browser games
Latest
Flash games site Kongregate has stopped accepting submissions
If you played Flash-based games in the 2000s, you probably remember Kongregate, a website that hosted over 100,000 browser games. Unfortunately, the site will soon take a step towards being more of an archive than an active part of the internet, as Kongregate has announced that it’ll stop accepting new game uploads. Additionally, Forbes confirmed that the site is also laying off an unknown number of employees after a number of employees tweeted that they only found out by a direct deposit to their bank accounts.
'Moshi Monsters' is shutting down because it runs on Flash
Moshi Monsters, a once massively popular web game that let you raise colorful creatures and complete mini-games around Monstro City, is shutting down. As Ryan Brown spotted on Twitter, the Moshi Monsters site now has an "important notice" that states it will close at midday GMT (7am ET/4am PT) on December 13th. "Thank you for joining us on the first part of our monsterific journey and helping us make Moshi Monsters such a splat-tastic online experience," the announcement reads in classic Moshi-lingo fashion.
LEGO Legend of Chima Online launches into testing
We understand if you miss LEGO Universe. It's gone, and unfortunately nothing's going to bring it back. But that doesn't mean you have to give up on the idea of a brick-based MMORPG altogether, especially since another one has just launched into open testing. LEGO Legend of Chima Online, a cooperative venture from LEGO and Warner Bros Games, is now available for everyone to play. And it's got some accessibility upgrades over its predecessor. Legend of Chima Online focuses on a single LEGO property rather than the franchise as a whole, for starters. It also requires neither up-front payment nor a download, as it utilizes the Unity 3D client for in-browser play. While the game is technically in beta, it's an open beta, and the cash shop is already in and working with no clear plans for a server wipe. Those of you mourning over LEGO Universe can't have the game back, but this might ease the sting.
InnoGames shutting down pirate-based browser game Kartuga
If you've loved the chance to have nautical pirate battles right in your browser courtesy of Kartuga, we've got sad news for you. InnoGames announced today that the the game has not managed to meet the company's standards for quality. The game also fails to meet the company's standard for cross-platform games, and with no way to bring it up to speed in an appropriate timeframe, the decision has been made to shut the game down in the very near future. Players with existing cash shop currency will be able to transfer that currency to another title run by InnoGames by August 14th. No exact date for the server shutdown has yet been established, but the official announcement specifies that the game will be available for a few more weeks. Our consolation goes out to all players and any development team members affected by this unexpected cancellation. [Source: InnoGames press release]
Be a pretty unicorn in PixelJam's Retro Unicorn Attack: Challenge Edition
Figuring out new ways to make believe that we're a pretty, pretty unicorn takes up about 80 percent of our day, so we always appreciate it when someone else does the majority of the grunt work for us. Imagine then our appreciative, wistful sigh upon learning of PixelJam's new game with Adult Swim, Retro Unicorn Attack: Challenge Edition.As retro and/or pixelated as its name and developer imply, Retro Unicorn Attack is an endless runner that tasks the player (a beautiful and majestic unicorn, obviously) with collecting fairies and dashing through vortexes, while avoiding obstacles and generally falling to a horrible death. The game is, besides being adorable and addictive, also quite difficult. Players can upload their best scores to a global leaderboard, hence the Challenge Edition subtitle.
GDC presenter talks about $100,000 whales
Have you always wanted to purchase a really expensive in-game whale to be your beloved pet? Then, sadly, this GDC Europe presentation by Reality Squared Games CEO Jared Psigoda probably isn't for you. If you're interested in how Asian game studios manage to attract players willing to spend $100,000 and more on their games, this is just the presentation for you. Psigoda, a former gold farmer, talked about how Chinese browser games and other free-to-play titles increase the cost of virtual goods depending on the level or power of players' characters. This model is dependent on a smooth pricing curve that gets players used to the idea of microtransactions with low-cost items and exchanges and gradually raises the cost in such a way that players don't dig in their heels at a sudden change. Check out GDC's Vault for an in-depth look at squeezing money out of players.
Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond renamed to Starlite with beta incoming
In the wake of NASA successfully landing a robot rover on Mars recently, you might be wondering what happened to the NASA-themed MMO titled Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond. The first thing that's happened to it is that the project has been retitled Starlite. Project Whitecard Studios Inc. hopes the new name will be less cumbersome and also provide a better idea of what the game is about at a glance. Development has progressed on the game as well, with a beta expected to begin sometime before the end of 2012. Prospective players can experience the game on mobile devices and browsers to minimize barriers to entry. If you're interested in a game focused on the technical side of space travel and exploring to the boundary of our solar system, keep a close watch for news on the upcoming beta. [Source: Project Whitecard Studios Inc. press release]
Richard Garriott's Portalarium raises $7 million in funding
Richard Garriott designed Ultima Online and Tabula Rasa, and he has also been to outer space. This has apparently convinced several investors that funding his new company Portalarium is a sound decision, as it was recently announced that Portalarium has secured roughly $7 million in investment capital. The money is being pushed into the final stages of development on the company's first title, Ultimate Collector, which is slated for release later this summer on Facebook, mobile, and browser-based platforms. Some of the funds are also earmarked for development on the company's second game, alternately known as both Ultimate RPG and New Britannia, which does not yet have a release window. The chief investment firm was London-based m8 Capital, but several other sources also contribued to the groundswell of support, including Richard Garriott himself. Last month, the company announced that it will be working through the Zynga Platform Partners program to publish Ultimate Collector.
Outspark launches Fiesta Social beta on Facebook
It's beta time for Fiesta Social, a new Facebook RPG based on Outspark's Fiesta Online MMO. "With Fiesta Social, when you meet someone in-game, you're hanging out with them in real-time, laughing at their jokes and saving them in battle. It's highly addictive, soul-satisfying bonding you just can't get from the current 2-D turn-based social games," says Outspark CEO Philip Yun. We're not sure about the soul-satisfying bit, but the trailer has a certain cute factor that you can see by clicking past the cut below. Outspark says that Fiesta has nearly 10 million registered users and close to 600,000 Facebook fans, so there's always someone to share your personal information with... er, have fun with, day or night. Outspark is also giving away free dance emotes and free mounts. All you have to do is enter the code OTTERGONBEAT.
The gates hiss open for a peek at City of Steam
The steampunk genre is loved by a lot of gamers, but it has yet to see a surfeit of titles. The good news for fans is that City of Steam is on the horizon, and it's promising a free-to-play browser-based experience for anyone who wants to take part in exploring ancient mechanical ruins. Of course, the question then becomes whether or not the game is worth the investment of time... something that can be solved by taking part in the game's currently running sneak peek event. The sneak peek is available only to players who already snagged a code for access, meaning that players just coming into the game will be out of luck. It's certainly an encouraging sign that the game is moving toward its full release, which should make fans of clockwork automatons and arcane science quite happy. And if you're one of the players taking part in the sneak peek... well, all the better, right?
SteelWar Online kicks off alpha testing
Are there enough robots in your life? If your answer is "yes," you're most likely not concerned about the alpha testing of SteelWar Online. For those of us who instead welcome our new mechanical overlords, the kickoff of the alpha test is good news, as it means that the game is drawing ever closer to release. And seeing as it's a browser-based game available directly via Facebook, you'll have an easy time if you feel the urge to take part in said testing. Not a big fan of testing free-to-play games? Well, developer PopPace is trying to sweeten the pot slightly. During the alpha test, players will be given the equivalent of $2000 to blow in the game's cash shop, unlocking every option at will. While that's only good for the alpha test, players will receive an extra stash of microtransaction currency once the game goes live, and an extra stipend will be granted to players who find and report bugs. It's just the thing to fill that robot-shaped void in your life. [Source: PopPace press release]
Bigpoint buys out sports game development firm
The Bigpoint browser monster has gobbled up another game development firm, and it's still hungry, according to a news blurb at Reuters. 49Games is Bigpoint's latest acquisition, and the former is best-known for its winter sports games on the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 consoles. 49Games is based in Germany (as is its new parent) and boasts around 40 developers. Bigpoint now features over 700 devs and says that it is the "world's largest browser-based online game provider" thanks to more than 200 million registered users. Bigpoint is best known for its Battlestar Galactica MMO as well as its controversial stance on selling in-game advantages.
ChangYou reports impressive profit and revenue gains
It's been a great year for ChangYou, and the Chinese developer responsible for Tian Long Ba Bu and Duke of Mount Deer recently reported its fifth consecutive double digit growth quarter. Tian Long Ba Bu has seen two successful expansion packs thus far in 2011, with a third scheduled for September. According to Gamasutra, Duke of Mount Deer recently increased its server headcount to 110 (up from 64), and the success of both titles powered ChangYou's $54.2 million profit as well as a 35.1 percent revenue jump over the previous year. ChangYou also bought into a browser-game specialist called 7Road last spring with the intention of expanding its interests beyond traditional MMORPGs. All told, Gamasutra says that ChangYou contributed an impressive $327 million in revenue to a $5 billion Chinese game market.
Bigpoint and Mail.Ru partnering for global distribution deal
Bigpoint and Mail.Ru Group have just announced a corporate partnership that aims to bring titles from each publisher to new prospective markets. Bigpoint, a browser MMO specialist most famous for its free-to-play Battlestar Galactica title, will bring its games to Mail.Ru's Russian-speaking audience via the latter's existing portal delivery service. Similarly, Bigpoint users will find Mail.Ru titles like GodsWar Online accessible via the Bigpoint website. Bigpoint games will also be making their way to Mail.Ru's Odnoklassniki and My World social networking services. "As successful browser-game providers, Bigpoint.com and Mail.Ru are a match made in heaven. We're happy to expand both our game portfolio and our international network of partners at the same time," said Bigpoint CEO Nils Holger Henning in a recent press release.
Jagex reveals Transformers Universe, gears up for BotCon
The upcoming Transformers MMO from Jagex officially has a name. Transformers Universe also sports a new official website, and we encourage you to head over and sign up for the game's newsletter if Autobots and Decepticons are your thing. Transformers Universe will be a browser-based free-to-play MMO, and the scuttlebutt surrounding the project seems to indicate a planned launch sometime in 2012. Jagex, maker of the long-running RuneScape browser game, has just pushed out a press release featuring the name reveal as well as some info relating to BotCon (the official Transformers fan convention). Jagex will be of course be pimping its new ride at the con (which runs from June 3rd to June 5th in Pasadena, California) and promises that visitors "will be the first to see the graphical style and direction for the game."
MMObility: Battle of the browsers
Before I get too far in this new column, I need to take stock of my weaponry. I now have almost everything I need: an iPhone, an iPad, a new HTC Inspire Android phone, one basic laptop of choice, and a pretty decent gaming rig (if a little old). I have everything I need to test out games across different browsers and devices. I am prepared to slug these pieces of hardware wherever I need to; I am ready to walk with them in hand. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. I could use some advice, though. I have my preferences, but I wonder what my readers think. Which browser do you prefer? Why? For example, I am in love with Chrome for various reasons, but some games have issues with it. Do I weigh the good against the bad and claim it as my default anyway? Lately, I have all the major browsers bookmarked on my desktop, waiting to go. What about security? I'll be honest: I'm not an expert. Click past the cut and let's discuss. Maybe you can help me.
GDCO 2010: Bigpoint's Alan Dunton on the next-gen of browser MMOs
Bigpoint has had a very successful run as a multi-game publisher over the last few years. If you're familiar with Seafight or Dark Orbit, then you have played some of the company's games. Of course, those titles -- plus the many others -- are just not enough for the devs at Bigpoint. They wanted to host, create and specify a game for the North American market. What they ended up with are a few titles -- The Mummy Online, Battlestar Galactica, and Ruined Online -- all crafted in the same amazing Unity browser engine. What this will do is allow for more flexibility, accessibility, and possibility. Bigpoint's background in free-to-play and microtransaction-based games will also help to monetize the titles -- a delicate science in itself. We were able to meet up with Alan Dunton, and he explained to us what Ruined Online meant for the company and for the future of Battlestar and The Mummy.
WoW on iPad via streaming
World of Warcraft on the iPad? Apparently, thanks to an interesting service called Gaikai. Gaikai, currently in beta, is a new technology that will let you play any game online in your browser. Here's how it works -- Gaikai hosts the games on their servers and worries about the hardware and software updates, then they stream the games to you through your browser. They call this technology "Streaming Worlds." What does this mean for the average WoW player? Well, when you have a computer that otherwise looks seemingly impossible to play WoW on such as the iPad, you can use Gaikai to stream the game via Java, Flash or Silverlight to your computer, resulting in the screenshot shown above. While the screenshot is amazing, there are doubts to its credibility since iPad's browser doesn't support Flash. Unfortunately no video of the game in action was provided. However, the concept surrounding Gaikai, and the implications for browser-based games that are graphically intensive like World of Warcraft are fascinating.
Wada emphasizes online delivery, advises devs to shift focus
Square Enix president Yoichi Wada estimates digital distribution and server-based gaming is poised for "exponential growth" within the next decade, advising developers to prepare for the shift. "In the past the platform was hardware, but it has switched to the network. A time will come when the hardware isn't even needed anymore," he said in an interview with MCV.According to Wada, consoles as we know them will change dramatically, as "any kind of terminal becomes a potential platform on which games can be played." Wada believes platform holders have been preparing for the shift to network-based games and delivery systems since 2005, forcing his company to respond by increasing production of social and browser games. Square Enix is also preparing a beta release for the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV in 2010.While the Square Enix boss believes this shift has a greater global impact, especially in regions which do not have large console markets, our major fear is having to download an entire single-player Final Fantasy. Seriously, that's a lot of gigs.
The social game roundup
As web technology improves, games are spreading into places you'd expect, as well as places you wouldn't. Facebook is practically a console, the definition of MMOG is changing and Raph Koster's Metaplace may very well turn everything on the web into a play space. Tadgh Kelly at Simple Lifeforms was good enough to take inventory of the social games enjoying popularity today. He breaks the scene into eight categories: Social RPGs Sports RPGs Casual games Word games Virtual villages, or mini virtual worlds Casino games Just for laughs, or silly games like the versus games on Facebook Ownership games Kelly provides a bunch of examples for each category, and definitely makes for good reading, especially as the media through which games can be played evolve.
