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Some Assembly Required: Virtual world roundup for 2014 and beyond
Just over two years ago there was a great disturbance, as if millions (or so) of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Yes, something terrible had happened: a beloved virtual world was destroyed. And that left a number of sandbox refugees looking for a new place to call home. At that time, Some Assembly Required offered a roundup of the then available virtual worlds that could possibly offer accommodation, depending on what qualities players most desired in their games. But as things are wont to, they changed; a lot can happen in the MMOverse in 24 months, from additional features in existing games to new games to the loss of more worlds. So it's time to update this list of virtual worlds to reflect 2014 and beyond. Take a look and see what titles or titles-to-be have the sandbox features that best make a game a home for you.
Massively's winter holidays MMO roundup
The holidays are here! That means the hustle and bustle of the season is in full swing, with gifts to get, treats to taste, deals to nab, and plenty of festivities to partake in -- and that's just in the MMOverse! Yes folks, there's a plethora of holiday celebrations out there -- so many, in fact, that it can be hard to keep track of them all, let alone participate to them! If you're trying to catch everything in your favorite games, we're here to help. We've got a round up of the various winter celebrations across the gaming sphere all bundled together right here for you. If something catches your eye, hop in and join in the festivities!
War of the Immortals: Titan's Fury releases October 30th
War of the Immortals' newest expansion is only a couple of weeks away from joining forces with the live game, according to Perfect World Entertainment. The expansion, called War of the Immortals: Titan's Fury, now has an October 30th release date. Titan's Fury's key feature is a pair of instances -- Titan's Temple and the Titan Dungeon -- that will be unlike anything players have seen to date. The expansion also adds new zones, daily events, pets, and gear. There's a little something in it for both solo- and group-oriented players, says Product Manager Thang Phan. We've got the trailer for Titan's Fury sitting pretty behind the jump, so why don't you go give it a look-see and let us know if you'll be booting this title back up for the latest and greatest? [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
Battle of the Immortals trumpets Shifting Tides expansion
Battle of the Immortals hasn't been making waves this past year, but that looks to change: Perfect World Entertainment announced that the free-to-play title is on the verge of releasing an expansion called Shifting Tides. The expansion pits players in a quest to protect the world and avoid a coming apocalypse. But the story is always second to features, so what does Shifting Tides have to offer? Perfect World is adding new zones, new instances such as the Radiant Temple, a high-level character customization system that unlocks perks, a PvP arena, and a stunning 100-level solo dungeon. Shifting Tides will release on September 19th, but in the meantime you can watch the official expansion trailer after the jump.
War of the Immortals leaps to Steam
If you're the type of gamer who likes to have all of his MMOs under one digital service roof, then you might be interested to hear that War of the Immortals is now available through Steam. Product Manager Thang Phan hopes that this will give War of the Immortals a great boost: "With the launch of War of the Immortals on Steam we are excited to expose the world of Motenia to more gamers around the world. This collaboration allows Steam users to easily join the battle while pushing the competition to new heights." While Perfect World's title is free-to-play, there are two optional DLC packs that you may elect to purchase on Steam. The starter pack is currently on sale for $4.99 and includes pet gems, fortify crystals and charms, embed charms, and a seven-day platinum noble card. The $14.99 wanderer's pack includes the noble card and a tempting-sounding Centaur Lord Reor. You never want to be caught without a centaur lord in your pocket, after all. [Source: Perfect World press release]
War of the Immortals expansion adds new class, 540-player PvP arenas
War of the Immortals' new expansion is officially live. Perfect World Entertainment is adding a new Harbinger class, the pet ascension system, a new instance called Proof of Divinity, and an extensive PvP revamp with the Lost Omen patch. This last bit involves "re-tooling the team matchmaking system," PWE says. The changes allow for three teams of up to 180 players to duke it out in a single battle arena (that's 540 players at once if you're counting at home). There's also a new trailer for the Lost Omen expansion. Check it out by clicking past the cut. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
War of the Immortals shows off class preview trailer
After yesterday's launch of the closed beta for War of the Immortals, the development team is trying to help ramp up enthusiasm for the title. So the team has kicked things off with a new class preview trailer, showing players the various classes available for play in the action-focused MMO as well as what each one looks like in high-level combat. Players can choose between Berzerker (melee DPS), Champion (tank), Duelist (melee DPS), Enchantress (support), Heretic (healer), Magus (ranged DPS), Ranger (ranged DPS), and Slayer (melee DPS). The Ranger, Enchantress, and Duelist are all new additions compared to the game's obvious predecessor, Battle of the Immortals, bringing in a more support-oriented set of abilities to battle. Take a look at the full preview of the classes and their abilities just after the break, and if the gameplay looks interesting to you, look on the horizon for more information on the beta. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]
Perfect World Entertainment announces War of the Immortals
If you're a fan of Perfect World Entertainment's library of games, odds are good that you've been battling against immortals for some time now. But that's being ratcheted up several steps to full-fledged war. All right, War of the Immortals isn't exactly a direct extension of Battle of the Immortals, but the upcoming action MMO certainly has some connections to the older title. Nevertheless, it's still worth a look from fans of the genre, especially with its closed beta starting on October 25th. War of the Immortals promises guild housing and territory control as players engage in battle against both enemies and one another. Players can choose between eight different classes, with each class linked to a unique set of "soul gear" that advance as the individual character progresses through the game. If it sounds up your alley, you might want to check out the announcement trailer embedded just after the cut. [Source: PWE press release]
Battle of the Immortals Titan update coming this Wednesday
Are you excited for Titan? No, not that one, we're talking about the new content update coming this week to Battle of the Immortals. That's right, Perfect World Entertainment has graced us with a release date to go along with the dev blogs we've been featuring over the past couple of weeks. The patch will hit the live servers on Wednesday, July 13th, and in case your anticipation isn't quite where it should be, PWE has just released a new Titan trailer to further whet your appetite. The one-minute clip is packed with in-game footage that includes glimpses of the new instances as well as some spiffy shots of the soul gear that's coming soon to every class. You'll also see some boss fights, including a brief look at the god-king Kronos. Sound good? Well, what are you waiting for? Check out the clip after the cut!
Massively Exclusive: Battle of the Immortals Titan Throne instance dev blog
Ready for another exclusive Battle of the Immortals dev blog? If not, too bad, because we've got one and you're reading it! Like our last Perfect World Entertainment-powered exclusive, this one concerns BoI's Titan update. The patch contains a new instance called Titan's Throne, and players at level 115 or higher will be able to run through it once per day in order to challenge a fearsome gauntlet of monsters, elite bosses and finally Kronos himself. Head past the cut for more on the new content courtesy of the BoI dev team, as well as a few screenshots of the instance in action.
Massively Exclusive: Battle of the Immortals reveals two new instances
Sharpen your swords and fletch your arrows, because when the Titan update hits in Battle of the Immortals, it'll be time to dive into two of the fiercest dungeons known to mankind. While we've looked at some of the lore behind the Titan update last week, now it's time to get into the nitty-gritty details of what this patch will bring. Perfect World has created two new maps for players to explore -- and exploit -- in their efforts to become big, rich and powerful: Black Dragon Lair and Giants Kingdom. The update will also include the much-awaited Generation III pets, which can be bred with two Generation II pets of both genders. Generation IIIs feature faster attack speeds and higher damage output, so it's safe to say they'll be highly desired by players. Battle of the Immortals' Titan update is scheduled for a July release, but in the meanwhile you can read up on the new dungeons in an exclusive dev blog after the jump!
Massively Exclusive: Battle of the Immortals Titan update lore blog
Perfect World Entertainment's Battle of the Immortals -- which hit its one year anniversary just last month -- is gearing up for its upcoming Titan update. Precious little information about this upcoming addition to the game has been released (all we know right now is that two new instances will be introduced, along with updates to the game's existing features), but today PWE has treated us to an exclusive tidbit of lore to fill players in on the events leading up to the update. Unfortunately, that's about all we have in regard to this brand-new update, but be sure to check back with us from time to time because we'll be keeping you up to date on all the freshest information on Battle of the Immortals and its Titan update as the news drops. So without further ado, head on past the cut for the first lore blog post from Battle of the Immortals' Titan update.
Battle of the Immortals turns one
We hope someone brought cake and presents, because Perfect World Entertainment's Battle of the Immortals hit the big one year mark today! The free-to-play game, which drops five classes into a variety of dungeons ranging from Mayan jungles to Egyptian temples, is celebrating its first anniversary by giving away prizes -- including epic Soul Gear equipment and the prestigious Flame Kirin pet -- to its loyal players. If you want a piece of the giveaway action or just want to try something new for a change, head over to Battle of the Immortals' official site. Register to claim your goodies, and help PWE celebrate one year of dungeon-crawling fun!
Perfect World Entertainment offers Japanese disaster relief across multiple games
MMO industry efforts to rebuild Japan continue, as free-to-play titan Perfect World Entertainment is lending its considerable weight to the cause. The firm is donating 50% of the proceeds from special cash shop items to the ongoing Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief drive. Players of PWE's games can pick up a little something extra for their characters while simultaneously making a donation to the Red Cross. The promotion runs through April 13th and features a variety of items in games including Battle of the Immortals (bag expansions), Ether Saga Online (ancestral crystals), Forsaken World (star of hope), Jade Dynasty (meditation orbs), and Perfect World International (super inventory stone).
The top indie and free-to-play stories of 2010
I have to admit to feeling slightly amazed when I read that someone thought of 2010 as a bad year for MMORPG fans. Then, when I think about it, I realize that he was talking about the year in "AAA" subscription gaming -- something almost alien to me. I just don't get turned on by huge-budget subscription games like I did seven or eight years ago. Well, it might be better to say that I am always suspicious of big-budget gaming. Gaming is a lot like movies, and look at how bad most blockbusters are. They are often silly, over-the-top, special-effects-laden bores. If those movies were the only ones I watched, I might be a little depressed about Hollywood as well. If you pay attention only to what the major publishers are pushing out, you are simply going to have a narrow view of MMO gaming. You will miss too much. The year 2010 offered more than any year before it, and 2011 will top that. Thanks to mobile technologies and the always-dropping price of computers, you will find that smaller or unknown games have much more of a chance of grabbing a gamer's eye than ever before. So, what were some of the high and low points in free-to-play and indie gaming this year? Click past the cut and let's take a look!
F2P giant Perfect World experiencing financial downturn
It's rare to hear news of under-performing free-to-play titles these days, but Gamasutra is running a piece on the recent stumble of industry titan Perfect World Entertainment. The Chinese online game maker recently saw its third quarter profits fall 28.8 percent to $31.9 million and also experienced a stock price dip of 16.2 percent. According to the report, PWE's television and film business revenues surpassed expectations and helped keep the company profitable, but the performance of the online gaming division took a notable downturn (due in part to the weak returns on Battle of the Immortals). Though PWE predicts a one to five percent gaming growth spurt in the fourth quarter of 2010, analyst firm Janco Partners is decidedly less optimistic. "Aggregate portfolio online game portfolio metrics continue to disappoint and we're not confident new game releases will stabilize a decidedly negative performance trend," the firm said. You'll find all the details at Gamasutra.
Battle of the Immortals trailer teases new content update
Perfect World Entertainment has just released a new trailer for their sprawling Battle of the Immortals Fall 2010 update patch. The patch, scheduled to go live on November 10th, features a plethora of new content including Mount Olympus, Shadow Manor, new class skills, new pets, equipment upgrades, and a vendor system. Mount Olympus is geared toward endgame players and features an array of high-level bosses to fight, while Shadow Manor is a new raid dungeon for players over level 90. The 1.8 patch also boasts the requisite bug fixes as well as new maps and quests. Have a look at the trailer after the cut to see some of the new bosses and environments.
Exclusive interview: Exploring the Forsaken World
Perfect World Entertainment is no slouch when it comes to big games. After all, they have Perfect World, Ether Saga Online, Jade Dynasty, Battle of the Immortals and more under their belt. It seems as though they have decided to one-up themselves, though, with their recent development on Forsaken World -- so named because it is practically the opposite of Perfect World. Forsaken World promises to be more stylistically blended and to be a little darker, as well. Most of the 3500 (yes, that's 35 hundred) Perfect World International developers have been working on the project over the last three years. Previous PWI games took closer to a year to release -- so that might give you some idea of the scale of the game. We've been handing out some nice chunks of information lately, but when I sat down with Jonathan Belliss, Director of Marketing, I found out there was a lot more to come.
Battle of the Immortals launches an expansion teaser
There's something to be said for verisimilitude. Despite the fact that we've all accepted limitations in just how much a game can model at any given time, it's nice to be able to break things when you unleash whatever horrible ultimate spell your character of choice is packing. Battle of the Immortals recognizes this, and that's why one of the big features in their new teaser trailer is the addition of destructible environments to the game. While the game's first major expansion update is ramping up for release, this trailer is for an addition not slated for arrival until spring of 2011. It's a bit of a wait, but the trailer already looks detailed and interesting, promising several graphical and environmental upgrades for the game. Take a look past the cut for the full trailer, and keep your eyes peeled for more news on the updates for Battle of the Immortals, as they seem to be coming fast and furious.
First expansion coming to Battle of the Immortals
Perfect World Entertainment is enjoying the continuing success of Battle of the Immortals, and the development team is ready to give fans more to explore. The game's first expansion is coming, and even though there's no date announced yet, PWE promises "more and more details" in the next few weeks. Our first peek is of the new Mount Olympus high-level map. It will bring new monsters and bosses as well as a welcome update for players: coin drops. One of the strengths of BoI is that the dev team is willing to listen and respond to player concerns and complaints, and the lack of coin drops from mobs was definitely a concern. As a result of that feedback, mobs in the Mount Olympus zone will drop coins in addition to regular loot. All of the current preview details can be seen on the Battle of the Immortals site.
