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DC Universe Online's next update: Welcome to Paradise
Going toe-to-toe with your first big, recurring villain in a final showdown is an important moment in every superhero's life and an experience that DC Universe Online players will get to treasure in the game's next content pack. The update will bring Brainiac, the main scumbag since DCUO launched last January, to his knees -- and bring players to Paradise Island, home of Wonder Woman and the Amazons. Players will find Brainiac as he's assaulting the Amazons' island and have their final confrontation with him there. But don't worry about the ache of missing your main antagonist, heroes! If there's one thing that comic books have taught us, it's that you should never count a villain out for good -- and that the conclusion of one story arc doesn't mean that things are going to settle down at all. As Jens Anderson (Creative Director for DCUO) says, Brainiac's future isn't settled; his fight "will be an ongoing one as he tries to recover from the player's resistance and future Luthor's manipulation of everyone... The story will then move into a new phase, but Brainiac's actions will always have a lasting effect on DC Universe Online." Moving forward, players can anticipate learning more about the shady figures of Future Lex Luthor and Future Batman.
DCUO's latest update takes you to the Fortress of Solitude
We still don't have a date for you with regard to DC Universe Online's impending payment model switcheroo. We do have the latest Sony Online Entertainment press release, though, and it's full of details about the superhero MMO's latest content patch. Listen up, Superman fans, as today's patch brings about the second phase of a three-part raid in which players must stop Brainiac from harnessing Kryptonian technology and using it to destroy the entire planet. The update, appropriately titled The Fate of the Fortress, features Superman's iconic arctic hideout known as the Fortress of Solitude, and the patch allows would-be heroes to team up with Kal-El, Lex Luthor, and their fellow players to tackle a challenging eight-man group combat raid. There's a bunch of new loot to be had as well, and today's update also features a new hard-mode option for the HIVE tier-two alert as well as a new Batcave PvP map. Finally, SOE has incorporated a new dueling mechanic into DCUO, so fire up your launchpads, button up your underoos, and get ready to save Gotham City and Metropolis from the clutches of the megalomaniacal Brainiac. [Source: SOE press release]
E3 2011: Enemies unite in new DCUO trailer
Amidst all the buzz at this year's E3, Sony Online Entertainment is showing off the latest developments coming for its superhero MMO DC Universe Online. In the new Enemies Unite trailer, we get a possible glimpse at upcoming content that turns the roles of hero and villain on their heads. Supervillain Brainiac launches an attack on the Fortress of Solitude, and the DC heroes are forced to team up with their adversaries to fight the common foe. The only information released so far is a trailer that's currently showing at E3. Details on how the new content will work and when it will arrive are still forthcoming, but this is sure to be an interesting update for fans of DC. Massively is on the floor at E3 right now trying to get the scoop on this interesting upcoming addition to DC Universe Online. Skip past the cut to watch the full trailer video, embedded in HD. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
New DC Universe Online trailer pits players against Brainiac Batman
The DC Universe has a bit of a Brainiac problem. Actually, the universe of DC Universe Online has several problems -- it sort of goes hand-in-hand with a superhero milieu -- but the overarching threat has been Brainiac since the beginning, and the newest group raid just makes that more apparent. An earlier Facebook posting showed off the trailer for the newest piece of group content, featuring Brainiac taking over one of the more immediately recognizable parts of the game's setting -- the Batcave. Cited by the narration as "a crucial location in digitizing Earth," the Brainiac Sub-Construct features players facing off against a number of mechanical enemies as well as the Dark Knight himself. Yes, Batman has been infected and brought under the villain's control, and it's up to the players to force their way through the infected cave and bring things back to normal. DC Universe Online fans can check out the video embedded just after the break.
Chris Cao: DCUO's Update 2 is all about "chance"
We heard some tantalizing details of what Sony Online Entertainment has planned for DC Universe Online's March patch a few weeks ago when Game Director Chris Cao and Art Director and Mark Anderson sat down on the Stickam chat to offer a teaser of what players could expect. Following up, we had a chat with Cao to find out some more specific details on what exactly our superheroes can expect coming in March. According to Cao, the primary theme for this update is "chance," which is reflected both in our chance to face off against The Penguin as boss and in the addition of Two-Face/Harvey Dent in Legends PvP play and as an instance character. That fifth-dimensional trickster Mister Mxyzptlk is likewise being introduced to the game as part of a holiday event themed around St. Patrick's Day. We knew most of this from the Stickam chat; that's why we went digging deeper for the scoop on DC Universe Online's development. Check it out behind the break! %Gallery-50201%
Alter-Ego: A closer look at Update 2
Thanks to a webcast earlier this week from Game Director Chris Cao and Art Director Mark Anderson, we now have an idea of what's to come in the March DC Universe Online patch, also known as Update 2. As anyone who plays the game can tell you, there are certainly a number of fixes and updates that need to be made: PvP exploits, UI tweaks and fixes, grouping mechanic help, raids and more. As such, I thought it would be a good time to dive into some of the things that Cao and Anderson mentioned during their video chat and take a closer look at what we can expect and at how these changes may bring some good and potential bad into the game. So gather up your ideas and opinions on DC Universe Online's upcoming Update 2, caped crusaders, and let's get rolling!
Alter-Ego: A quick and dirty guide to Area 51
When it comes to taking your first steps in DC Universe Online, the sheer amount of different types of missions and objectives can be a bit daunting. "What is this Alert thing sitting in my quest log?" you might say. "What does it do? It is PvP? PvE? What's the point of doing an Alert?" Well, to help demystify some of DC Universe Online's content for you, I wanted to offer up a basic overview to the very first in-game Alert: Area 51. However, knowing that some of you have already run this instance, I also wanted to make it useful for those who may have popped in but not spent a great deal of time in the zone. That's why this post not only contains a first-timer's overview of this Alert but also gives more advanced players a handy guide to all the Investigations, Player Briefings and Collections -- as well as a couple of other things I found in the Area 51 zone that might have been missed otherwise. Ready to dig in and help beat Brainiac back from trying to take over? Curious about what kind of extra goodies can be gained? Join me after the break as I take some of the mystery out of the notorious Area 51!
SOE shows off DC Universe Online newbie video
For those of you who haven't run through DC Universe Online's tutorial instance 36,000 times by now, SOE has posted a new video to its Facebook page previewing a bit of the goings on aboard Brainiac's prison/invasion/newbie ship. The one-minute clip is full of furious fists, physics-based combat and flying containers -- and in a bit of a spoiler -- the Man of Steel himself shows up to lend newbs a helping hand. Curiously, Superman's video voiceover isn't performed by Adam Baldwin, but other than that, the footage is exactly what you'll experience after you've fired up DCUO's character creator and taken your first steps into a larger world. Check it out after the cut and visit the game's official website for more details.
Exclusive Interview: Terrorizing the Green Lantern with DCUO's RadarX
It isn't often that I get the opportunity to play a game with someone who is actively working on it. Even more rarely do I get to play a game before it is released. So when Sony Online Entertainment asked whether someone at Massively would like a virtual tour of its newest innovation, DC Universe Online, how could I say no? Community Manager Tony Jones -- or as most players on the DCUO forums may know him, RadarX -- met me on the sprawling streets of Metropolis (home of Superman), where the Sinestro Corps was absolutely convinced the Green Lantern Corps was draining the power of its rings. Sinestro and his gang began feeding off the fear of Metropolis citizens to empower the rings again. Now, when the Green Lanterns heard about this, of course, they attempted stop the terror, and RadarX, in all his villainy, couldn't let the Lanterns get away with that. I was invited to join in the fun. My tour of the game gave me the chance to ask some questions about what's in store for the community in this exciting game, as well as the chance to beat up some good guys. Follow me after the break to ride along on my adventure!
Aliens, strongmen, clowns, and doom featured in new shots from DCUO
DC Universe Online continues to break the boundaries of what makes a great MMORPG. The action-based game by SOE and Warner Bros. features the amazing art of Jim Lee and WildStorm Studio. The riggers and texture artists at SOE's Austin studio have done their best to capture what it feels like to live and breathe in the DC Comics world. Today, the development team has sent us some brand-new screenshots showcasing the locations your legendary hero can visit in DCUO. If you're a Batman fan, you know Bane, the super-strong villain who pumps himself up on a serum called Venom. And if you don't know the Joker, then you don't know DC Comics. Of course, the Hall of Doom is the underwater fortress at which all the baddy-bads of the world can gather. Brainiac is amassing forces against the research centers at Area 51. Bane's Venom Lab, Joker's Amusement Mile, Area 51, and the Hall of Doom are all featured in the gallery below. After you check out the screenies, visit the official DCUO website to preorder the game. The next legend could be you! %Gallery-107324%
DC Universe devs talk trinity, changes to the game world
Thirsting for more information on Sony Online Entertainment's DC Universe Online? Comic Book Resources has your long cool drink of water in the form of a lengthy studio visit recap. Last week, SOE invited a gaggle of game journalists to "DC University" for a tour of the game's development headquarters that included lectures from the likes of game director Chris Cao, creative director Jens Andersen, producer Wes Yanagi, and writer/resident DC legend Marv Wolfman. In between geekgasm-inducing peeks around the studio, the lucky invitees got some hands-on time with the upcoming title as well as the opportunity to ask the developers a few questions. When the discussion turned to combat, it became apparent that DCUO isn't going down the traditional MMO "holy trinity" path with its classes and builds. Cao states that while tank, healer, and DPS parties may be possible, they won't necessarily be the norm since "everybody's a damage dealer." Cao also talked about accessible and inaccessible portions of the game world and whether players would be able to unlock more locations as the title ages. "We've bottled the city, the idea is that somebody's going to have to unbottle it," he said, referring to the storyline angle in which Brainiac cuts off access to Metropolis' Daily Planet. While the devs were noncommittal in terms of specifics, Wes Yanagi commented that permanent changes to the world would likely occur via seasonal events and new players would be able to experience the pre-event world.
SOE and Blur release DCUO story trailer
Sony Online Entertainment has just released a lengthy story trailer for its forthcoming DC Universe Online superhero MMORPG. Debuting early Saturday morning on GameTrailers, the massive video clocks in at over six minutes in length and features nearly all of the DC Comics notables, including Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Wonder Woman, the Joker, and others. The hyper-violent cinematic is the latest creation of Blur Studio, also known for its Star Wars: The Old Republic teaser work. The cinematic sets up DCUO's overarching story, in which the heroes team up with Lex Luthor to stop Brainiac and his latest threat to humanity. You can view the trailer, appropriately named "Who Do You Trust," after the cut or at GameTrailers.
