cash-shop
Latest
Diablo III's lead designer says offline mode was 'wrong', reaffirms online requirement
If you've been holding out hope that Blizzard would cave in and offer an offline mode on the PC for Diablo III with its Reaper of Souls expansion, don't hold your breath. A recent dev interview really put the kibosh on that idea: Lead designer Kevin Martens stated pretty clearly that dividing the community into online and offline groups is not now, nor will it be, in the cards. When asked about the offline mode in Diablo II, he pointed out that the community back then was very unhappy about that division and added: "That was the wrong choice to allow people to play offline, and we still stand by that. And we think Internet access is widespread. If someone has no Internet access, then yeah, Diablo III is not the game for them." In the interview, Martens and Art Director Christian Lichtner also talked about the direction of Diablo's III and the game's economy sans auction house -- notably, that stockpiling items before the change won't give much of an advantage because the post 2.0 patch economy will be full of new items that can be acquired only through play.
Take a look at Diablo III running on the PlayStation 4
Have you enjoyed being able to play Diablo III on a console? Do you want to be able to get even more monster-stomping fun on what amounts to even more console? Are you ready to take to the comments to explain that a next-gen console is not, strictly speaking, more console? Do you just like watching footage of heavily armored knights making monsters explode? If any of the above applies to you, then yes, we've got the video for you past the cut. So what's the video? Diablo III's expansion running on the PlayStation 4 -- specifically, the Crusader class wading through monsters the way one might normally wade through knee-high mud and making various demons explode into bloody body parts. So pretty much exactly what you'd expect, only more so. If you don't fall into any of the categories listed above but still want to see that, well, good news; The break's right down there.
BlizzCon 2013 in photographs
BlizzCon might be over, but pictures last forever, or at least until something happens to our data center. Don't get any ideas. Hey, where are you going with that tornado?! Enjoy our view of the con! Massively's on the ground in Anaheim during the weekend of November 8th, bringing you all the best news from BlizzCon 2013. Whether you're anticipating World of Warcraft's and Diablo III's next expansions or reveals from Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, we aim to have it covered!
BlizzCon 2013: Diablo III's adventure mode, avenger kills detailed
At this year's BlizzCon, eager attendees learned that Blizzard is adding myriad new features to Diablo III's Reaper of Souls expansion; specifically, the PlayStation 4 version of Reaper of Souls will enable legendary item gifting. "Even though you and I are not adventuring together," explained level designer Matthew Berger to Polygon, "I can give you something and still make it feel like we're playing together." Reaper of Souls also features a new mechanic called Avenger Kills. In a nutshell, it allows for monsters who kill one player to teleport into the game of a player on the deceased's friends list. Whenever player two comes online, the NPC will appear via a special event. If the monster kills player two as well, the cycle continues. Whenever a player manages to slay the creature, the victor and the friend who spawned will get a piece of loot. Also at the con, Blizzard released more information about the game's adventure mode, and our sister site WoW Insider has a special look at the Reaper of Souls BlizzCon preview panel, at which the team addressed concerns over the post-Auction House economy, lag spikes, and the possibility of an offline mode. Massively's on the ground in Anaheim during the weekend of November 8th, bringing you all the best news from BlizzCon 2013. Whether you're anticipating World of Warcraft's and Diablo III's next expansions or reveals from Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, we aim to have it covered!
Massively's BlizzCon 2013 liveblog: Opening ceremony and WoW presentation
BlizzCon 2013 is now underway, and we're expecting big news from the folks at Blizzard, like more details on the Diablo III Reaper of Souls expansion. There's also the first ever Innkeeper's Invitational for Hearthstone, the white-knuckle gameplay of the StarCraft 2 tournaments, and the Hollywood insanity of the upcoming World of Warcraft movie. Most MMO gamers, however, are anxiously waiting to hear about World of Warcraft's fifth expansion. Is it happening? Whom are we fighting? Where are we going? Are there any new classes and races? If you want to be among the first to know but didn't snag a ticket, real or virtual, then join us in the comments below as we blog about all the juiciest news -- live! And don't forget that the opening ceremonies are being streamed for free!
Free for All: Why MMOs are still the greatest value in gaming
If you are the type of gamer who has access to a number of ways to game, then you probably do not need me to remind you that the hobby can be an expensive one. Consoles are becoming slicker, and the games they run are sure to go up in price, maybe someday soon close to $100 for a single game. A good gaming PC can still be an expensive thing to build and maintain especially as newer and better graphics cards and processors are introduced at a higher rate than we've ever seen before. Luckily, we have outlets like Steam that offer staggering sales and indie titles that can be bought for close to nothing. There's also the mobile market with its tens of thousands of games that can be played essentially for free. So while the prices at the highest end of technology go up, there are still plenty of places to get a cheap yet fulfilling gaming fix. Even with all of the deals out there, however, there is no better value than a modern MMO.
Diablo III introduces you to the Reaper of Souls monster mob
Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to meet your Reaper of Souls loot piñatas -- otherwise known as monsters. Blizzard gave its fans a first look at the creatures that will be giving players what for in Diablo III's upcoming expansion. The 10 creatures in the first look bestiary range from scary to faces only a mother could love. There's the eerie Death Maiden, the Predator-esque Executioner, the chunky Ghastly Seraph, and plenty more creations that crawled out of a few twisted devs' nightmares. These monsters will be inhabiting the expansion's main town of Westmarch, whether or not you decide to turn down any dark alleyways.
Ten things to love and hate about Path of Exile
Grinding Gear Games' Path of Exile officially launched last week after a long open beta. Like so many similar titles trailing in Blizzard's wake, it's a dungeon-crawly pseudo-MMO that skirts the boundary between sinking to "just another Diablo clone" and rising above the genre. Some journalists are praising it as Diablo II's rightful heir, while others are putting it aside in favor of their weatherbeaten copies of Titan Quest, which better satisfy their urge to click-click-click. The reality is usually somewhere in the middle of these extremes, but extremes are fun. So let's examine the top 10 things we love and hate about Path of Exile.
Mingle with monsters as Heva Clonia Online launches today
After just two weeks of open beta testing, the anime-styled free-to-play game Heva Clonia Online launched today. Along with the full launch, OGPlanet is introducing new content and features including a new region, more quests, new dungeons, an increase in the level cap (to 49), and new class evolutions. Additionally, the cash shop is now available for use. As Heva Clonia Online's launch coincides with Halloween, it is fitting that there are numerous holiday-themed events for players to participate in and earn prizes from. And what better way to keep that holiday spirit all year round than by cloning and collecting the Halloween monsters? To start your adventures, visit the official site. For more on the game, check out Rise and Shiny and watch the gameplay trailer below. [Source: OGPlanet press release]
Blizzard unveils Diablo III's Reaper of Souls' Westmarch
Westmarch, once spoken of only in whispers, is one of the new settings of Diablo III's upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion. The city was once beautiful and vibrant, but the events of the Diablo series have left it with an unsettling aura and a dwindling population. Blizzard Entertainment today offered an up-close look at Westmarch's design and implementation on the official Diablo III blog, showing off concept maps, points of interest, and some of the city's real-life location inspirations. Westmarch pulls elements from "the fog-laden cobblestone streets of London in the 1800s" and features tightly packed buildings, winding alleyways, and grisly visual cues as to the city's failed attempts at mounting a defense. The Survivor's Enclave is the one bright spot in this dismal world, a place where Westmarch's few living inhabitants can find rest and safety from the evils of the outside world. Reaper of Souls is due in 2014, or as Blizzard likes to call it, SoonTM.
Diablo III dev diary delves into the history of Westmarch
Diablo III's upcoming Reaper of Souls expansion will take players to a number of new locales across the world of Sanctum, such as the kingdom of Westmarch, the subject of Blizzard's latest dev post on the game's official site. Long-time Diablo fans probably know Westmarch best as the home of the Knights of Westmarch, the order from which Diablo II's Paladin hails, but there is much more to the realm's deep lore. Westmarch's history is one -- as is expected in the Diablo universe -- steeped in blood and conquest. The kingdom was founded by the Zakarum zealot Rakkis after a crusade that drove him across the Twin Seas and over the bodies of legions of conquered foes, but there is a second, "secret" history to this place. Near Westmarch is a "sprawl of fetid marshes," littered with the ruins of an ancient Nephalem civilization said to hold the power to ward against angels and demons alike. It was to these ruins that the now-mortal Tyrael took the Black Soulstone, and it was there that the former archangel Malthael, at that point neither angel nor demon, stole the Black Soulstone from its hiding place. And that, of course, is where the tale of Reaper of Souls begins. If you're a lore junkie looking for all the details, check out the full post on Diablo III's official site.
Diablo III dev blog demystifies the Mystic
Diablo III's latest dev blog unveils more tasty information about a new artisan NPC, the Mystic, coming to the game in the Reaper of Souls expansion. As many Diablo III fans are undoubtedly aware, Reaper of Souls will mark the introduction of a set of features, known colloquially as Loot 2.0, which aims to rebalance Diablo III's loot and item systems in an effort to make loot more interesting to players. The Mystic is an integral part of this effort thanks to her unique skills of enchanting and transmogrification. Through Enchantment, the Mystic is capable of rerolling a single property on a piece of equipment, making her the go-to artisan for those items that are almost-but-not-quite perfect. While you can choose only a single property to reroll on each item, that property can be rerolled as many times as you can afford. Don't worry about buyer's remorse, though; if the newly rolled property is worse than the old one, the Mystic can reverse the process. The Mystic is also the number one stylist in Sanctuary thanks to her transmogrification ability which, as World of Warcraft players know, allows players to replace an item's visual appearance with that of a different item. To get all the arcane details on Myriam the Mystic, you can check out the full post on Diablo III's official site.
BlizzCon 2013 schedule is now online
One of the major annual nerd pilgrimages is less than a month away because on the 7th and 8th of November, hundreds of Blizzard fans will be flocking to Anaheim, California for BlizzCon 2013. If you're one of those lucky pilgrims and you're looking to plan out your visit to Blizzard mecca, you're in luck because the convention schedule is now online. The opening ceremonies will kick off on Friday at 2:00 p.m. EDT, and throughout the next two days BlizzCon will be host to a slew of panels including the intriguing "World of Warcraft: What's Next," and exciting events such as the StarCraft II World Championship Series semi-finals and grand finals. For all of your scheduling needs, the list of events, locations, and a handy map await you at the BlizzCon site.
Diablo III polls players about expansion prices
Was there ever an innocent survey that didn't harbor dark agendas and terrible secrets? We're inclined to think "no," so a recent email survey of Diablo III players by Blizzard has raised a few eyebrows around these here parts. The studio is polling players to see what they think of potential pricing for different editions of Reaper of Souls as well as how they rank the different features that the expansion will bring. The two price tags mentioned as possibilities for Reaper of Souls are $29.99 for the standard edition and $49.99 for the collector's edition. The expansion is slated for a 2014 release.
Wings Over Atreia: Aion's Black Cloud Marketplace evolves to let you play more your way
Those of you who know me a bit know that I am not really a fan of cash shops. In fact, I don't sit in the cheer section for free-to-play at all; I am a die-hard subscription gal. But I know free-to-play and cash shops are a very entrenched and popular part of our gaming culture now (though I do celebrate when F2P games turn to subs!) and as an avid gamer, I can't avoid them. However, I also feel that there is definitely a right way and a wrong way to do both F2P and cash shops. The former, Aion already nailed on the head with the Truly Free model where all content is actually free to all players. The latter... well, in my opinion the Black Cloud Marketplace had definite room for improvement. As it turns out, some of those improvements are happening now. And according to Associate Product Manager Sean Orlikowski, those changes represent a permanent new direction for the Marketplace. We're going to delve into those improvements and how they might affect the grand scheme of Aion right here in this edition of Wings Over Atreia.
Diablo III starts console digital downloads
Who needs boxes when you've got the convenience of digital downloads, am I right? I am always right; you need to learn that lesson right now. Well, console fans of Diablo III are not shackled to the box-and-chain any longer, as digital downloads for the game are available on both the Sony Entertainment Network and Xbox Live. The game is $59.99 on both sites and graciously allows you to purchase a few add-ons, such as an Infernal Helm or a Treasure Goblin.
Diablo III shutting down auction houses next March
The Diablo III auction houses are being prepped for demolition next year. Blizzard announced that it will be taking down both the gold and real-money auction houses on March 18, 2014, stating that "they ultimately undermine Diablo's core gameplay." The studio is giving a heads-up now so that players have enough time to prepare for the change, although specific details regarding the shutdown process are still forthcoming. This announcement comes as Blizzard has been making noise about an improved "Loot 2.0" system to put more of an emphasis on killing monsters for one's gear. The auction houses will come down at the same time, and after they do, players will be able to trade with each other only through the trade window. You can watch the developers explain their reasoning behind this decision after the jump.
Conan O'Brien spoofs Diablo III
Talk show comedian Conan O'Brien spent a couple of minutes discussing his experiences playing Diablo III on a recent show. While he calls the graphics and gameplay "great," O'Brien takes issue with the voices and dialogue. "They don't seem to suit the dark and violent tone," O'Brien complains. OK, so it's really just an excuse for him to show a few clips from the game while providing zany voiceovers. If you've played the game, perhaps you'll be amused by the following video. Team Coco forever?
Stick and Rudder: On Star Citizen's cash shop
Remember last time when I said that Cloud Imperium's decision to release a playable pre-alpha Star Citizen module was a risky move? Forget that. I mean, it still kinda was, but this particular story had a happy ending. Star Citizen's first public-facing in-game deliverable has been live for over a week now, and for all intents and purposes it was a smashing success.
Diablo III launches on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360
With the game's first expansion already announced, you might be looking for a chance to play Diablo III in a different way. Does sitting around a television with your friends count? Because you can do that starting today, as the console version launches today on the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. (It probably wouldn't fit well with the Wii U's catalogue anyway.) Now you can slay demons right alongside your friends in both body and spirit. Of course you can also play online, as with the PC version, or just go it alone as you rip through demon hordes. The game boasts a redesigned interface meant to take full advantage of the controller setup while still boasting all of the same content. So it might not tide you over if you've played through Diablo III multiple times, but if you'd like a refresher before the first expansion or just prefer the idea of a console experience, you can have that now.
