MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

A World of Warcraft player's guide to Free Realms
Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into? Comparing one of the largest and most popular MMOs with the current fastest-growing MMO? Do I have a deathwish? Well, it turns out World of Warcraft and Free Realms actually do have a few things in common, but a straight comparison isn't the point of this article. We at Massively have decided to compile a guide for World of Warcraft players who may be interested in checking out what Free Realms has to offer. Even better, for those WoW players out there with children, this guide could be valuable for some alternatives to your usual family gaming choices.

DDO goes F2P: An interview with Turbine
As the news hit yesterday concerning Dungeons and Dragons Online going free-to-play, many MMO gamers collectively rejoiced, while others didn't. The idea of this hybrid business model is wonderful for those who have yet to experience DDO, as it now gives them a chance to play the game as long as they'd like, with no level cap restrictions for absolutely no cost. This means no credit card info changing hands, no commitments to a monthly fee and the implied need to "get your money's worth" and no real need to quit the game if you can't afford it. But it can't be that easy, can it? Well, there's a slight catch.

Free Realms breaks the 3 million mark
Sony Online Entertainment has just announced today that their kid-friendly free-to-play mega-hit Free Realms has hit the 3 millions registered user mark. This news comes less than seven weeks after the game's launch, and only two weeks after their last milestone of two million registered users.

Should MMOs have sequels?
From movies and books to computer games, the concept of the sequel is firmly embedded in the entertainment industry. It's usually a much safer bet to make a new part to an existing successful intellectual property than it is to back an untested product. In the games industry, sequels are a great way to make more money from the same game concept but as usual MMOs have proven to be something of a different animal.

Hands on with the Aion beta: Exploring Sanctum and Verteron
After leveling your stunning avatar to level 9, ascending to Daevahood and getting your wings, it's time to go out into the world -- well Verteron at least. But first, let's talk a little about the glorious city of Sanctum and what your new Daevic powers really mean.

The Digital Continuum: Reign of the shooters
Can it be coincidence that everywhere you look at this year's E3, most of the exciting upcoming MMOs are shooters in one way or another? I'm looking forward to Final Fantasy XIV as much as the next fan, but there's only one or two traditional looking concepts that have my interest.

Runes of Magic drops more info about Elves as a playable race
Frogster really seems to be on a roll the release of content updates on a regular basis since launch; Return to the Ice Dwarf Kingdom (Patch 1.7) dropped earlier this month, bringing guild castles, permanent pets, and high level content with it. Chapter II - The Elven Prophecy will be released in September 2009.

MMO racism: the No Elves! movement picks up steam
To some it is unadulterated racial hatred; to others, pure marketing genius. Ok, perhaps I'm sensationalizing just a bit, but since its release, the No Elves! trailer for Global Agenda has generated quite a buzz. A recent newsletter announcement by Hi-Rez Studios details how they plan to capitalize on it.

Rumor: Cryptic developing a Neverwinter Nights MMO
According to a recent rumor at Variety, Cryptic Studios may just be developing a Neverwinter Nights MMO afterall. Of course the speculation first arose a few weeks ago when Atari acquired Cryptic, but the speculation has now reached full-fledged rumor status! *Gasp*