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Jack Emmert to speak on free-to-play vs. pay-to-win
Can free-to-play MMOs be developed without dipping into the pay-to-win well? Cryptic CEO Jack Emmert is firmly on the "yes" side of that argument and will be stating his case at GDC Next in November. Emmert will be delivering a talk during a session titled How to Avoid Pay-to-Win with F2P. The session description is as follows: "With an F2P business, developers must carefully weigh business needs against game balance. Typically, players immediately question whether a game is actually pay-to-win and not truly free-to-play. This session tracks how Cryptic Studios has tackled this very difficult question in each of their current MMOs, and provides a method to address both concerns." Cryptic is helming a number of free-to-play games, with its current F2P roster consisting of Champions Online, Neverwinter, and Star Trek Online.
Captain's Log: Interview with STO's Daniel Stahl, wrap-up
Late in May I had the opportunity to head over to Cryptic Studios to meet and interview several members of the Star Trek Online development team. This week I will be finishing up my synopsis of my conversation with Star Trek Online' Executive Producer Daniel Stahl. We were able to touch on his hopes for the game's user-generated content tool, The Foundry, and he also shared a lot of his thoughts on the potential market growth for STO as well as Cryptic's new subsidiary Cryptic North. Join us after the cut as we discuss what all of this might mean for the future of the studio and for Star Trek Online.
Cryptic North studio formed to polish Champions Online
In a recent interview with Gamasutra, Cryptic's Jack Emmert announced the formation of Cryptic North, a studio reborn from Pirates of the Burning Sea's Flying Lab and currently set to work on polishing Champions Online. Led by Flying Lab co-founder Russell Williams, Cryptic North is looking to grow the team by recruiting Seattle-based talent. When asked if the new studio will be working on any projects independent of Cryptic's Redwood City, California branch, Jack Emmert called that a "definite possibility." Be sure to read the entire interview over at Gamasutra for more. [Thanks to Psi for the tip!]
Leaderboard: Champions Online's Defender vs. City of Heroes' Statesman
Both superheroes were forged in the depths of Cryptic's MMO factory and both are the "Superman" of their games, but that's where the similarities end. One is the child of an established IP, brought in to anchor the product and establish credible connections to the pen-and-paper version. The other is the ego of Jack Emmert made manifest, an indomitable presence watching over Paragon City. But what if these two heroes did an epic crossover and engaged in one massive PvP session? Let's go to the board. Champions Online's Defender is the Iron Man of his franchise, a gifted man who built a powerful suit of armor and gadgets to fight crime. With it, Defender has the powers of flight, super strength, energy blasts, and portable artillery -- not to mention being incredibly tough to take out. City of Heroes' Statesman, on the other hand, possesses innate powers of strength, invulnerability, flight, super-speed, and the ability to shoot a lightning bolt up a criminal's bum if the whim strikes him. Who would win in this theoretical battle? Hit the jump to vote, and head down to the comments to back your vote up with crazy superhero logic!
The Perfect Ten: MMO mascots
Everyone knows that a good mascot can make a difference between a video game's death and rabid popularity. Mario, Master Chief, Duke Nuke 'Em, Pac-Man, Samus Aran, Pyramid Head -- each one of these mascots isn't merely an aspect of the game, they are the virtual spokesperson (or spokesthing) which represents the game itself. Yet when you think about it, MMOs have had a tougher time producing mascots than other video game genres, partially because unlike other games, you don't play as the mascots, and partially because when you have a cast of thousands of NPCs, picking out one to elevate above the rest is a difficult job. Difficult, that is, but not impossible. Today we're going to look at ten MMO mascots (MMOscots?) that studios have tried to promote as the face of these games, to varying degrees of success.
Jack Emmert appointed CEO of Cryptic
What's Jack Emmert been up to since surfacing briefly to talk about Neverwinter a few months ago? Apparently climbing the corporate ladder, as Cryptic has just announced via press release that the game design veteran has been tapped to serve as CEO of the company that brought us Star Trek Online, Champions Online, and way back when, City of Heroes. Emmert is replacing John Needham and says that, while the latter will be missed, Cryptic remains committed to developing AAA gaming experiences. "I co-founded this company and am extremely proud of everything our teams have achieved. We will continue to set high goals for ourselves and under my leadership we will continue to meet them," Emmert says.
The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010
Even though MMOs are the products of great teams of talented workers -- from sound artists to writers -- it's inevitable that a few of the people behind the curtain step out into the limelight. It's a smart move, really; it provides a personal face for people to associate with the game, it keeps messages consistent, and it draws any potential hate onto one person instead of the team at large. It stands to reason that these public figures end up being some of the major movers and shakers in the industry because of their high-profile positions. From CEOs to community managers, these are the people with power to make decisions, the voice to change opinions, and the personalities to inspire millions. Oh, that last sentence is pure poetry. Let's re-read it again, shall we? So in our last Perfect Ten of the year, I've asked the Massively team to compile a list of the 10 biggest MMO movers and shakers of this year. All of these people now owe us cupcakes of gratitude. (Legal Disclaimer: This does not signify a binding cupcake-blogger contract.)
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's year in review
Welcome back, Capsloggers! (Note: professional nicknamer here, available for all your mascot-imagining, brand-revamping needs.) I hope you've all had a merry merry and a happy happy so far. And if you haven't, then keep it to yourself, because Massively is no place to be sad. Now the calendar's just one page, and of course I am excited. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and the end of the year means end-of-the-year lists! As we all know, 2010 has been a big year for Star Trek Online, from its release in February to the introduction of Season 3 just this month. Skip away with me down the Memory Brick Road as we recall the biggest STO stories of the year!
World of Warcraft will reign for another 20 years according to industry analysts
With all of the recent focus on World of Warcraft following its latest expansion, it's no surprise that the industry leader is at the center of another round of "What will topple WoW?" discussions. In an article on Eurogamer, industry analysts and developers lend their thoughts as to what made World of Warcraft so dang popular to begin with, and what it will take -- if anything -- for another game to beat its popularity, subscription numbers and cultural footprint. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter declared that nothing will top the title for at least 20 years due to an insurmountable lead, although this became debated by the other participants. Cryptic's Jack Emmert thinks WoW will be "chipped away at" instead of toppled. Age of Conan's Craig Morrison thinks that nobody can consciously plan to overcome WoW's lead saying, "You don't topple a cultural phenomenon. But you can join one." GamersFirst's Bjorn Book-Larsson doesn't think there's a need for WoW to be toppled due to the size of the market. Codemasters' Dave Solari imagines that the winning formula "would have mass market appeal, with instant accessibility, would work on all platforms, particularly mobile, be incredibly viral and social -- like a feature-rich FarmVille." Undead Labs' Jeff Strain thinks that MMO studios should be looking at it a different way: "They should instead be striving to achieve the same level of success with their own game ideas." Some even speculate that Blizzard is the only studio capable of besting its own game, perhaps with its second MMO that's due to be announced in 2012. Head on over to Eurogamer for the full discussion.
The Perfect Ten: MMO cataclysms
Today sees the launch of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, which represents a destructive "reboot" button on the world of Azeroth. The old has been made new by virtue of fiery explosions that have rent the very earth in twain, and WoW gamers will have to find their footing all over again. As you might imagine, it's made one big-ass mess, which is compounded by the fact that there are no janitor classes in the game to sweep it up (the next hero class, perhaps?). However, the notion of an in-game cataclysm is hardly the sole domain of Activision-Blizzard; on the contrary, large-scale apocalypses pop up all the time in MMOs. After all, nothing grabs the attention like the end of the world (but hey, you still feel fine)! In a list that in no way is meant to capitalize on any expansions that may or may not be on the market, we're going to strap on our Kevlar suits, slather our arms with 1000 SPF sunblock, and take a brief tour of 10 worlds that have dated cataclysms -- and lived to tell the tale.
Jack Emmert: Star Trek Online may go F2P yet -- if you play Champions, that is
Talk about whiplash! Ever since last week's announcement of Champions Online's move to a hybrid free-to-play model, all eyes have turned to Cryptic's other MMO, Star Trek Online, as a possible candidate for this treatment. While STO's Dan Stahl said that Champions' move had "no direct impact" on Star Trek's business model, the outspoken Jack Emmert seems more open to the possibility. In an interview with Eurogamer earlier today, Emmert addressed the issue head-on and allowed for a future where F2P STO happened. For now, the company is going to wait and see how Champions fares before making any decisions about STO's future: "We're not sold one way or the other with Star Trek yet. If people want Star Trek to go free-to-play then get in and play Champions and help make it a great success, because that would send a strong message. If we did Turbine's level of success that would certainly merit the discussion!" However, Jack Emmert says the decision isn't his alone and refused to commit one way or the other. He does hint at a fourth project that Cryptic is working on, one which is not fantasy-based and is "close to my heart." For speculation on what a free-to-play Star Trek Online might look like, make sure you read Ryan's column on the subject.
Jack Emmert says subscription MMOs have to prepare to beat WoW
Jack Emmert, the designer behind MMOs such as City of Heroes and Champions Online, spoke to Eurogamer recently about the trend of free-to-play MMOs vs. subscription MMOs -- a timely discussion with Champions due to go free-to-play sometime next year. Jack said in the interview that games like World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic are going to be the games that will lead the subscription market, and that all other games, especially those with a budget of $50 million or less, should consider a F2P business model. He says in the article, "I don't believe that subscriptions are dead because there are 10 million or so people subscribing to WoW that beg to differ. What I think is there are simply not as many people willing to pay another subscription in addition to WoW, in addition to their Xbox Gold membership." As the MMO market expands and more gaming consoles offer online pay-to-play subscriptions, the choices for consumers expand as the money in their wallets shrinks. Jack comments about you, about the gaming connoisseur, and about F2P: "[Y]ou're just sampling it, giving it a shot, seeing if it works. If it doesn't, no harm no foul - you don't play." Given Cryptic's corporate decisions regarding F2P, the success of the Turbine's F2P games, and the rising quality of F2P games overall, he may be on to something. Catch the whole interview on Eurogamer.
Behind the Mask: The Silver Archetype
In all my time playing Champions Online, never in a million years would I have expected the game to go F2P. Considering just two years ago, Jack Emmert said "microtransactions make me want to go die," I don't think anyone could reasonably anticipate this bold of a financial move. On top of this, Cryptic is adding Archetypes -- essentially premade character classes -- to streamline character creation for new players. For players used to the classless gameplay of CO, this is going to be more than a little weird. There's so much ground to cover on this news. I'm sure you all have a lot of blind speculation, and I do too. A lot of people will be doomsaying about the future of CO, but I think this is the biggest set of positive things for the game we've seen since... ever.
One full year of being a Champion
If you read about Champions Online in its first days, you would not have thought of it as a triple-A title. The game was full of bugs, the community management was not the best, and it just seemed like the devs were intent on shoveling out more broken stuff that barely worked. I think that, in particular, the first three or four months were the worst. If you were to go back in time and ask me about whether or not I thought CO would make it to its first anniversary, my response would have been: "Maybe, but it'll be bleeding subs if it even makes it that far." Since then, a lot of things have changed. I talked about the first six months of CO, but it's been a full year since that painful launch day patch. I'm not sure I'm even playing the same game anymore.
Cryptic not yet sure about pricing plan for new Neverwinter title
You D&D buffs out there were undoubtedly excited to hear that a new Neverwinter game is coming to life, but just like the real D&D, it might end up laying a critical hit down on your wallet. In an interview at Gamasutra, Cryptic CEO Jack Emmert admitted that the game doesn't have a business model nailed down yet, and that all options are still on the table, from a "free-to-play with microtransactions" model to a "pay-by-the-minute" one. Emmert makes the point that asking for a subscription is still a viable way to run an MMO -- he fully expects BioWare to charge subscriptions for The Old Republic -- but that requires meeting a very high standard in terms of its content and quality. Of course, Neverwinter is described more as a "co-op experience" than an MMO, and Emmert says it is indicative of a "new direction for Cryptic." Instead of worrying about MMO standards and traditions, he says, Cryptic wants to "just make great games." Specifically, that means "no more 75 Metacritic scores," he jokes at the end of the interview. "My heart just can't take it anymore."
Exploring Eberron: Neverwinter nightcaps
Depending on how much stock you put in the rumors or in Cryptic in general, this past week's announcement of a second Dungeons & Dragons MMO -- pardon me, an "OMG" -- either rocked you back on your heels or cooled off your heels. Something to do with heels, at any rate. In a Daily Grind this past May, I asked readers how they would make another D&D MMO. There were a lot of thoughtful responses, a few instances of keyboard gibberish, and a contingent adamant that the D&D license was locked up in DDO and couldn't be handed out elsewhere. I guess the latter argument is a moot point right now -- obviously, Turbine doesn't have a monopoly on an online D&D -- although its existence brings to mind not just a few questions. Is the world big enough for two online D&D titles? What does this announcement mean for our beloved DDO? Is Neverwinter positioning itself to be direct competition, or a different entity altogether? Has the Cryptic crew learned its lessons? In my final Exploring Eberron (Rubi returns next week, so you may start doing your happy dance... now), I'm going to answer all of these queries in such a way that your world will forever be rocked. On its heels.
Massively Exclusive: Jack Emmert speaks (about Neverwinter and a whole bunch of other stuff)
Tweet var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/No_offline_play_for_new_Neverwinter_says_Jack_Emmert'; It seems everyone's got an opinion about the new Neverwinter online RPG recently announced by Cryptic. Whether you're a fan of the venerable Dungeons and Dragons franchise, a veteran of the classic single- and multi-player Neverwinter Nights titles, or just a fan of online games in general, you'll want to check out Massively's exclusive interview with Cryptic Studios COO Jack Emmert. Our own Sera Brennan sat down to quiz the Cryptic mastermind about everything from the new title, to Cryptic's evolving business model, to some candid insights into the making of both Champions Online and Star Trek Online. Roll your d20 and advance past the cut for more.
Cryptic and Atari announce Neverwinter
The speculation has been going on for quite a while, and it's finally been confirmed: The Neverwinter Nights MMO is coming. Well, sort of. Neverwinter will be developed by Cryptic, and Gamespot was lucky enough to get a little one-on-one time with COO Jack Emmert. Something that he was careful to point out was that this is not a full-blown, persistent MMO: "I wouldn't say MMORPG at all -- Neverwinter is a cooperative RPG." The Neverwinter site is up and running, with plenty of interesting details about the game. It's based on 4th edition D&D, set for launch in 2011, and is inspired by R.A. Salvatore's upcoming trilogy. The first book in that series arrives in October, so by the time Neverwinter launches, the world should be fully established. For the time being, Cryptic and Atari have provided a fair amount of resources for hopeful (and skeptical) fans to keep up with development. The official site contains a newsletter signup page, some brief backstory, and the full press release. You can also follow game news on Twitter and Facebook.
Bill Roper departs Cryptic
Tweet var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Bill_Roper_departs_Cryptic'; As of this afternoon, Cryptic Studios is on the hunt for its third Chief Creative Officer of the calendar year. Bill Roper, who stepped up to fill the void left when Jack Emmert moved on to the company's COO chair last March, has announced his decision to seek greener pastures via a post on the Champions Online website. Roper makes no mention of his future plans, but does stop to thank fans and colleagues with his signature style. "Thank you all for both the support and the kicks in the ass that have pushed me to constantly evaluate and grow," he writes. Stay with Massively as we bring you the reactions as well as more information on Roper's next gig.
Captain's Log: A look into the future of Star Trek Online
Hello again, everyone! Welcome to another installment of Captain's Log, our weekly dose of Star Trek Online goodness. I trust you all had a fine time with Captain Trout last week, learning about the Klingon beginner's experience. While you were gone, the lovely engineers on the U.S.S. Bob Wiley have installed a brandy new graphics processor, so we're back up and running! Cryptic Studios have had a busy week or so with STO. First came their big push to welcome back players, which included a free weekend for lapsed subscribers. Then came the exciting news of Cryptic's development plans for the next three months. And today saw the release of an update to Season 1.1, which includes much-needed Memory Alpha improvements and the somewhat-delayed fourth Special Task Force mission, Undine Terradome. I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the incoming content that could make this the summer of STO -- and to ponder a few roadblocks that might get in the way.
