in-game-holiday
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Patch 5.4 PTR: Datamined files point to possible Winter Veil revamp
Wowhead has found some new items over on the patch 5.4 PTR. The latest round of datamining has dug up several items with a Greatfather tag -- Greatfather's Box of Greatness, Greatfather's Path of Cenarius, Greatfather's Satchel, and a new mount, Greatfather's Riding Turtle. Keep in mind that all datamined material is, of course, simply files that may or may not actually make it into the live iteration of the game. But the only Greatfather we know of at the moment is a jolly guy who hands out gifts once a year during the Feast of Winter Veil. Winter Veil received a revamp in 2011 when the Abominable Greench was changed to a world boss of sorts that required multiple players to kill, and several quests were added and changed. But the essential part of Winter Veil has always been the presents under the tree, and each Winter Veil has always introduced a new item and a new achievement to go along with it. However, the addition of satchels and boxes, as well as a mount, sounds much more like the other traditional holiday bosses that have required queuing for a dungeon to complete. Do we have a Winter Veil revamp in the works here? We won't really know until December, but it's certainly interesting to think about -- and if this is the case, will we see any other holidays get a makeover as well?
Guild Wars 2 welcomes Wintersday next month
While hardcore Guild Wars players probably knew to expect it, the news that Wintersday is coming to Guild Wars 2 is welcome nevertheless! ArenaNet has just announced that the game's second holiday will be arriving on December 14th and will continue until January 3rd. Modern Wintersday is a Tyrian holiday that binds several different celebrations together with the mutual love of toys. An Asuran Santa Claus, Toymaker Tixx, will be traveling to all of the major cities to hand out toys to the good little boys and girls. And yes, that means you, even though you've been flirting with the "naughty list" this year. The official Wintersday page is sparse as of yet, but keen-eyed visitors can spot some cool pieces of concept art, including one of Tixx's awesome airship.
League of Legends pops the cork for Lunar Revel
Feeling the doldrums of winter settling into your bones? Missing the colorful lights and excessive sugar dosages of last month? The good news is that there's still a great holiday to celebrate this month -- the Chinese New Year -- and League of Legends is totally on board with any excuse to party. Coming to the game is the brand-new Lunar Revel holiday, which is "a time to celebrate the possibilities of the future with the coming of the new moon." Not only will the game be decorated with cheery lanterns, but Riot Games is adding some new goodies to enjoy, including special consumables in the store and unique skins for Talon, Sona, Wukong, and Lee Sin. The devs say that this marks the beginning of many cultural-themed holidays as they go on a "world tour" to highlight the many countries that play League of Legends. You can get an advance sneak peek at the new Lunar Revel costumes in the gallery below. [Source: Riot Games press release] %Gallery-126155%
RIFT gets into the holiday spirit with the Fae Yule world event
It's that time of year again, it would seem. A time for mirth, merriment, and fending off an evil dragon to ensure that it isn't able to enslave an entire race of magical creatures. Well, that's what's going on in Telara, anyway, thanks to RIFT's Fae Yule celebration. The event, which started today, will span six weeks and will feature "fancy holiday hats, new quests, a grumpy mead-guzzling satyr, and other festive items." But of course, this is Telara, so the festivities simply wouldn't be complete if Crucia, the evil dragon of air, didn't decide to make an appearance. She's already tired of the Fae's newfound freedom and wants to wrest them back into servitude. It's up to players to make sure she does not succeed. And to top it off, Trion is presenting players with experience, favor, prestige, plaque, and planarite bonuses this weekend only. So what are you waiting for, Telarans? Get a move on. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Breakfast Topic: Do you participate in Pirates' Day?
Today marks the start (and end!) of one of World of Warcraft's most fleeting in-game holidays, Pirates' Day. It's Blizzard's way of honoring International Talk Like a Pirate Day, a "holiday" celebrated almost exclusively by people who like pictures of cats with misspelled words on them. Are you going to Booty Bay today, even though participating in the holiday isn't required for the What A Long Strange Trip It's Been meta-achievement? (Achievement point junkies can still score 10 points by traveling to Booty Bay and talking to Dread Captain DeMeza.) And do you actually like the holiday, or do you wish it would make like a tree and get outta here? Working on achievements? The Overachiever is here to help! Count on us for advice on Azeroth's holidays and special events, including new achievements, how to get 310% flight speed with achievement mounts, and Cataclysm reputation factions and achievements.
The Feast of Swords returns to Final Fantasy XI
As the end of April approaches, Final Fantasy XI is moving into its next returning holiday for the year, the oriental-themed Feast of Swords. As in years past, it's a chance for players to chase down thieves and beat them to death with ceremonial weapons, all for the honor of wearing cosmetic equipment. And even if you've already obtained all of the noteworthy event rewards from previous years, you can still enjoy the fiction kicking off the newest round of celebration. The still-unseen Far East is once again the source of the narrative, with this year's story concerning a young blacksmith who finds himself unexpectedly celebrated within Bastok. As always, the story is punchy but entertaining, imparting some of the flavor of the event prior to its launch. Players of Final Fantasy XI can begin enjoying this year's dance of blades starting on April 28th and running until May 10th.
Final Fantasy XIV celebrating the little ladies
Thus far, the holidays of Final Fantasy XIV have closely paralleled those of Final Fantasy XI, and the latest holiday announcement continues that trend in probably the best way possible. After all, one of the charms of the older game has always been its unique and sometimes offbeat holidays, a tradition held over in the brand-new Little Ladies' Day. It's a chance for players to celebrate the coming of spring, blossoming trees, and of course, their diminutive feminine side. The event will run from February 17th until March 3rd, and the announcement itself previews both the festive decorations for the event as well as the new crafting recipes associated with the holiday. As with previous holidays, there is also a piece of fiction detailing the origin of the revelry, a case of misconstrued motive within the sultanate of Ul'dah. Final Fantasy XIV players can look forward to the event in just a couple of days, an event that promises to provide some much-needed spring cheer along with a surfeit of tasty rice cakes.
The Daily Grind: If you could design an in-game holiday, what would it be like?
For some, in-game holidays mark the highlight of certain months as the game world brings a limited-time event to the forefront of our consciousness. Others find themselves annoyed at the perceived waste of developer resources on such fluffy nonsense. But truth be told, in-game holidays are popular and welcomed by many -- plus they give marketers something to crow about. Today we're turning The Daily Grind into a collaborative workshop of sorts. Instead of arguing over a topic, let's turn our creativity towards designing a theoretical in-game holiday. If you could make one up, what would it be like? What game would host it? What would you do to make this holiday special or personally interesting? Would it tie in to a real-world holiday or stand on its own? Drop a paragraph or two in the comments below and show us just how brilliant and clever you are at designing your own holiday. Don't forget to give it a name, either. When you're done, read through the other submissions and give them your honest (and kind) feedback! 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!
Fallen Earth serves up a Valentine's Day celebration wasteland-style
People always say that Valentine's Day is just an excuse to sell chocolates and greeting cards, but in Fallen Earth it goes beyond just that. No, the post-apocalyptic game remembers that the core of the holiday should involve giving your heart to someone you love. And since you're not going to be purchasing a heart-shaped box of candy and you've got plenty of spare clones left, you might as well make "giving your heart" a bit more literal, yes? Valentine's Day will see a new mission dubbed "My Bloody Valentine" added to the game for one day only. Successfully completing said mission will give characters a chance to craft their sweethearts a blood-pumping organ complete with a nice +3 Stamina boost. (Although it's not precisely "crafting" when you rip it out of your chest.) So if you're in Fallen Earth during the holiday, let your significant other know the lengths you'll go for a romantic gift.
Time for love in Final Fantasy XI
Valentine's Day is almost here, that special time of year when you attempt to distill the essence of a romantic relationship into chocolate form. And if you were hoping to escape from the day within Vana'diel, your efforts are rather misdirected -- Valentione's Day coincides nicely with the holiday in the real world, with just as much saccharine summation of liaisons in Final Fantasy XI. This year's celebration will run from February 1st until the 15th, giving players plenty of time to show their in-game companions how much they care (enough to try and get a special even reward, at least). As with previous holidays, the event announcement is accompanied with a piece of in-game fiction, something that reminds us all of an important truism -- never make your healer angry. Final Fantasy XI fans should take a look at the full piece, as it's worth a chuckle or two. No definite information on what the rewards will be is included, but it's a fair bet that the event will be similar to that of years past. So if you still aren't rocking a heart-shaped wand, it's time to get up to speed -- although you might want to lay off the chocolates a little, since there's another lesson about that in the fictional accompaniment...
Familiar faces and holiday places in Final Fantasy XIV
While Friday saw a massive news bomb dropped for players of Final Fantasy XIV, life in Eorzea continues, albeit with a touch of a specter hanging overhead. Still, one can only hope that the first Starlight Celebration in the game will help alleviate some of that sense of doom and gloom. To the surprise of nearly no one, the celebration features a number of gifts for players, as well as a three-piece set of thematic attire that can be either crafted or received via helping needy children. It's also one of the first glimpses at the game world's backstory beyond those tantalizing glimpses in story quests. But perhaps you couldn't care less about the celebration and just want to go toe-to-toe with something more dangerous than a marmot. The December update should be good for what ails you, with the most recent preview offering up several new notorious monsters as well as two returning enemy groups. Flans, of course, have been a staple of nearly every game in the series -- but goblins are a welcome returning foe from Final Fantasy XI, complete with the same design and mercantile nature. Final Fantasy XIV players don't have a definite date for the update just yet, but it should be in the very near future, possibly even this week.
The Daily Grind: What are your MMO Halloween plans?
When you think about it, MMOs and Halloween go together like Sonny and Cher. Wait, let's come up with a more contemporary reference -- like Laurel and Hardy. Crud, that's even less contemporary. Do kids still do the iPods these days? MMOs and Halloween go together like Apple and DRM. The point is, they go together. Let us progress to the next paragraph and pretend like this one never happened. Halloween is all about engaging in fantasy, flirting with the dark side, dressing up in fantastical outfits, and getting sweet, sweet candy from complete strangers. This makes it a close cousin of your typical MMO experience, which is perhaps why MMOs tend to go bananas around October 31st with in-game holidays, decorations and costumes for your costumes. Assuming that your preferred MMO is throwing a Halloween holiday, will you be a willing and eager participant this Sunday? Is your guild planning a spooky bash and costume gala? Or are you planning a self-guided tour through the more terrifying locales with a group of friends-slash-victims? What are your MMO Halloween plans? 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!
Breakfast Topic: Hello, Hallow's End!
Hallow's End falls upon Azeroth once again, and it's the same old, same old. But the same old thing actually never gets old, because this is quite possibly the most fun yearly event in the game. It's that time of the year where the typically empty and unloved Scarlet Monastery graveyard gets more than its welcome share of visitors and its summoned inhabitant gets farmed endlessly for his drops -- or I should say, one particular drop. At this point in the game with Cataclysm on the horizon, pretty much everybody has gotten what he needs from the Headless Horseman, who drops mostly ilevel 200 gear. With just a few weeks to go before players level past 80, there isn't anything that won't be obsolete. That said, I have a sentimental attachment to the Horseman's Horrific Helm, which I have macroed to use with my Hammer of Wrath, which I have to admit is terribly annoying (and extremely spammy now in 4.0.1). I think I'll be paying the horseman a visit again this year, even though the only thing I really want off him is his horse. What are your Hallow's End plans? Is this the only holiday you need to finally get that 310 percent mount speed? Perhaps you want that Sinister Squashling pet? Are you complete with all your achievements for this holiday -- on all your alts? Tell us your plans for this holiday, one of the last yearly events we'll see in old Azeroth.
Final Fantasy XI runs the bulls once again
The next month or so is going to be an interesting time for Final Fantasy XI, with its spiritual and numerical sequel launching tomorrow. (You might have heard of it.) But the development team is still putting its best foot forward, and in this case that means it's time for adventurers all across Vana'diel to enjoy the older game by... herding cows. It probably sounds at least moderately more epic if you're familiar with the Blazing Buffaloes event overall. Starting on September 28th and running until October 12th, Blazing Buffaloes is a chance for players to take part in the age-old art of bovine management, complete with a decorative reward for successful herders. While the detailed mechanics have not been made available, odds are good that last year's guide will serve as a decent stopgap until players have had a chance to suss out any and all new wrinkles. Whether or not you're taking advantage of the concurrent subscription bonus with Final Fantasy XIV, you can enjoy the latest Final Fantasy XI holiday starting next week.
Breakfast Topic: Harvest Festival begins today
Today begins the amazing Harvest Festival! This lengthy celebration of the harvest includes one quest and no -- count them -- no achievements. We still managed to have fun with it last year with the Epic Harvest Brewfestival Kodo Ride. When the holidays were overlapping, we turned our mounts into kodos and rode them to honor Grom Hellscream. The gallery is below. Don't adjust your sets; we were riding drunk. No, this was not a responsible ride on mythical animals in a fantasy world. So go forth, eat your free food and honor your faction's harvest hero. And if you're into more compelling in-game holidays, don't fret: Pirates' Day and Brewfest are coming up within the week. What do you think Blizzard should do to make Harvest Festival more interesting? Disclaimer: This post is subject to change without notice if Blizzard actually implements a full-fledged holiday this year. %Gallery-76902%
Breakfast Topic: Game time
The other day, I was talking to a good WoW friend about some RL stuff. None of it was anything you all would find terribly interesting, until we came upon the topic of my health. I told him I had started a probiotic regimen recently in hopes of resolving an antibiotic treatment I had taken the year before. When I tried to recount the time that it happened, my mind momentarily drew blank before I was able to spit out "it was around Ulduar." He knew what I meant of course, but I immediately realized the absurdity of me relaying events about my real life in game time. When I thought about it though, I figured I couldn't be the only one ... So, do your weeks start on Tuesdays? Do you say you have to be somewhere in server time? Do in-game holidays remind you an actual holiday is coming up? Was the last time you went to the dentist when you got your first Anub'arak kill?
Reminder: Midsummer Fire Festival ends today
Just before midnight (realm time) tonight, the Midsummer Fire Festival comes to a close. So today is your last day to desecrate fires, pole dance and flame up the countryside. The Fireworks Spectacular begins just after sunset ... wait. Since when does the sun set at 6 a.m.? Well, according to the in-game calendar, fireworks will be going off hourly in all capital cities and Booty Bay, starting at 6 a.m. realm time or sunset. Apparently. So go forth and get all of your Midsummer achievements done. Or just soak up the massive XP, gold and buffs. After all, the next official in-game holiday isn't until September. Shameless plug: <It came from the Blog> will continue to run events at least once a month, whether there is an official holiday or not.
Blizzard Holiday Fan Art Calendar Contest
The World of Warcraft has always had amazing fan art. Looking through the fan art gallery, it's hard not to get blown away by the talent the community has and their passion for drawing Blizzard properties. This year, the folks in Irvine decided to celebrate all that talent and passion by holding a contest for the artistically-inclined. Zarhym invites artists over at the official forums to contribute to the Holiday Fan Art Calendar Contest. The idea is to create a piece of World of Warcraft art that sets the tone for a particular month based on the in-game holidays. Artists can choose to depict scenes from or situations inspired by events from the Lunar Festival, Love Is in the Air, Noblegarden, Children's Week, Midsummer Fire Festival, Pirate's Day, Brewfest, Harvest Festival, Hallow's End, Day of the Dead, Pilgrim's Bounty, Feast of Winter Veil, all the way to New Year's Eve. Winners will be featured in the 2011 Official World of Warcraft Calendar as well as win a set of 2010 wall, daily, and mini calendars. One grand prize winner will also get to take home a Wacom Cintiq 12WX, the pen-on-screen drawing tool that some of Blizzard's own artists use. Additionally, the grand prize winner will also have his or her work featured in the official World of Warcraft magazine. Deadline for submissions is on February 8, 2010. As always, be sure to read the fine print if you're eligible!
Breakfast Topic: Day of the Dead ends today
Whoosh. Well, that went by rather quickly, didn't it? Day of the Dead ends today. Two days is most certainly a short time for a World of Warcraft holiday, but fortunately, there was little to do. Just a visit to Catrina, buying a bread recipe, sharing it with some dead folks, and that's it. It didn't exactly go off without a hitch, either, as there were some known issues with the event. But everything was fixed, eventually, and the short event is now about to finish. How did everyone find the short holiday? It mirrored the short holiday it was based on in the real world, and even similar holidays all over the world. In the Philippines, we got a non-working holiday for November 2, where most folks are off to the provinces visiting their dead. How did everyone's Day of the Dead go? Were you able to take a gander at the lovely dancing Catrina? Were you able to bake some (presumably stale) bread? What's your take on these short holidays? Personally, I think it's a nice touch. These blink-and-you'll-miss-it events similar to Pirate's Day are nice nods to our real world happenings. Hopefully, all of you got a chance to enjoy this new but brief world event.
World of Warcraft's Midsummer Fire Festival starts today!
Rejoice, Azerothians everywhere! Yet another outstanding in-game holiday is upon us, as the World of Warcraft continues to change before our eyes. The Midsummer Fire Festival is rolling out today, with numerous changes incorporated into this year's festivities. Unlike the lackluster event of years past, Fire Fest '08 incorporates some of the best elements of Brewfest, the Lunar Festival, and the last overhauled holiday: Hallow's End. Players can participate in a number of holiday-themed activities. These include: frolicking around a fire pole, visiting a number of bonfires scattered around the world, torch tossing, and a boss encounter deep in the heart of the slave pens. Taking part will earn a special event currency, called Burning Blossoms. Blossoms can be turned in at merchants for special seasonal rewards. The rewards range from some simple particle effects all the way up to a mini-pet, the Spirit of Summer. The fest should already be in full swing, so get yourself into town and light that fire!
