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A holiday gift from Age of Conan
Massively has mentioned that Age of Conan is giving away in-game items all month as part of a seasonal contest they're running. But the latest Age of Conan newsletter let us know that everyone's received a free gift automatically, as of December 18th. Funcom's given all players a new virtual item -- the Kosalan talisman of clarity. It boosts stamina and mana for its wearer, with a faster rate of regeneration for those traits. While it's not as über as the items obtainable at higher levels, it's not bad for a freebie. Age of Conan players can claim the Kosalan talisman by simply typing "/claim" in-game. Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!
World of Warcraft meets Guitar Hero
Our sister site WoW Insider has video footage of a new World of Warcraft drop that's an 'axe' in every sense of the word -- the Arcanite Ripper is a guitar as well as a weapon. In fact, WoW Insider's dubbed it "The WoW Guitar Hero." The drop comes from the boss Tenris Mirkblood in Karazhan. Once equipped, the Arcanite Ripper can transform you into a skeletal rockstar. Check out the video of the Arcanite Ripper in action below the cut, as WoW-player Telanis rocks out with it in Ironforge. One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!
Vanguard hopes for a second chance
When Vanguard launched, hopes were high that the game would be a breath of fresh air in the MMO market. Unfortunately, the game didn't meet the expectations of many gamers, who lamented its unfinished state and subsequently left. Sony Online Entertainment hasn't given up on Vanguard though, and they're now offering an incentive for players to return.The offer applies to subscribers whose accounts have been inactive for 60 days or more. The reactivation promotion lasts from September 18 to October 18 and entails creating a new character, which allows you to play through the new Isle of Dawn and check out the game's updated content. That is, until hitting level 10. Thereafter, that character can continue on into Telon, but only by re-subscribing to Vanguard. Players moving up to a paid account are given a pair of Gnomish Rocket Boots as a reward, which impart great bursts of speed. [Via Allakhazam]
Exclusive WAR in-game item to be released with C&C: Red Alert 3
So you're one of the lucky few -- well one of 60,000 anyway -- who got your hands on the Warhammer Online Collector's Edition, and without any of the order snags people have been reporting. Well congratulations! You've got the Greenskin miniature, the graphic novel, the art book, the virtual items and the exclusive quests. So now you can sit back and relax, secure in the knowledge that you have the most badass collection of Warhammer Online gear ever assembled, both in-game and out.... right? Actually, wrong. For the Warhammer Online player who simply must have everything, there's one more step to go as it turns out. There's another exclusive in-game item called "Korssar's Helm" that allows you to transform into a bear. The catch? You need to order, or pre-order, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 to get the WAR item...
Final Fantasy XI collectible confers unique in-game ability
Final Fantasy XI players who are into collectibles have a new item to lust over. There's a new addition to the Final Fantasy XI Player's Collection, which is available for a limited time only: The Tidal Talisman. It's a $43 silver-plated pendant with a side-benefit that's the real selling point. It comes with a virtual counterpart, which could prove very useful. The in-game version of the Tidal Talisman allows a player to teleport to locations previously visited in Vana'diel. Or, as it's described over at FFXI's site, it confers "the ability to project phantasmal robes over the wearer's body and enabling the wearer to teleport to distant lands in the blink of an eye." For those who are on the fence about shelling out $43 for a FFXI pendant, Square-Enix appeals to a gamer's sense of urgency regarding scarcity of virtual goods: "We have no plans to bring this item back in the future, so all players are encouraged to take advantage of this unique one-time opportunity!"
Runescape cheater exposes his 'black market' organization
PlayNoEvil points out an interesting blog entry on cheating in Runescape. The poster, who wishes to remain anonymous, describes himself as a retired Runescape cheater who devoted five years to the 'darker side' of the game. He states, "This article details all the intricacies of Runescape and cheating and what really goes on behind the scenes, I assure you that it will surprise you." The poster, identified only by the name ThirdEyeOpen, lays out how cheaters and buyers operated as a would-be organized crime ring. 'Welcome to the Dark Side' is his chronicle of how he began his Runescape cheating career, and how it all ended. He recounts being 'interrogated' online by Jagex Ltd. about his activities, and how the subsequent account banning led to a malevolent wish to get even. His anger eventually snowballed into the creation of an organization of similar-minded individuals, mostly other teenagers, who accumulated a fair amount of real-world currency through exploits in Runescape before cashing out altogether. It's an interesting read -- perhaps a bit disturbing in the sense that he views cheating as a kind of playstyle -- but worth checking out all the same. Via PlayNoEvil
MapleStory reaps over $29 million in U.S. virtual item sales
2007 proved to be a good year for Nexon in the United States, particularly with its free-to-play MapleStory. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reports that the although the game has 85 million users worldwide, only 5.9 million of them are U.S. players. Given the relatively small percentage of its player base located in the United States, it's surprising that MapleStory made an absolute killing on in-world transactions in 2007; the WSJ reports that 'Nexon's U.S. revenue last year more than tripled to $29.3 million from $8.5 million the prior year.'Jeremy Liew provides some additional commentary on the Nexon windfall over at Lightspeed: "With $30m in US sales and 6m US registered users, assuming a 20% "active player" rate and 10% "buyer rate", that implies an ARPU of $20/mth which sounds about right and is consistent with number we've seen from games in Asia. It sounds like the US will be following very similar models of virtual goods monetization that we've seen in Asia." It's interesting that the predominantly Asian business model of legitimized RMT is already gaining some degree of acceptance in the United States, albeit a slow acceptance. Via PlayNoEvil
