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Facebook says its Watch videos reach 720 million viewers a month
Facebook is still holding onto its dreams of Watch as a place where people can connect "more deeply" over videos. According to the company, 720 million people tune into Watch monthly, and 140 million people spend at least one minute on Watch daily. On average, those daily visitors spend more than 26 minutes on the platform. Now, Facebook says it's preparing to launch new content.
Shroud of the Avatar drops Release 13 for the holidays
The team behind Shroud of the Avatar has headed home for the holidays until December 28th, but a little present has been left behind for fans just the same. The latest update for the game is live on the servers, and it allows you to pick up a seasonal Yule Hat just for stopping in and checking out the new content. Also there is a whole lot of new stuff to play through, so a hat is probably not your primary incentive here, but the point is that the hat exists just the same. To be fair, stopping in and checking out the content requires going through the game's Grand Tour quest, which will lead players through all of the new bits added in this update. That includes new crafting, new creatures, new skills, and new areas. Check out the full update for patch notes, details on how to clear out the Grand Tour, and upcoming community events.
Norrathian Notebook: Talking EverQuest II's 10th anniversary with Holly Longdale
The big 1-0. EverQuest II has just joined the ranks of games in their double digits; today marks the 10th anniversary for the fantasy game. And while that's a pretty impressive feat in itself, just growing older isn't all that has happened to EQII in the past year. There have been plenty of content updates (and a change in how those update occur), holiday celebrations, and major news happenings during the course of the past 12 months. However, instead of just highlighting the major events and changes of the year in a standard retrospective piece, I'm going to do something a little different this year. On top of wandering down memory lane, I've pulled in Senior Producer Holly Longdale to answer a few questions and address some current concerns on the minds of players. Longdale talks about the high price of both the Altar of Malice Collector's Edition and the new Aerakyn race as well as shares some fun facts about who's been working on the game since the beginning.
Star Trek Online: Delta Rising is live today
It's time to start boldly going all over again. Star Trek Online's second expansion, Delta Rising, is live today. That means that players can find their way into the Delta Quadrant, explore an expanded level cap, and take flight in a new set of starships as they take on familiar and yet novel enemies. The expansion also brings in several veteran Star Trek actors to reprise their roles: Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Garrett Wang (Harry Kim), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Tim Russ (Tuvok), and Ethan Phillips (Neelix). Delta Rising introduces captain specializations for leveling past the previous cap of 50, allowing players to reach the ranks of Fleet Admiral and Dahar Master while exploring new specialization trees and unlocking passive and active benefits. But there's no need to take our word for it, as the expansion is live now. Log in, patch up, and head out into the Delta Quadrant.
Star Wars: The Old Republic launches the Legacy of the Rakata
The Rakata are kind of a big deal in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Their influence is everywhere in both the leveling game and in the overall lore, and finding out what their deal is kind of trumps other priorities of the week. So the new Legacy of the Rakata flashpoint that's just been added to the game should be of particular interest to lore hounds, as well as anyone looking to the completion of the game's Forged Alliances storyline. The flashpoint sees players exploring the ruins of Rakata Prime, learning more about the Star Forge with Agent Theron Shan and Lord Lana Beniko, and exploring the ruins with smuggler Jakarro. It's a tactical flashpoint, as well, which makes it that much easier for players to explore and discover more of the story while leading into the next major expansion storyline. If you're interested in seeing what the Rakata left behind, you can log in now and try the flashpoint out.
Touring DC Universe Online's league halls and Halls of Power
It was a couple of years ago that we got our first in-depth look at DC Universe Online's personal housing system, dubbed lairs. Since then, heroes and villains alike have been looking forward to the league version. Thanks to the announcement earlier this month, we knew that the wait for league halls was almost over; guild-level housing was to hit this summer. Surprise! GU39 and league halls launched today! And thanks to a special tour with Creative Director Jens Andersen and Community Manager Ted Stone (AKA Mepps), I got a good look at the league hall system and how it all works in the Halls of Power Part 1 DLC due later this summer.
WildStar previews the zones of the Strain drop
The first major update for WildStar is due out in early July, and it's bringing plenty of content along with it including two zones for players to explore. Blighthaven and the Northern Wastes are being unveiled in more detail today, both of which contain plenty of opportunities for adventurers to take on all sorts of new challenges. Blighthaven is a landscape dominated by the Strain's mutated minions along with uncontrolled Eldan machinery, featuring such comfortable-sounding regions as the Cankertube Swamps, the Globellum, the Sanctuary of the Keepers, and the Genesis Chamber. It's prime territory for new content to explore what happened to the Eldan as well as understand the virulent opponent that is the Strain. The Northern Wastes, meanwhile, brings players back to the Northern Wilds after the events in the early game, with both Dominion and Exiles struggling to claim the territory... until a new threat emerges from the Eldan bio-labs in the area. New events, challenges, missions, and path content awaits players in the zone. It's all adding up to plenty of content for a first update; you can check out the official reveal page for a few extra details. [Source: Carbine Studios press release]
Dungeons & Dragons Online launches Update 22
Are you ready to buckle your swash? Has your swash been buckled in anticipation? Do you own a variety of buckles and swashes? Because Dungeons & Dragons Online has just released Update 22 onto the live servers, and that means that Bards will have plenty of buckleswashing to do with the addition of the Swashbuckler enhancement line! Dance, parry, crack horrible puns, and stab at people while still retaining all of the usual song-based mechanics of Bards. It's free for everyone! Update 22 also includes an epic-level upgrade to Three Barrel Cove, perfectly complementing the newly swacklebushing methods of Bards. There are also major improvements to guild levels and guild airships, allowing guilds to hit level 200 while sporting new and improved facilities on new and improved airships. And there's new stuff in the cash shop, too, giving DDO players plenty to do if they ever tire of the interactions of swashes and buckles.
Marvel Heroes introduces One-Shots!
Greetings, True Believers! If you've been enjoying the scintillating storyline swiftly strung throughout Marvel Heroes, you're no doubt happy at the thought of more tantalizing tales of heroes and villains. But when the game is built on a broad base of boundless maps and mazes, where could the writers weave a web of wonder without damaging the delicate designs of Doom's decisive defeat? Why, the answer is simple -- it's time for the game to embrace the might Marvel One-Shot! One-Shots are episodes carefully crafted to comic concerns, focused on isolated incidents rather than breaking up the flow of the central narrative structure. The first one pits heroes against the sinister schemes of Man-Ape as he seeks to subdue the people of Wakanda and ruin the regency of Wakanda's rightful ruler, Black Panther. Any hero of level 20 or above who's cheering for a change of pace can pick up the One-Shot by selecting the Terminal from any waypoint, so by all means, jump in the next time you're in the game. Excelsior!
The Mog Log: Whispers of what comes next for Final Fantasy XIV
When I find myself in times of trouble, friends of mine will comfort me, speaking words of wisdom: "There are more patches coming to Final Fantasy XIV." And it's true! While I'm not as happy with 2.2 as perhaps I would like to be, as odd as that statement sounds, it's not the end of the world. In fact, there's a lot of stuff around the corner that should make me a lot happier. We've heard rumblings about what we'll see at E3 next month, we're hearing discussion of what's next on the docket for patch 2.3, and there are tantalizing hints about what's going to be arriving beyond even that. Some of these are things that I've discussed elsewhere; some I haven't had the opportunity to chat about yet (we only got the live letter announcement on Friday, after all!). So let's go ahead and dive into what's on the horizon for the game.
Uncharted Waters Online launches 2nd Age expansion
Uncharted Waters Online relaunched under a new publisher a scant two months ago, and now the historically based sea-faring game has a new expansion. OGPlanet announced the release of 2nd Age, which adds plenty of new content for virtual sailors to enjoy. In UWO: 2nd Age, players can manipulate the flow of time and trigger different historical events with the new World Clock, take on new missions and adventures, embark on treasure hunts for rare relics, and combine forces to take on the new boss Ganador, Ruler of the Sea. New ships, modeled off of historical vessels, were also added: England's Privateer 'Sir Francis Drake'; the French Royal family's 'Crown'; and the Lubeck Merchant's Guardian ship 'Eagle'. Additionally, players can influence who wins the election for the next Roman Emperor. Before setting sail, get in the mood of 2nd Age with the official cinematic trailer below. [Source: OGPlanet press release]
Massive mounted combat update rides into Dragon's Prophet EU
European players not only fight along side their dragons in Dragon's Prophet, they can now battle atop them as well! Thanks to the massive mounted combat update, dragons now have a trio of healing, tanking, and damage skills available that can aid their riders in PvE. But that's not all that Infernum Productions has rolled out with this update: Players can dive (literally) into a new high-level, completely submerged dungeon called Shrine of Handras and fight five new bosses along with a host of other water monsters and dangerous whirlpools. Additionally, players can participate in random mini events throughout Auratia as well as earn XP while resting in their personal houses (how much depends on amount and type of Marketplace furniture in the dwelling). Get a taste of the mounted combat skills and tour through Shrine of Handras in the two trailers below. And for more details about the update, check out the official patch notes. [Source: Infernum Productions press release]
War Thunder rolls out new Ground Forces tanks, map
There's nothing quite like pulling onto the War Thunder battlefield in a brand-new hunk of death-dealing metal -- except maybe rolling that new tank out on challenging new terrain! And Gaijin Entertainment has delivered just that with the introduction of nine new tanks and a new map for the closed beta of War Thunder's Ground Forces expansion. Five new Soviet and four new German machines join the current roster, including the Tiger I, the IS-1, the KV-2, and the Jagdpanzer IV. Players can hop in and test their skills in these new machines on the new map of Kuban. For a peek at the four tanks mentioned, check out the gallery below. And to learn more about the Ground Forces expansion, head to the game's most recent FAQ. [Source: Gaijin Entertainment press release]
Major Herokon Online update includes sequel to Blade of Destiny, new region
Denizens of Aventuria have a lot more to keep themselves occupied thanks to Herokon Online's latest update. Not only has an entire new region opened up for exploration and adventuring, but The Dark Eye fans will get to experience the sequel to the Blade of Destiny campaign. Additionally, the level cap has been raised to 45, players can earn new achievements and titles, and a new world map provides a travel system. The new land of Thorwal, located in the northwest, is home to six new types of enemies and new NPCs and allies, some of which will be familiar characters that fans meet for the first time. Players will also find many new quests and Thorwal-specific weapons and equipment. For a taste of the update, check out the artwork and screenshots in the gallery below. [Source: Herokon Online press release]
The Daily Grind: Is there an ideal patch schedule for games?
Guild Wars 2 is very proud of its every-two-week patches, but I find that those frequent patches wind up being so small that they're not really engaging. This is no fault of the developers, really; two weeks is not much time to design anything substantial. It's fast, but is that enough? By contrast, Final Fantasy XIV packed a lot into its first major patch post-launch, which is a good thing, as it was released nearly four months after the relaunch and came when a lot of people were pretty burned out by the options in the game at that time. Having gotten most of the relevant content into farm mode myself, I can say that the next update definitely needs to come along faster than the last one. That put me to thinking: Is there an ideal patch schedule for games? Is there a sweet spot with enough time to develop new content and not enough time for people to get bored with what's there? Should it be all about the content when it's done, or should it be a fast cadence even if things need to be tweaked later? 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!
Black Gold Online unveils The Chambers of Greed instances
A new feature is coming to Black Gold Online in addition to the main quest-line and normal dungeons that players already enjoy: The Chambers of Greed. These instances chambers, or greed pockets, bring variety to the game by offering challenging side activities that blend PvE and PvP and give another avenue for acquiring new gear by slaying higher level monsters and completing assorted other tasks. Unlike the openness of the over-world, The Greed Chambers have a darker, mysterious ambiance aimed at making players watch their every step. These chambers, which are more challenging that quests of the same level, will have hidden entrances to get inside. Players will need to discover these entrances themselves by getting in close, slaying a gatekeeper, or tripping some other trigger. Peek inside these new instances in the video below. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Neverwinter's Shadowmantle launches with new class, zone, and more
Neverwinter's latest content hit today as the Shadowmantle module launched, giving players a variety of new things to occupy their time, from places to go to people to be. Players can now embark on their adventures as a brand-new class, the Hunter Ranger, which is a mix of both ranged and melee abilities. For the level-60 crowd, there is also a new dungeon to dive into (Valindra's Tower), a new skirmish to participate in (Dread Legion), and a whole new region to explore (the Dread Ring). The over-level-21 crowd can get its hands on new artifacts thanks to new quests. Other updates included in this module are a collections system, active companion bonuses, more Paragon Path choices, a voting system to kick out party members, and more. A full-run down of all the changes, balances, and additions are available in the patch notes.
Lightning strikes in Path of Exile's update 1.0.2
Just one look at Path of Exile's newest content update preview video from Grinding Gear Games and you know that the upcoming patch sizzles -- literally. Update 1.0.2 includes the new skill Stormcall which allows players to call lightning down upon multiple or single targets. Along with a new skill, the patch is introducing five more unique items (including Wings of Entropy, a unique two-handed sundering ax that acts like duel-wielded axes) and some map mod changes. Players can also buy new items from the store, such as a lightning bat pet and -- for one week only -- special Pilgrim's hats to celebrate Thanksgiving. Content update 1.0.2 releases this Wednesday, but you can get a peek at it in the video below. More information on the patch will be posted on the official site soon.
Final Fantasy XIV's 2.1 patch coming December 17th
During Final Fantasy XIV's live producer's letter that aired this morning, Naoki Yoshida offered players a look at a variety of new features coming in 2.1 and dropped the date and name for the patch. A Realm Awoken will hit servers on December 17th in Japan (which could translate to December 16th in the West, depending on the time of day). Throughout the stream, Yoshida fielded player questions while discussing the upcoming content, which includes, but is not limited to, new gear, the Crystal Tower content, new hard-mode dungeons, extreme primal battles, veteran rewards, and Dragoon adjustments. You can read up on the answers in the Q&A thread available on the forums. An additional look at 2.1, including the PlayStation 4 version, is coming in the next live producer's letter on December 14th. We'll update you with the full recording as soon as the official Q&A summary goes live!
Mingle with monsters as Heva Clonia Online launches today
After just two weeks of open beta testing, the anime-styled free-to-play game Heva Clonia Online launched today. Along with the full launch, OGPlanet is introducing new content and features including a new region, more quests, new dungeons, an increase in the level cap (to 49), and new class evolutions. Additionally, the cash shop is now available for use. As Heva Clonia Online's launch coincides with Halloween, it is fitting that there are numerous holiday-themed events for players to participate in and earn prizes from. And what better way to keep that holiday spirit all year round than by cloning and collecting the Halloween monsters? To start your adventures, visit the official site. For more on the game, check out Rise and Shiny and watch the gameplay trailer below. [Source: OGPlanet press release]
