2008
Latest
Breakfast Topic: Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2008 from WoW Insider! Most of you were probably at home or out with friends watching the new year come in, but some of you surely celebrated the new year with fireworks in Stormwind, Orgrimmar or Booty Bay, enjoying the festivities online friends as well as offline. Did you have any special new year festivities in Azeroth?
DS Daily: What's going to be great about '08?
With the receding hairline of 2007 about to become the implausible comb-over of 2008, we've been pondering the future quite a lot here in the DS Fanboy dungeons. As we've already taken time out to reflect on the DS's output during the last twelve months, the next question must inevitably be: what DS-related events are you most looking forward to in 2008?Perhaps you can't wait to sink your teeth into Final Fantasy IV, to begin barking orders in Advance Wars 2, or for a certain Professor to arrive on western shores. Then again, maybe you're just giddy about the prospect of purchasing another DS. Who knows? Well, we don't. So tell us!
Poll: What's your most anticipated HD technology for 2008?
Believe it or not, it's that time of year again. You know, the time when it ends. But thankfully, it's also time to look ahead to the next 12 months and dream big about the technologies you hope hit the mainstream. So as 2007 comes to a close and 2008 sneaks up on you, we're interested to know what HD technologies you're most excited about. So go on, take a peek at the options below and toss in your vote, but don't be scared to drop in any we forgot in comments below. %Poll-7686%
More details on Blizzcast 2008
Blizzplanet got a hold of more details of Blizzard's newly announced video podcast. You read that right, it's not just a podcast, but a video podcast. And it's coming the first week of January.Along with the previously announced interviews with WoW Lead Designer Jeff Kaplan about the upcoming Patch 2.4 Sunwell content and Art Director Sam Didier, fans will get their say as well. Blizzard will be soliciting questions from the players and giving replies to Community Managers Karune and Nethaera. I suppose that means we'll be seeing them on the Blizzcast as well.Video podcasting is tricky business. Production value can make or break it. Fortunately, Blizzard is known for their high level of production value in everything they do, so I am looking forward to seeing how this goes. Either way, the content may trump all since we all want to know more about Sunwell.But I'm also a little suspicious of the "first week in January" promise for the first Blizzcast. Coming out of a two week holiday, it will be a miracle for any company to pull off something as labor intensive as a video podcast. Time will tell.[via MMO-Champion]EDIT: After the writing of this article, Blizzard has confirmed that the first installment will be an audio podcast.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays from Massively!
It's Christmas Day, and so from all of us here at Massively, we'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas, a happy holidays, and a very happy New Year. It is a pleasure for us to put this site together for you every day, and so we'd like to thank you for choosing to visit us, and for all the support we've received so far.Posting may be a little thin on the site today, as many of our writers are celebrating with their friends and families, but don't forget that there's lots of fun holiday content to look through from the past few weeks-- nearly every MMO game out there has some form of holiday cheer going on this week. We've also got a few holiday contests going on-- this is the latest sweepstakes, and there's a big postcard contest that you can check out.Thanks again for all your support over the first few months of our existence, and you can definitely expect more great things from Massively in 2008-- there's a lot of terrific MMOs coming out next year, and we're going to be covering every single one. Have a happy and safe holiday season.
Blizzard planning an official podcast in 2008
According to the official StarCraft II forums, Blizzard is going to enter of the world of official podcasting-- BlizzCast is set to take off sometime, we're told, around January 2008, which, I believe, makes this the first time Blizzard has ever guessed at a release date for one of their upcoming projects! Write it in the history books! All kidding aside, it should definitely be something to set your iTunes for-- there'll be interviews with Samwise Didier and Jeff Kaplan, and supposedly "a sweepstakes/giveaway and LOTS of SWAG." Swag, you say? Sounds enticing.Of course, this will be an official podcast, so while it'll definitely be a good listen, it probably shouldn't replace that other Warcraft podcast in your diet. But hopefully, if Blizzard does it right, the podcast will be another outlet for them to share not only news and hints about upcoming content, but make several issues and questions clear for the player audience at large. Can't wait to hear what they come up with-- sounds like it'll be a fun addition to their website in the new year.[Via MMO-Champion]
LotRO quarterly wallpapers available for January through March
We're approaching the end of December, and if you downloaded the Lord of the Rings Online calender wallpapers last quarter, then you may be worried about what you're going to do when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, rendering your wallpaper obsolete. Thankfully, Turbine has come through for you once again, releasing 3 brand new wallpapers with overlaid calender for you to start the year off on the right foot. As with last time, the old wallpapers can now be downloaded sans calender, so that you can continue to enjoy the imagery without looking like a behind-the-times slacker.We have added the new wallpapers to our LotRO wallpapers gallery, and you can download all wallpapers past and present in ultra-high quality at the official wallpaper page.%Gallery-8208%
Presidential candidates talk video game violence
Health care? Taxes? Immigration? Why do presidential candidates insist on wasting our time talking about such trivial issues? When will they address the questions we really care about -- the ones about video games? Well, actually, right now.Non-partisan, not-for-profit advocacy group Common Sense Media has quizzed some of the leading presidential candidates on a variety of media issues, video game violence legislation among them. Here's a quick summary of their views on proposed federal legislation limiting children's access to violent games: Senator John Edwards (D - NC): The ESRB and retailers are doing a pretty good job, but the FTC found that 42 percent of children under 17 can still purchase M-rated games, and that's too high. Publishers need to tone down the marketing of violent games to kids. If the industry isn't careful, the government "will need to consider further steps" to keep these games away from children Senator Barack Obama (D - IL): Video games should use technology to let parents restrict content [Note to Obama: they already do.] The rating system should be improved to make content information "easier to find and easier to understand. ... but if the industry fails to act, then my administration would." In any case, the government should spend money to study the problem. Governor Bill Richardson (D - NM): "I would consider this legislation," but it's really up to the parents. I'll give federal employees paid time off to spend with their kids. Fmr. Governor Mitt Romney (R - Mass.): I would enforce current obscenity laws to protect children from "a societal cesspool of filth, pornography, violence, sex, and perversion." I would "go after" retailers that sell violent games. While the responses are interesting, the lack of participation from front-runners like Hillary Clinton, Rudy Guliani and Mike Huckabee makes the information a little less than complete just weeks away from the Iowa caucuses. Still, the full questionnaire has illuminated the candidates' thoughts on other game-related issues such as childhood obesity, screen time, media literacy and the media's impact on the candidates' own kids. Be an informed voter and give it a read.
What's your CoX toon's New Year's Resolution?
Ex Libris, the official forums Community Coordinator for City of Heroes & Villains, wants to know what players have planned for their favorite toons in the New Year.What heroic feats will you attempt? Maybe trying to run all the Task Forces in record time? And what villainous deeds will you try and pull off? Perhaps trying to rob every bank in Paragon City - consecutively - is right up your alley.But if you're anything like me (and if you are I'm so very sorry), you have as many alts as there are players in WoW. OK, maybe not that many... but you (and I) have a serious problem. Which toon do we actually dedicate playing for long enough to actually carry out those resoultions? Ya, I know! There could be worse problems to address. Whatever the case, the folks at NCsoft want to know. So whether you're a spandex clad do gooder or evil doer, check out the forums and post your character name along with the nefarious plans you have for 2008.
Petopia releases a 2008 calendar
Speaking of great WoW-related gifts for the holidays, Petopia's creator has broken out a Cafepress site, complete with official Petopia goods for the Hunter on your gift list. There are the standard items-- t-shirts, cups, and a Mazzaranche tote bag.But the kicker is this: a 2008 Petopia wall calendar. Featuring fun screenshots (and even some original art) of the best and most favorite pets in the game. I love it. Echeyakee, Humar, Takk the Leaper-- all the greats are here to count down 2008 with you. At $25 it's a little pricey, but on the other hand, any Hunter would love to have that as a gift this holiday season. Very cool idea to put that together, and totally fun to see your favorite virtual pets show up in a setting like that.
Voodoo Extreme's MMO of the year poll
It's about the right time of year for it, and with perfect timing Voodoo Extreme has a poll up for (MMO)RPG Game of the Year.Being in the same category as The Witcher & Mass Effect seems harsh for the MMOs listed, as some great titles went retail in 2007. Was Lord of the Rings Online really just this year? We've also had the first expansion to one of the biggest games of all time, and a minor explosion of Free-to-Play MMOs -- which of course won't feature in a commercial games poll, but they're still surging through the market even so.Overall, 2007 has been a solid year for MMO fans. It may end up being remembered as the year of Halo 3, Assassin's Creed, and Bioshock -- but then 2008 may redress the balance somewhat.Is there an MMO of the year for you, so far?
Anniversary aftermath: What are we looking forward to?
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Wii_anniversary_aftermath_What_are_Wii_Fanboys_looking_forward_to_in_08'; As anniversary week winds down, we can't help but wonder: what's next? One good year for a video game console means nothing if it's followed by some not-so-great years. Fortunately, there are many fun things in store for the Wii, so we've decided to create this little guide to show you what exactly there is to look forward to.
Chrysler's Jeep Renegade concept is pure Halo
Let's face it, car designers need to look deeper for next-generation designs these days. In a more carefree time, you could put two nasty, rectangular hunks of metal on top of one another, stick on a few over-sized tires, mount a faux-wood steering wheel to the dash, and call it a Ford. These days, it's a buyer's market -- and you need to step up your game. Enter Chrysler's Jeep Renegade 2008 concept, a design boosted directly from the collective unconscious (namely, the minds of Halo players everywhere) that looks like a tank, yet runs on a lithium ion-powered electron motor and a small Bluetec diesel generator, giving this never-to-be a combined 110 MPG range. Roof mounted gatling gun and Covenant-destroying missiles not included.
Get your brush ready: Okami's on the way
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Okami_headed_to_Wii'; After the rumors started rumbling yesterday, more and more sites are piling on this morning to assure everyone that Okami has indeed been confirmed for the Wii by Capcom. It won't be long before we see it, either, if early reports are correct; the game is currently scheduled for a spring release, and full motion-control functionality is planned.Word is that footage from the game -- at least in the form of screencaps -- will be available as early as today, so we should soon see just how the under-appreciated PS2 title will look on the Nintendo console.[Update: Check after the jump for a slide from Capcom's event that reveals the development team and more.]
iPhone wins awards, will win a lot more before 2008
We're getting closer and closer to the end of the year, and that means it's almost time for everyone to announce their "best tech product of the year" awards. Gadget website T3 has gotten an early start, and not surprisingly, Apple walked all over everyone else, with the iPhone grabbing tons of awards, and iTunes and the MacBook Pro picking up a few more.Which means: get ready, because the iPhone is going to pretty much win every award imaginable for 2007. What else came out this year that came even close to moving gadget technology ahead? As predicted, it sold tons of units, captured the nation's imagination at launch, singlehandedly pushed cell phones ahead light years (even while bringing some harsh light to Apple's closed architecture policy), and just generally changed the world of gadgets. Is there any other product released in 2007 that could really be called "Gadget of the Year"?I'd think not. The Wii is awesome and all, but my guess is as these end of the year awards come out, even Nintendo's little marvel of an input device demo won't hold a candle to Apple's communications device. Thanks, Charles B!
New QuickBooks for Mac coming in 2008
QuickBooks 2008 apparently was released this week by Inuit-- unfortunately, this makes the release of the Windows client only. Macworld, however, is reporting that if QuickBooks is your thing, you've only got a few more months to wait. Intuit is still planning to release a version of QB 2008 for Mac... in 2008 itself.The quote comes from the Intuit FAQ for Mac, which says basically that they're waiting for Leopard to reveal itself before they release their own software. Not a bad reason for delay, I guess, but I really wonder what extra features Inuit might include in their software that would require Leopard to work. Will QuickBooks really be using any of the Core Image stuff to beef up their presentations and spreadsheets? Doubtful, but it would be awesome if they did.At any rate, Intuit says that if you need QuickBooks right now, there's always the 2007 version, and to stay tuned for everything else, including a release date for 2008.
Ford to make HD Radio available on almost all new vehicles
Just when you thought your radio carrier headaches had gone away -- bam -- Ford starts offering HD Radio on almost all of its new vehicles. That's right, according to a recent press release, the automaker -- which just showed off its new Sync system -- has plans to equip (should you so choose) a large percentage of its 2008 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles with the new high definition "standard." HD Radio -- if you'll recall -- is free, and broadcasts on about 1,500 stations in the US, but offers higher quality audio than standard FM, in addition to features like track ID and extra "piggybacked" channels (called HD2). On top of the inclusion of the systems in new vehicles, Ford says that its 2005, 2006 and 2007 models can be retrofitted with the receivers, thus giving your old jalopy a sheen of newness heretofore unseen.[Via Autoblog]
2008 Olympics inspired phone ready to scare children
At first glance, we're not sure whether CECT designed its cell phone around an Olympic mascot or some sort of cellular voodoo doll. Apparently inspired by 2008 Beijing Olympics mascot Fuwa Huanhuan, the kid-friendly candybar rocks a 1.5 inch screen, 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD expandable memory with a 256MB card, media player, and the requisite assortment of Olympic ringtones, wallpaper, and screen savers. The device will be a Chinese market exclusive, so we can see it being branded as an Olympic collectible and ending up on eBay for enormous amounts of money -- or peanuts. Hard to say.[Via Newlaunches]
Jeff Bell talks Microsoft's strategy, TGS plans
Microsoft's global marketing maestro, Jeff Bell, recently shed some light on the sorts of things we can expect from the company at the Tokyo Game Show next month. Speaking to Canada.com (Canada has its own website?), Bell responded to questions about Microsoft's 2008 lineup, which some have been curious about in the wake of the company's E3 presence, which focused solely on 2007 titles. Bell rattled off names like Halo Wars, Fable 2 and Alan Wake, but noted we won't see anything about them until after the holidays. The most specific Bell gets about TGS is, "the Tokyo Games Show will be a place where we show off new elements." New elements of what exactly we have no idea. Games, we would hope.Bell also spoke of Microsoft's goal to push the concept of publishers launching games simultaneously on both Xbox 360 and PC. In Bell's words, "We want people to develop once and publish twice," an attractive proposition to be sure.Finally, Bell went on record saying that he welcomed the success of the Wii, noting, "If it does grow the market, good for all of us." He further stated that he takes no issue with people owning both the Wii and Xbox 360 as both "are very different experiences." He's not all buddy-buddy with the competition, however, as he states that he and Microsoft "definitely want to win," and notes that only two big franchises still aren't on Xbox 360. He is of course referring to Metal Gear and Final Fantasy. Bell concludes by saying that Microsoft is at the "tipping point" where developers are keen to work with them as the install base continues to grow.Expect to hear plenty more about Microsoft's plans at the Tokyo Game Show, which runs from September 20-23.[Via Eurogamer]
No Spore until Q2 2008 ... no, seriously
It's worth noting that Spore isn't in the 2008 fiscal year plans for EA. This means that Spore is not expected to release until, at a minimum, April of 2008. Observant readers probably saw this coming when last month Soren Johnson, lead designer for Civ IV, joined the Spore development team, meaning that there's probably still a little way to go. We'll just make the pain of this post come to a abrupt end by saying that Spore has been in development since 2000 and only prescient aliens evolving on some other planet know when it'll actually release.
