triple-a
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The Daily Grind: How do you define triple-A?
Triple-A is a label you hear quite often in MMO discourse. Like most MMO terms -- and even the term MMO itself -- AAA seems subjective or somewhat ill-defined, at best. Does it mean "not indie?" Is it related to pretty graphics or production quality in general? Does it denote a certain budget? If so, what's the magic number? What do you think, Massively readers? How do you define the term triple-A? 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: Are we on the cusp of a AAA MMO lull?
WildStar is launching in a week or so, and that launch arguably closes the book on what has been a pretty incredible run of AAA MMO releases staggered over the last three years. Looking back, we've seen heavyweights ranging from Star Wars: The Old Republic to Final Fantasy XIV to Elder Scrolls Online to Guild Wars 2 go through massive pre-launch hype cycles and, in most cases, settle into successful post-launch grooves (it may be too early to say that for ESO, but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt). Aside from possibly ArcheAge, the upcoming AAA cupboard looks a bit bare in comparison, at least in my opinion. What do you think, Massively readers? Are we in for a big-game lull over the next few years, or do you think other AAA titles will come out of the woodwork? 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!
How much should an expansion cost?
We've talked about this briefly in a recent Breakfast Topic, but that's not the same as actually standing up and taking a position on an issue, and I (specifically, I, Matthew Rossi, not all of WoW Insider) do have a position on this one - namely, that this expansion will likely contain as much if not more gameplay, art assets, and overall design work as any game coming out, and that frankly the last couple of expansions have been under what they should have cost. I didn't come to this decision in a vacuum, either - I come to it as someone who does not want to pay the price as established. I'm extremely penurious. almost outright parsimonious when it comes to money. I don't like spending it. So when I heard how much the expansion was going to cost (the day the pre-orders became available) I immediately balked at it. It's only ten bucks more to buy Titanfall, I said to myself, and that's a completely new game. And then I read this post by Kim Acuff (who often comments here at WoW Insider as Ember Dione) a developer on Skylanders, and I started to rethink my position on the relative cost of the expansion, how much it should cost, and the validity of the whole "as expensive as a new game" discussion. Because here's the fact - each WoW expansion has effectively been a new game.
A look at the most significant MMO trends of 2008
As we get more involved in what makes an MMO player tick, development studios are trying their hardest to keep up with the trends. Ten years ago, we were happy to have any environment in which to socialize and experience a gaming world with our friends, or meet other gamers with the same interests. Now though, if a lightsaber looks "too big", there will be riots in the streets... or at least the forums.Over at Gamasutra, our own Michael Zenke takes a look at the hottest MMO trends in 2008, and what we should watch in regards to how they'll evolve into 2009. Some of these include microtransactions in the West, user-created content and the fact that the Triple A fantasy genre has been solved. Check out the entire article, and whether you agree or disagree, let us know what you think in the comments below.
