Massively week in Review

Free Realms site relaunches with beta registration, videos, and more!
Free Realms throws together a AAA-quality teen-aimed fantasy MMO experience together with free-to-play and microtransactional economics. An ambitious and unique undertaking, to be sure, from a fairly traditional company.

Ask Massively: Wrath vs All Comers
Dear Massively, I am SO SICK of all of the coverage of Wrath of the Lich King! I demand that someone at Massively write about something that isn't World of Warcraft related this week. Non-WoW players aren't interested in an expansion for a game that they don't even play. Someone throw me a freakin' bone here!

Three Rings officially launches Whirled project
Whirled, an ambitious web/virtual world hybrid from Three Rings, launched into Beta early this year. We were incredibly impressed with the project even back then, bouncing pieces of tofu or not.

Lich King begins assault on Azeroth, starting with Orgrimmar
World of Warcraft players are experiencing a world event leading up to the launch of Wrath of the Lich King. No, it's not another invasion of flesh-craving zombies -- but it's just as cool.

Warhammer Online 1.0.5 patch notes live, Public Test server opened
Over on the official site for Warhammer Online, patch notes are now available for the latest big update. Patch 1.0.5 is not only be a nice big refresh for the game, but will also be the first which players can extensively test on a Beta realm with copied characters beforehand.

Massively's EVE Online PvP masterclass
As shown in our introductions to all forms of combat in New Eden, explaining fleet combat, piracy, and even corporate espionage, PvP in EVE is one of the most visceral experiences you can have in an MMO environment. Read the full article series below to understand this compelling style of gameplay.

Behind the Curtain: More apocalypse please
I'm not sure that the Zombie Invasion has gone far enough. So, Arthas, the Lich King, has bent his might towards bringing the forces of both Horde and Alliance throughout Azeroth and Outland to its knees, and possibly the worst in-game effect was that we had difficulty getting to the Auction House?

Massively interviews Clear Skies creator Ian Chisholm
One of the most significant works of machinima created in recent years is Clear Skies, an unconventional amalgam of the gritty, far future setting of EVE Online tempered with a more human touch, imbued with life through clever writing and exacting manipulation of Half-Life 2 character models.

The Digital Continuum: Social failings of all MMOs
With all the changes and additions in MMORPGs over the years, you'd think there would've been more improvements to how people interact with one another. It's strange to look at arguably the cornerstone of this genre and see the least advancements in relation to other features, but that's seemingly the case.

Massively interviews E-ON editor Zapatero
Unlike most MMOs, EVE Online has an official magazine, called E-ON, which has kept pace with how the game and its player efforts have changed over the years. To flip through the E-ON back issues is to see the documented evolution of EVE Online.

EVE Online moving to the world of First Person Shooters
In a surprising announcement from the ongoing EVE Online Fanfest, CCP has stated that they're planning a First Person Shooter (FPS) title set in the world of New Eden. Eurogamer carries the news, and states that footage was shown of a "Halo-like shooter on a daylit, Earth-like planet surface."

Voting for EVE's second Council of Stellar Management begins
This has been an important week for our American readers in terms of elections, but now that the minor distraction of real-world governance has been dealt with, it's time to focus on governance in the MMO space. You've got to keep those priorities straight, after all.

HanbitSoft plans Hellgate: London relaunch and new expansion
The latest word we've received on this seems to indicate the continuity of Hellgate: London, but to date this is only confirmed for service in Asia.