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Gods & Heroes letter brings dire tidings
Is that smoke on the horizon? Goths marching to the gates? Probably not, but for Gods & Heroes, it may very well seem that way. The newest dispatch from the development team has admitted that the game no longer has a development team and hasn't for quite some time. As the letter puts it, it was a choice between keeping the game alive as it stood or letting the team go, and without investors, the latter seemed like the better option. So what's next for the game? The forum thread on the letter claims that the game's servers will keep running and funding them isn't an issue, but no new development will be taking place until the funding can be found for a free-to-play conversion. As the game hasn't come anywhere close to recovering the cost of bringing it to market, that doesn't bode well for the future. Whatever happens next, this is certainly a dark day for the Roman game, and we can only hope that better news is on the horizon. [Thanks to Jason for the tip!]
Gods & Heroes crucifies subs and slashes box prices
Two business models entered Gods & Heroes' colosseum, but only one walked out alive. The crowds cheered their approval, and for a moment their bloodlust was sated. Subscriptions in the game would be no more. Today, Heatwave Interactive announced that the subscription model wasn't working out for the underperforming Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising (perhaps it did not sell enough fancy helmets) and as of today subs are a thing of the past. Instead, players can enjoy the game without a fee while the team works on creating a true free-to-play plan. In addition to making gameplay completely free, Heatwave has cleaved the price of the client in twain, reducing the cost to $9.99 for those who have yet to get it. If you've previously purchased the game, whether you were currently subbed to it or not, your account is now flagged for unlimited free play.
Party with the Gods & Heroes devs in Austin
Heatwave Interactive aims to seize the day -- Friday, October 14th, that is -- by offering players of Gods & Heroes a unique opportunity to visit the studio in person. Following the final day of GDC Austin, Heatwave's community team will offer 10 attendees the chance to spend an afternoon and evening touring the offices for "sneak previews" and a Q&A with various panels and team members, including CEO Anthony Castoro, the design team, the art team, the support team, and the community team. Guests will then participate with the devs in hosting a live Ustream chat, after which they'll enjoy the fruits of their labors (or more accurately, the meats) with a BBQ worthy of the gods. Interested parties can RSVP by email on the official site. Have fun!
Gods and Heroes entices players with extended trial, lower cost and a new class
Gods & Heroes wants you to play it. Like, really, really bad. So much so, in fact, that the Roman-themed MMO is launching a multi-pronged campaign on potential players in an attempt to rope them into the game. The first prong of the campaign is an extended free trial. Starting today, players can check out the full game for a week by simply signing up on the site. "By extending the trial period from three to seven days, new players will have a chance to really dig into the heart of the game and we know they'll like what they find," Heatwave's Anthony Castoro said. The cost of Gods & Heroes is coming down as well, hitting a more reasonable $29.99 for both boxed and digital versions of the game. Castoro hopes that this will help interested parties get past any financial barriers and will widen the playerbase: "The community has spoken and our analytics confirm that players really enjoy Gods & Heroes once they've experienced it." Finally, Heatwave is adding a chunk of new content to the game, including the ranged Scout class and a free archer minion for loyal subscribers. The undead minion Batillus will be granted to players who subscribed prior to August 1st.
Friends, Romans, noobs, lend me your ear: Gods & Heroes devs answer community questions
Sometimes it makes a world of difference to put a name to a face, especially when it comes to the often-mythologized field of MMO development. The Gods & Heroes team recently sat down in front of a camera to not only answer community questions but give you a sense of who the team members are, how they function together, and what they look like. Topics on hand for the discussion included Heatwave Interactive's favorite memories from Gamescom, fixing problems with the latest patch, the combat range changes, the ongoing production blog that one of the devs is writing, promotions for Steam and other distributors of the game, a "targeted marketing campaign" that's going to launch in the next couple of weeks, and a future update tenatively scheduled for mid-October. You can watch the full USTREAM recording of the dev chat after the jump!
Heatwave opens free trials for Gods and Heroes
Following fresh on the heels of Gods and Heroes' recent content update, Heatwave Interactive announced today that it is beginning a free trial promotion. The free trial gives three days of access to all of the game's currently available content. Anthony Castoro, CEO of Heatwave Interactive, states, "The free trial unlocks the Gods & Heroes experience - it's our invitation for anyone passionate about mythology and legend to immerse themselves in this epic adventure of ancient Rome." If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can access the new trial at the official site.
Scout out Gods and Heroes' patch 1.0.38.3
The newest Gods and Heroes patch from Heatwave Interactive is a doozy, so hang on to your galeas, folks. Alongside the variety of bug fixes, quest adjustments, and quality-of-life improvements that players expect, patch 1.0.38.3 brings a surprise: a spankin'-new class. Players can now jump into Rome as the wily Scout. These followers of Apollo or Diana use survival skills, stealth, and deadly aim with a bow to wreak havoc upon their opponents before they're ever spotted. Their knowledge of the wilderness also grants them the ability to scavenge up food and drink to keep their party nourished and fighting strong.
Gods and Heroes discusses price reduction, exclusive minion and new classes
Heatwave Interactive, makers of the new indie MMO Gods and Heroes, has been refreshingly upfront about their business lately. Recently, they talked about the need for even more players, despite having one of the top selling games on Steam for a while. It should be a sign of how payment models or pricing can seemingly make or break a game, especially at launch. Within even just a few years, the mainstream audience has gone from hating on free-to-play, treating it as though it was some sort of oddball political party, to snickering whenever a game actually asks for money upfront. Will Heatwave's game pay the price for not releasing for free immediately? Well, that is yet to be seen. In a recent interview with Anthony Castoro, Executive Producer and CEO, he was very open and honest about all of these perceived issues, and seemed ready to continue using such open language with his audience. Click past the cut and let's talk about the upcoming new price, a new class, and a little surprise for all of the players who paid for the game upfront.
Heatwave CEO talks Gods and Heroes population
Fans of Heatwave Interactive's recently launched Gods and Heroes MMO will be happy to note that the dev team is not sitting idly by now that the game has launched. Heatwave CEO Anthony Castoro has penned an update post on the official forums that features a lot of frank talk about the game and its immediate future, including the need to "begin a promotion that will drive thousands more players to the game and turn Baccus, Mars, and Jupiter into communities bursting at the seams." Castoro doesn't elaborate on what the promotion might be, but he does say that even though Gods and Heroes doesn't need 500,000 users to turn a profit, "our current growth rate isn't good enough." Finally, Castoro notes that the game has "an awareness issue and our pricing model doesn't seem to be tantalizing enough." Whether Heatwave is looking at a freemium conversion or simply a price reduction coupled with more advertising, Castoro's post makes clear that the team is in it for the long haul. Check out the blurb on the official forums for a list of Heatwave's immediate priorities.
Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising releases new combat trailer
There's a new Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising video in town, and it's taking no prisoners. The new one-minute clip is centered on the game's combat mechanics, and there's plenty of whirling, slashing, stomping, and even a nifty hey-get-off-of-my-back move to whet your violent appetites. Though the clip is short, there's a good sampling of PvE mobs on display, all of them with a distinctly mythological flavor and all of them waiting to meet the business end of your weapon. You'll also get a glimpse of the game's minions (the Gods & Heroes version of the traditional MMORPG pet mechanic) as well as some nice-looking environments. The game has been selling well since its June launch, and you can check out the new trailer after the cut.
Gods & Heroes outsells RIFT on Steam, claims weekend top spot
Well someone's certainly playing Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, the newly launched fantasy MMORPG from Heatwave Interactive. It's a safe bet that said someones are playing via Steam, as Valve's digital download platform is reporting that the Roman mythology-flavored MMO outsold all challengers over the weekend. Despite some predictions of a lukewarm reception due to the glut of fantasy MMOs and a hefty box fee (as well as a subscription model), Heatwave's game sold well enough to outpace RIFT as well as Guild Wars, DC Universe, and EVE Online, all of which could be had at or lower than Gods & Heroes' $39.99 price point. Is it a case of a better-than-expected game or another example of how MMO players will buy anything and everything if it's new and shiny? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Gods & Heroes sells Centurion helmet on Amazon
If you're anything like the folks here at Massively, it's hard for you to figure out the right outfit to wear for gaming. Sweats? Too pathetic. Suit and tie? Too formal. Boxers or briefs? We don't want to know. Fortunately, Heatwave Interactive has come to the rescue with the definitive gaming accoutrement for Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising players: a $220 replica of a Roman Centurion Helmet. This "fully wearable" helmet is now available for pre-order on Amazon, although you'll have to be quick and lucky to get one, as there are only 200 available. It's described as having "a pronounced red plume and is made of heavy gauge high carbon steel complete with brass accents and fittings." No mention is made as to whether this would be useful in a real-life battle or not, so buyer beware if you're purchasing this in the hopes that it will protect you the next time you jump into your time machine and go back to the second century. Gods & Heroes launched last week, and Massively has you covered on all the details. Except your head. We do not cover your head.
Gods & Heroes going worldwide on Steam this week
Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising is coming to Steam. The mythology-inspired MMORPG, launched yesterday by Heatwave Interactive, is now available on Valve's North American digital distribution platform and will available worldwide later this week (June 24th, to be exact). Aside from the convenience of avoiding a retail purchase, Steam customers will also receive a traditional platform-exclusive in-game item, in this case a mythical minion called a Gorpal. The Gorpal is a damage-dealing Phorcid pet that "protects players by fighting with claws and a poisonous bite," according to a Heatwave press release. Check out our Gods & Heroes launch day coverage for more on the game, and don't forget to stop by the official website as well.
Gods & Heroes launches today
It's Tuesday, and that means that somewhere in the wild hinterlands of the internet, an MMORPG is probably gearing up to officially open its doors to the public. Today's starlet is Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, and the long-in-development title from Heatwave Interactive is finally ready for its close-up. Whether you're into Roman mythology, you yearn for traditional class- and quest-based combat, or you're curious about the title's ancestral estate system (that's player housing, if you're wondering), you'll want to partake of our launch-day roundup that recaps our best and most current Gods & Heroes coverage. We've got screenshot galleries, hands-on impressions, dev chats, and videos galore, not to mention info about the game's payment plans and pre-order details. What are you waiting for? Hop past the cut for details.
Gods & Heroes releases estate system screens
Current-gen MMOs that ship with player housing options are seemingly a dying breed. Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, debuting next week courtesy of Heatwave Interactive, is bucking that trend by launching with something the devs are calling an estate system. In a nutshell, your Roman hero will inherit his very own ancestral estate. Unfortunately you'll take possession of the place after it's been razed to the ground by the evil machinations of the Telchinist cult. Part of the Gods & Heroes progression experience involves rebuilding your home, which in turn affects the power and quality of your NPC minions as well as other as-yet unnamed benefits. The rebuilding process takes the form of various quest lines throughout the game, and you'll get a glimpse of what's in store by checking out our new estate system gallery below. %Gallery-118322%
THQ signs German publishing deal for Gods and Heroes
Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising is only a few days away from release, and THQ Germany has just announced that it will be publishing the Roman mythology MMO in, you guessed it, Germany when the title hits retail on June 24th. "Gods & Heroes offers an outstanding MMO experience and is the perfect fit for our THQ Partner's distribution portfolio in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. We're very excited to be able to send MMO fans on an unforgettable journey to ancient Rome," said THQ managing director Stefan Krings via press release. Gods & Heroes was developed by Heatwave Interactive and features personal ancestral estates, 130 unique minions, and traditional MMO combat. You can learn more, as well as pre-order the game, at the official website.
Nab your very own Gods & Heroes beta key! [Updated]
Heatwave Interactive's mythology-driven MMO Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising is cresting toward its official launch on June 21st, but there's still time for you to dive in early! Until June 12th, curious would-be players can sign up on the official Gods & Heroes site for an open beta key, free and clear. During this final open beta phase, testers will romp through the early levels of gameplay, boss their minions, and preview the estate system that impressed even our own Beau Hindman. If you like what you see, then you'll want to preorder the game to access the Gods & Heroes head-start program, which will allow gamers to sail past the competition and enter the game officially a full week early. Have fun! [Updated: It's June 12th, so the beta key giveaway has now officially ended. Hope you had a great time!]
Gods & Heroes open beta is here
Friends, Romans, testers: Lend me your ears. It's open beta time for Heatwave Interactive's mythology-inspired Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising MMORPG. Interested fans can sign up today through June 12th and partake of four character classes, personal estates, a minion system, and the first 14 levels of gameplay. You can also pre-order Gods & Heroes and get in on the headstart program for a one-week jump on the launch-day competition. The title officially throws open its doors on June 21st and aims to add a unique setting to the crowded fantasy MMO market. Check out the official website to learn more about the game as well as sign up for the beta, check out the new trailer after the break, and don't forget to peruse Massively's first impressions if you're curious about the gameplay.
First Impressions: Gods & Heroes
I've seen the gameplay in Gods & Heroes before. I've played games that were built on the same idea with similar lore, and I've definitely tried games that featured the same kind of quests. I've seen a lot, to say the least, so I really like it when a game surprises me a bit. I'll be really honest and say that I don't really even like the ancient Rome setting. It's not fantasy enough for me, sort of like MMOs set in World War II. Or Canada. Still, I was asked to take a look at Gods & Heroes, and so I did. Up to that point, I had heard a lot about it, but most of it was negative. It's buggy, they said. It's ugly, too. So you can imagine my surprise when I felt surprised when I logged in. Granted, there was plenty of blandness in certain areas of the game, but the estate system and NPC groupmates made me think that this team might just have something. Click past the cut and I'll tell you more.
Live chat on Ustream with the Gods & Heroes developers
One of the big upsides to the communication venues available online is that players of MMOs can connect with developers like never before. Gods & Heroes fans will have a chance to connect with the development team tomorrow via Ustream chat, giving hopeful players a chance to ask almost anything they could want about the decidedly Roman game. Starting at 7:00 p.m. EDT, the chat is open to any players via the development team's regular live streaming channel. If you can't make the event itself or you just want to try to get a question in early, the team is ready for that as well. Questions may be submitted early via Twitter, Facebook, or the game's official forums; the team is planning to round up the best questions and answer them on the air. If Gods & Heroes is on your radar for future play, you might want to take the time tomorrow night to get involved in the live broadcast.
