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Brad McQuaid working on 'secret' MMO since leaving SOE
You may or may not have been aware that former Senior Game Designer Brad McQuaid was let go from SOE this past August, but either way, do not fret. The McQuaid cat has landed on his feet and is working on a "secret" MMO in conjunction with his former studio. McQuaid's personal page hints at the project: "Brad left SOE in August 2013 as part of a huge [reduction in force]. With so many jobless developers in the area and so many exciting game design ideas in his head, Brad intends to start something. He's run the ideas by John Smedley, who was visibly excited. More info will be made available on this site and elsewhere when the timing is appropriate." Meanwhile, on Twitter McQuaid set his status as "Working on sekret MMO. That is all for now." He also mentions that "going forward I intend to work as closely with [SOE] as possible." [Thanks to Marianne and Matt for the tip!]
Ran Online races toward European closed beta
In June we learned that after an eight year run in Asia, the modern-era game Ran Online would be expanding to Europe. Now, Games-Masters.com announces that the closed beta testing for this European version will start Q3 2013. Ran Online includes PvP and PvE content, with dungeons, quests, and various PvP modes for club (guild) and school (faction) battles. The game itself will be in English at launch, but the website, payment systems, and support will be handled in several languages. Those interested in participating in the closed beta can sign up on the official site. If you missed the European trailer before, we've included it after the break. [Source: Games-Masters.com press release]
Open beta is in the cards for Kickstarted CasinoRPG
There are fantasy and sci-fi MMORPGs galore, but how many gambling ones have you come across? The answer is very few. Like, only one. But GoldFire Studios is here to change that: Successfully kickstarted in early 2013, CasinoRPG is ready to enter open beta after a year of development and closed testing. A free-to-play browser-based title, CasinoRPG combines roleplaying and city-building elements with gambling; players can take their virtual winnings from games like poker, blackjack, and slots and use them to create casino empires, design luxury apartments, and basically build and manage the cities within the game. Why an RPG? With the increased popularity of social casino gambling on various platforms, James Simpson, founder and CEO of GoldFire Studios, explained his project by saying, "Innovation has stalled, and we wanted to do something new." To get into beta, sign up on the official site. For a look at other projects in the crowdfunding arena, check out Make My MMO. [Source: GoldFire Studios press release]
Gamescom 2013: Merc Elite melds MOBA with military tactics
Tired of fantasy MOBAs clogging up your hard drive? Bigpoint's got a change of venue for you with Merc Elite, a near-future military MOBA that's now in beta. The game takes place in a future when five corporations now rule over the battle-scarred planet, and players must fight for one side and (presumably) a 10% corporate discount at the commissary. Merc Elite is being developed by 49Games and is the first title that studio has produced for Bigpoint since being acquired in 2011. It's going into open beta this summer and will be playable in a browser with the Unity 3D engine. The title was introduced at Gamescom this week. If you're hanging around there, you can get your hands on it now in Hall 8.1, booth B11; otherwise, you can sign up for the beta on the website. [Source: Bigpoint press release]
Nether gives unique twist to post-apocalyptic survival
Stop us if you've heard this game before: It's some time after the apocalypse, and you're one of the final survivors scrounging about for parts and gear to carve out a niche of safety. While that might sound like every zombie survival game that's come out in the wake of DayZ, Nether is eschewing zombies for something more insidious -- and interesting. The titular creatures are mutants that hunt by sound and teleport around, requiring players to adopt new strategies as they try to make it. The newly announced Nether is a persistent MMOish (well, 64 players per server) game where players explore West Chicago in the hopes of finding that one weapon or crate of goods that's needed to survive another night. Or you could just go to Chicago right now in real life and do the same thing. Phosphor Games Creative Director Chip Sineni says his title won't be the same-old zombiethon: "Our focus is to veer away from some of the 'traditional' survival-horror offerings in order to provide something new for the genre, with a great urban setting, a different type of story and an experience that excites us as fans and will be something definitely fresh and new for gamers." Nether is in alpha testing with an eye on a fall 2013 release for the PC and is currently accepting beta signups. You can check out its reveal trailer after the jump!
Civilization Online not currently planned for North America
You might be tremendously excited about Civilization Online right now, especially if you read our interview with Jake Song yesterday. But if you live in North America, it's time to crank that excitement down to a dull interest because XLGAMES and 2K Games are not currently looking at a release in the region. 2K Games PR Manager Brian Roundy delivered the bad news: "Civilization Online is developed by South Korea-based XL Games in partnership with 2K, and will be available first in Korea. No release date has been set. There are no plans for a North American release at this time." This doesn't mean all hope is lost, of course. It might be that the studios are holding their cards close to their chest or that they don't want to commit until they see how it performs in Korea. But if you were camping in front of a retail store (why?) for this release in America, you should probably go home for now.
Dead Island: Epidemic puts zombies back in MOBAs
What's a ZOMBA? It's not that thing that roams around your floor sucking up dirt but instead an entirely new thing that makes a happy marriage of Dead Island's zombies and MOBAs: a Zombie Online Multiplayer Battle Arena. Trust us, that term will be on everyone's lips come next week. Dead Island: Epidemic is an upcoming free-to-play MOBA set in the same gory world as the PC game. Details about the game are scarce, other than the fact that it'll be for the PC, feature three players, and probably contain a thousand bad "brainssss" references. Developer Deep Silver said that more information about the title will be released at Gamescom in a couple of weeks. [Source: Deep Silver press release]
Massively Exclusive: Jake Song introduces Civilization Online
You might have heard about a little project called Civilization Online, a new MMO in development based on the popular Civilization series of turn-based strategy games. You also might have heard that XL Games CEO Jake Song, of ArcheAge and Lineage fame, is overseeing the project as Executive Producer. But chances are, that's really all you have heard. Until now, that is. We had the opportunity to sit down with Song, XL Games Senior VP Jung Hwan Kim, and Producer Garrett Bittner from 2K Games to get the scoop on the project. Follow along for all the juicy details about building up civilizations in a new open world environment, including crafting, PvP, and more!%Gallery-195539%
Dark Relic wants to bring back classic roleplaying
If you're often yearning for the "good old days" when roleplaying actually meant something more than "making hit points disappear," then Triad Game Studios would like to make your acquaintance. The studio is working on bringing the spirit of classic RPGs back to MMOs with its upcoming sandbox Dark Relic. Dark Relic is based on a Dungeons and Dragons campaign called The 6th Aspect from the early 1990s. The developers liken the project to Choose Your Own Adventure books where players can pick the path that interests them the most. Crafting is given a strong emphasis for players who would rather stay at home and tinker instead of venturing out into the world. The project is still on the fourth stage of 12 planned prior to launch. There are currently four classes and four races planned. Dark Relic: Prelude will be the first of a proposed series set in the game universe.
Firefly Online coming to mobile devices in 2014, Firefly Universe Online ceases development [Updated]
Well Browncoats, it's true: Firefly Online is about to be a thing. It may not be as big of a thing as you may have hoped, however. Developer Quantum Mechanix Interactive revealed that the title will be a mobile game for the iOS and Android platforms. It looks to have the full support of Fox and is scheduled to hit the app stores in summer 2014. QMx is aiming to both misbehave and to recreate the Firefly experience for wannabe captains. Players will customize their ships, hire a crew, and seek jobs in the 'Verse. This project is not to be confused with the dubious Firefly Universe Online. The official announcement trailer is after the jump.
Dieselpunk turn-based March of War storms Steam
Tired of the same-old World War II video games that seem to add little new to the genre? March of War may be the fresh approach that will revitalize your interest in the era. The multiplayer strategy game is set in an alternate 1940s timeline when dieselpunk powers war machines fight on the front lines for five factions. It's also episodic, free, and available right now through Steam's early access program. The game's isometric view puts you in the commander's seat as you fight against other players in a turn-based format. The first episode, World Aflame, is the core game; further episodes will be released on a monthly basis. Steam players who jump in right now will receive a welcome pack with infantry and special command abilities. March of War will eventually be released on multiple platforms this summer, including PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. We've got the release trailer after the break.
Ragnarok Online: Prequel coming to browsers
The long-running Ragnarok Online will seek to reinvent itself on browsers in the near future. Chinese developer Dream² acquired the license to remake the title into Ragnarok Online: Prequel (or New Ragnarok Online, according to its splash screen). Ragnarok Online: Prequel will be quite familiar to fans of the franchise. It's currently in testing for an unknown release date. The browser version is not to be confused with Ragnarok Online 2, which recently released in Europe. You can check out Ragnarok Online: Prequel's debut trailer after the jump! [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Making music together: An interview with Anthymn
It's safe to say that many of us on the Massively team were seduced by the promise and potential of Anthymn when we first saw its Kickstarter campaign. The concept of an entire fantasy MMO that revolves around music instead of swords and sorcery is a refreshing approach in this day and age. The folks at String Theory Entertainment are downright passionate about bringing the power of music to online games. While Anthymn is still in an early stage of development, the idea behind it stretches back a decade or so. The developers aren't just using music as a quirky feature for the sheer heck of it, either; this is a studio full of musically talented folks who know how infectious and bonding a song can be. We sat down with the creative leads behind Anthymn to get a better feel for the project and the future of the game, with or without Kickstarter's help. Check it out after the jump!
MU Rebirth begins beta sign-ups
Never get to attached to an upcoming game title in this industry, as it can change at the drop of a hat. Webzen has renamed MU Chronicle R to the somewhat-less-unwieldy MU Rebirth and announced that the title is now accepting sign-ups for its closed beta test. MU Rebirth is a remake of MU Online with a heavy PvP emphasis. The level cap will remain at 400, although Webzen says that it is significantly speeding up the leveling process so that players will hit that number in two hours. Yes, you read that right. This plays into the "rebirth" feature, which allows players to go back to level 1 while retaining gained stats. The closed beta test of MU Rebirth will run from July 3rd to the 10th. Webzen will be hosting a global PvP tournament during the test, although details for this contest are forthcoming. [Source: Webzen press release]
'Orchestral battle' Anthymn needs money for the music
"For the first time ever, players will shape an online world with music," promises String Theory Entertainment CM Daniel Marrable. He's referring to the MMO-in-progress Anthymn, which is currently in the throes of a Kickstarter campaign. Anthymn is a fantasy MMO that revolves around music for its classes, combat, and way of life. It's set in a land that's divided by musical races that are warring with each other for supremacy. A young maestro wants to create a national anthem that will not only unite his country but bring peace to the land. This quest will fuel players' adventures across the continent. String Theory wants to create a unique feel to the title, including systems such as rhythmic gameplay, apprenticeships, and community collaboration. If the concept art looks a tad familiar, it's because a few of the devs also worked on Guild Wars 2's art. Check out the video pitch after the jump, and drop a few bucks if you feel that Anthymn is a project worth supporting!
Ran Online gets publishing deal for Europe
Why should you care about Ran Online? For starters, it's a rare MMO that's set in the modern era, featuring school students who form clubs to defend the world against monsters and the like. For another thing, it's about to enter the European market. Games-Masters.com signed a publishing deal with Min Communications to bring Ran Online to Europe, initially with an English-only version. Ran Online has an eight-year history in Asia, boasting 26 game updates and a graphic engine overhaul during its lifespan. Games-Masters.com CEO Thorsten Schauer is hopeful that the new market will embrace the title: "Ran Online is one of the most successful MMOs in Asia due to its deep content and customization, and we are looking forward to seeing fans all over Europe playing the EU version." [Source: Games-Masters.com press release]
Ascend: New Gods renamed to Ascend: Hand of Kul
Signal Studios' free-to-play asynchronous multiplayer XBLA strategy game Ascend: New Gods has had its name changed to Ascend: Hand of Kul. "A year has passed since our big unveil at E3 2012, and the New Gods are no longer 'new,'" as Signal Studios representative explains in a lighthearted update on PlayXBLA. "It was a tough decision, but during their board meeting in The Sanctum a couple of weeks ago, the New Gods decided to step down from power." Aside from the fact that Hand of Kul is a "more story-centric name," no further explanation was given for the change. Well, no further real explanation. At any rate, please adjust your complicated, all-encompassing video game databases accordingly. Y'all have those too, right? It's not just us?
GDC 2013: Hands-on with Infinite Crisis
We just learned of Infinite Crisis' existence on Monday, but don't expect a long wait to get your hands on the game's various DC Comics characters. The new title is well beyond the here's-an-idea-for-you stage -- in fact, it's already playable! So what did this MOBA noob think of the game? Does it do justice to the Justice League? When is beta going to happen so others can get in on the action? And how on earth did Turbine keep Infinite Crisis a secret so far into its development? After my play session I sat down with Creative Director Cardell Kerr to discuss some of these burning questions.
BioWare Edmonton and producer Casey Hudson working on 'a whole new fictional universe'
During a panel this weekend at PAX East, Mass Effect producer Casey Hudson revealed that his team at BioWare Edmonton has started work on "a whole new fictional universe." Other details weren't shared, except that Hudson said that he and BioWare's Senior Creative Director Preston Watamaniuk are going to be "building something new" together.Hudson oversaw Mass Effect 3 as an executive producer, and he says he'll still serve that role on the next Mass Effect title. But that game is being developed at BioWare Montreal, so Hudson's team at BioWare Edmonton has moved on to something completely new. Hopefully we'll hear more about it soon.
Jagex announces RuneScape 3 for summer 2013
Jagex has announced Runescape 3! A "significant improvement on all fronts," building on the last 12 years of the original game's development and history, RuneScape 3 looks as if it's following in the footsteps of RuneScape 2 by improving on the existing game rather than serving as a standalone title. RuneScape 3 won't require players to create a new account. Players will simply keep using the same avatars they always have. The game will take advantage of the HTML5 engine and web GL to run faster, look better, and suck players in even more deeply, though folks running with older computers will still be able to use the old Java client if they prefer. Jagex is promising more details in the coming weeks. Skip below the cut to check out the announcement video.
