Massively Exclusive: FusionFall gets new nanos and more
Two years ago, Cartoon Network Digital unleashed its browser-based MMO FusionFall on the world with a velvet-rope freemium option. Players could try out the first four levels (the FutureWorld) for free, but getting past that and into the current-day world zones involved a subscription. A year later, the studio opted to take its game to a fully ad-supported free-to-play model so more people could have fun stomping around in the Cartoon Network universe with their favorite characters. Now, just past the game's second birthday, Cartoon Network Digital has decided to crank things up yet again with a bunch of major changes that will rock the world of FusionFall -- and we've gotten an exclusive first look!
Set to launch on February 16th, this bigger, badder version of FusionFall will add in the number one change that players have been asking for since the game's launch: new nanos! Indeed, the team at Cartoon Network Digital has been hard at work creating a slew of brand-new nanos that will be added over the next year -- a whopping 20 in all. However, this isn't just an update in terms of smacking a handful of levels on the end and calling it good. Instead, the dev team has decided to change the nano system entirely so that picking up new nanos will no longer be tied to leveling up. No more nano level-lock means players can pick them up as they adventure!
Sound exciting? There's even more in store with the update. Join me behind the break for the rest of the details -- including an exclusive reveal of two of the three all-new nanos that players can expect to see this Wednesday in FusionFall!
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Aside from eliminating the level lock when you're stocking up on nanos to play with, the new nano system will add in a super special Proto-Nano. The concept is pretty simple and yet wickedly fun -- players who interact with the Proto-Nano in-game will actually get a chance to try out new Nanos before they're released. How awesome is that?
FusionFall will also be getting a completely new tutorial in this next update. Gone are the plodding bits that felt more like a manual than a game. Gone is the FutureWorld velvet-rope zone where players used to level from 1 to 4. Now, when a new player heads into the game, he will be dropped straight into the action at the all-new Academy Training zone. From there, players will get to visit the Null Void from Ben 10, the Petting Zoo from Generator Rex, and Mt. Neverest and the Lady Raincorn bridge from Adventure Time -- definitely a lot more fun than a regular tutorial. Not only will this serve to get everyone into the action quickly, but the re-imagining also gives players a chance to hang out with many of their favorite Cartoon Network characters from the very beginning. Of course, a new intro area wouldn't be complete without a new storyline to go with it, so players can expect to see an all-new opening story sequence too!
But it's not just love for nanos and newbies in this update -- no! Long-term players will be glad to hear that two new forms of movement are being added as well. You'll have a chance to zoom around quickly with the new Dash control or slide smoothly to your next destination with the grace of Glide. Additionally, with the entire reset of the tutorial and opening areas, there's another extra bit of speed added in -- front-end optimization that will get new players into the game faster than before.
For those who have tried the game out before but never subscribed, don't worry -- your characters will be automagically moved to the new areas for you. Even better, should you decide to pop back in and check out the shiny new free-to-play action, your characters from the old FutureWorld zone will automatically be leveled up to 4 and sent to Sector V with all their stuff intact so they're ready to go.
Finally, we're stoked to reveal for the first time ever two of the three never-before-seen nanos that players can look forward to picking up when the game is updated on the 16th: Generator Rex and Finn! For those who can't wait to see even more, the third new nano will be revealed later today on the FusionFall Facebook page, so be sure to keep an eye out. We'll also be checking in with the Cartoon Network Digital team for more details on its upcoming plans after FusionFall's ginormous update.
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