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World of Warcraft outlines February's events
There are a lot of holiday events in World of Warcraft this month. February contains the Lunar Festival, Love is in the Air, the Darkmoon Faire... heck, it's also going to be the month that the next major raid opens up. Luckily for avid World of Warcraft players, the official site has put together a comprehensive schedule of the month's festivities, starting with the Valentine's Day event and the new raid opening tomorrow. Astute readers will note that Blizzard suggests players prepare for patch 6.1 with no hints about when it's coming out. Whether this means it's going to be later in the month or won't be dropping until March remains to be seen. Then again, the raiding crowd will have plenty to do through the month with Blackrock Foundry, and if you like holiday events, you've got several of those coming around as well.
EverQuest producer's letter looks to the year ahead
The luster on 2015 has come off at least a little bit by now, but that doesn't mean that it's too late for the EverQuest team to start looking to the year ahead, and it's going to be a big one for this classic MMO. The most recent producer's letter looks to the upcoming year, starting with Erollisi day to serve as a suspiciously similar substitute to Valentine's Day. You know how these things work. Moving along through the year, the development team is looking forward to celebrating the game's 16th anniversary, along with an improved looting system and a stream of steady updates to the game. There's a lot of life left in the original EQ, even with the next big installments of the series just around the corner. If you'd like to see what the next year will hold, read the full letter.
ArcheAge tosses its end-of-holiday update on the test server
Testing out an update that's mostly meant to just turn off the holiday event might seem to be overkill, but ArcheAge has seen such problems with bugs that the team behind the game is apparently taking no chances. A small patch is currently available on the test server and will go live later this week; it contains the shut-off for all of the holiday events (so players with gifts or stockings should use them before the deadline). This build also contains adjustments to the MTX Pet Healing Potion; the potion will now heal pets for 100% of their health, and a future build will add a resurrection effect. A Marketplace addition is also slated to go live on the test servers within the next few days. If you want to make sure that everything's working fine after the event gets turned off, you can hop on the test server today.
Chaos Theory: A guide to TSW's Christmas Conspiracies event
Silver bells, Krampus and Hel, It's Christmas time in The Secret World Ring a ling, hear them scream, Soon you will see a Christmas play! Ahh, it's the holidays. A time when other games pull out the stops on cute and cuddly, flinging festive colors and joviality about like Christmas confetti to make a joyous celebration. Then you have The Secret World. In TSW, the season is dark, twisted, and fiendish; nightmares are brought to life, and conspiracies worm their ways throughout even the most revered of traditions. And we wouldn't have it any other way! I always wonder how on earth the devs are going to top themselves each new event, and this season's Christmas Conspiracies definitely does not disappoint! From the story to the puzzles, this mission chain fits right in. It even incorporated my favorite new element introduced this year -- music -- and literally makes you play for your reward. Want to experience it? You've got until January 5th to thwart the conspiracy and collect all the treasure you can. (Of course, even if you have done the two previous Christmas' events, you'll want to do them again just to get the special goodie bags!) Here's a not-quite-a-guide to help nudge you through. As always, I won't offer a direct step-by-step walkthrough but instead will just drop hints (in italics) to help you along. That said, here's your warning: There will be spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk! If, however, you want even more spoilers, watch Massively TV tonight, December 25th, at 9:00 p.m. for a Stream Team walkthrough special.
SMITE explores Awilix in depth and kicks off Saturnalia
There are a lot of goddesses of the night or the moon, period, and there's no shortage of playable ones in SMITE, either. Awilix is also a figure without a whole lot of prominent lore trying to provide a different take on the general role of assassin. So how did the design team go from a name and a few details to a playable character? Through interplay with her pet jaguar, a different series of abilities, and an emphasis on mobility and hit-and-run tactics. Already have all of the gods you need right now? You've still got a reason to log in to SMITE as the game runs its Saturnalia event, offering free bonus gems to everyone and doubled experience gains for each match played. A series of rolling sales on the pantheons of the game will also persist through the whole of Saturnalia, so if you decide you would like to pick up some new skins, you've got that option. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
Final Fantasy XIV rolls out the Starlight Celebration
You could be forgiven for not remembering the imminent Starlight Celebration in Final Fantasy XIV. After all, there are weddings to worry about now. But it's back again, and like most holidays in the game, it brings with it a new outfit and a new minion for players to procure. Even better, it also brings a variety of housing decorations to help turn your room, house, or guild hall into a festive wonderland. A stuffed qiqirn is appropriate for any house all year round, after all. The celebration starts on December 18th and runs until December 31st, with a main questline as well as daily quests for event rewards. Another batch of goods will also be made available to players starting on December 24th, so you'll want to be ready for more as the event rolls on. So take a little time away from wedding planning and relic weapon upgrades to celebrate the reason for the season. Also to unlock fake moustaches; that's pretty great.
RIFT brings Fae Yule back with new mounts and sweaters
What could be better than riding around on a festive squirrel while wearing awful holiday sweaters? Why, doing so on your way to fight a boss, of course. You'll get your chance to do just that in the latest incarnation of RIFT's Fae Yule event, running until January 7th. Players can send their minions out to find the missing Grandfather Frost, take on the new Golden Devourer boss, and take part in several new quests and special events during the event period. And what do you get out of it? Aside from a new mount to carry you into battle, you can earn new pets, minions, holiday-themed weapons, cloaks, decorations for your home Dimension... lots of stuff, in other words. So get in-game and get moving because if you have an urgent need to deck yourself in all the holiday gear available, you've got only a little time to pick it all up. And who wants to miss out on horrible sweaters? No one, that's who.
Firefall's hosting another Chosen Offensive on Dec. 7
Firefall fans, it's time for another Chosen Offensive event. It's all happening on Sunday, December 7th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. "For the duration of the event, Chosen encounters will spawn throughout Coral Forest and Sertao including Chosen Incursions, Chosen Thumpers, Chosen Death Squads, and more," Red 5 explains via its website. "In Devil's Tusk, Chosen Encounter spawns will be ramped up above their regular rates, and Darkslips will appear and lay siege to the area's POIs. In addition, Firefall developers will be taking the form of powerful Chosen bosses to spread terror and destruction through the world."
Massively Exclusive: Elsword offers Eve a birthday trailer
Being the queen of a long-dead society that tried to destroy everyone isn't an easy task, especially when you're only filled in on that fact after you awake from a prolonged stasis. So it makes a certain amount of sense that Elsword is celebrating Eve's birthday. The Nasod queen hasn't had an easy time in the game, so now she gets an entire event all to herself, one that celebrates the fact that she's another year older. And she's offering most of the presents to players because that's how these things work. A new trailer just past the cut shows off the highlights of playing Eve in her multiple class specializations, including her specialized servants and her combat-ready drone attacks. In-game, players can take part in a variety of quests designed to celebrate the event, including a different daily quest for those playing as Eve and those playing as other characters. Dead society or no, everyone likes a bright birthday celebration. [Source: Kog Games press release]
WoW Archivist: The zombie plague event
WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold? We have one more week of the Iron Horde invasion event before we can take the fight through the portal to Draenor. Most players seem to think this event is serviceable, if unexciting. Like all such events, it lives in the shadow of the most memorable pre-expansion event in WoW's long history: the zombie plague. It debuted almost exactly six years ago, and Blizzard has never topped it. If you need evidence, just look at the comments on the previous WoW Archivist about patch 3.0. I only mentioned the event in passing as a topic for a future column. Even so, readers posted more about the plague event than about any of the other 3.0 features like achievements, glyphs, or pally nerfs. Shaking the foundations Although the players knew some kind of Scourge-based event awaited us, no one knew the details or the scope. At midnight on October 22, 2008, it began. Argent Dawn members appeared in capital cities to warn us. "The Lich King is attempting to make his presence known," they said. "We must not let this occur." At the event's inception, WoW Insider posted an article speculating on what we might soon face, and our hopes turned out to be prophetic: Will it be a simple replay of the Scourge Invasion that brought Naxxramas to our shores for the first time? Or will it be something even more sinister, a world event that shakes the very foundations of the World of Warcraft as we know it? Call us destructive, but we're kind of hoping for the second.
Chaos Theory: Exploring the Halloween that almost wasn't in The Secret World
Funcom just about blew it. I have cut The Secret World plenty of slack for hiccups and bumps over the years (and I am willing to do so in the future because it just doesn't have an equal in the MMOverse and it does what it does so well), but this last one can't be brushed off. This latest misstep could have cost TSW dearly in good will, patience, and even players. You don't take the holiday that the game is essentially based on and not celebrate it! Luckily, TSW's much-anticipated Halloween event did finally show up, albeit 10 days late -- barely in time for the holiday. I am betting that the delay has cost the company some cash. The build-up to this holiday is a huge part of the excitement; the weeks preceding All Hallows' Eve is the perfect time to get people who are in the Halloween mood to return to the game or dive in and try it for the first time> Not to mention it's the time when folks are more apt to buy costumes! Funcom squandered that. And why the delay, anyway? During my Issue #8 tour last year, Creative Director Joel Bylos teased, "Our Halloween next year is going to be amazing! I wrote it for this year, but we didn't get done in enough time." Wasn't 12 more months enough time? We've been waiting with bated breath! So after all that wait, and then even more, is the event worth it? My answer is...
Massively's MMO guide to Halloween 2014
MMORPG fans love to play dress-up. Admit it! We do it every day with our characters, even if we pretend we're just "checking out our stats" when we're rifling through the hundreds of pieces of cosmetic gear in our banks. That's what makes Halloween our magic holiday! Following what is now epic tradition, we've rounded up all the big MMORPG Halloween events and sales for 2014 as well as a few little ones and some from our favorite MOBAs and OARPGs too. The list isn't exhaustive, so feel free to chime in with any we've missed that you love! Now, furbish up your pumpkin heads and get in there. That virtual candy isn't gonna eat itself.
LotRO's Fall Festival running through November 2
Lord of the Rings Online's Fall Festival starts today, and you've got until November 2nd to collect all the tokens, titles, outfits, mounts, and assorted other Middle-earth paraphernalia that shows up during Turbine's seasonal shindigs. As always, Goldenstar has put together a comprehensive guide detailing how and where to get all the various knick-knacks as well as the new-for-2014 items.
RIFT brings back a trio of fan favorite events
Trion Worlds is hosting a reprise of three popular RIFT events that are running from now through October 15th. Currently running is the Temporal Flux event through the 11th, followed by Budgie Madness from the 11th through the 13th; the events conclude with Unicornalia from the 13th through the 15th. Players can earn special rewards during these events, in particular bizarre and fun mounts. RIFT is also running a 25% bonus to XP and various goodies from now through the release of the expansion on October 22nd.
RIFT will spawn endless nightmare rifts for its expansion launch
Do you ever get bothered when you go to a restaurant offering something in an endless variety? After all, a restaurant may claim to offer endless wings, but eventually there won't be any more chickens to make into wings, and what then? But the nightmare rifts that will be opening in RIFT are truly endless. Starting on October 8th, Tier 1 rifts will be opening from Freemarch to the Tarken Glacier, and they simply won't end. They'll just keep going, spewing more horrors into the world. You can't stop them; they just keep coming. Why would you want to go after these rifts, then? Why, the rewards, naturally. Loot, achievements, and access to higher-tier nightmare rifts all await as you struggle to overcome these endless fonts of horror. Dealing with the higher-tier rifts will also grant Ghar faction notoriety and endgame Essences, which seem like fair rewards for pitching yourself against a limitless fountain of dread.
Dragon's Prophet kicks off anniversary events in Europe
Those of you who remember the distant and far-off past of 2013 may recall that Dragon's Prophet launched last year. Those of you still playing the game a year later are probably very aware of that anniversary. The game launched on September 18th in Europe and September 23rd in the US, so there's still a day until the anniversary hits on these shores. But the anniversary celebrations have already begun on the European servers, possibly offering a taste of what US players can look forward to shortly. You can see a new video celebrating the game just past the break, and there are two major events running as part of the anniversary. Players can take part in the Creation Night event, which includes a variety of rewards as well as a chance at taming the Illusion Night dragon. Meanwhile, the monsters in Wynnadia and Porthis have taken to celebrating themselves, and they've gotten bigger and meaner than usual. It's unclear yet whether US players will be getting the exact same celebration events, but EU players still have time to jump in on the festivities.
Aion's 5th anniversary video thanks players, teases upcoming zones
While Aion's fifth anniversary celebration kicked off early with social media events, Daeva's Day -- with all its gifts and goodies -- is just getting started today. And Associate Product Manager Sean Orlikowski has shared with us a special video commemorating the occasion that highlights a bit of the journey through Atreia over the past years and thanks players for joining it. But this clip does more than just take viewers on a jaunt down memory lane; it also jumps ahead to the future! The second half sweeps through the new zones coming in the next update, showing off the places players will soon be able to visit. Go ahead and take a moment to reminisce a bit about what has been and sneak a peek at what's to come in the video below.
Wings Over Atreia: The spoils of Aion's fifth anniversary
Another year has flown by! Aion is turning five years old, and that means it's time for Daevas to enjoy cake and presents during the nearly month-long birthday bash. What goodies are in store during this year's North American festivities? Associate Product Manager Sean Orlikowski has shared with us the schedule of events that span from today until October 8th; it includes contests, buffs, double drop rates, and a special anniversary-day GM hosted event. There's also a special new Daevonian armor set for only 1 NCoin (which is practically free) that even new players can use.
Path of Exile preps new flame effect and Taiwan patches
Have you long wanted to summon demonic flame from your fingertips in Path of Exile? You'll get your chance in the game's 1.2.2 patch; it's being added as a new microtransaction spell effect. The developers are also rolling the game's latest mini-expansion, Forsaken Masters, out to the Taiwanese servers as well, launching it before the game's first mini-expansion. It's a more beginner-friendly update, so it makes more sense to launch it first. This all comes courtesy of the game's recent mini-news roundup, covering several small but relevant points of interest. Other updates include discussions being held on the game's next race event, which will probably be significantly different from prior events as the team wishes to clearly distinguish between races meant for hardcore or more casual players. Master/Grandmaster supporter art packs have also begun the process of shipping, with several more prepared for the mail now. Check out the full post for a few more details, or just check out that demonic flame effect in a video past the cut.
Darkfall gives players a day to log in and purchase D.U.E.L.
What is D.U.E.L.? It's Darkfall Unholy Wars' equivalent to EVE Online's PLEX, a way to extend your subscription to the game while allowing you to trade for in-game currency. And if that's what's kept you away from the game, your inability to pay for your subscription by earning more currency in the game? You're in luck, as the game is offering a special one-day reactivation on September 11th for lapsed subscribers to log in, purchase D.U.E.L., and possibly get back into the game. Players have expressed some consternation over this decision, arguing that a single day in the middle of the week is an odd time to reinstall, log back in, and try to purchase an item. Official statements by Aventurine staff have clarified that this is only a single flash promotion, and it does not rule out the possibility of other similar promotions in the future. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
