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Path of Exile announces Forsaken Masters, its second major update
You aren't the best around in Path of Exile. To be the best, you need someone even better to teach you. You need a master. Maybe even a lost master, which is the premise of the game's second major update, Forsaken Masters. This update will give players seven different eponymous masters to train under, each of whom will make different requests of players and offer different lessons as players improve their reputation. That's not all the update will offer when it goes live, though. Players will be able to craft their own customized hideouts upon reaching enough reputation with a given Master, allowing them to craft their own little town. There are also new items, revamped passive skills, rebalances of existing content, and new challenge leagues to enjoy. Players will be able to start taking on these new adventures when the update drops on August 20th. Then you can start really being the best around. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Pirate101 sets sail for Marleybone
One of the bonuses of having Pirate101 set in the same world as Wizard101 is that the former can benefit from some of the latter's layout. KingsIsle has launched a big expansion for the game that includes some old favorites for veteran players, starting by sending pirate captains to the familiar land of Marleybone. Players will be investigating a war zone they helped inadvertently create while working up through another 15 levels of experience. The update also adds the new region of Aquila, a new Bazaar system for players to trade goods, and a new tutorial to help players get accustomed to the game. There are also new bosses and transport systems to give players more to do while they sail across the oceans. Last but not least, new companions are scattered through the added regions, and old companions are learning some new tricks. Pirate101 players can log in and start enjoying the update immediately.
The Secret World shows off upcoming raid in New York City
In real life, the closest thing you'll find to an eldritch horror in New York City is a half-eaten gyro that's been left in the subway for a week. But in The Secret World, the next major update is bringing some much bigger horrors into the heart of NYC. A new video from the development team explains how players will take on the game's first raid when it goes live with the fourth patch, Big Trouble in the Big Apple. That's not all the update contains, however -- players will also be able to start up the game's second auxiliary weapon (the chainsaw) and indulge in creativity within London's Albion Theater. There's also a PvP overhaul incoming with new rewards, new vendors, and new battle modes. And even that just scratches the surface. For the full rundown of the patch's features, take a look at the lengthy preview video embedded just past the break.
Star Trek Online posts patch notes for the Season 6 launch
Star Trek Online is mobilizing the fleets today. With the launch of Season 6, fleets will have new starbases to explore, new projects to develop, and new tasks to undertake as a single cohesive unit. The full patch notes elaborate on a number of the new features that fleets can focus on and what awaits the stalwart captains who pursue those goals, including the details of assembling and reinforcing starbases over time. But even if your fleet isn't planning on focusing on all this new content, there's still plenty in the update for you to enjoy. New group content has been added in the form of the Colony Invasion and the No Win Scenario. There have also been a variety of balance changes and user interface tweaks as outlined in the full patch notes, including several tweaks to the Foundry and ship systems. All in all, the new season should give players in or out of a fleet a more enjoyable experience all around.
Naoki Yoshida talks about Final Fantasy XIV with Famitsu
Final Fantasy XIV is out in force at E3 this year, showing off all of the changes coming to the game with the Version 2.0 launch. Producer Naoki Yoshida recently sat down with popular Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu to discuss some of the changes en route, and a translation of that interview is now available. Yoshida confirms that the game is on schedule, with full promotions starting in August and an alpha test beginning in late September. As Yoshida sees it, the game needs to have a stronger connection to previous titles in the franchise. Fans can expect to see familiar elements like the Crystal Tower (Final Fantasy III), Magitek Armor (Final Fantasy VI), and areas reminiscent of Ivalice (Final Fantasy XII/Tactics). The new client is also meant to be highly customizable and capable of running on low-end machine or high-end machines as needed. Take a look at the full translation for more teases on what's around the corner for Eorzea. [Thanks to Ring for the tip!]
Ether Saga Odyssey officially launches
Some updates are too big to just write the whole thing off as a patch. Ether Saga Odyssey has just launched today... and if the name looks more than passingly familiar, it's because up until very recently the game was Ether Saga Online. Perfect World Entertainment has re-branded the game with a new title to commemorate the groundswell of content added with this update, including new races, new starting areas, and a brand-new graphics engine for the game. But the launch festivities don't stop with the new title -- there are plenty of other events and rewards to kick off the rebranding. For starters, experience gained will be doubled for the weekend, which should help new players bring characters up to level 30 faster than ever. That's a good thing, as new characters who hit 30 will receive special rewards, as will players who stay logged in for an extended period of time. The promotions end on May 4th, so if you're itching to give the new Ether Saga Odyssey a try, now is the time.
Istaria drops a big update and looks for testers
If you're a fan of Istaria, times have been quiet for far too long, even with unique race selections. Luckily, that longstanding silence has been broken with the game's newest content update, a major patch that delivers a complete loot overhaul and several changes to the game's underlying mechanics. Techniques and Technique components have had their drop sources adjusted, Junk Loot has been added to the game, and a brand-new item type known as Broken Items has been added for crafters to repair and improve. The loot system revamp is only the least in a long list of changes, including numerous alterations to enemy distribution and large-scale reworking of several quests. The patch notes also mention specifically that this is the first update of the year, which seems worthy of speculation -- after all, there has been a call put out since October for players willing to take part in alpha testing. It seems quite possible some major changes are en route to Istaria, which should make the year interesting for players. [Thanks to Joseph for the tip!]
Final Fantasy XI's December version update goes live
It's hard not to be overshadowed by the arrival of a certain expansion tomorrow, but Final Fantasy XI players are getting their own major update today. Aside from unlocking the content in the new mini-expansion Heroes of Abyssea, the update brings with it the long-awaited boost to level 90 and a host of new abilities, not to mention new job emotes, a new form of storage, and adjustments to high-end battlegrounds across the game, giving the update something new for players of nearly any level. Aside from the many larger changes, the patch also features several improvements to quality of life, such as dropping the price of Instant Reraise/Warp scrolls to almost trivial values. The stealth spells (Invisible, Sneak, and Deodorize) have also all been given a longer duration and less variation in their effect length, a boon to any players planning on sneaking from place to place. The full patch notes contain a piece or two of rather cryptic information, as always, but they should be enough to bring a smile to any Final Fantasy XI player.
