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Defiance Advanced Mission Beta set for February 8
Defiance's second beta weekend is set to begin on February 8th at 8:00 a.m. PST and run until 9:00 p.m. PST on February 10th. This Advanced Mission Beta will take players to a futuristic San Francisco playing the role of Ark Hunter. No, this doesn't mean you'll be riding mine carts and eating chilled monkey brains; it means that you'll be set to decipher various six-digit alpha numeric codes scattered throughout the game that can be collected to unlocked 15 different levels of rewards. Sound like fun, Dr. Jones? Then head on over to the Defiance official site and sign up. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Trion tabs Namco Bandai for Defiance EU distribution
With the release of Defiance inching closer and closer, Trion is getting all its EGO-enhanced ducks in a row. As such, it has signed an agreement with Namco Bandai to distribute the open-world shooter in the European market. Namco Bandai will handle both online and retail distributions for all three gaming platforms -- PC, PS3, and XBox 360 -- in Europe, South Africa, Middle-East, Australia, and New Zealand. The game is due out in April. Trion Worlds Europe SVP John Burns stated, "We're delighted to be working with Namco Bandai, a great company with a proven track record in bringing big games successfully to the market thanks to their great distribution network and excellent relationship with both high-street and online retailers."
Trion compiles pre-order FAQ for Defiance
Still scratching your head over the options available for Trion Worlds' newest sci-fi MMO, Defiance? With the blast of info coming out for the game lately, it's easy to get a bit lost, but Community Manager Lance James was kind enough to compile everything you need to know about pre-order into one simple FAQ on the forums. Check out the thread and be sure to check back often (or ask a question yourself) as it will be continuously updated with new info as it becomes available. [Thanks to Levi for the tip!]
Defiance video spotlights mutants
Those planning on picking up Defiance and spending some time in this war-torn world come spring should be prepared for the horrors that they'll face. This is why Trion Worlds has delivered a new video highlighting one of the enemy races of the game, the mutants. The mutants used to be human soldiers, but have since been transformed into raging, muscular monstrosities. These creatures retain their former training and -- more importantly -- their weapons. While powerful, the mutants aren't invincible and can be taken down with a little aggressive persuasion. Check out the short mutant spotlight video after the jump!
Trion SVP explains Defiance's 'transmedia synergy' secret sauce
If you're still wondering about this "transmedia synergy" thing that's supposedly going on between Defiance the MMO shooter and Defiance the television show, you might want to check out a new interview with Trion SVP Nick Beliaeff. Events taking place in the two properties are "synchronized within an inch of their life," Beliaeff says. "That's the whole goal. That's some of the secret sauce that we think we have, just making sure that whenever an episode of the show is on air there's a big beat happening in the game. Our real goal is whether it's from game to show or show to game, that those big beats are happening whenever there's an episode on." As you might imagine, this is incredibly difficult, and it's one reason that Trion and Syfy have been working on the IP for five years now. In terms of specific crossover, Beliaeff cites an example where a doctor in the TV show discovers a nanite contagion. She reaches out to one of her NPC colleagues in the game, who in turn provides players with a series of missions that they'll need to complete before the next episode of the show.
Trion reveals Defiance pre-orders, live-action teaser
Defiance's April release isn't too far away, and today Trion has made the new MMO shooter available for pre-order. There are several bundles to choose from including both physical and digital collector's editions and a good assortment of early bird bonus items. Pre-order bonuses include beta invites, XP boosts, and exclusive titles and outfits. The physical CE boasts a Hellbug statue, a soundtrack CD from renowned composer Bear McCreary, an art box, and a slew of in-game items. Defiance is coming to the PC, PlayStation 3 and XBox 360. You can find the full listing of pre-order options at the game's official website. The company has also released a 30-second live-action teaser trailer, the full-length version of which will "be available soon." See it after the cut. [Source: Trion press release]
Trion answers your Defiance beta questions in new FAQ
With the first Defiance beta event coming up this weekend, Trion Worlds has posted a FAQ on Facebook answering the top five questions players have been asking. For those who don't participate in the whole social media thing, we've condensed the information here for you. Players can get in the beta two different ways -- either through an invite sent after signing up or with a beta code. Folks who received a beta code can redeem it on the site and await their email with the rest of the information. All details about the beta, including how to download it, will be sent via email; players should make sure that beta@defiance.com is on their safe list. Note that players who receive the beta invite do not need a beta code. The beta forums will be accessible only after beta access is confirmed by email. Although the beta is for PC only this time around, future tests will be run on PlayStation 3 and XBox 360. This testing weekend will run from January 18th through the 20th.
The Defiance MMO gets a trailer, too
Trailers aren't just for TV shows, no sirree. Syfy's TV show Defiance got a new trailer today, but the fun doesn't stop there! Trion Worlds' video game Defiance got a trailer all of its own -- and it's pretty shiny, if we do say so ourselves. It may not have that fancy "plot" and "dialogue" stuff like the TV trailer, but it does have a lot of explosions, some truly gnarly lookin' monsters, and a bit of time warping and Inception horning. The trailer also includes a call for interested players to enlist for the game's first beta test (which you can do at the new official site). Skip below the cut to see all the action with your own two eyes. Or however many eyes you have. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
New Syfy Defiance teaser kinda reminds us of Firefly
It's not often that we get to write about cool film or television trailers here on Massively, so... thanks Trion! As you're probably aware, the company's Defiance MMO shooter is entering beta later this month. As you're also probably aware, the game is being developed in concert with the TV show of the same name, both of which will debut in April. Yesterday, Syfy released a slick new teaser for the show, and while it doesn't feature any game footage or really mention the MMO at all other than in the closing tag line, we squeed a bit at the Firefly-esque music and the general awesomeness on display. See for yourself after the cut. [Thanks to Segun for the tip!]
Defiance show set for a two-hour premiere in April [Updated]
It's understandable if you've kind of forgotten about how Defiance is meant to be specifically tied to a show on the Syfy channel. Past reveals about the game have focused on gameplay, not actors and broadcast times. But if you're looking forward to immersing yourself in the full Defiance experience from the ground up, mark your calendar for April, as the first episode of the series is set to air then. The series will premiere with a two-hour episode on April 15th at 9 p.m. EST. A Monday night slot isn't the most promising placement for a new show, but it might be a temporary placement until the show performs well. (Or poorly.) This also points to a launch for the game sometime in April, as the two are meant to exist side-by-side from the start. Keep an eye on the game's first beta test later this month to see what happens next. [Update: Trion has clarified that in fact, Monday at 9 p.m. EST is considered Syfy's premier primetime placement and that the show will remain in that slot throughout the season.]
The Perfect Ten: New MMOs to watch in 2013
Oh, I had a great Perfect Ten prepped as the first list of the year, but my meanie-face editor slammed on the veto button and told me, point-blank, that I was going to be counting down the best MMO prospects for the year. Then she drove a lawnmower through a Nordstroms while huffing paint thinner and throwing empty cans at the security personnel. Even so, her idea is probably more interesting than what I had. Let me give you a few notes on today's list because I sense that I'm going to tick more of you off than normal here. My goal was to sift through the possible releases for 2013 and pick the 10 most promising, both in "will it actually launch this year?" and in its potential for success. The combination makes it a tough call because some of these will undoubtedly be delayed to 2014 or beyond and some of these we still don't know as much as we'd like about them. But who cares? Let's have some fun and kick this year off right. Here are my picks for new MMOs to watch in 2013.
First Defiance beta event coming January 18 for PC players
Trion has revealed that its first beta event for the upcoming open-world shooter Defiance will take place from January 18th through the 20th. The shindig will be PC-only (Defiance will release in April on both consoles and personal computers). Advanced Beta Mission 1 will see players transported to a futuristic San Francisco Bay area where they will take on the role of an ark hunter. Ark hunters are genetically enhanced individuals described by Trion as "part treasure hunter, part mercenary." The beta will feature full access to Defiance's tutorial, Mt. Tam, the Waterfront competitive multiplayer map, and the Shadow War and Arkfall open-world boss battles. Trion is now accepting beta signups. [Source: Trion press release]
Von Bach Industries website offers Defiance beta signups, lore
Trion has taken the wraps off a new promotional website for Defiance. The site is an in-character affair festooned with videos, lore, and of course a beta signup form for the upcoming MMO shooter. Testing starts in just over 28 days and the company says spots are limited. The website is the home of Von Bach Industries, a corporation responsible for harnessing EGO technology in the world of Defiance. The tech, which was "brought to earth by Votans and brought to life by Von Bach Industries," serves as a lore-appropriate explanation for the game's user interface. In other words, it's "a symbiotic neuro-muscular bionetic implant [that] alters its host at the genetic level, providing encyclopaedic heads-up intelligence while simultaneously unlocking and managing corporeal-maximization, or EGO Powers."
Defiance producer discusses EGO, payment models, and more
Although games have been based on other media such as movies, television shows, and comics, no one has blended an MMO and a media property into one interactive world. No one, that is, until Trion Worlds and Syfy teamed up to create Defiance. In a recent interview, Defiance Producer Robb Hill talked about various aspects of the upcoming game, including content, cross-platform interaction, the payment model, and more. Acknowledging that new content can't be released on a weekly basis, Hill explained the plan for keeping things fresh in-game. He highlights that besides the competitive multiplayer system, players can continually redo encounters and net new rewards. Hill also elaborated on the game's EGO system, describing it as an implanted AI device that grants players the ability to survive the harsh environments and also gives special abilities like cloaking and super speed. The in-game HUD is actually a manifestation of the EGO, giving players information and updating as missions progress. Regarding cross-platform interaction, Hill said that although it is possible (the dev team is currently playing together from different platforms), the public will not be able to in the commercial game. He stated, "Sony and Microsoft aren't too keen on us doing that, so no. We're not allowed to." Although the payment model has not been 100% decided, Hill also noted that the development team is leaning toward players buying the box then choosing if they want to buy piecemeal or subscribe to get the downloadable content free.
Learn about the races and cultures of Defiance
Defiance is continuing its march to release with another making-of video. This time, the subject is the culture, makeup, and languages of the inhabitants of Defiance. While this deals with the town of Defiance in the TV show Defiance, it has some bearing on Defiance the MMO. You're not likely to have to learn an alien language to fully enjoy the game, but a little insight into the lore and world-building is always a good thing, right? Skip below the cut to learn about the different races and how to say "that's all folks" in a made-up, alien tongue.
New making-of video chronicles Defiance's cinematography, writing, and music
There's a new Defiance making-of video floating around YouTube this week (that's Defiance the TV show, not Defiance the MMORPG). Sure, they share the same universe and will purportedly affect one another, but the three-minute clip that we've embedded for you after the break focuses exclusively on the writing, cinematography, and music for the show. The Syfy series' crew is composed of veterans from the network's much-loved Battlestar Galactica reboot, and writer/executive producer Kevin Murphy says fans will notice the same vibe when the "eclectic immigrant drama" kicks off in April of 2013.
Defiance takes the lid off of its open world PvP
"Player vs. player in Defiance is like nothing console players have ever seen," promises Trion Worlds Creative Lead Bill Trost. "Everything's different, everything's fresh, every time you play." Thus begins Trion's latest Defiance dev diary, this one focusing on the game's open world PvP system. The team has dubbed this system the Shadow War and said that it is integrated fully with the game's PvE experience. Players have a choice whether to participate in it or not, but the action will be happening across a shared landscape. Why is it this way? The devs say that they didn't want a typical FPS experience, in which players went through a solo campaign and then hit the reset button for multiplayer. The progression between PvE and PvP is the same, although there are special outfits for hardcore PvPers. We've got the full dev diary for you after the break, so don't be shy!
Defiance TV show gets a new trailer
Remember that TV show that's attached to a game? Or wait, is it a game attached to a TV show? Either way, the bundle of entertainment potential that is Defiance just got a little more real. The TV series now has a new trailer -- and this one's longer than 15 seconds! The show and game are both due out in April, 2013, and you can get your fill of the trailer by clicking that convenient "continue reading" button down below. Defiance-the-game will take place in the same world as the TV show. Players in this "transmedia revolution" will fight against creepy alien creations, thugs, and each other.
Former EVE Online bigwig now producing Defiance for Trion
Earlier this year EVE Online players wondered what had become of Nathan Richardsson. The former CCP executive producer (known in internet spaceship circles as CCP Oveur) quietly disappeared after having been a major presence at multiple Fan Fests and in the online community since 2004. Now we know that Richardsson jumped ship to sign on with Trion, where he is currently serving as both the Vice President of Development and as the Executive Producer on Defiance. "Defiance is the future of entertainment, and the collaboration between Trion and Syfy means you have two powerhouses blazing a trail that will fundamentally change the way both gamers and viewers consume entertainment," Richardsson says of the third-person shooter and its television series tie-in. "It's amazingly ambitious and exactly the kind of immense challenge that I've been looking for." [Source: Trion press release]
New Defiance video showcases set design
The nice thing about having a game that's tied into a show is knowing that the environment will receive lots of loving attention. For example, Trion Worlds and Syfy teamed up to provide a look at what the sets for the Defiance TV show. Given that the TV show and the Defiance MMO are going hand-in-hand, we think this is a good place to start imagining what the upcoming game will look like. The team also talks about a lot of the theory of the town of Defiance. The town is a melting pot of strange alien technology and earthbound invention and is meant to show tremendous life and potential despite the having gone through a devastating war. Skip below the cut to get an eye on the goodies yourself. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
