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TERA hits the #1 spot for Amazon downloads
Whenever a game launches, there's always a question of whether it will sink or swim. MMOs don't necessarily live or die on the basis of their launches, but it takes a lot more effort to recover from a bad launch. TERA seems to have gotten off on the right foot, as it hit the #1 download spot for Amazon during its launch week, and all projections point to it hitting the top spot next week as well. If you're tempted to jump on the bandwagon, now is definitely the time. Through the 31st of the month, players who purchase the game will receive discounted subscription rates as well as a special Golden Dragon weapon skin. The Digital Collector's Edition from Amazon also features a special mount and two necklaces to help improve your journey through the game world. If you like little added bits of value, now might be the time to give the game a shot. [Source: Amazon press release]
The Daily Grind: Are there too many new MMOs?
There was a time not too long ago (although about a decade in internet time) when new MMOs were a rare event, the sort of launch that happened irregularly at best and promised to whisk you away for quite some time. Of course, a cursory glance would make it clear that this is no longer the case -- Betawatch is filled with titles in various stages of testing, and despite having already seen a high-profile title launch this year, we're due for at least one or two more before the year is out. It's not a bad thing to have choices, of course, but we've gone from having a small sub-genre to having a veritable explosion of different MMOs on the market, from Ultima Online being the golden standard to having both Global Agenda and Mortal Online fit comfortably beneath the same aegis. Do you feel as if there's too much on the market at the moment and too many new games in development? Or do you hope we continue to see the same diversity of product, if not even more? 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!
The Daily Grind: Do you wait for reviews?
There's always a bit of apprehension when it comes to picking up a new game -- it might be great, or it might be terrible and mean that you're out time and money. Picking up a new MMO on launch day is even more of a gamble, since it could result in your being in on the ground floor of the next big thing... or it could mean wasting a month of playtime on a game you don't like. So it can be tempting to wait for a review of some kind to come in from sources you can trust. On the one hand, having a review means that you have some idea of what you're getting into before you buy. On the other hand, reviews of MMOs are difficult at the best of times and outright incomplete at the worst -- after all, it can take a long time to reach the endgame and see all the game has to offer, at which point you're no longer in on the ground floor. So do you wait for reviews? How many external opinions do you need or want before you'll commit to a new game?
