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MV Guide: January 2-8, 2012
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump for the latest edition of MV Guide!
MV Guide: December 26, 2011-January 1, 2012
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) You'll notice a hefty lineup, some new faces, and some special events in this week's MV Guide. Joining us will be some brand-new members of the MV TV livestream team, so make sure you stop in while they're live and give them a welcome! Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule.
[Updated] On the sixth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me...
[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Thanks to everyone who entered!] On the sixth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... six retail packs! On the fifth day of giveaways, Trion gave to me... five subscription codes! On the fourth day of giveaways, Nexon gave to me... four pet items! On the third day of giveaways, Wargaming.net gave to me... three premium years! On the second day of giveaways, BioWare gave to me... two warring factions! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! We're at the halfway point of our 12 Days of Giveaways thanks to GamersFirst and APB: Reloaded. Remember earlier this month when we told you about the new retail boxed edition of the game? Well, if you liked it, you're in luck. GamersFirst has put together six digital copies of that edition, wrapped them up in a big bow, and put them under our virtual tree. Six lucky Massively readers will win a bundle containing 30 days of premium access, 500 G1 credits, a faction-specific sports car, and a special secondary weapon. If you win, look very carefully because Santa Paro (/rimshot) has slipped one more extra special item into each pack. We'll save that one for a surprise! Want to get your hands on one of these codes? To enter, simply leave a comment answering the burning question: enforcer or criminal? The entry deadline is tomorrow, December 19th, at 2:00 p.m. EST. Once the deadline hits, we'll choose six winners and award the gifts. Check out the contest rules below, and best of luck!
APB Reloaded enjoying success via Steam, coming to store shelves
Realtime Worlds' MMO APB has had a troubled past to say the least, getting shut down in record time after a disastrous launch. But the title was purchased by GamersFirst soon after that with the intention of being reopened as a free-to-play game called APB Reloaded, and it looks like things are going pretty well. Not only has the title appeared in Steam's most played charts already, but GamersFirst now says it has picked up three million new registered users after showing up on the Steam service. That's quite a turnaround. The original game only boasted about 130,000 registered players, so the current iteration has already picked up that original audience and more. GamersFirst says the game has "quickly amassed a vocal, dedicated community, and they've been instrumental in growing the game and helping better the experience." And then there's the ultimate rebirth: APB Reloaded is apparently headed back to store shelves at retailers, too, in the form of a $29.99 box with "more than $50 worth of value including unique in-game items." That's pretty impressive for a game that saw a server shutdown in just 90 days or so.
APB: Reloaded cracks into Steam's most-played games
Calling all cars -- all three million of them, even. Yes, that's how many players APB: Reloaded now claims, which allows the game to crack into the top ten games being played on Steam and places it second on the list of free games. That's definitely a big impression, one that couples nicely with the game's recent release of a boxed retail copy with several bonus items for first-time or existing players. According to Rahul Sandil, SVP of marketing and business development for GamersFirst, "[GamersFirst] recognized the potential for APB: Reloaded to be a true breakout hit in the Free2Play category all through beta testing." The game's new Fight Club gameplay mode hasn't hurt the game's popularity either, which is all pretty good for a game that originally set a record for its quick shutdown. The future of APB: Reloaded remains to be seen, but the present is certainly looking bright. [Source: GamersFirst press release]
APB: Reloaded unveils a boatload of new screenshots
Are you excited about the release of the APB: Reloaded retail box? Ambivalent about the release but fond of screenshots? Either way, there's a whole lot of new screenshots from the game to coincide with said release, showing off two of the new maps for the game's new Fight Club battle mode and new SWAT gear for Enforcer players who like to take down crime in style. And heavy armor, which seems practical. There's also a new revelation about the retail pack itself, as it seems that GamersFirst has sweetened the pot slightly. In addition to all of the bonuses listed in our post on the release yesterday, GamersFirst has confirmed that there are extra weapons in the package for those who purchase the pack within the first 30 days. So if you're curious about what you could do on the streets and have the $30 to check it out, now might be the time to do so. %Gallery-141485% %Gallery-141484% %Gallery-141483% %Gallery-115829%
The Firing Line: Gravity-defying gameplay edition
Hullo shooter fans, and welcome back to Massively's weekly dose of pew pew news and views. The past seven days were quiet ones for three of the The Firing Line's "big four" MMO shooters, as newsmakers on the PlanetSide 2, Global Agenda, and Firefall dev teams were all silent. Thankfully there were a couple of cool DUST 514 tidbits to chew on, but before we get to those, I'd like to call your attention to some interesting Tribes: Ascend, APB: Reloaded, and CrimeCraft news that you may have missed.
APB retail edition to hit store shelves tomorrow [Updated]
Would you buy a box set for a free-to-play game? It might seem like an odd question, but GamersFirst is hoping that the answer to that question is "yes" once you see what's being offered with the APB: Reloaded boxed edition. With a suggested retail price of $29.99, the box is set to go on sale starting tomorrow, December 9th, and will be sold at Best Buy, Target, GameStop, and Walmart. And what do you get when you buy the game? Aside from an installation disc and manual, you get 30 days free of Premium account status and 500 G1 credits for use in the game's microtransaction store. You also get a faction-specific sports car and a special secondary weapon to help ensure that you're never without a holdout in a protracted firefight. Time will tell if this addition to the game's marketing proves profitable for the game under its current business model. [Source: GamersFirst press release] [Update: We've since been told that the retail launch of APB: Reloaded has been delayed. The team hopes to have an updated date by Friday, December 16th. We'll update you when we know more!]
First Impressions: A second look at APB on launch day
On June 29th, 2010, Realtime Worlds launched All Points Bulletin, an MMO that was highly anticipated for its character customization options, open-world "gang warfare" PvP, and similarity to the wildy popular Grand Theft Auto series of video games. In fact, the original APB's lead designer was David Jones, creator of such classics as Lemmings and the original Grand Theft Auto. But six weeks later, Realtime Worlds entered administration, which essentially means that the company was having financial troubles but was allowed to continue running while looking for a new owner. That new owner didn't materialize quickly enough, forcing the company to announce the game's closure during what may be the shortest MMO lifespan of all time. But who should come to save the day on November 11, 2010? None other than K2 Network, parent company of free-to-play publisher GamersFirst, which swooped in to rescue the game under the new title APB: Reloaded. Today marks the official re-launch of the crime MMO on Steam, and I've been spending entirely too much time with the game, rediscovering why I both loved and hated the original version. Follow along after the cut for our second look at a First Impressions of APB.
GamersFirst reveals APB live action trailer
It may be Veteran's Day here in the States, but GamersFirst is exhorting shooter fans to "be all you can't be" courtesy of a new APB: Reloaded trailer that mixes live action cinematography with in-game mayhem. The clip is a three-and-a-half-minute exercise in gangsta wish fulfillment, and it features enough short skirts, big guns, and urban thug chic to fill several summers' worth of action films. The video release coincides with APB: Reloaded's new Facebook campaign, which is designed to spread the word about the free-to-play title and reward customers who get their friends to join in the fun. Check out the clip after the break, and head to the official website for more details. [Source: GamersFirst press release]
New trailer for APB: Reloaded encourages you to be someone else
When we're young, we're usually told that we can be anything we want when we grow up. After the ensuing 20-minute discussion in which our parents explain that we cannot grow up to be a caterpillar, a race car, or James Bond, we quickly come to understand that our options are a bit more limited than we were told. And that's something that the newest trailer for APB: Reloaded understands, as evidenced in the first few moments with its declaration that the real world sucks. The trailer's goal is to highlight some of the gameplay and customization possible within the engine, encouraging players to be more than is possible within the real world. (Well, to be fair, it's very possible to have shootouts with the police in the real world, but it's not something you can log off from.) Click on past the break to see the whole trailer in all its glory.
The story of saving APB
While many of us are aware of the basics behind the rise, fall, and re-rise of All Points Bulletin, it's only been from a partial, fragmented perspective. GamesIndustry.biz conducted an in-depth investigation into the story of how GamersFirst swooped in to save the drowning APB, which barely had 130,000 registered users at the time of its shutdown last year. As the game and company went into administration, GamersFirst sent in a team to assess the title and see what could be done. The company decided to purchase it and convert it to a free-to-play model, although Bjorn Book-Larsson said that the price tag for the company was higher than initially anticipated: "It ended up not being a cheap deal for us, but obviously a lot cheaper than the initial development." In restructuring the development team, GamersFirst reduced the number of developers by 90% to make it more agile, often recruiting former Realtime Worlds employees who showed promise. "Our production designer used to be the lead QA person. He'd spent years taking notes on how things should have been different. Essentially, when I met him the first time he rattled off a huge list of what he thought should have been different. Just an insane amount. We just said, maybe we should just hire you as a designer," Larsson said. So far, it looks as though the restructuring and new focus is paying off, as APB Reloaded's beta is currently seeing five times as many players as those who registered for the box product last year.
Massively Exclusive: GamersFirst on yesterday's layoffs and the future of APB
It's been a whirlwind couple of days for the folks at GamersFirst. Yesterday we broke the story of layoffs at the company, and today the free-to-play firm has come forward to chat with us about what exactly is going on (and what exactly it's thinking in regard to the new Occupy Free2Play promotion). We talked with Rahul Sandil, G1's senior vice president of marketing and business development, and he had some interesting things to say about the future of both APB Reloaded and Fallen Earth.
GamersFirst challenging players with Occupy Free2Play
Occupy Wall Street is the phrase on everyone's lips these days, and the folks at GamersFirst are getting in on the action with a lighthearted spinoff of the movement. GamersFirst is making the bold statement that it's "challenging video game players and consumers to break the cycle of MMOs that require you to commit to a subscription after spending as much as $60 for the honor of playing their products." The company continues, "Worse is the latest crop of subscription-lite and freemium games claiming to be Free2Play. GamersFirst is challenging gamers to reject this propaganda of what other publishers are calling free and demand more from their gaming experience." It's an interesting take on gaming, but G1 has even more to say and a very clear idea of what F2P is not: "Free2Play is NOT a thinly-veiled game trial. Free2Play is NOT titles that require cash shop purchases to play. Free2Play is NOT experience level caps. Free2Play is NOT exclusive content for paying players. Free2Play is NOT pay-to-win." Strong words, but is there anything behind them? The answer seems to be yes, since GamersFirst is backing up its words with -- what else? -- free items. Massively has been given 5,000 codes for APB: Reloaded gift packages that include three days of access to both a Colby CSG-20 PR2 shotgun and a ACT 44 Golden Marksmen pistol. The package also includes three days of premium access to the game. Head to our giveaway page to pick up your items, and make sure you hit the comment button to give us your take on Occupy Free2Play!
In Russia, APB Reloaded hijacks you!
All Points Bulletin's comeback looks to be in a stronger position than ever before as GamersFirst has just inked a deal with Innova Systems to publish and distribute the title in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. This hugely expands APB Reloaded's potential market as the title is on the verge of relaunch. While you may not have heard of Innova, GamersFirst's Rahul Sandil said that the company is well-established with a solid reputation in the region. "After an exhaustive diligence, it became clear that Innova was truly the only choice for distributing APB Reloaded to the Russian Federation. With six years of local market experience and more than two million active users, we know that APB Reloaded will flourish in Russia under Innova's watchful guidance," he said. APB players in Russia will need to use Innova's 4game publishing platform to access the game -- which, like it is elsewhere, will be free-to-play.
GAME introduces centralized digital payment system for MMOs
UK's largest video games retailer, the appropriately named GAME, is taking a crack at the ever-widening digital market. The retailer introduced a new feature for players looking to purchase content online called GAMEwallet, with plans to offer gift cards for the system in 2012. By giving players incentive to focus on just one account that can be used to fund multiple MMOs and other games, GAME is hoping that GAMEwallet will become the one-stop shopping center for gamers. Several MMO studios are on board with the program, with titles like RuneScape and APB Reloaded fundable through it. GAME is targeting a majority of its customers who don't use debit and credit cards to buy digital content because of security concerns. GAME's Tricia Brennan sees move as not just a smart one, but a necessary one: "The digital games market is growing fast, but two things are holding it back: the reliance on customers using credit or debit cards online, and the lack of a one-stop shop offering advice across a wide range of titles from different publishers. We're about to change that." GAME is currently struggling financially, as it recently announced losses of over $81 million from sales.
The MMO Report: Taunting beta-testers edition
Welcome to another edition of The MMO Report, where everything's made up and the points don't matter. That's right, the points don't matter, just like those emails you got for the SWTOR beta. You're still not in it. First up on the agenda is Blizzard, which recently announced that the Foo Fighters, long known for their connection to the gaming industry [citation needed], will be playing at BlizzCon. Information on the upcoming Titan, however, will not be making an appearance. Meanwhile, Red 5 and Webzen have settled their legal dispute. Webzen came away with some healthy monetary compensation, while Red 5 gained global publishing rights to Firefall. Next we go deep into the 'hood of APB: Reloaded, where the devs have been busy dropping banhammers on the thick skulls of the game's less savory sorts. Anyone found using exploits or hacks has been mercilessly dispatched by, we presume, a series of drive-by shootings. Ragnar Tørnquist took the time to drop a few information bombs on fans of The Secret World, detailing the team's design philosophy and outlining how the game will place emphasis on lore and story. And last, but certainly not least, we have the curious case of BioWare's misplaced emails. A number of players had their hopes raised and then contemptuously dashed by a survey email that asked them to tell BioWare what they thought of their time in SWTOR. Needless to say, a furious uproar ensued, as millions of voices suddenly cried out in anger and were not-so-suddenly silenced. For the full MMO Report, complete with Uncle Casey's Mailbag, head on past the cut.
APB Reloaded cracks down on cheaters
Cheating and exploiting are problems that plague all MMOs, and developers often go to great lengths to detect offenders. In a new APB Reloaded devblog, developer TechMech explains the company's latest and highly successful attempts to rid the game of cheaters. Three major hacks were targeted, and every account that had ever used the hacks was banned overnight. TechMech won't go into details about how exactly the hackers were observed, but he does say that a second anti-cheat patch is coming to wipe out any players who choose to continue hacking. TechMech is considering offering a kind of amnesty to cheaters, stating that anyone who uninstalls all hacks and plays legitimately may be permitted to continue playing. Perhaps the most shocking statistic in the devblog was that almost 50% of the banned accounts were paid accounts, and some had over 1500 hours of gameplay on them. TechMech went on to estimate the revenue that the three main cheat-makers had been generating as between $15,000 and $50,000 per month each, with users spending $30 per month on hacks.
GamersFirst teams up with Adknowledge for virtual currency offers
Free-to-play gamers seem to have no problems paying real-world money for virtual items in their favorite MMORPGs. GamersFirst hopes that its customers will feel similarly about its new partnership with Adknowledge. Who, or what, is Adknowledge? It's the largest privately owned advertising network on the internet, and it's also the parent company of Super Rewards (and you may remember that name in connection with the infamous "offer wall" faux pas attached to Turbine's Dungeons and Dragons Online MMO). Adknowledge's AdStation program allows gamers to earn in-game currency by completing extra-game tasks including watching videos, taking surveys, and subscribing to various online services. This generates advertising leads for Adknowledge clients, and a new GamersFirst press release calls it "a great opportunity for us to get our titles in front of their vast global network." Said titles include APB Reloaded and Fallen Earth, but thus far GamersFirst has not released details on how the games will be affected. [Source: GamersFirst press release]
All Points Bulletin Reloaded blog post focuses on the "home stretch" to launch
Enforcers and criminals better listen up, because it's time for another All Points Bulletin Reloaded blog post. This one focuses on the open beta "home stretch," as the post's title refers to it. With the game's patch 1.5.3 hot off the press, the team is gearing up for patches 1.5.4 through 1.5.7, which are the last planned patches prior to the game's official launch. So what kind of issues have been spotted throughout the span of open beta, and what does the team hope to accomplish prior to the game's official release? Well, sit down and get comfy, because the team has put together quite a list, included after the jump.
