MMO Updates

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• Choose My Adventure: Defiance edition
• War Thunder to be playable via OnLive's CloudLift sub service
• Carbine announces WildStar name and guild reservation deets
• Tempest of Strife showcases Age of Wushu's weather events
• The Daily Grind: What's your favorite vanity pet?
• World of Warcraft takes you on a tour of Spires of Arak's art
• Massively Speaking Episode 296: We are Legion
• Massively Exclusive: Aura Kingdom's Dark Legion content update
• EverQuest Next's designers discuss rebooting a classic franchise via lore
• DC Universe Online launches Amazon Fury Part I
• World of Warcraft drops to 7.6 million subscribers
• Jukebox Heroes: Elder Scrolls Online's soundtrack
• Star Citizen's latest video Q&A talks used ships, collisions, and more
• Dota 2's playerbase tops World of Warcraft's subscribership
• EVE Online is 11 years old today
• Kotick says Destiny is a '$500 million bet' [Update: Beta coming in July]

Choose My Adventure: Defiance edition Posted: 07 May 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Opinion, Hands-On, MMOFPS, Choose My Adventure, Defiance A funny thing happened last week after I decided to play Trion Worlds' Defiance for this month's Choose My Adventure: Trion announced the game will go full free-to-play! Should I consider this perfect timing to show off the game a bit before the transition? Yes, yes I should. But before I can jump into the game, guns blazing, we have some work to do. Follow along after the cut to vote on how I'll play Defiance throughout the month of May. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Defiance edition Choose My Adventure: Defiance edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

War Thunder to be playable via OnLive's CloudLift sub service Posted: 07 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Historical, Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, War, Free-to-Play Gaijin Entertainment has just announced that War Thunder, its WWII combat sim, will join games like Saints Row IV and Batman: Arkham City on OnLive's new subscription service, CloudLift. While the game itself will remain free-to-play, those who make use of CloudLift's services will be able to play the game from a toaster. OK, maybe not a toaster, but darn close: New and existing players of the game will be able to play their game wherever they choose, without needing to re-download the full game client. All progress and purchases are synced in the cloud so the player can move between devices seamlessly. Playing War Thunder through CloudLift also massively lowers the recommended PC or Mac specification while still delivering smooth 720p60 graphics and NVIDIA enhanced effects. The game can even be played on an Android tablet using a Bluetooth controller, making the game mobile for the first time. CloudLift normally costs $7.95 US per month but has a free trial for those who just want to check out how well it works. We've also got a video embedded below showing off the game as played on an Android tablet. [Source: OnLive/Gaijin press release] Continue reading War Thunder to be playable via OnLive's CloudLift sub service War Thunder to be playable via OnLive's CloudLift sub service originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Carbine announces WildStar name and guild reservation deets Posted: 07 May 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, WildStar, Subscription Carbine has sent out emails detailing its character and guild name reservation policy for WildStar. Reservations are available for pre-order customers only, and pre-ordering ends on May 23rd. We're excited to announce that on May 8th, we will be starting Open Beta! Through May 18th, you'll be able to continue to explore Nexus up to level 30, and get familiar with exploring, fighting and questing as we make our way towards head start and launch! As part of pre-ordering WildStar, you'll be able to make an even bigger mark on Nexus by registering one character and one guild name prior to launch! That means your desired name will be safer than a datachron in a Draken's dreadlocks. Try saying that three times fast. The name reservation page will only be available from May 13th through May 23rd, so be sure you check back to the site early so you can get your top choice, as reservations are first come, first serve. We will also have a FAQ section on the name reservation page that'll fill you in on all of your questions, including name restrictions, which servers the name will be saved to, and more. See you on Nexus! Carbine announces WildStar name and guild reservation deets originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: ZAM

Tempest of Strife showcases Age of Wushu's weather events Posted: 07 May 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Previews, PvP, Free-to-Play, Sandbox, Age of Wushu With Tempest of Strife rolling out today, Age of Wushu players will be able to experience the sandbox in a whole new way. In fact, it is considered AoW 2.0 by the community. This expansion not only ushers in six additional factions (including a healing class and a group of scheming eunuchs) and their corresponding headquarters but also introduces the ability to change factions or belong to two at once. Additionally, dynamic weather will alter the environment, and special raid-type events will randomly accompany the weather changes. It all sounds pretty intriguing, no? Thanks to a recent walkthrough, I was able to get a taste of what players can expect when they log in to Tempest of Strife. And while the depth that the new faction features add is pretty impressive, the weather raids stole the show. Continue reading Tempest of Strife showcases Age of Wushu's weather events Tempest of Strife showcases Age of Wushu's weather events originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What's your favorite vanity pet? Posted: 07 May 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous What does a vanity pet do for my gameplay? If we're talking about adding to my combat potential, it does absolutely nothing. But if we're talking about providing bragging rights, companionship, amusement value, and another layer of personal customization, such a pet has plenty to offer. Right now my favorite vanity pet is probably the Super Adventure Box spider mini in Guild Wars 2. Not only does it look totally rad in a 16-bit way, but it occasionally does breakdancing even in the midst of dire peril. Dancing retro spider with sunglasses, that's a win any way I look at it. What's your favorite vanity pet? Why do you enjoy it? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: What's your favorite vanity pet? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of Warcraft takes you on a tour of Spires of Arak's art Posted: 06 May 2014 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Fantasy, Video, Expansions, Previews, Dev Diaries, Subscription The art team at Blizzard is proud to present and pontificate on the creation behind one of Warlords of Draenor's new zones: Spires of Arak. "When we started working on Spires of Arak, we only had some basic ideas: tall rocky spires jutting out of a dense forest," Senior Art Director Chris Robinson said in today's dev blog. Spires of Arak is what later on becomes World of Warcraft's Terokkar Forest, but the team had to create its own individual look which included working on "large spiky rocks." The art team detailed the journey that went into choosing the style and making it happen and included a video of this creation process that you can watch after the jump. Continue reading World of Warcraft takes you on a tour of Spires of Arak's art World of Warcraft takes you on a tour of Spires of Arak's art originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dev blog

Massively Speaking Episode 296: We are Legion Posted: 06 May 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Podcasts, MMO Industry, News Items, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous There's always an uproar somewhere in the MMO community, and most of the time you don't have to go looking for it -- it will find you. Sometimes it's fun to roar back at the uproar, which is the task that the hosts have taken up with gusto for this week's show. Get all of our opinions and analysis on the most important stories of the past week right here on Massively Speaking, the industry's leading MMO podcast. And if you have a comment, question, or topic for the podcasters, send an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. [Stitcher] Follow the podcast on Stitcher Radio. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 296: We are Legion Massively Speaking Episode 296: We are Legion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Massively Exclusive: Aura Kingdom's Dark Legion content update Posted: 06 May 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play Aura Kingdom is set to get a major update this Thursday called The Dark Legion, and Massively has the first look at the patch. Dark Legion, Aura Kingdom's fifth content update, contains a wide array of new content with an emphasis on high-level adventures. The update will add two new level 60-plus zones: the alliterative Vulture's Vale and Blizzard Berg. Also coming are login bonuses, the Kaiser Zeta eidolon, the level-65 Landing of the Sky Dragon King dungeon, better rewards, improvements to the weapons and partner systems. You can check out the Kaiser Zeta teaser video after the break! Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Aura Kingdom's Dark Legion content update Massively Exclusive: Aura Kingdom's Dark Legion content update originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dark Legion patch page

EverQuest Next's designers discuss rebooting a classic franchise via lore Posted: 06 May 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Lore, News Items, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Dev Diaries, MMORPG In the studio's most recent dev diary, SOE's Omeed Dariani helms a video panel of EverQuest Next designers to discuss not game mechanics or advancement but the story and lore in EQN and Landmark. Lead Content Designer Steve Danuser, Creative Director Jeff Butler, and Senior Game Designer Bill Trost debate how to reboot a classic franchise, how to select the best material to incorporate into the new games, and how to insert the lore in an organic way rather than infodump on the players. If lore is your thing, you'll enjoy the video embedded after the break. Continue reading EverQuest Next's designers discuss rebooting a classic franchise via lore EverQuest Next's designers discuss rebooting a classic franchise via lore originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: SOE YouTube

DC Universe Online launches Amazon Fury Part I Posted: 06 May 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Super-hero, Screenshots, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, DC Universe Online, Subscription While a Wonder Woman movie still seems about as likely as the Earth transforming into a giant robot, DC Universe Online is giving the heroine star billing in its latest DLC. Amazon Fury Part I is the first of three DLC packs focused around the Amazon Civil War, with an emphasis on Wonder Woman, her mother Hippolyta, and her nemesis Circe. The new DLC includes two solo Iconic Visions in which players take the role of Circe or Wonder Woman, walking through the start of the war now raging. Two new Duos and one new four-player Alert are also available, taking players through Themyscria's palace, port, and warehouses. A new open area dubbed Gotham Under Siege ties in as well, with the divided Amazon forces rampaging across an alternate phase of Gotham City. Members are able to download the new content now at no additional charge, while free players can purchase the DLC separately if they'd like to jump in. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] DC Universe Online launches Amazon Fury Part I originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Amazon Fury Part I now available!

World of Warcraft drops to 7.6 million subscribers Posted: 06 May 2014 02:45 PM PDT Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, MMORPG To the surprise of no one still anxiously tapping his foot for the release of Warlords of Draenor, Activision Blizzard noted during its quarterly investor call today that World of Warcraft's subscriber levels have dropped to 7.6 million. Back in February, the game reportedly jumped to 7.8 million (up 200,000 since November 2013) on the heels of BlizzCon's WoD reveals. Activision Blizzard's net revenue is down slightly year on year: $1.11 billion compared to $1.32 billion this quarter last year. World of Warcraft drops to 7.6 million subscribers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Activision Blizzard First Quarter Calendar 2014 Results Conference Call Via: WoW Insider

Jukebox Heroes: Elder Scrolls Online's soundtrack Posted: 06 May 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, The Elder Scrolls Online, Jukebox Heroes, Music, Subscription The Elder Scrolls soundtrack is pretty well-known and highly regarded, even outside of our tiny field of video game music enthusiasts. That's what you get when you have smash hit games and a conductor who knows what he's doing. Jeremy Soule helmed the musical side of the franchise from Morrowind through Skyrim, but with the MMO, that streak is broken. Soule returned only for the main theme and then headed off for more SOEish pastures, leaving Brad Derrick (Warhammer Online) and Malukah to carry on the legacy with Elder Scrolls Online. I think that they did a fine job. It took me a while to listen through the 47-track album (and how awesome is it that it got released?), and afterward I let it stew in my brain for a bit. During a discussion with friends, I realized that while it's beautiful, there's little here that really pops out the way that past Elder Scrolls scores did. I think the music here would do a great job to enhance the gameplay experience, but on its own, it is pleasant and often lukewarm. It's also a soundtrack that I could play from beginning to end without it grating on my nerves, which is another testament to how it goes down the ear canals smoothly. There's a good sense of cohesiveness and atmosphere, even if it lacks the rabble-rousing tracks that I was hoping to hear. Let's dig in! Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Elder Scrolls Online's soundtrack Jukebox Heroes: Elder Scrolls Online's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Citizen's latest video Q&A talks used ships, collisions, and more Posted: 06 May 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play Will Star Citizen's dogfighting module feature collision damage? Will the game allow you to buy used ships from other players? Will you be able to name your ship (and will said name be visible to other pilots)? These and seven other gameplay questions are answered by Cloud Imperium boss Chris Roberts in the latest episode of 10 for the Chairman. The answers are yes, yes, yes (and yes), if you don't have time to watch the video embedded after the break. Continue reading Star Citizen's latest video Q&A talks used ships, collisions, and more Star Citizen's latest video Q&A talks used ships, collisions, and more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Episode 19

Dota 2's playerbase tops World of Warcraft's subscribership Posted: 06 May 2014 12:45 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, MOBA In the world of online gaming, there's been a longstanding perception that's not actually been true: that World of Warcraft has the most players. Today we can add another title to the "Greater Than WoW" Club, as the official site displays a counter showing that Dota 2 has a larger playerbase. Dota 2 had 7.86 million players log in during April, a number that outmatched World of Warcraft's current shrunken subscribership. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that we're comparing a MOBA to an MMO and a free-to-play title to a subscription game, but even so it's an impressive achievement for Valve. Gamespot noted that League of Legends has both games eclipsed by a teeny, tiny amount -- something on the order of 67 million players per month. Dota 2's playerbase tops World of Warcraft's subscribership originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamespot

EVE Online is 11 years old today Posted: 06 May 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Sandbox, Subscription EVE Online is 11 years old today, and CCP is gifting players three Gecko superheavy drones as a result. Said Geckos sport "more damage, more durability, and more striking power than any drone ever released before," according to the company's news blurb. EVE players can unlock eight more of them by completing a collective community challenge, CCP explains, though it says the details will be released "over the course of the next week." EVE Online is 11 years old today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Kotick says Destiny is a '$500 million bet' [Update: Beta coming in July] Posted: 06 May 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Destiny, Buy-to-Play Is Destiny the most expensive game ever made? Time will tell, but Activision CEO Bobby Kotick intimated that total development and marketing costs for Bungie's sci-fantasy shooter epic may reach half a billion dollars. "If you're making a $500 million bet you can't take that chance with someone else's IP. The stakes for us are getting bigger," Kotick said. According to Gamasutra and Reuters, an Activision spokesperson said that Kotick's estimate includes marketing, packaging, infrastructure, support, royalties, and other costs. [Update: During the Activision Blizzard call today, Bungie noted that it anticipates Destiny's beta in July.] Kotick says Destiny is a '$500 million bet' [Update: Beta coming in July] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Reuters Via: Gamasutra

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MMORPG News

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• Infinite Crisis: Sinestro to Wreak Havoc Beginning May 21st
• Age of Wushu: Tempest of Strife: Get Ready to Get Schooled
• Black Desert: 'City Life' Video Shows Off the Beauty of Urban Zones
• Destiny: Projected $500M Campaign to Develop & Promote the Game
• Skyforge: Second Part of Developer Q&A Posted
• Star Citizen: 10 for the Chairman Episode 19 Released
• EverQuest Next: The Lore of EQN
• General: Issues With F2P Games' Visibility And Image
• DC Universe Online: Amazon Fury Part 1 Goes Live
• DOTA2: "Subscriber" Numbers Surpass World of Warcraft
• General: Age of Ascent: It's All About Blazing a Trail
• Warhammer 40.000: Eternal Crusade: The Tyranid Hive Revealed
• General: Reimagined Shadowgate to Arrive This Summer
• Prodigy: Kickstarter Campaign Comes to a Successful End

Infinite Crisis: Sinestro to Wreak Havoc Beginning May 21st Posted: 07 May 2014 08:06 AM PDT The latest character to be revealed for Infinite Crisis is none other than the fear-inducing Sinestro. Sinestro will make his way into the game beginning May 21st but the team has a new video to give players an early look at this fearsome competitor.

Age of Wushu: Tempest of Strife: Get Ready to Get Schooled Posted: 05 May 2014 05:21 PM PDT Snail Games' martial arts-inspired sandbox MMORPG, Age of Wushu, is launching its very first official expansion today. I took part in a walkthrough of Tempest of Strife's content last week, led by the game's Community Manager, Peter Kang, and have quite a bit to share about what you can expect from the expansion's new features. Specifically, Tempest of Strife will be adding seven new factions, a weather system, and dynamic events.

Black Desert: 'City Life' Video Shows Off the Beauty of Urban Zones Posted: 05 May 2014 05:14 PM PDT An intrepid Black Desert beta tester has taken it upon himself to begin a series of videos to show off urban living in the game. The first one features a look at a seaside town complete with harbor and rain-soaked roadways. Thanks to Karrus for the tip!

Destiny: Projected $500M Campaign to Develop & Promote the Game Posted: 06 May 2014 02:19 PM PDT Activision Blizzard's Bobby Kotick has revealed that the company is willing to spend in the "ballpark" of $500 million on Destiny to both develop and promote the game. This figure, if it is accurate, will set a new record for most dollars invested in and spent on a game.

Skyforge: Second Part of Developer Q&A Posted Posted: 06 May 2014 02:14 PM PDT The Skyforge team has posted the second part of its developer Q&A with the community. In this issue, the team answers questions on a wide variety of topics including class-locked armor, group sizes, the Skyforge skill system and more.

Star Citizen: 10 for the Chairman Episode 19 Released Posted: 06 May 2014 02:09 PM PDT The latest "10 for the Chairman" has been released. In the series, Chris Roberts answers ten questions from the community about Star Citizen. In this episode, Roberts takes on dogfight collisions, the status of trading in ships, and several more. Check it out and let us know what you think.

EverQuest Next: The Lore of EQN Posted: 06 May 2014 02:00 PM PDT The latest video Developer Diary for EverQuest Next and Landmark has been released. In the new video, the team discusses how lore of the earlier series titles are being brought into the newer games. It's an interesting look at how lore is crafted. Give it a viewing and let us know what you think!

General: Issues With F2P Games' Visibility And Image Posted: 04 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT Over the past decade or so, I've had occasion to wonder if various free to play titles would have benefited from more visibility than they actually achieved. Most of these times, I thought they could have done better in terms of reaching their potential target audiences. So, why didn't they?

DC Universe Online: Amazon Fury Part 1 Goes Live Posted: 06 May 2014 11:45 AM PDT Sony Online Entertainment has announced that the latest DLC for DC Universe Online has gone live. Called "Amazon Fury Part 1", the new content takes place in a reimagined Gotham City featuring Wonder Woman, Circe, Hippolyta and the Amazons.

DOTA2: "Subscriber" Numbers Surpass World of Warcraft Posted: 06 May 2014 11:37 AM PDT World of Warcraft can no longer claim to have more subscribers than any other game on the planet. DOTA2 now claims 7.86 million subscribers. The numbers, however, come with the caveat that "subscriber" to DOTA2 is a misnomer as the game is free to play, whereas WoW sees subscribers paying $15 per month to play.

General: Age of Ascent: It's All About Blazing a Trail Posted: 04 May 2014 06:32 PM PDT Space-themed Age of Ascent is as yet a quiet game, one that is in its alpha stage of development. The potential for explosive growth is there as word meanders forth from the developers themselves. I had the distinct privilege to speak with the CEO of Illyriad Games, James Niesewand, to learn more about Age of Ascent.

Warhammer 40.000: Eternal Crusade: The Tyranid Hive Revealed Posted: 04 May 2014 06:10 PM PDT Tyranids. To the veteran Warhammer 40K player the name inspires chills down the spine, a combination of awe and trepidation; and why? The Tyranids are an alien race from beyond the known galaxy. They arrived in this galaxy in 745 M41, along the Eastern Fringes, and since then their dreaded Hive Fleets have infested planet after planet. Once these planets have been stripped of their bio-matter the invasive Hive moves on, leaving behind a despoiled husk, incapable of supporting life.

General: Reimagined Shadowgate to Arrive This Summer Posted: 06 May 2014 08:54 AM PDT Zojoi and indie games partner Reverb Triple XP announced that the reimagined Shadowgate will be released on both PC and Mac during the summer of 2014. To show what the team has in mind for the venerated title, a new video has been released. Let us know what you think!

Prodigy: Kickstarter Campaign Comes to a Successful End Posted: 06 May 2014 08:50 AM PDT The Prodigy team has announced that the Kickstarter campaign has ended successfully and, in fact, doubled the original amount requested. To celebrate the momentous occasion, a new video has been released. Check it out!

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