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Get the full scoop on Marvel Heroes' Venom
The most recent addition to Marvel Heroes' roster, Venom, isn't merely a Spider-Man reskin. Gazillion put some thought into making this 43rd playable character unique as it uses its symbiote power to do nasty things to nasty people. Gazillion said that it wanted to go "all out" on Venom's looks and animations. Venom also has an interesting resource builder. "Unique to Venom, ichor serves as his primary resource, replacing spirit entirely, and accumulates as Venom uses powers that drain his own health – representing the host's constant battle with the symbiote," said Systems Designer Michael May. You can check Venom's trailer out after the break! [Source: Gazillion press release]
One Shots: The last superhero
I've been holding onto this screenshot for the better part of the year for a time when the world entire would need a jolt of City of Heroes to get it through the next day. I think that today is that day. Behold! A superhero! Reader Michelle said that she was still traumatized by the game shutting down: "This particular screenie was of my last 50. He was a Fire Armor/Electric Melee tank named Demolition Companion. He was a clockwork that the Resistance attempted to reprogram but didn't complete, so he was broken (hence why he was on fire all the time) and very, very dangerous. In this shot he's standing in the sewers ready to wipe out some Resistance scum. (He was one of my only Loyalists.) I wish I'd gotten to RP him more." Want to be featured in a future edition of One Shots? Send your favorite MMO screenshots to oneshots@massively.com, and don't forget to include your name, the name of the game, and a description of the scene. Large, colorful, UI-free shots that tell a story and really show off the game make for the best images. Look ma, we brought back One Shots!
The Daily Grind: Do you log into games you're not currently playing?
I haven't played Marvel Heroes in about two months. Blame Elite: Dangerous, ArcheAge, and a pile of single-player games, I guess, but I just haven't been able to fit it into my rotation here lately. That said, I've logged into the game for 122 straight days, entirely because of Gazillion's penchant for giving away nifty login prizes like an Ultron pet and dozens of others. What about you, Massively readers? Do you log into MMOs or MMO-lites for prizes even though you're not currently playing? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Marvel Heroes adds Venom, throws 50% off sale
'Tis the season for deep discounts and disturbing heroes, as has come to pass in the merry lands of Marvel Heroes. The jolly figure known as Venom has come to distribute pain, suffering, and alternative dental plans for those who pick this new playable figure. The Marvel Heroes team is also offering a half-off sale on most -- but not all -- of the in-game store. This includes many of the title's heroes, costumes, team-ups, and pets. And even if you don't want to spend money, you'll still be getting treats all month with the game's Winter Wonderland & Season's Givings event. Presents and buffs will be available all over the game, in addition to new daily log-in rewards.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite MOBA?
I'm a bit late to the MOBA party, but this past week I've been having a grand old time playing Infinite Crisis. Previously I'd dabbled in SMITE and Guardians of Middle-earth, but I'd never seriously considered a MOBA as part of my regular fun-time rotation. That's all changed thanks to IC, though, and I've downloaded a few other genre titles to try while I'm at it. What about you, Massively MOBA players? Which is your favorite? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Marvel Heroes now features a female Wolverine
Fancy a female version of Wolverine? Marvel Heroes now has one in the form of X-23. Laura Kinney was cloned from Wolverine's DNA and raised in a lab, according to developer Gazillion's website. She was "trained from birth to use her claws, enhanced senses, and innocent appearance to become the perfect assassin."
Experiencing Legends PvE with the DC Universe Online devs
DC Universe Online fans who've long wanted Legends PvE learned at SOE Live that the feature was finally on its way to the game. And now patience is about to pay off! Legends PvE is launching with GU43, along with plenty of other goodies like new underwater bases and a new legends character. There's even something for the PvPers: revamped arena award rules. Executive Producer Larry Liberty and Creative Director Jens Andersen recently led a media tour of this upcoming content, showcasing Deathstroke in all his Legends glory along with sharing a few other tidbits of news (like the release window for Amazon Fury Part II). As Liberty put it, "Game Update 43 wound up becoming quite a bit bigger than we initially anticipated."
Massively Interview: Marvel Heroes' Magneto makes his mark
Heroes are all well and good, but there is plenty of fan love for the villains. There's just something about those bad boys and girls redeeming themselves that makes those characters so interesting. Gazillion knows this and has responded by releasing Magneto, the latest of the playable villains, to the Marvel Heroes lineup. Fans of Professor Xavier's long-time nemesis/friend can now jump in and command the forces of magnetism to defeat foes and destroy the environment. We chatted with Creative Designer and Community Manager Ryan Collins about this latest addition. We even gleaned a few snippets about the upcoming Axis One-Shots and got a release time-frame for the Spider Girl enhanced costume. For those who want to see Magneto in action, we've also included his official trailer. You can also tune in to Massively TV on Monday, December 8th, at 9:00 p.m. EST to watch him live.
The Daily Grind: Have you played a console MMO?
SOE recently announced that DC Universe Online has over 18 million registered users. Even if we take that with the usual grains of salt (how many concurrent users? how many of them spend money?), it's a pretty huge number. Prior to reading it, in fact, I would have guessed that the number of console players interested in every console MMO would be well under 18 million. What do you think? Does the number surprise you? Have you yourself played a console MMO? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Console popularity powers DC Universe Online past 18M registered players
Eighteen million sets of eyeballs on your MMO is no number to dismiss, and SOE is definitely glad that DC Universe Online is the subject of so much attention. The studio said yesterday that more than 18M players have registered with DCUO since its inception. The real reason behind DCUO's phenomenal growth is thanks to the reception it's been getting on the PlayStation 3 and 4, as over three-fourths of the game's playerbase is on consoles. SOE President John Smedley said that 40% of new registered users are on the PlayStation 4 these days, and they have created almost 3M superheroes to date. Even more interesting, it seems as though console players are willing to spend more on this free-to-play title than their PC counterparts. Smedley said that PlayStation sales per capita accounted for 3.5 times more than PC sales.
Magneto now playable in Marvel Heroes
Marvel Heroes got a new playable character today, its 41st overall but just its second playable villain. That villain is Magneto, X-nemesis and master of magnetism who can "wield the power of electromagnetism to levitate and crush enemies with debris, cars, and even Sentinels with his ultimate power." Renowned voice actor James Arnold Taylor (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ratchet, Final Fantasy X's Tidus) is the man behind the mask, and Gazillion creative designer Ryan Collins says that Magneto boasts "some of the most intense visual effects in the game." [Source: Gazillion press release]
Get a free Infinite Crisis Green Arrow skin via Facebook
If you're partial to MOBAs and Green Arrow, you might want to take a look at the latest promotion for Infinite Crisis. Turbine is giving away a Starling City Green Arrow skin that's all yours as long as you don't mind logging into Facebook. The offer expires on December 10th.
Infinite Crisis dredges up Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, you make my heart sing! You make everything groovy... especially when you show up to stomp evildoers with the power of peat. Coming to Infinite Crisis on December 17th, Swamp Thing will be the newest super-powered character in the game. According to his description, "Swamp Thing can endure tremendous damage and is capable of complete regeneration. He also has control over plant life, and can command it to do his bidding." We've got a video preview of Mr. Thing after the break, so check it out and then hug a tree afterward so that you'll end up on his good side. [Source: Turbine press release]
Turbine holds an Infinite Crisis tournament against itself
Have you ever wondered what developers do in their spare time? Apparently, they cook up crazy schemes like hosting an inter-office tournament and then broadcasting it to the world. This tournament is called DEvember and comes to you courtesy of Turbine Entertainment. Starting on December 2nd and continuing through the 18th, the tournament will feature several rounds of 1v1 Infinite Crisis action starring 32 employees spanning all of the studio's teams. Other than being entertained by devs beating up each other, players can benefit from the tournament by winning prizes via guessing who will win. Our money is on Rock Star Wonder Woman™.
The Daily Grind: Are superhero MMOs doomed to be niche?
When Valiance Online launched its Kickstarter a few weeks ago, Massively's commenters posed an interesting debate over the viability of the superhero MMO market in general, not just the workability of a genre with three competing City of Heroes spin-offs. Some readers are convinced that the superhero genre is too risky and niche for MMORPGs, noting that the existing superhero MMOs have been more or less solid but small, nowhere near World of Warcraft huge. Fantasy, and to a lesser extent sci-fi, just dominates this scene. (Although we had a moment of hope when Blizzard first revealed Overwatch, it turned out to not really be much of an MMO.) And yet superheroes are killing it in movie theaters; the comic genre has transcended geek culture to become thoroughly mainstream. There should be a huge audience for such games, and superhero MMOs just plain make sense: They're an ideal setting for fun skills and powers, beating up bad guys, and dressing up in costumes. So what's the deal? Why haven't we seen a staggeringly huge superhero MMO? Are they in fact too niche after all? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
DCUO's War of the Light Part II now available
SOE wants you to know that War of the Light Part II, the 12th DLC pack for DC Universe Online, is available now. The update allows players to travel to Zamaron, otherwise known as the home of the Star Sapphires. New content includes four- and eight-player operations, a four-player alert, a two-player duo, a single-player challenge mode, and new open world solo missions. New gear is available, too, as are six additional skill points, new collections, new feats, and new base items. Don't forget the new trailer after the break! [Source: SOE press release]
Marvel Heroes publishes Thor's level 52 review
Gazillion has published one of its Marvel Heroes level 52 reviews, which is basically a dev blog focused on endgame goals and designs for a particular hero. In this case, that hero is Thor. Thor's Odinforce is a big part of his current review. It functions as his secondary resource and allows players to unlock upgraded versions of his powers by building Odinforce and managing its decay over time. And don't forget about God Blast, his new ultimate that unleashes "the full might of the mighty Mjolnir in a terrifying, concentrated blast of white-hot divine intervention."
Marvel Heroes adds new game mode
Gazillion has added a new game mode to its Marvel Heroes online action RPG. It's called Industry City Patrol and it features new bosses, artifacts, medallions, and "uniques found nowhere else," according to the game's website. Gazillion says that it has also added "improved spawning technology to reduce lag," as well as multi-phase events that encourage players to cooperate and progress together.
Arcane Supergirl arrives in Infinite Crisis this month
Arcane Supergirl is coming to Infinite Crisis, according to developer Turbine's latest press release. Arcane Supergirl is "able to summon firebird and flame at will," and she'll be available for play on November 26th. Click past the cut for a new video that focuses on both gameplay and lore.
Touring DCUO's War of Light Part II before next week's release
The DC universe is a big one, and DC Universe Online has multiple storylines involving various heroes and villains playing out through its DLC trilogies. So far, however, only the first part of each trilogy has been available to play. But that's all about to change! Starting next week, players finally get to sink their teeth into the continuation of one when the second part of War of Light, which premiered earlier this year, finally releases. Members will be granted early access to War of Light Part II on November 11th while everyone else gets the DLC on the 18th (with the exception of European players who will get it on the 19th). But thanks to a tour with Creative Director Jens Andersen and Assistant Creative Director SJ Mueller, we didn't have to wait until next week to see what's in store.
