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The Daily Grind: What's the weirdest MMO you've played?
I found myself playing a little bit of Test Drive Unlimited 2 this weekend. I'm not sure why, but I'll chalk it up to an obsession with vehicles and an incurable case of MMO wanderlust. The game is a bizarre mixture of online racing and The Sims, with out-of-car activities including casinos, dance clubs, outfit collections and player housing. The title's main draw is the vehicles, though, and while some of the driving mechanics leave a lot to be desired, the models themselves are impressive. I particularly enjoy the virtual cockpits and the ability to raise and lower windows, etc. Anyway, that's my weird MMO story of the day. What's yours? What's the weirdest MMO you've played? 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!
Atari says Eden Games isn't closed, plans to continue supporting the studio
[Update] A few hours ago, we reported that Eden Games had been shuttered – you can read our original report below. An Atari representative has told Joystiq that despite the "divestiture process" wording in the financial statement sourced below suggesting closure of the studio, Eden Games has not been fully liquidated. Eden Games still exists, and Atari plans to support the studio moving forward. "Our earnings statement contained a report about the divestment of Eden Games. We want to make it clear that the studio has not closed and that we will continue to support the console and PC games of Eden Games, notably Test Drive Unlimited 2, while this process is underway. The divestment is in line with our previously stated strategy of exploiting our popular intellectual property library on mobile devices, where he have seen strong initial success, and via online games and licensing."[Original story] Eden Games is no more. Last year Eden Games engaged in a "symbolic" one-day strike in response to a first wave of layoffs, and today Atari has shut down what was left of the French studio responsible for the Test Drive series of racing sims."Eden Games has been accounted for as 'Discontinued Operations' under IFRS 5, as the Company has started a divestiture process of the studio," Atari's earnings report reads. (That's business speak explaining Eden Games has been dissolved.) Earnings for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012 show Atari made $51.3 million – a 44% decline compared to last year's $77.8 million in revenue.Last year, when the first round of Eden Games employees were dismissed, some went on to found Blossom Minds.
Test Drive Unlimited 2's DLC 2 planned for February, adds bikes and new content
As predicted way back before the game's release, Test Drive Unlimited 2 is indeed getting some bikes to play around with. In a post on the game's official forums, a community manager for Atari says the game's second DLC pack is scheduled for February 2012. It will bring three bikes, including a Harley and two Ducatis, as well as six new cars, new missions and locations to explore. You'll also receive new clothes and furniture to buy, and notice some minor enhancements to the game, like the ability to change car positions in the garage or control headlights. Finally, Test Drive 2 will offer support for some more driving wheel accessories. The first DLC for the game ended up arriving at no cost thanks to a buggy launch, but it's been a while -- about nine months -- since TDU2 has seen new content. Eden Games has, after all, been dealing with other issues.
Test Drive dev Eden Games goes on 'symbolic' one day strike
In response to previously unknown plans at Atari to lay off approximately 51 of Eden Games' 80 total employees, the Test Drive Unlimited developer is staging a "Symbolic Day Strike" today. A statement sent to Gamasutra from an unnamed Eden Games employee explains the act as a response to what the studio believes is "mismanagement" on the part of its parent company and publisher, Atari, and an effort to engage Atari president Jim Wilson directly. The Eden Games message claims that Wilson has "never introduced himself to his employees." The proposed cuts at Eden, said to be taking place this coming June, are supposedly the result of a change in Atari's focus, as it moves away from packaged retail goods and towards MMOs and games with online-based business models. Eden Games' latest projects -- the Test Drive Unlimited series and Alone in the Dark -- have all been retail-centric, potentially spurring the decision by Atari to cut staff at the studio. An Eden employee clarified that the strike was in direct response to stalled negotiations with Atari, and said that Eden "didn't receive at this time any information or feedback from Atari management." The representative also noted that internal projections put the studio's latest effort, Test Drive Unlimited 2, at around 900K units sold to date.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 free DLC out on PC, coming soon to consoles
Though it may lack the apologetic punch of a Hallmark card featuring doe-eyed kittens telling us how "sowwy" they are, Eden Games and Atari have released a pretty thorough make-up patch for its bug riddled racer, Test Drive Unlimited 2. The free Exploration DLC pack, which adds a number of new events, cars and outfits (as well as a plethora of much-needed bug fixes) is available today on PC, and is coming "very soon" to consoles. You can check out the extensive list of updates after the jump, and spend the rest of the day wondering how this game made it to store shelves with problems like "Cars sometimes turn invisible." That seems like the kind of thing you'd notice in QA, right? Actually, since the cars were invisible, they wouldn't notice them? We need to think about that one.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 players get free DLC as apology for bug-plagued launch
Bummed that your launch experience with Test Drive Unlimited 2 was hampered by game-breaking bugs and server outages? Atari and developer Eden Games totally understand -- and while it's a little impractical to come around and give shoulder massages to everyone affected, they'd like to do the next best thing: Give away some free DLC for your troubles. That being the case, the upcoming Exploration DLC pack will be a gratis download. It will unlock the Lancia Stratos version Rallye and 1969 Dodge Charger in addition to fixing a whole slew of bugs, from login issues to repairing corrupt saves -- even adding an improved casino experience. The content has gone live for the PC version already, with the console updates currently being approved by Microsoft and Sony, so they're expected soon.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 sets franchise record atop UK charts
It may be a case of Top Gear-fever, but Atari's Test Drive Unlimited 2 raced to the top of the UK all formats sales chart. Chart-Track notes that TDU2 is "by far" the biggest launch in the franchise, outselling the previous entry by more than double, with 68 percent of sales on Xbox 360, 28 percent on PS3 and the rest (4 percent) on PC. After two weeks as king of the mountain (standing gallantly atop a pile of Necromorphs), Dead Space 2's Isaac Clarke took the long way through an air duct and ended up in second place. The rest of the top five is some kind of late-2010 flashback, as FIFA 11, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood occupy spots three through five, respectively. Last week's big mover was Ubisoft's Dance Juniors, a "Kidz Bop" version of its unstoppable Just Dance franchise, which jumped 290 percent in its second week, just narrowly missing entry into the top ten at spot 12. We've placed a video of the game after the break to see what all the fuss is about, along with the UK top ten.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 slammed with game-breaking launch bugs
Bad news for those who picked up Test Drive Unlimited 2 this week: the game is apparently falling apart, thanks to a few game-breaking bugs across various systems, including "permanent loading screen" problems and issues where the game's save file will get corrupted or not load. A number of network-reliant game components have been taken offline already, and the official Twitter account says the Eden Games team is working as fast as it can to sort things out. Programmers have been pulled in from other projects with the dev promising that "no one is going home until we get this working." So, if you bought the game and encountered these issues, sit tight. If you were thinking about picking up the game this weekend, it might be prudent to wait until everything gets sorted out. In the meantime, there are lots of other games to play, or there's even this thing called "outside" we've heard about, whatever that is. Update: The producer has posted on the forums to say that most issues have been fixed, and all content should be back online. Enjoy virtual Ibiza -- "outside" isn't that big a deal anyway. [Thanks, Tony]
Launch week deals on Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Test Drive Unlimited 2 at Kmart
Unless you lucked into one of those half-off coupons from Amazon, you're unlikely to find a better deal on Marvel vs. Capcom 3 at launch than the one Kmart's offering right now -- albeit a deal contingent upon your continued Kmart shopping. From Feb. 15 through 19, the retailer is offering its "Shop Your Way Rewards" members $25 worth of points for in-store purchases of the game. Kmart is also giving away an exclusive poster (above) with MvC3 purchases -- supplies are limited, of course. In addition, Kmart is throwing a pile of deals at people interested in Test Drive Unlimited 2. Through Feb. 12, the retailer is giving away a free code for a Ferrari 612 Sessanta. In-store purchases for 360 will come with free copies of the PC version of Test Drive Unlimited 1, and PS3 buyers get the first game on PSP thrown in. And if you're a member of that rewards program, you get $10 worth of points. With this kind of bribery, Kmart's making a pretty good argument for becoming a member and getting into a Kmart habit.
Atari starts Test Drive Unlimited 2's engines
MMO racers are an interesting breed, seemingly rarer than a '68 GT40. Whether it's due to EA's relatively under-the-radar Need For Speed World or the gone-but-not-forgotten Motor City Online, car enthusiasts with a shared passion for MMOs have endured slim pickings in recent years. Happily, Atari and Eden Games are looking to change all that with this week's release of Test Drive Unlimited 2, an ambitious new racing title for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 platforms. TDU2 lives up to its MMO billing (and its "beyond racing" tagline) by delivering a non-linear experience that is as much about collecting and progression as it is about driving. Also in the mix are a variety of social options such as avatar, housing, and furniture customization as well as the requisite car tuning and parts tweaking minigames. TDU2 also aims to out-MMO many current MMOs by delivering large playfields and emphasizing shared social spaces (including gambling hubs, player-run clubs, and cooperative races). TDU2 can be played sans a sub fee after you purchase the digital download or retail box, and Atari plans to offer DLC in the form of car, clothing, and furniture packs to monetize the game over time. Check out our exclusive in-game gallery below and head to the game's official website for more info. %Gallery-116007%
Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer features character customization, hot beats
Atari and Eden Games have sent along another Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer, this time focusing on character customization, from in-game cosmetic surgery to your very own house designs. Bonus: The Ibiza music in the trailer doubles as a test of your speakers' woofers!
Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer shows off Audi models, including the Q7
Atari continues to tempt us with sumptuous Test Drive Unlimited 2 HD trailers, this time showing off some gorgeous Audi models, including the Q7 crossover SUV. An SUV in a racing game, you ask? Sure -- how else are you going to haul all of that furniture to your customizable house?
Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer is really rubbing it in
Okay, Test Drive Unlimited 2. We get it, alright? Your game is set in a remarkably beautiful, peninsular world that our real-life salaries will never allow us to inhabit. You don't have to keep rubbing our nose in that fact with your every trailer, including the gorgeous video posted below.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 due on Feb. 8, pre-orders detailed
Test Drive Unlimited 2 developer Eden Games is betting you'll be all done with Gran Turismo 5 and ready for a new driving game by early next year, announcing plans to drop TDU2's opening flag on February 8. It appears the studio is using its extra half year of development time -- the game was pushed back from September to "Q1 2011" this past August -- to create an unbelievably complex pre-order incentive plan at several different retailers, broken down after the break. We'll parse it for you real quick right here, should you not have the time: GameStop pre-orders get the Casino DLC while every other retailer just gives you a car. Sure, Walmart's offer of an in-game Bugati Veyron Supersport 2010 is tempting, but it's not a whole freakin' game mode.
Test Drive Unlimited 2's 'Casino' DLC trailer is for the lucky ones
When Test Drive Unlimited 2 launches early next year, players will be able to indulge in one of life's sweetest vices: Gambling. The launch day Casino DLC pack will give players another channel of income and unlockable cars -- provided they're as constantly lucky as the players in the trailer below.
Put the pedal to the metal with a beta key for Test Drive Unlimited 2's beta event this weekend
You know, we don't get many racing games around these parts. Need For Speed World was one of the first games, for sure, but there was another game before that -- Test Drive Unlimited. Test Drive Unlimited is back with a sequel, and this time it's coming to the PC crowd in addition to the consoles. TDU2 will be taking place on the beautiful Mediterranean island of Ibiza. Just like before, your single-player and multiplayer experiences are blended together in TDU's "always online" M.O.O.R state (Massively Open Online Racing), so you'll pass/meet other players, even if you're choosing to play the single-player mode. This version of TDU also finally allows you to get outside your car and walk around as an avatar, buying clothing and customizing your look. And, if you missed not being able to form your own social cliques in the last game, no worries! This sequel features the ability to create "clubs" -- groups of drivers racing for power and profit. This weekend is a special beta event for the game, and we here at Massively are holding 1,500 keys to give away! Be the first to check out the new Test Drive Unlimited by jumping past the break for your key and the full instructions on how to get into the beta weekend!
Atari launches Atari GO, with plans to 'reinvent' classics for social gaming
Atari today launched a new initiative called "Atari GO" (short for "Atari Games Online"), which is designed to leverage the company's current and future catalog across a number of platforms, including consoles, mobile, social and online gaming. Joystiq spoke with Atari Executive VP of Online and Mobile Gaming Thom Kozik, who said that the new program aims to use Atari's catalog and partnered indie developers to "not only move Atari more aggressively into providing casual online and social games, but leverage that well of experience and creativity that all of these independent developers have." Kozik reiterated that Atari has slowly built and acquired a large infrastructure for online and social gaming, and the company is now opening up that infrastructure to both developers interested in creating new Atari titles and online affiliates that can embed and host Atari's games. Through Atari GO, Kozik said he hopes to turn sites that are currently hosting unofficial versions of Atari's oldies into new sources of income. "Take that unofficial version down, replace it with our official version," he suggested, "and you'll be able to share in the revenue." Kozik revealed that some of the Atari GO games will be tied into the company's core games. For example, a Facebook tie-in game might unlock extra content in the upcoming console racer Test Drive Unlimited 2. "So we're able to wire together, for a particular player, their virtual goods, their experiences and what they'll be able to share, back and forth," he explained. Additionally, Atari plans to "reinvent" some of its historic games within a social gaming context. Both Asteroids Online and Deer Hunter Online are due out by the end of the year and serve as "new reimaginings of those IPs in a socialized context," according to Kozik, "with microtransactions and a broader narrative."
Test Drive Unlimited 2 delayed until Q1 2011
Atari and Eden Games' Test Drive Unlimited 2 has pulled into the slow lane for now, with the open-world racer missing its September debut in favor of an "early 2011" launch. Consequently, the planned beta period has also been pushed back, although players who already signed up will apparently be rewarded with "exclusive in-game content" when the final game arrives (and they'll still participate in the multiplayer test drive). According to a message posted on the official website for Test Drive Unlimited 2, the delay will allow Eden Games to apply "a few extra months of polish" and ensure "that we deliver a robust and reliable online service from the day we go live." The new beta dates are expected to be announced "shortly."
Aston Martin One-77 unveiled in Test Drive Unlimited 2
In real life, the Aston Martin One-77 is a gorgeous little state-of-the-art luxury coupé with a lightweight carbon fiber chassis, a production run of only 77 units, a top speed of 220 miles per hour and a price upwards of a million dollars. In Test Drive Unlimited 2, though, you'll actually be able to own and drive one. Sure, the experience of driving this masterpiece in real life might not quite compare to pushing pixels around in a video game, but trust us, the insurance premiums are way less. Drool over these shots (and the video after the break) until the game comes out September 21. %Gallery-97646%
Test Drive Unlimited 2 trailer lives the fast life
If you turn to video games as a source for blissful escapism, it looks like you won't be able to do much better than Test Drive Unlimited 2. That is, of course, if you prefer to escape to lush, tropical environments and vast sums of financial assets, and not monster-laden Hellworlds.
