a hobby that holds different meanings for everyone, you can't deny it has a certain cathartic quality about it, especially when it comes to blowing off steam after a particularly hectic day. For some gamers, that means frantically blowing heads off of Nazi zombies, and for others it means exploring pixelated landscapes or managing a fictional city in a stress-free environment. For those looking to unwide with the latter group, we've compiled fifteen of the most relaxing PC games we could find. The titles cover a wide variety of genres and interests. So put those chainsaws and shotguns away for a minute and try to relax with these awesome, non-violent games.   Do you have a favorite relaxing game to unwind with? Give us your recommendations in the comments below.

Manufacturing Defect Forces Intel to Delay Broadwell Until Q1 2014 Posted: 16 Oct 2013 04:11 PM PDT The transition from 22nm to 14nm isn't as smooth as Intel hoped Intel this week told investors that the road to 14nm won't be without its bumps. Specifically, Intel has decided to delay its next generation processor architecture, codenamed Broadwell, until the first quarter of 2014, pushing the launch back by a quarter. Broadwell is based on a 14nm manufacturing process, which is quite a bit smaller than Haswell's 22nm process, and getting there has proven difficult. Intel Chief Brain Krzanich said the chip maker ran into a "defect density issue" negatively impacting yields, CNET reports. When something like that happens, Intel issues a series of fixes, but in this case, the fixes initially didn't improve things to Intel's satisfaction. However, Intel is confident it's resolved any issues facing Broadwell, hence a relatively short delay to market. "We have confidence the problem is fixed because we have data it is fixed," Krzanich said. "This happens sometimes in development phases like this. That's why we moved it a quarter." By transitioning all the way down to 14nm, Broadwell should allow for even smaller and thinner mobile devices, like Ultrabooks and tablets. Not only is it physically smaller, but it also consumes less power to allow for longer battery life and less stringent cooling needs. This delay, even though it's slight, comes at an unfortunate time as Intel gears up to do battle with ARM in mobile. At the same time, going down to 14nm puts Intel about a year ahead of the competition. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Roccat's First Mechanical Keyboard is Now Available in the U.S. Posted: 16 Oct 2013 01:12 PM PDT A full featured plank for gamers German peripheral maker Roccat continues to extend its product catalog onto U.S. shores and has now made available stateside its first ever mechanical keyboard series. Roccat's Ryos lines of keyboards use Cherry MX black key switches (linear, medium stiffness, and non-clicky), which are preferred by some gamers for their smooth key action. One of the three keyboards (Ryos MK Pro) also features individually illuminated keys, allowing for some nifty effects. If you wanted to, you could dedicate a section of the Ryos MK Pro's backlighting to coincide with your in-game character's health meter, to name one example of the possibilities. You could also configure certain keys to flash when you get hit by an object or enemy. The Ryos MK Pro packs dual 32-bit ARM Cortex processors (the second processor handles the per-key illumination) and 2MB of flash memory to store over 500 macros. There are eight dedicated marco keys, including three thumbster keys. Roccat's other two keyboards are the Ryos MK and Ryos MK Glow, the latter of which sports full backlighting in the color blue. Otherwise, they both are powered by an ARM chip, have 2MB of memory, dedicated macro keys, and the ability to interact with other Roccat devices via Easy-Shift[+] technology. The Ryos MK and MK Glow are available now for $100 and $140, respectively. The Ryos MK Pro will be available in November for $170. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

AMD May Extend Never Settle Game Bundle to R200 Series Graphics Cards Posted: 16 Oct 2013 12:06 PM PDT AMD isn't finished giving away games Traditionally speaking, bundled games with graphics cards have run the gamut from pretty crappy to totally awesome, with most skewed towards the former. Consistently leaning towards the latter, however, have been AMD's Never Settle bundles, in which Radeon HD graphics card owners have been rewarded some sweet titles. For the first time, it looks as though AMD's Never Settle Forever promotion will extend beyond the Radeon HD 7000 Series. AMD supposedly confirmed with wccftech.com that the Never Settle Forever bundle will soon include R200 Series graphics cards as well. If so, this will be a sweet deal that works the same for the new cards as it does for the older ones. By that we mean there will be three different reward tiers, including Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Those who quality for the Bronze tier can select one free title, those with a Silver badge can pick out two, and gamers who go for the gold will be able to select three titles from a catalog of up to nine different gamse. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Microsoft is Sending Mixed Messages Regarding Security Essentials AV Protection Posted: 16 Oct 2013 09:32 AM PDT He said, she said Tech savvy users know that it's not necessary to pay for antivirus protection. The question is, how reliable is Microsoft's own Security Essentials software? In our own tests, Security Essentials has performed fairly well in terms of protection, though its slow scan speed and limited feature-set don't put it at the front of the pack when compared with other free (and paid) AV solutions. What's confusing, however, is Microsoft's own opinion on the matter. There's an interesting article over on How-To Geek linking to some statements Microsoft recently made, and they're a bit contradictory. The first one points to comments Microsoft made to Dennis Technology Labs (DTL), a testing firm affiliated with PC Pro's publisher. Holly Stewart, senior program manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, told DTL that Microsoft had an "epiphany" a few years back that it needed to protect all Microsoft customers. Hence, Security Essentials emerged as a capable, free antivirus solution for Windows users. However, Stewart goes on to call Security Essentials a "baseline" AV, and by its nature and focus, it will "always be at the bottom" of AV tests. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement and it strongly suggests that a third-party AV is needed for proper protection. After Stewart made those comments, Microsoft felt compelled to post a blog entry reiterating its commitment to anti-malware protection. "We are fully committed to protecting our consumer and business customers from malware," Microsoft explains. "Our strong solutions provide the comprehensive defense needed against malicious code and attacks. Our support of anti-malware partners helps in building a strong and diverse ecosystem to fight malware." According to Microsoft, its investments over the past year have resulted in stronger protection with fewer false positives and fewer misses. In other words, Microsoft is saying that contrary to Stewart's comments, Security Essentials is awesome. Confusing, isn't it? That's part of the reason why Maximum PC conducts an AV roundup each year. If you missed our last one, be sure to give it a read. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Lenovo Launches 8-inch Miix2 Tablet with Bay Trail-T, Windows 8.1 for $299 Posted: 16 Oct 2013 09:00 AM PDT A tablet for work and play While Microsoft is still trying to sell the public on its Surface tablets, third-party OEM partners are forging ahead with their own Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 products, including Lenovo, which just unveiled its Miix 2, an 8-inch slate running Windows 8.1 with an Intel Bay Trail-T quad-core processor inside. It's also an aggressively priced tablet at just $299, and combined with its feature-set, this could be the Windows 8.1 tablet to beat. The Miix2 features an IPS display with a 1280x800 resolution (16:10), 10-point multitouch support, and 178-degree viewing angle. It has two cameras, including a 2MP front-facing lens and a 5MP rear-facing camera. It also boasts 2GB of LP-DDR3 memory, 32GB/64GB of eMMC storage, microSD card slot, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G connectivity, and up to 7 hours of battery life. That's a pretty decent foundation for a Windows 8.1 slate, and as an added bonus, it also comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013. The Miix2 will be available later this month for $299. Optional accessories such as a stylus and cover that doubles as a stand will also be available. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Enermax Gives Ostrog Mid-Tower Chassis a Pink Makeover Posted: 16 Oct 2013 07:43 AM PDT Pink is the new black? We received an email from Enermax letting us know that its Ostrog computer case is now available in pink (limited edition) with a white internal coating. At the bottom of the email is a taglines that reads, "Pink is the new black," which is news to us. More appropriate, however, is the timing of the launch, which just so happens to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). There's nothing in the materials we received to indicate Enermax was aware of the connection, but even if unintentional, it works. It might also work if you're in the market for a pink chassis, whether it's for yourself or a build for that special lady in your life (girlfriend, daughter, mother, etc). Color scheme aside, the Ostrog features screwless optical drive installation, seven expansion slots, bottom mounted PSU slot with rubber shock dampening pads, a removable dust filter (also at the bottom), removable hard drive cage to accommodate longer graphics cards, support for CPU coolers up to 174mm, cut-outs and bumps for cable management, and USB 3.0 support. The Ostrog Pink is available from Fry's for $70. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: ASRock Z87 Extreme4 Motherboard, Dell UltraSharp 21.5-inch LCD, and More! Posted: 16 Oct 2013 06:51 AM PDT Top Deal: There's nothing wrong with showing up fashionably late to the Haswell party, and if you're ready to take the plunge into 4th Generation Core processor territory, there are lots of motherboards to choose from. One of them is the topic of today's top deal, an ASRock Z87 Extreme4 mobo for $145 with free shipping (Free 4GB G.Skill DDR3-1866 with purchase, limited offer). One of the unique features of this board is that it's waterproof thanks to a special lyaer of Conformal Coating, so if you plan to water cool, you'll have a bit of peace of mind that a leak won't be the end of the world. Other Deals: AMD FX-8120 Zambezi 3.1GHz Socket AM3+ 125W Eight-Core Desktop Processor for $120 with free shipping (normally $140 - use coupon code: [1015HALLOWEEN14]) White Enermax Hoplite ST Mid Tower Computer Case for $55 with free shipping (normally $75 - use coupon code: [ECA3261WOCT]) Dell UltraSharp U2212HM Black 21.5-inch 8ms LCD Monitor for $171 with free shipping (normally $190 - use coupon code: [DELLUTRSP]) Seagate Momentus 1TB 5400 RPM 2.5-inch Internal Notebook Hard Drive for $80 with free shipping (Free Aluminum hard drive bay w/ purchase, limited offer)

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MMO Updates

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• Blizzard adds Cataclysm to WoW Battle Chest deal
• Player loots over $30K from a single kill on Planet Calypso
• Get in the spirit with TERA's Banquet of Blood trailer
• MMO Family: A cornucopia of kid-friendly Halloween events
• Solstice Arena comes to Steam
• The Daily Grind: What tale do you like to tell?
• Jukebox Heroes: Project Copernicus' soundtrack
• Trials of Ascension starting Kickstarter campaign on October 21st
• Pirate101 celebrates a birthday with headwear
• ESO interview dives deep into combat, rare weapons, and arenas
• Flameseeker Chronicles: How to win friends and influence Guild Wars 2's development
• The Soapbox: Game companies exist to make money
• EverQuest Next debates which small race will make the cut for launch
• Final Chinese Blade and Soul beta begins October 29th
• Hyperspace Beacon: Curbing expectations for SWTOR Galactic Starfighter
• Ubisoft delays The Crew's launch window
• Guild Wars 2 launches its Blood and Madness update

Blizzard adds Cataclysm to WoW Battle Chest deal Posted: 16 Oct 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business Models, Expansions, News Items You may have noticed that it's been a little while since that little game called World of Warcraft released -- almost nine years to be exact. And in that time, there have been four major expansions, each adding quite a bit to the game (not to mention their own price tags). So what's a new or long-absent returning player to do? Thanks to Blizzard adding the Cataclysm expansion to the basic Battle Chest edition, it won't be shelling out tons of cash to get caught up. As the previous expansions were already bundled into the basic edition, the $19.99 price tag now nets a player The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, and Cataclysm on top of the base game. Also included is one full month of subscription play time. Only the most recent expansion, Mists of Panderia, must still be purchased separately. So if you've been thinking about jumping (back) into WoW, now is a good time to take the plunge. Blizzard adds Cataclysm to WoW Battle Chest deal originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Oct 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Official announcement Via: Shack News

Player loots over $30K from a single kill on Planet Calypso Posted: 16 Oct 2013 09:30 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Entropia Universe, Free-to-Play, Planet Calypso, Sandbox Most players are pretty excited to get an epic weapon or piece of armor when fighting a massive world boss in other games, so just imagine the reaction if the loot chest overflowed with cold, hard cash. That's what happened to one player in Planet Calypso who walked away with $33,000 in cash for downing one of the toughest monsters in that game. Player Alan Akram of Norway, better known as Alan Krom in game, was on a quest to take down something big when he came across a Mulmun Looter Elite; with support healing from Karine Rikane, he was able to best the boss. Of his good fortune, Akram said, "I am stunned as I never expected a jackpot this massive and will definitely be playing this game for a long time." Want a jackpot of your own? Jump in and give it a go -- the windfalls of others do not impact players' chances of winning. [Source: Entropia Universe press release] Player loots over $30K from a single kill on Planet Calypso originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Oct 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Get in the spirit with TERA's Banquet of Blood trailer Posted: 16 Oct 2013 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, Events (In-Game), News Items, Free-to-Play, TERA The air is cooling, which means thoughts are turning to pumpkins, ghouls, and fun in-game events. And tomorrow kicks of TERA's Halloween celebration! You can get your fill of tricks and treats in a variety of events, from the Banquet of Blood (don't forget to include your weapon as part of your costume!) to protecting your candy stash with a cannon. With plenty of ghouls and ghosts to dispatch and Halloween-themed rewards to acquire, it's sure to be a spooktacular time. Get a sneak peek of the party in the trailer after the break and the four new images in the gallery below. [Source: En Mass Entertainment press release] Continue reading Get in the spirit with TERA's Banquet of Blood trailer Get in the spirit with TERA's Banquet of Blood trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Oct 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MMO Family: A cornucopia of kid-friendly Halloween events Posted: 16 Oct 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Super-hero, Events (In-Game), Free-to-Play, Free Realms, Kids, Wizard101, MMO Family, Family, Clone Wars Adventures, Miscellaneous, Pirate101 Part of the fun of MMOs is the chance to dress up our characters, so it's no surprise that the month of October is a big one for kid-friendly MMOs. There's a plethora of pumpkins, countless costumes, and copious amounts of creepy housing decor. And the vast tonnage of treats available makes those real-life treat bags look minuscule in comparison. In this week's MMO Family, we've got a roundup of several Halloween celebrations in kid-friendly games. And while most are about the "stuff," there are also several creative contests and events that are worth a look. Get your scare on below! Continue reading MMO Family: A cornucopia of kid-friendly Halloween events MMO Family: A cornucopia of kid-friendly Halloween events originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Solstice Arena comes to Steam Posted: 16 Oct 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: News Items, Free-to-Play, Casual, MOBA Growing older has two distinct disadvantages: responsibility and less free (game) time. This is where Zynga's mobile MOBA, Solstice Arena, really shines with its cross-platform access and average ten-minute match duration. It's the perfect answer for MOBA diehards who find themselves a little too busy for complexity and match length of the genre's bigger titles. And now the game is available and free-to-play on Steam. With the latest game updates, Solstice Arena comes to the PC today, opening up the game to a new branch of players and allowing their existing PC fans to play at the desktop. Despite its mobile roots, Solstice Arena boasts a lot of depth with its large selection of items and power ups, and the consistently (every two weeks) expanding hero selection. Each hero has multiple skills to utilize, as well as a variety of skins purchasable through the game. For those players more interested in quick games rather than depth, Solstice Arena provides a unique auto-buy feature that lets the player focus on the match instead of which items to purchase. The MOBA may not replace genre-fan favorites like League of Legends and SMITE, but Solstice does something well that other MOBAs haven't: gives players the power to take the game with them regardless of platform. Solstice Arena comes to Steam originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Oct 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What tale do you like to tell? Posted: 16 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous Everyone has a story. If you play MMOs, chances are you have many of them and you like to tell a few choice ones from time to time. Today, I'm inviting you to do so. One of my favorite stories comes from The Burning Crusade era in World of Warcraft. I played a Druid, and one day my guildmate Val was auto-following me to a dungeon while she was eating some dinner at the keyboard. Well, I couldn't resist tweaking her, so I juked quickly and jumped off a cliff, taking her character with me. My Druid shape-shifted into flight form instantly while Val went splatty-splat, with screams and laughter and curses pouring out of Vent at me. So what tale do you like to tell? Let's hear it today! 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: What tale do you like to tell? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Oct 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jukebox Heroes: Project Copernicus' soundtrack Posted: 15 Oct 2013 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Jukebox Heroes Out of the many tragedies that emerged from the 38 Studios fiasco was the fact that so much artistry was ultimately abandoned, unseen, and unheard by players. I can't imagine what it would be like to be a composer who spent months working on a full MMO score only to have the studio tank and the music silenced. Well, I can't bring back 38 Studios or Project Copernicus, but today we can at least hear a little of the music that went into the game. As a helpful commenter noted in the Sound Cloud column a couple of weeks ago, Composer Gene Rozenberg of The Witcher 3 fame posted a heap of the (then upcoming) Project Copernicus score on his page. Since it's still there, although not downloadable, I wanted to highlight a few of the best tracks before this too gets erased. Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Project Copernicus' soundtrack Jukebox Heroes: Project Copernicus' soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Trials of Ascension starting Kickstarter campaign on October 21st Posted: 15 Oct 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, PvP, Sandbox, Crowdfunding "True permadeath" sandbox MMO Trials of Ascension has finally set a date for the start of its Kickstarter campaign: October 21st. Over the past few months, the team has been gauging interest in the project, promising a crowdfunding campaign if enough folks seemed behind it. Apparently there were and so here we are. Trials of Ascension features a complex fantasy environment full of crafting, building, and consequences for one's actions. Players will have to create their own spell books to use magic and will face the real possibility of being wounded and afflicted long after a battle is over. [Thanks to Android for the tip!] Trials of Ascension starting Kickstarter campaign on October 21st originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kickstarter date announced

Pirate101 celebrates a birthday with headwear Posted: 15 Oct 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Anniversaries, Pirate101 It's been a year on the high seas for Pirate101, and the development team is in a celebratory mood. it's understandable considering how many games don't make it to a year or even out of beta. So from now until October 31st it's time to revel in all the birthday celebrations you want, starting with an entire game decked out in birthday regalia. Which will look a little odd next to the usual pumpkins, but whatever. The game is also offering two bits of accoutrement for players, veterans and novices alike. All players are eligible to receive a free birthday hat, and the game will also sell a birthday cake eyepatch in the cash shop for a limited time. (The eyepatch looks exactly like you would expect something with that name to look, if it was unclear.) So kick back and enjoy some piratical birthday bliss with a new hat. Pirate101 celebrates a birthday with headwear originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Birthday announcement

ESO interview dives deep into combat, rare weapons, and arenas Posted: 15 Oct 2013 02:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, PvP, News Items, PvE, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription, MMORPG The folks over at ShoddyCast recently sat down with Nick Konkle, lead gameplay designer for The Elder Scrolls Online, and spent about an hour peppering him with questions about features, mechanics, and other cool stuff. Among the topics discussed? Why combat in ESO feels "floatier" than it does in other Elder Scrolls games, whether the game will see an arena or dueling system, and whether devout players can expect to see exceptionally rare and unique items. Also: horse armor. Konkle noted that the team at ZeniMax Online has been working on making combat feel more forceful and that the criticisms of the system were mostly aimed at earlier builds of the game. He was cagey on the subject of arenas, explaining that while an arena system may come via DLC or post-launch content, players shouldn't expect to see it on day one. As for rare items, Konkle explained endgame adventuring will present opportunities to claim very unique and rare items. The full video is worth the watch if you're excited or curious about ESO. Check it out after the break. Continue reading ESO interview dives deep into combat, rare weapons, and arenas ESO interview dives deep into combat, rare weapons, and arenas originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ShoddyCast

Flameseeker Chronicles: How to win friends and influence Guild Wars 2's development Posted: 15 Oct 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Buy-to-Play By the time this article goes to press, it'll be Halloween in Guild Wars 2. No, not October 31st; a little known fact is that Halloween actually encompasses the entire month of October and is allowed to sneakily take over part of September if you're particularly excited about it or even seep into November if you're having difficulty letting go. Since it's too early to carve pumpkins and expect them to still be around at the end of the month, MMOs are great places to get your scary on without spending a lot of money on perishable gourds or "stocking up early" on bags of candy that will also mysteriously disappear by the 31st (pro tip: blame ghosts). In the meantime, though, I have one more week before this column can officially turn into the Fearspooky Creepicles and it becomes professionally acceptable to devote at least 200 words to candy corn (note to self: double check with lead editors [Editor's note: /approved! -Bree]). So let's discuss something awesome that's happening on the GW2 official forums under the direction of ArenaNet's Studio Design Director, Chris Whiteside. Let's talk about collaborative development. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: How to win friends and influence Guild Wars 2's development Flameseeker Chronicles: How to win friends and influence Guild Wars 2's development originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: Game companies exist to make money Posted: 15 Oct 2013 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous I'm going to start this article off with a statement, and it's going to be divisive, but not for the reasons you might expect. A good chunk of you reading this are going to read the line, roll your eyes, and immediately think that I've just written the most obvious thing ever. Some of you might even take to the comments to start calling for my termination just from this line alone. Ready for this? Game companies exist to make money. All right, so it was probably all of you rolling your eyes. This is pretty basic stuff, right? Except I'm willing to bet that some of you who rolled your eyes at that sentence still don't really get it. You understand that companies are trying to make money, but you don't really grasp what that means in a larger sense. So let's just accept that some of you are going to read this article and nod along the whole time without learning a whole lot. The rest of you will head to the comments and start demanding my head. Continue reading The Soapbox: Game companies exist to make money The Soapbox: Game companies exist to make money originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EverQuest Next debates which small race will make the cut for launch Posted: 15 Oct 2013 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Free-to-Play, Races, EverQuest Next, Dev Diaries The EverQuest Next team is tackling the issue of smaller races and is using a round table poll as a way to assist the devs in deciding which iconic shorties should make it to launch. While Dwarves are a given for a launch race, several other short races are up in the air as to whether they'll make it in the initial cut of the game or be held back until later. Fae and Gnomes ended up at the top of the poll, while Ratongas and Froglocks tied for last place. The devs were surprised by how popular the Fae ended up being in the poll, which in turn caused them to take a closer look at their potential as a launch race. One of the issues that the team is grappling with is the difficulty in giving shorter races the new "heroic movement" that will take place in EQN. Watch the debate after the cut! Continue reading EverQuest Next debates which small race will make the cut for launch EverQuest Next debates which small race will make the cut for launch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: EQN Round Table

Final Chinese Blade and Soul beta begins October 29th Posted: 15 Oct 2013 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Blade & Soul, MMORPG Blade and Soul is moving ever closer to release, at least in China. Tencent has confirmed that the final closed beta test for the game will go live on October 29th. The beta will roll out in two steps that should be familiar to weary MMO beta warriors. First, early access codes will be required to enter the beta. After an unspecified period of time, everyone else can join up. Accounts created during this last closed beta test will not be deleted; progress will remain when open beta launches a few weeks/months later. According to Tencent, all characters will be kept unless there is a "major" change to the game. If you're not in China but are hoping to join the closed beta test, you can earn a chance to win a code by visiting the official Chinese site and voting for your favorite character. Final Chinese Blade and Soul beta begins October 29th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: MMOSite Via: Steparu

Hyperspace Beacon: Curbing expectations for SWTOR Galactic Starfighter Posted: 15 Oct 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Expansions, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, MMORPG After the announcement last week about the Star Wars: The Old Republic super-secret space project, I wanted to jump up and down, shouting from the roof tops about how BioWare has done something right. BioWare has given small indications of how it was listening to fans, starting with the size of lightsaber hilts up to dyeable lore-based gear. However, in this column, I want to give a balanced report of what's happening in SWTOR. Although the next expansion, Galactic Starfighter, tops nearly everything SWTOR has ever implemented to date, I think we should have realistic expectations for the upcoming expansion. Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Curbing expectations for SWTOR Galactic Starfighter Hyperspace Beacon: Curbing expectations for SWTOR Galactic Starfighter originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ubisoft delays The Crew's launch window Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Real-Life, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play I can't wait to play Ubisoft's open-world racing MMO called The Crew. Unfortunately, it looks as if I'll be waiting longer than I first thought now that the firm has delayed the title's launch to sometime during fiscal year 2014 to 2015 (that's April 2014 to March 2015 if your business-speak is rusty). The Crew, which was announced earlier this year at E3, was originally scheduled for an early 2014 launch. "Our long term goal is to win the next generation," Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot explained. "The tough decisions we are taking today to fully realize the major potential of our new creations have an impact on our short-term performance. We are convinced that, longer term, they will prove to be the right decisions both in terms of satisfaction for our fans and in terms of value creation for our shareholders. We are building franchises that will become perennial pillars of UbiSoft's financial performance." Ubisoft delays The Crew's launch window originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Ubisoft release Via: Joystiq

Guild Wars 2 launches its Blood and Madness update Posted: 15 Oct 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Buy-to-Play It's that time again in Guild Wars 2. The crisp scents of fall and candy corn are in the air, and everyone's getting ready for another appearance by Mad King Thorn. But the newest patch, Blood and Madness, is turning things on its ear by introducing Thorn's son, Bloody Prince Edrick, which will throw the already chaotic festival into... further chaos? Chaos is generally pretty boolean; things are chaotic or they aren't. As expected, there's a guide available for those who want to get the most out of this latest update. Even if you're not interested in the dose of story that goes along with the update, you can enjoy the holiday event, and you can also enjoy the other features added with the patch. World vs. World is getting its first competitive season along with a slew of reward improvements, and combat balance has been adjusted to make all classes a bit more fun to play. Check out the full patch notes for more details, and go get yourself some candy corn. Guild Wars 2 launches its Blood and Madness update originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Blood and Madness patch notes, Blood and Madness guide

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