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WildStar's Mystery of the Genesis Prime is live today [Updated]
It's been a long road getting from there to here, but players who have been waiting patiently for the next WildStar patch can stop waiting. Mystery of the Genesis Prime adds two major new pieces of content: the Defile, a new zone extending off of Blighthaven; and Journey to Omnicore-1, a new solo instance that allows players to explore more of the story behind Nexus. The Defile includes the Black Focus (which we toured), the Siege of the Lightspire, and a variety of solo quest chains. Journey to Omnicore-1 kicks off the game's ongoing story, exploring more of the details behind what took place on Nexus and how the events on the planet could have long-lasting consequences for everyone on the planet and off. The patch also increases loot rewards from enemies fought in groups, adds rental mount vendors for low-level players, and increases money rewards from quests and junk items. You can take the patch for a drive today; it took a while to land, but there's a lot of new stuff therein. [Source: Carbine Studios press release] [Update: Carbine has posted a list of known patch issues on the official site; they include currency display issues, non-functioning gardens, and borky public events.]
Aion: Invasion launches today with new zones, dungeons, and server vs. server PvP
The battle for Atreia expands today as Aion's latest free content update launches. Invasion introduces two all new zones, two new dungeons, a daily log in reward system, new world bosses, and a new gear enhancement system. On top of that, Daevas will be able to participate in the open beta of server vs. server PvP! The two new zones include Kaldor, the burnt-out remnant of what was once the ancient Danuar land, and Levinshor, the colorful territory of Tiamat's origin. Kaldor is home to Wealhtheow's Keep, a place featuring new fortress siege elements. Levinshor is home to new species that will associate with the Elyos and the Asmodians. Of the two new instances, The Linkgate Foundry is for level 65 players and is solo, whereas Igdel Dome is a six-man PvPvE instance. This server vs. server PvPvE will happen in a zone called Panesterra, which was thrown into another dimension by a massive Ide explosion. There, 100 players from each server and faction will battle against one another as well as baddy Beritra's forces in a massive seige to control the zone. The first live siege begins on November 9th. For a look into the new content, check out the trailer below and dive into even more details in the patch notes. Then log in daily for your special gifts!
Tom Chilton: "We are already in progress with our next expansion"
According to an interview with gameplanet.co.nz Blizzard isn't just working on Warlords of Draenor right now - they're in fact working hard on the next expansion, and have ideas for six or more future expansions they could do. We are already in progress with our next expansion. We already have zones in production for it. Our next expansion after that, we have a couple of different options that we'll be choosing between over the next several months. Beyond that, there are about six or seven different ideas for expansions that we can take elements of and say, 'You know what? Let's take that and put it in this one for our next expansion after the next one.' Or we might shift the timelines around from what we originally envisioned. There's easily 10 years worth of stuff that we can draw from – more, really. When I first heard that Warlords of Draenor will be coming out on November 13th, I wondered if that meant it would be all that Blizzard had to talk about at BlizzCon this year. Now that I've read this, I wonder if they'll have the fortitude to announce a new expansion before Warlords even comes out. As crazy as that sounds, if they're working six expansions deep, even if just conceptually, it's definitely a possibility.
E3 2014: WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney introduces The Strain
Although WildStar launched a mere week before E3 2014, that didn't mean the team didn't have exciting new things to talk about! In fact, Carbine President Jeremy Gaffney revealed the new content coming up at the end of the month. Fans, prepare yourself for the Strain! If you think the moniker implies some hideous malady that results in freakish mutations, you're right on the money. From ferocious multi-fanged rowsdowers and giant gastrointestinal pustules to an emote that makes a purple alien mouth erupt from your chest, this new content created by the "intelligent virus" shows a whole new side of the planet Nexus. And I got a sneak peek of the new land, new dungeons, strain-infected gear, and other mutated goodies that await players in the Strain Ultradrop. As a bonus, we've even got the official trailer for you.
Warlords of Draenor: New Gorgrond screenshot
Hot on the heels of the Talador screenshot we got the other day, Creative Director Alex Afrasiabi has also tweeted the above picture of another Draenor zone: Gorgrond. Gorgrond is found in Draenor's north, a formerly lush oasis that has been reduced to Victorian levels of pollution (thanks Olivia!) by the Blackrock clan's industrial development. I'd say the picture, with an Iron Horde fortress looming ominously in the background, makes Gorgrond seem like a suitably hostile place. It's certainly far less inviting than Talador was. My poor druid is already feeling the distaste.
SOE Live 2013: EverQuest II expounds on Tears of Veeshan
After so much attention has been given to the latest sibling in the EverQuest franchise, some fans have expressed concern about the fate of EverQuest II once EverQuest Next comes out. But anyone who was present at SOE Live had those concerns laid to rest; the passion and commitment of the development team is no less vibrant and palpable now than before the big reveal. Should anyone be worried that EverQuest II will be neglected and just fade away? No -- not if you heard all the upcoming plans for the title, both short and long term. Besides the revelations at the keynote address, EQII fans had myriad panels, events, and even special play-test sessions to attend to learn about the game. There was a focus on the new Tears of Veeshan expansion overall, a dedicated look at just the Channeler class, a panel just for new systems, and more. Players who missed the Q&A session missed out on learning some specific changes that are being added to the list for the future. Luckily, we've hit these all up and have the highlights for you right here.
SOE Live 2013: Thursday keynote announces expansions, release dates, and more
SOE Live 2013 kicked off in the new Planet Hollywood venue with a keynote full of information as well as frivolity. The night started with a rap performance by a PlanetSide 2 player and continued with plenty of humor and even prize giveaways. Fan favorite Brasse, aka Linda Carlson, then lit up the stage (literally) in her PlanetSide 2-inspired Dwarven armor set and plugged Player Direct, a way for player-made gaming videos to gain more exposure. And then came the gaming news. Although even more details will be forthcoming as the convention progresses, there were some definite highlights shared by SOE CEO John Smedley, EverQuest Producer Thom Terrazas, and EverQuest II Producer Holly Longdale, including expansion announcements, release dates, and even some EverQuest Next tidbits.
Explore the Cyclops Depths on Planet Calypso
At times it might seem that Planet Calypso is all about massive cash transactions, but that's not the case. There's also a planet to explore, a planet that's gotten a little bigger with the introduction of the new Cyclops Depths. Located beneath the eponymous Cyclops Volcano, the Depths are home to a variety of creatures including the species that originally inhabited the planet... a species that's not entirely happy to find out that an entirely new species has decided to colonize its home. The Mind Reavers had locked themselves away to wait out ecological disaster, but now they're coming back up. So high-level groups of players will need to go down there and negotiate, which means fighting through a large number of mutants and Mind Reavers. New players are welcome to enter as well, but the area is primarily meant for veterans well-equipped for the process of clearing out the depths. [Source: Entropia Universe press release]
Wings Over Atreia: Initial impressions of Aion 4.0
After a bit of a rocky start (though an extended patch beats hours of waiting in a queue any day!), Aion's next big expansion finally made it out of the starting gates. And boy, did it hit the ground running! If you tried to make a new character, be it one of the new classes or not, you were tripping over new Daevas-to-be on the regular server and dealing with wait times to get on the very full Fast Track server. I, myself, made a new Asmodian Songweaver. Sadly, contrary to previous expansion launches, the new publish date for Wings Over Atreia did not leave me with nearly enough time to really wade into all the new content. There's simply so much I was barely able to dip my toes in! So diving even deeper into Dark Betrayal will have to wait until next time; for now, I'll just share my initial impressions gleaned from my first glimpses of 4.0.%Gallery-191538%
Scarlet Blade reveals first major content update
Though it's a game best-known for removing things (clothing in particular), Scarlet Blade is actually adding something this time around: Aeria Games has announced the free-to-play game's first major content update. Players in Scarlet Blade can now reach level 34 and venture into a new zone called Barbiron. New gear also accompanies the level cap increase, as do new dungeons, including the aptly named Subterranean Factory, which sits underground. PvP also received attention in this update with the opening of Viledon, an all new open-world zone capable of holding hundreds of combatants. This zone, which contains quests to complete, bosses to fight over, and escort missions to complete or sabotage, can be entered and exited at will. [Source Aeria Games press release]
Lindvior touches down in Lineage 2 today
Today's the day that the goddess Shilen unleashes her fury on the world of Aden in the form of her champion, the dragon Lindvior, Lord of the Western Winds. But Lineage II's latest update, Lindvior Goddess of Destruction, brings more than just this epic dragon boss to test the mettle of players. It also adds more Awakened classes (bringing the total from eight to 34), three new zones, and plenty of new armor and weapons. On top of that, players will have a new character customization system with over 100 new looks. Gon Namkung, L2's development director, stated, "This is by far the most intricate challenge that players have ever faced in Lineage II throughout its long and storied history. The entire Lineage II development team is proud of this achievement and we are confident only the best players will defeat Lindvior." He continued, "We issue this challenge to all our players, who will defeat Lindvior first!?" [Sourse: NCsoft press release]
Starter zones for Dragon's Prophet unveiled
Every story has to start somewhere, and for the folks entering mystical world of Auratia in Dragon's Prophet, it will begin in either the rugged island of Bakra or the vast plains of Satuma. SOE has revealed the two starting zones for the upcoming fantasy MMO from Runewaker that will feature dragons, dragons, and more dragons. Each zone boasts its own unique scenery and contains quests and content for players up to level 30. Scarred by a fight between two legendary dragons, the land on Bakra is marked by steep gorges and ruined cities. Life on this island focuses on mining and trade, though wild dragons inhabit deserted mining pits. In Satuma, the battles of the First Dragon War widened the plains until, in time, they became a massive lake. Many inhabitants ply the fishing trade, although a dangerous sub-human species called Wolfmen has also evolved. Dragon's Prophet begins its Taiwanese beta in just two days; folks who are hoping to get into beta can try for the keys that will be distributed at SOE's meet and greet at PAX East. [Source: SOE press release]
Chaos Theory: Where in The Secret World is Carmen Sandiego?
OK, so I openly admit that the title's reference probably predates the majority of you (unless you've happened upon the Facebook puzzle game, which apparently there is one!), but sometimes oldies are goodies. Or they just have catchy theme songs you can't get out of your head no matter how many decades you try... So what does the older game featuring the notorious Carmen Sandiego have to do with The Secret World? For starters, it involves solving clues to complete the objective, just as investigations missions do in the newer game. Basically, both involve using your head to continue in the story. And both also use various locales around the world as the backdrop for the adventures. It's this last one specifically that my mind has been mulling over for a bit, especially in light of recent changes. You see, even with the roadmap sketched out for the release of the next six updates (including Tokyo, woo!), some folks are worried about TSW's smaller centralized team. There is concern that there won't be enough resources to devote to the game and that it will languish. This is so where I come in. Instead of seeing the negative, I see opportunity: Iin order to free up more developer time and energy to focus on the nuts and bolts of creating the game, I'll provide the team with new ideas for future issues. This week, let's see where in the world we'll go.
Allods Online shows off the zones of its upcoming expansion
Allods Online is gearing up for another new expansion, Lords of Destiny. Of course, a new expansion means new areas to explore, filled with exciting new animals to kill for loot. So it's not surprising that the first official preview shows off the allod of Irdrih. Players will be sent there on a top-secret mission from their faction leaders, but when they arrive, they'll be walking right into a war between two native factions that will force them to pick a side. So what else will you find? A jungle, lots of smaller islands, and a lot of lush tropical scenery. You'll also wind up meeting the Tequani, small furry humanoids that are distant relatives of the Gibberlings (one of the player races). The new region is hardly the only feature of the expansion, but if you want to take a look at the scenery and read up on the local lore, you can check out the full reveal.
Forsaken World kicks off its latest expansion, War of Shadows
If you're a stalwart fan of Forsaken World, your winter holiday of choice came early this year. The game's latest expansion, War of Shadows, has just gone live, bringing with it an entirely new race for players. Lycans can transform from their normal humanoid state into hulking wolf-creatures, providing a variety of new abilities and upgrades while they remain transformed. Other races have also seen several adjustments to bring them in line with the new kids on the block. Even if you're not interested in new races or balancing old ones, the expansion features a new zone (Eclipse Hollow) and new dungeons (Ancient's Battleground and Hell Road), which provide new quests and challenges for players. Take a look at some screenshots of the expansion in our gallery, look at the full trailer for the expansion just past the break, and then get on in and start running around with your new wolfman. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release] %Gallery-107517%
Vindictus Season 2 launch video stars pirates, cannibals, and a Kraken
Pirates and cannibals. You just can't have a Season 2 party without them, and the party has started in Vindictus! The next chapter of the free-to-play game is live and brings new zones, new cities, hordes of undead pirates, tribes of cannibals, and a Kraken. This update also features changes in the depth-of field renderings, a tweaked leveling curve, and a level cap increase boosting the maximum level up to 80. Although some of the footage may seem familiar from Massively's exclusive new zone preview, this trailer shows off even more bosses, including the Kraken and a massive snake, along with plenty of battle scenes. Check it out after the break. [Source: Nexus Europe press release]
EverQuest Rain of Fear round up and launch-day video
Grab your umbrellas, folks, because the Rain of Fear is finally here! Yes, EverQuest's 19th expansion is live on servers now, and all the Erudites, Dwarves, Frogloks, Iksar, Ogres, Humans, and 10 other races can dive in and sink their teeth into all the new content. With new zones, a new collection systems, offline selling, and more, there is bound to be something for everyone. Have a question about one of these new features? Or maybe you are stuck in the real-life office grind and can't log in yet? Either way, you can get the scoop on the new expansion in the many opinion pieces, videos, hands-on experiences, and reveals after the break. And as an added bonus, watch the brand-spanking-new launch-day trailer! Then, if that still isn't enough, listen to the EQ soundtrack until you can get home and get in-game.
New EverQuest dev video tours new Rain of Fear zones
With EverQuest's big Rain of Fear expansion hitting live servers tomorrow, players are eagerly awaiting the chance to dive into the new zones and get their questing on. Can't wait to experience all the new landscapes, ogle the new mobs, and check out all the scenery that awaits? Then sit back and watch Sony Online Entertainment's new video tour of the upcoming areas. For just over five minutes, you can soak up the visuals of Shard's Landing (which is billed as "the place you will probably die the least"), Breeding Grounds, Valley of King Xorbb, Eventil the Vile Oak, and more while listening to various devs offer commentary. See them all for yourself in the video after the break. And for more details on what's coming, check out Massively's tour with the devs. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release]
Massively Exclusive: New Vindictus video showcases Season 2
Last week, we brought you an exclusive detailing the new Season 2 content hitting Vindictus, including a boss that can swallow players whole. Today, we have a new video so you can see that content in action! Have you ever wanted to grapple with a gigantic anthropomorphic octopus with spiked tentacles, or a towering undead pirate captain? If so, Vindictus' two new bosses will be right up your alley. But a couple new bosses isn't all Season 2 has to offer; the trailer also tours through the new zones that these foes inhabit. Get an up close personal look at the the bugs and spear-wielding Jungle Trolls of Crescent Moon Island and the rain-soaked planks of the Ship Graveyard in the clip past the cut. [Source: Nexon press release]
Dinosaurs are now live in Wizard101's Azteca content update
Last month, KingsIsle Entertainment shared the news about an upcoming land in Wizard101 populated by intelligent dinosaurs and littered with ancient temples. Today, that lost world of Azteca has been found, and is now on the live server for players to enjoy. Besides dinosaurs, this content update includes new mounts, gear, pets, another crafting tier complete with new recipes, a higher level cap (90), and many new spells. Adventurers can also explore 13 new zones. To learn more about the update, check out Massively's Interview with Producer Leah Ruben. Don't forget about the patch notes! [Source: KingsIsle press release]
