Whether or not Microsoft's upcoming Surface tablets go on to disrupt the tablet market, one thing's for sure: their release will change the company's relationship with PC manufacturers forever. PC vendors have already started voicing their discomfort with Microsoft's decision to enter the tablet market with its own devices, which it says are "built to [...]
On the Surface, Microsoft is hoping its tablet strategy will ignite Windows 8 in the mobile space and steal a slice of Apple’s market share pie, but at what cost? It’s not an insignificant question. Microsoft relies on its hardware partners to drive its Windows platforms, and by taking the reigns and racing alongside them, [...]
I’ve wanted to replay the original Metal Gear Solid for the last five years. I used to play through it every fall. I’m a nostalgic guy, and autumn reminds of when I first played the fantastic stealth game one Halloween almost fifteen years ago. Finding free time to revisit Shadow Moses Island has been tricky [...]
Sound Shapes is a simple platformer that incorporates music in such a significant way, that it feels like a rhythm game, but without the need for all that pesky rhythm. You play as a little ball with a dot on it, sticking to walls and jumping between platforms on a journey to collect notes. As [...]
As a general rule, licensed games tend to be poorly made, slapdash affairs looking to cash in on a brand rather than build upon it. Game development is a business first and foremost, after all, so why bother creating a superior product for an established brand when an inferior one will sell just as well? [...]
Mega Bloks World of Warcraft toy line is now available in stores across Canada, the United States, The United Kingdom, and online in Germany. Are you getting one? I think the Sindragosa and the Lich King looks like something I might like to get. Here is a video review of the Deathwing’s Stormwind Assault by [...]
Whether or not Microsoft's upcoming Surface tablets go on to disrupt the tablet market, one thing's for sure: their release will change the company's relationship with PC manufacturers forever. PC vendors have already started voicing their discomfort with Microsoft's decision to enter the tablet market with its own devices, which it says are "built to [...]
On the Surface, Microsoft is hoping its tablet strategy will ignite Windows 8 in the mobile space and steal a slice of Apple’s market share pie, but at what cost? It’s not an insignificant question. Microsoft relies on its hardware partners to drive its Windows platforms, and by taking the reigns and racing alongside them, [...]
I’ve wanted to replay the original Metal Gear Solid for the last five years. I used to play through it every fall. I’m a nostalgic guy, and autumn reminds of when I first played the fantastic stealth game one Halloween almost fifteen years ago. Finding free time to revisit Shadow Moses Island has been tricky [...]
Sound Shapes is a simple platformer that incorporates music in such a significant way, that it feels like a rhythm game, but without the need for all that pesky rhythm. You play as a little ball with a dot on it, sticking to walls and jumping between platforms on a journey to collect notes. As [...]
As a general rule, licensed games tend to be poorly made, slapdash affairs looking to cash in on a brand rather than build upon it. Game development is a business first and foremost, after all, so why bother creating a superior product for an established brand when an inferior one will sell just as well? [...]
Mega Bloks World of Warcraft toy line is now available in stores across Canada, the United States, The United Kingdom, and online in Germany. Are you getting one? I think the Sindragosa and the Lich King looks like something I might like to get. Here is a video review of the Deathwing’s Stormwind Assault by [...]
Players waiting to build and own their own allod can finally dig in and start construction as Allods Online's expansion New Horizons launched today. Besides the ability to own your own personal island, the expansion also introduces a rebalanced Psionicist class, the ability to change factions, and a new draconic aspect. Check out these features and more in the new trailer after the break.
In addition, as part of the celebration of opening the new North American server Avilon, players who log into the game for at least one hour from August 8th through the 21st are entered into a raffle each day for a chance to win real prizes. Check out the official announcement for full details about the lottery and prizes.
For more details about the expansion, read Massively's exclusive interview. And be sure to stay tuned for A Rise and Shiny revisit to the game later in the week.
Although there isn't a great deal of information out yet about Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming 2.0 patch dubbed A Realm Reborn, fans are being treated to CGI trailers to help build anticipation. Two weeks ago, Square-Enix revealed the first trailer; now, the studio has released a second trailer that sports a more traditional Final Fantasy feel. This trailer may be relatively short, but it packs in a variety of action clips as well as footage of Limsa Lominsa under fire.
Watch fireballs rain down in the video after the break as excitement grows for the this next FFXIV update.
As Lord of the Rings Online's expansion Riders of Rohan gallops closer, Turbine has released another video developer diary, this time focusing on the look of the warsteeds. The major revelation in this dev diary is that the warsteeds will be customizable in both appearance (with slots for individual armor pieces) and skills. And the three different types of warsteeds -- light, medium, and heavy -- will have different strengths and trait trees; as players level, they will gain points to allocate into those trees.
The studio also released a host of screenshots showcasing the epic story of the fellowship. In the expansion, players will be able to take part in the iconic moments that lead to the breaking of the Fellowship as well as take up arms to help the Lords of Rohan defend their lands. Players will witness Frodo Baggins wrestle with the decision of which path to take on his way to Mordor and experience the fall and then redemption of Boromir.
Visit the familiar places of Middle-earth in the screenshots below and then watch the full video ofter the break.
What's going on with Firefall lately? Only the biggest patch in the title's history, according to Red 5'sJames Macauley.
"We wanted to make the game more competitive, more skill-based. We wanted to reward you for your level of mastery," Macauley explains. Core combat has been completely overhauled, and everything from run speed to jump height, jump jets, weapons, and abilities were tweaked. The dev team even added the new Biotech class.
Player progression was also adjusted via the removal of traditional levels in favor of battleframe tiers. The changes are designed to put advancement choices in the hands of players rather than forcing everyone along the same pre-determined path.
Firefall's extreme makeover also includes new crafting functionality and a 3-D battleframe garage instead of the old paperdoll loadout screen. More changes are detailed in the full dev diary video which you can view after the cut.
I've given Paragon Studios a lot of grief over the past year and a half or so. I don't think this is unwarranted; the studio is still feeling out how City of Heroes works in the free-to-play marketplace, and part of my job as an opinion columnist is to occasionally mention that the emperor's new dress code could use the addition of some actual clothes. But we're still talking about a game I like run by a studio I like and staffed with people genuinely attempting to make the game as good as it can be.
So when I have the opportunity to give the team behind City of Heroes props, I'll take it. And this week, I can give it props for a bad idea and then further props for apparently realizing that this was a bad idea. I'm talking about the Tweet Code Thursday giveaways that the community team had been running via social networking. It's an idea that deserves tons of respect for the attempt and tons more respect for the cessation of same.
Want to play Guild Wars 2? Too bad, you've got another 17 days until the headstart. Want to at least look at the box? We can help with that. Felicia Day, who voices the iconic Asura Zojja in Guild Wars 2, received an extra early copy of the collector's edition box and put up a video of its unboxing for all the Internet to enjoy. Jelly? We are too!
The collector's edition includes a physical copy of the game, a 10-inch figurine of Rytlock Brimstone, a making-of book, an art frame with five prints to put in it, and a soundtrack. Additionally, owners of both the collector's and digital deluxe editions will receive in-game perks: a miniature Rytlock, a golem banker, a chalice of glory, a tome of influence, and a unique elite skill to summon a Mistfire Wolf.
Skip below the jump to watch Felicia unveil the CE box and contents.
Revenues were down 12% from last year to $130 million, of which a vast majority came from NCsoft's online titles. The company stated that it dipped into the red due to rising labor costs, an increased marketing budget for Blade & Soul's Korean launch, and the acquisition of Ntreev. Aion was also blamed for the company's financial woes, as revenues in that title steeply decreased due to fewer microtransaction sales.
Both Lineage titles comprised a great share of the company's revenues, with the first game producing 45% of sales and the sequel 13%.
NCsoft said that it is banking on Guild Wars 2 to produce a profitable third quarter, however.
Gameforge explained the decision in a statement: "Since autumn 2011 we made many efforts to find a publishing and marketing partner for Star Trek: Infinite Space. Unfortunately, our efforts were not successful. So we have decided with a heavy heart to finally abandon the project Star Trek: Infinite Space."
Infinite Space was to be a browser-based title set in the war-torn Deep Space Nine era of Star Trek. The publisher had obtained the assistance of Trek staples such as Nana Visitor, Denise and Michael Okuda, and René Auberjonois.
Oh my goodness, it's a Harry Potter clone in the middle of my Secret World play experience! My illusion of reality is shattered, and now I see the game for what it is: a collection of GOTO programming commands and impersonal variables.
OK, maybe it isn't that extreme, but I think we've all had moments in our games when someone does or says something to rip us right out of our immersion groove. Maybe it's an eye-rolling name, the game breaking the fourth wall to wink at us, or a streaker going through an RP wedding.
Today we want to hear tales from your playtime: What ruins your immersion? What happened to shatter the veil of fiction that you wrap around yourself every day?
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!
Do you enjoy getting your face smashed in by an oversized pillar-wielding colossus? How about being swallowed whole and regurgitated by a gigantic frog? Does the idea of getting pulverized between the metal mitts of a robotic construct get you excited? If you answered "Yes!" to any of these questions, then you'll want to take a look at upcoming free-to-play MMO RaiderZ.
Fighting big, bad boss monsters is the focus of this action-oriented game. North American publisher Perfect World Entertainment urges players to "hunt together or die alone." You'll need to time attacks and dodges to avoid getting smashed to smithereens by the denizens of Rendel. To aid you in your quest, you'll form hunting parties with 15 of your closest friends in order to slay the toughest monsters RaiderZ has to offer. If you're victorious, you can gather up bits of flesh and bone to craft new and more powerful weapons.
Massively recently had the chance to adventure through RaiderZ's closed beta test, and we brought back a detailed video of our impressions of the game so far. We cover the core concepts of combat, skill progression, questing, and crafting in order to illustrate what this MMO is all about. It's just past the break!
The past month has been a quiet one for Fallen Earth on the update front. As the latest development blog entry explains, this was largely due to the team working on clearing out some persistent bugs and improving the overall quality of life for players. But there are new updates in the works, and the blog entry explains that the game's next major update is right around the corner, complete with powerful new weapons for players to assemble.
Of course, you can't expect for these new weapons to just drop into your lap. So it probably comes as no real surprise that the components needed for the powerful G.O.R.E. weapons can be found in an old GlobalTech dump site that now hosts a creeper den guarded by the massive Crabbahoak. Or that the Cult of the Dead has sprung up again to use the G.O.R.E. technology to further its own ends. In other words, it's going to be quite a struggle to get these new weapons -- and that's the way that most Fallen Earth players would prefer it to be.
If you've had your calendars marked for Vanguard's F2P launch on August 14th, you might want to get out your eraser. As of today, SOE has soft launched the title's free-to-play version for any and all to enjoy. Along with the soft launch comes a shiny new website to mark the occasion.
Vanguard's latest update also marks the beginning of the in-game marketplace, freedom from race and class restrictions, and a massive sweep of re-itemization.
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.
Semantic shift is a phrase I've recently acquired for whenever I want to sound insufferable at parties. It refers to the phenomenon of a word's usage changing over time, sometimes to the point that it's completely the opposite of whatever it originally meant.
I believe that the word "quest" has undergone a semantic shift in the MMO community (and video games at large). What once had roots in the long, difficult journeys that take place in life and fiction has quickly become reduced to a trivial task of gathering, killing, or clicking in-game. The sheer volume of such quests and that meaninglessness of their charges has reduced the word to bargain basement kitsch. If we're supposed to be heroes, why then are so many of the quests we're given are no more exciting than going to the grocery store?
"Quest" as a word has lost much respect in the community, almost completing its semantic shift such that it's almost pejorative. Yet there is a movement right now to reclaim the word and restore it to its proper meaning, and it's happening right in front of our eyes.
Guardians in Lord of the Rings Online are tanks. That's pretty much their entire purpose in life. But with the upcoming Riders of Rohan expansion, the class is seeing a substantial revision that will allow it to also take on a DPS role. The latest development blog on the class explains the new skills that Guardian players can look forward to as well as the changes implemented to allow Guardians a different role in groups.
The biggest change is the removal of Parry Stance and the addition of Overpower Stance, which grants all of the benefits of the old stance as well as increased damage and lowered damage mitigation. Several skills also have new or enhanced effects in Overpower Stance. Furthermore, Guardians will receive a new Legendary Trait to improve bleed effects and a few improvements to threat generation. Players anxious to see what new tricks are granted to the familiar tank-heavy class should look at the full blog for the details on the alterations.
My guild does what I like to call "recreational PvP." Even though I guess all MMO PvP is technically recreational, we do it just for fun, not as some sort of competitive sport. For example, we love the PvP warzones in Star Wars: The Old Republic. I think we settled on Novare Coast as our favorite, but really it's hard to choose. But inevitably, at least one person will cringe in voice chat when we see that we are queued up for Huttball. I'll even do it, and I'm actually a huge fan of the zone. So why the Huttball hate?
Even if half of the team is pre-made in random 16-man groups, it's difficult to coordinate, and in a game like Huttball where strategy is extremely important, a few uneducated players can break the team. I guess that's why I'm making this tiny guide: I'm tired of losing at Huttball. Perhaps if I pass out some tips on the game, the teams will at least be more evenly matched. After losing so many matches, I've picked up on some things that fool unprepared teams every time, and today I'm outlining them right here. Next time you're in a match, you can either use my tips yourself or not be fooled when another team employs these tricks.
Look up in the midnight sky! It's a stealth bomber! It's an owl! It's... Nighthawk!
Today we welcome to the show Champions Online Executive Producer Brad Stokan, who's got the inside scoop on superheroes and their secret identities. Then we've got earth-shattering news to cover and an avalanche of listener emails. Prepare to have your eardrums blown, for this is Massively Speaking: Epic Edition!
Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes. [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. Listen here on the page:
If you think you're ready to hop into the cockpit of a giant robot in MechWarrior Online and go out there all guns a-blazing, think again. You first need to learn how to pilot such a machine, which the developers say is quite unlike your traditional MMO avatar or vehicle.
For one thing, you need to consider that parts of the 'Mech work independently of each other. You can be going in one direction, have your torso twisted to face another, and have your arms moving in yet another. Plus, there is the issue of heat generation -- and shutdown -- to consider.
So take a moment to brush up on these basics with a developer video on the subject after the jump. Your life may just depend on it.
Earlier this summer, we told you about Sony Online Entertainment's new SOEmote facial recognition technology. Today you can try it out for yourself in the company's flagship EverQuest II MMORPG.
SOE has partnered with ImageMetrics to bring the new tech to end-users and their in-game avatars. It's not limited to facial expressions, though. New voice fonts allow players to sound like their characters, too. "For gamers, and especially roleplayers, the more immersive the experience, the better the game. SOE is using Live Driver in SOEmote to unlock levels of expression and interaction between EQII players that simply haven't been possible until now," said Robert Gehorsam, CEO of Image Metrics.
SOE is also sponsoring a competition for the most creative SOEmote videos. Submit your 30-second clip for a chance to win a trip for two to SOE Live (formerly known as Fan Faire) in Las Vegas.
With Guild Wars 2's launch mere weeks away, hunting down the ArenaNet team at tradeshows may be the last thing from your mind. Still, there are those inquisitive souls who like to keep tabs on their favorite studio appearances, and for them the company posted a list of shows that it will be attending.
While ArenaNet will have a presence at Gamescom, it will be demo-free and far more casual in tone. The studio will also be making an appearance at the Gamestop Expo on August 29th for five hours. This appearance will feature several demo machines for those still on the fence about Guild Wars 2. Due to the launch, ArenaNet decided not to go to PAX but is instead hosting a party off-site on September 1st to celebrate the game's release.
ArenaNet also commented on why it's sticking with DX9 for GW2 instead of DX11: "Our goal with GW2 has always been to provide a gorgeous fantasy world while at the same time running on a wide range of gaming PCs. Focusing on DX9 allows us to do this, as it's a much wider supported graphics API than DX11 is and we wanted our game to reach as many of our fans as possible. We will be evaluating supporting DX11 post launch."
I see a lot of questions about whether or not people who want to play Guild Wars 2 should jump into the original in the (increasingly diminishing) time left before launch. I don't think there's really a one-size-fits-all answer to that question. For those of you who are worried about missing a bunch of lore and history, however, I can do a little to help with an introduction to Tyria, its history, and the events leading up to Guild Wars 2. This won't be exhaustive (see the word brief in the title?), but it might help you understand what the dragon nonsense is about and what's going on with the world you're stepping into. Except where events had exceptional impact, this focuses mostly on what happened in the continent (not the entire world) of Tyria.
I hope it goes without saying that there are lore spoilers ahead, as well as Guild Wars campaign spoilers.
City of Heroes just keeps on rolling, and the latest update to the eight-year-old superhero MMO takes the form of Issue 24: Resurgence. The Praetorian War has ended, and players will enjoy new power sets, missions, and content across the game's extensive progression range.
CoH fans can also take part in three new story arcs that deal with the loss of iconic heroes Statesman and Sister Psyche. The update is free for everyone, but VIP players will have access to a new Incarnate story arc, new abilities, and a new tier nine Tech Knight costume.
Gamescom is coming next week, and most major publishers are gearing up to make the trip. The latest announcement comes to us from Trion, which is showing its stable of games including RIFT, End of Nations, Defiance, and Warface.
Next week's convention will mark the "consumer debut" of RIFT'sStorm Legion expansion, and MMORTS End of Nations will be playable on a massive 24-PC setup. Defiance is bringing "previously unseen PvP gameplay" to the table, while Warface will be presented inside a giant helicopter-themed display arena.
Perfect World is heading to Gamescom next week, and the company is bringing its highly anticipated Neverwinter MMO along for the ride.
A company press release promises "an exclusive first-look at unseen content with new features being revealed." A public event set in the Black Dagger Ruins will be playable. The event, called Storming the Keep, requires players to join forces and reclaim a fortress that has been overrun by bandits.
Neverwinter was originally designed as a five-player dungeon crawl. Perfect World has since expanded the concept into a full-fledged free-to-play MMO based in Dungeons and Dragons' Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
In addition to the new Realm of Reflections zone and new seasonal quests, new rewards have been added for the Nine Trials, and a weekly PvP event is now featured in the high-level Morai zone. But the new content update isn't just giving new toys to the big kids. Changes are also being made to mid-level quests, the newbie-level experience is being streamlined, and a new way to gain XP is getting tossed into the mix.
Check out the gallery below for some previews of what awaits you in Reflections.
[Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
Twitter was abuzz this morning when a Star Wars: The Old Republic lead writer posted a cryptic message. "SIS Intel Report: Rumors indicate Czerka research vessel 'Theoretika' has been located by deep-space salvage team. Investigating," Hall Hood announced on his account.
Speculation abounded from many of his followers and fans of the game; the biggest theory revolved around a possible live event. Unfortunately for SWTOR players who scoured planet after planet searching for new content, Hood later tweeted, "Just to clarify: I was only giving a little preview of future content. I would never announce an in-game event on Twitter." We are disappoint.
However, Hood did give us a bit of joy when the tweeters proposed that it might be a new flashpoint. Hood answered that suggestion with, "Not exactly. You'll see very soon, I hope." Does that mean SWTOR will announce 1.4 content soon? We have our fingers crossed.
Stay tuned for more SWTOR news, and be sure to catch our weekly Hyperspace Beacon column later today.
In what Chief Executive Victor Kislyi explained as a means to remain in control of the studio's own destiny, Wargaming.net has acquired BigWorld, an Australian online-game software maker, for $45 million. The move was to bring one of the publisher's critical tools in-house; previously, BigWorld supplied Wargaming with with its technology platform. Kislyi states, "This [is] very crucial for us, as we want to control the technology provider we are using. Now we can integrate them to make internal development more efficient."
Kislyi assures that Wargaming will continue to support Bigworld's current customers and indicates that in the future, the studio may be in the position to offer technology of the combined companies to others wanting to develop an MMO.
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 
