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'MechWarrior 5' will revolve around co-op and user mods
Piranha Games is starting to open up on what MechWarrior 5: Mercernaries will entail after a year of teasing, and it's good news if you don't always want to play alone. The robot battler should launch in December 2018 with co-op play as a central feature -- up to four players can take on the game's central campaign. Your friends stand in for the AI teammates in your unit, which could be helpful when you absolutely need someone watching your back.
'MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries' revives a classic series in 2018
It's been a long, long time since there was a single-player game in the MechWarrior series -- 2002's MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries has been your only option if you didn't want to play online. Thankfully, a new wave of gamers is about to see what all the fuss was about years ago. Piranha Games (which runs MechWarrior Online) has unveiled MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, a single-player focused title that has you pursuing a career as a private robot pilot serving on behalf of the houses of the Inner Sphere.
MechWarrior Online patches in 64-bit client
If you want to hang with the cool kids, you're going to want to ditch that creaky 32-bit client and get with the sleek 64-bit crowd! It worked for the Nintendo 64, and it's now working for MechWarrior Online. As part of the big patch rolling out today, MechWarrior Online is offering an "experimental release" of its new 64-bit client. This client supposedly uses all available RAM for better performance, but can be only handled by 64-bit versions of Windows. Other changes with the patch include several UI improvements that will make it easier to see who is queueing up for matches and which side is winning certain territories.
MechWarrior Online enters beta testing for Community Warfare
There's a lot of stuff packaged in with MechWarrior Online's Community Warfare update: Clan 'Mechs and hardware, the new Invasion gameplay mode, new maps, the dropship mechanic allowing players to get back into the action if their 'Mechs are destroyed. But you don't have to take our word for it. The update has entered open beta, so anyone who wants to start taking part in the conflict of the Inner Sphere against the marauding Clans can do so at his or her leisure. Piranha Games has also made an update to the way that the game handles units. Previously, "disbanded" units were frequently just being remade under a different leader or faction, but the game's structure meant that keeping the same identifying marks required the intervention of customer service. This update removes disbanded units in one swoop, allowing players who wish to disband and remake a unit to do so with greater ease. Check out the full update for the fine details and the corner cases.
MechWarrior dev vlog talks inner sphere quirks, faction switching
If you're a MechWarrior Online fan and you've got a spare 20 minutes, you might want to catch up with the game via the ninth installment of the MWO Dev Vlog. Piranha president Russ Bullock is interviewed regarding the changes to the inner sphere quirk system, while lead designer Paul Inouye updates us on community warfare -- including the ability to switch factions. Click past the cut to watch the full dev vlog!
MechWarrior Online vid talks upcoming changes
In a new MechWarrior Online video, members of the dev team take time to discuss the upcoming overhaul to the module system, gameplay updates, community warfare, and new maps. One of the neat features coming to the game is the match rejoin feature, which will give players a grace period to get back into a match and get rewards if they are disconnected for some reason. There's a ton of preview drops in this 13-minute video, and it's all yours to enjoy after the jump!
MechWarrior Online launches the Clan Invasion
MechWarrior Online has moved forward the internal game timeline to the year 3049, and with the change of date comes a long awaited event: the Clan Invasion. This fictional event in the BattleTech universe will now play out in the online game, as players will fight in notable battles with new 'Mechs on different planets. With the Clan Invasion begun, the team has begun work on creating Units for the game. Units are MWO's version of guilds and will include ranks and chat channels when they arrive in the game proper.
MechWarrior Online video blog answers game balance questions
MechWarrior Online has just released its fifth dev vlog, in which the team answers questions about the title in an eight-minute video. Some of the topics up for discussion today are clan battlemech cockpits, general game balance, and updates on the matchmaking system. You can check out the full video after the break to see if your pressing concerns got addressed!
MechWarrior Online introduces new Champion and Hero mechs
MechWarrior Online has introduced two new mechs this week: the Firestarter Champion Mech and the Loup de Guerre Hero Mech. The Firestarter sports five medium lasers, twin AMS, and jump kets, while the Loup de Guerre trebuchet features jump jets that allow it to leap over walls, medium pulse lasers, SSRMs, and more. Both mechs are now available in the MWO store, and you can check out the Loup de Guerre in action via the video embedded after the cut.
MechWarrior vlog talks achievements, the Banshee, and more
Interested in MechWarrior Online? Got a spare 11 minutes and 43 seconds? Then you'll want to watch the latest Ask the Devs vlog which covers a wide range of topics relating to the sci-fi MMO's ongoing development. Topics include recent jump-jet changes, the game's achievement system, design challenges on the Banshee, and more. The full video clip is embedded after the cut. If you're unable to view it, there's a transcript on the official MWO forums via the links below.
Take a peek at MechWarrior Online's UI 2.0 upgrade
Piranha Games recently conducted a public test of the changes it is planning for MechWarrior Online's UI 2.0 upgrade, and No Guts No Galaxy's Phil Langenberg managed to snag a lengthy video of the new UI in action. According to Piranha, UI 2.0 is "a complete rework of the existing UI" designed to streamline mech customization and MWO's social features. The redesign is set for release February 4th. Check out the VOD of the stream after the break to get a closer look, with commentary, of what MWO will look like post-2.0.
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MechWarrior Online's Bullock on golden mechs and future content
Pirahna Game's president Russ Bullock is listening to the playerbase of MechWarrior Online. He is very aware of the number of complaints that have come in after a recent announcement of the pre-order sell of Clan 'Mechs, with prices ranging from under $30.00 to $500.00 for a gold-plated version. Although the complaints come from a range of topics, many concentrate on the timing of the announcement. After all, the developers only recently announced the Project Phoenix pre-order program. Some players see this new DLC pre-order only as a chance to make more money in lieu of producing more content. Other complaints stem from the prices of the pre-orders, and it's easy to see why. When we sat down with him recently, Bullock explained the costs in a few ways. First, the highest-priced items are simply collector's items. They look cool and do not have extras that go along with them that give them an advantage during combat. Second, all of the 'Mechs on the list can be paid for with in-game funds once released, minus some of the non-combat bonuses attached, meaning that any player who wants to can continue to pay nothing at all. Bullock wanted to emphasize that despite all of this, he knows that what the playerbase is really asking for is community-based features.
MechWarrior Online's clan warfare bundles now available for pre-order
MechWarrior Online's implementation of clan warfare is scheduled for Soon TM, and Piranha Games is celebrating by making clan mechs available for pre-order in the form of special bundles. Each bundle includes one or more clan mechs with variants, XP boosts, and other exclusive items. Piranha also unveiled the Gold Khan collection of mechs, which have gold skin and are priced to match at $500 each. Non-gold variants of the mechs will be available for in-game currency at a later date. According to the official collection website, pre-ordering ensures you receive the collection by June 17th. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
MechWarrior Online looks forward to the next month
Are you ready for another month of MechWarrior Online? The team behind the game certainly is. Creative Director Bryan Ekman took to the forums to outline what players can expect from the next month of updates, including items for players who purchase one of the game's Phoenix packages (aside from the Saber tier) before October 15th. That includes bugfixes, new content, and of course new 'Mechs to enjoy. Slated for release this month are the Locust, the Hero Atlas, and the Champion Spider, along with the Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt, and Battlemaster 'Mechs for Phoenix package owners. The game will also drop a new map and a new paint pattern. Meanwhile, the team is working hard on optimizing game performance and UI accessibility. The letter closes by examining where several proposed pieces of the Community Warfare are in the development process. Dedicated MechWarriors will want to take a careful look at what's coming up next and probably start blasting away in preparation.
MechWarrior Online launch-day roundup
Many mech pilots may have already been duking it out on the battlefield during the soft launch open beta. But if anyone was waiting for MechWarrior Online to officially launch before getting really serious, today's the day. From here on out, MWO loses the beta tag and forges ahead as a fully launched title. Will that fact make the battles any more intense? You'll have to be the judge of that, so slip into your favorite mech and take to the battlefield to find out. And to help you gear up for those battles, we've assembled a collection of updates, tutorials, trailers, interviews, and hands-on experiences here for you.
MechWarrior Online adds Protector Orion and new tutorial
Are you amped up for this month's official launch of MechWarrior Online -- or will it not really change anything for you whatsoever? Perhaps we can get you more excited about a new content update that went live today and features an improved tutorial and a new hero 'mech. The update adds the first of several announed tutorials that will help players acclimate to the to the unique challenges of piloting a 'mech. Today's tutorial is just about the basics of movement and combat, but that's what tutorials are for, right? The Protector Orion hero 'mech has come online today as well, a hard-hitting, tough-as-nails machine that's got a nice array of weapon choices. The Protector Orion comes with a 30% boost to C-bill acquisition and can be spotted in the trailer after the break. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
MechWarrior Online announces launch party, new Project Phoenix loyalty rewards
If you're a MechWarrior fan and you'll be in San Francisco on September 26th, you might want to enter Piranha Games' launch event ticket lotto. "Tickets are strictly limited, each person must apply below for your chance to be to selected to attend this exclusive once-in-a-lifetime event," says the MWO website. Festivities include a tournament, developer meet-and-greets, upcoming feature sneak peeks, and more. Piranha has also announced new loyalty rewards as part of its Project Phoenix package program. The rewards will be unlocked as more packages are purchased. So far, players have managed to unlock the phase one Phoenix colors reward. [Thanks Dire Phoenix!]
Robots by the dozen: 12v12 goes live in MechWarrior Online
If you've played MechWarrior Online and thought to yourself, "This is fun and all, but I wish there were even more giant robots shooting my face off," today's news from Piranha Games might be what you've been waiting to hear. The studio announced that 12v12 battles are now live on MWO servers, bringing new strategies and opportunities for sharp tactical minds. Along with 12v12 matches comes a new hero mech by the name of Golden Boy and the Terra Therma map. Terra Therma is a volatile environment that features tectonic and volcanic activity that must be considered when developing attack and defense plans. MechWarrior Online is still in "beta," set for release on September 17th. In the meantime, check out the new game mode and mech in the trailers after the break. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
MechWarrior Online, Sarah's Jenner pull in $100k for cancer research
A while back we reported on Piranha Games' decision to honor MechWarrior Online fan Sarah Parries with with Sarah's Jenner. Sarah, age five, favored the Jenner while playing MWO with her father, so when she succumbed to cancer, Pirahna decided to sell a special version of her favorite ride and donate all of the proceeds to the Canadian Cancer Society in her name. Game Informer reports that the event has brought in $100,000, with more to come since Sarah's Jenner remains on sale through August 20th. "The response from the MechWarrior community and from the games industry at large has been overwhelming," said Piranha creative director Bryan Ekman. "We can't thank everyone enough for unifying in this effort to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society and cancer research." [Thanks SpaceCobra!]
MechWarrior Online devs raise over $100,000 for cancer research
MechWarrior Online-developer Piranha Games' customized Jenner mech has raised over $100,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, GameInformer reports. Five-year-old Sarah Parries played MechWarrior Online extensively with her father until she recently lost her battle with cancer. In honor of her memory, Pirahna Games designed Sarah's Jenner, a unique Chassis Champion model for Sarah's favored mech type with a 10 percent experience boost. Creative Director of Pirahna Games Bryan Ekman says the team initially thought "$10,000 would be a number we could all be proud of ... the response from the MechWarrior community and from the games industry at large has been overwhelming." Sarah's Jenner is $10 and available for purchase until August 20. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.
