Christmas
Latest
Wowcraft presents "Rudolph the DC'd Tauren"
If you're sick of hearing Christmas carols playing by now, you might want to skip over episode 17 of Carbot Animations' Wowcraft series, which brings the joy of caroling to WoW. Like the rest of the series, this video picks out the in-game hassles we all face and portrays them in Carbot's signature animation style and, this time, a song. "Rudolph the DC'd Tauren" is a play off "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and the end result is about as silly as you'd expect. Still, if you're looking for some Warcraft-themed holiday cheer and you've already exhausted your Winter Veil options, this particular brand of adorable is as good as it gets.
Teenage girls fill Apple Store with Christmas spirit in adorable dance video
This video is news only in the most tenuous definition of the term news, but it's the holidays, the actual news is depressing as hell, and frankly a little levity never did anyone any harm. Today's dose of the holiday spirit comes from YouTube user perksofinfinity who went with a friend to an Apple Store to shoot this adorable dance video set to Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You." If the confused looks from patrons don't make you smile you'll still be able to revel in the joy and enthusiasm that radiates from the pair. We won't keep you waiting any longer with our yammering. Warm up a mug of cider and enjoy.
Shroud of the Avatar drops Release 13 for the holidays
The team behind Shroud of the Avatar has headed home for the holidays until December 28th, but a little present has been left behind for fans just the same. The latest update for the game is live on the servers, and it allows you to pick up a seasonal Yule Hat just for stopping in and checking out the new content. Also there is a whole lot of new stuff to play through, so a hat is probably not your primary incentive here, but the point is that the hat exists just the same. To be fair, stopping in and checking out the content requires going through the game's Grand Tour quest, which will lead players through all of the new bits added in this update. That includes new crafting, new creatures, new skills, and new areas. Check out the full update for patch notes, details on how to clear out the Grand Tour, and upcoming community events.
Massively's MMO guide to the 2014 winter holidays
Winter break: that time of year when I think woohoo time to sit around all day in my jammies and play video games but instead I have to work and bake junk food and wrap presents and go to family gatherings. First world MMO problems, right? Those of you who get to game this week better bank some experience points for me, and maybe check out some of the MMORPG genre's winter holiday events and promotions, conveniently rounded up for you in our guide below. The list isn't exhaustive, so feel free to chime in with any we've missed that you love. Happy holidays from the Massively crew!
Marvel Heroes adds Venom, throws 50% off sale
'Tis the season for deep discounts and disturbing heroes, as has come to pass in the merry lands of Marvel Heroes. The jolly figure known as Venom has come to distribute pain, suffering, and alternative dental plans for those who pick this new playable figure. The Marvel Heroes team is also offering a half-off sale on most -- but not all -- of the in-game store. This includes many of the title's heroes, costumes, team-ups, and pets. And even if you don't want to spend money, you'll still be getting treats all month with the game's Winter Wonderland & Season's Givings event. Presents and buffs will be available all over the game, in addition to new daily log-in rewards.
Capturing New York City's "Holiday Wonders" with the iPhone 6
Truth NYC is a digital PR agency based around, you guessed it, New York City. This year they were tasked with creating a holiday video campaign for a luxury skincare brand. To meet that goal they picked up a powerful video shooting tool: the iPhone 6 Plus. Shooting exclusively with the iPhone 6 Plus Truth NYC have produced a shockingly beautiful collection of videos with might just change your mind about using the iPhone 6 Plus for your own projects. Each video features stunning crisp imagery, and the device's slow motion camera captures remarkable detail. Even as advertising these videos provide a remarkable example of the power of the iPhone 6 Plus' video camera. We know Truth NYC was selling makeup here, but the real star of their campaign is the iPhone 6 Plus. You can watch the videos below and read more about the project here. Holiday Wonders in New York from Truth NYC on Vimeo. Rockefeller Center from Truth NYC on Vimeo. Fifth Avenue New York City from Truth NYC on Vimeo.
EVE Online and DUST 514 celebrate the holiday season
The year is wrapping up and EVE Online players are getting presents to celebrate. CCP Games has posted a short recap of the past year and an announcement of the holiday gifts players can expect to receive as a paid subscriber. That includes snowballs, fireworks, jackets, and a set of trinkets to commemorate the past year. Players can also look forward to 20 free days of multiple character training as a final additional gift. All of these promotions are available until January 11th. Meanwhile, for those of you who prefer to explore this particular universe via a console shooter, DUST 514 is having a holiday event with its 12 Days of DUST. Starting on December 25th, each day will bring a new reward to players who finish three daily missions, so you'll have to keep playing through January 5th to unlock all the rewards. A special reward is awaiting those who clear everything, so get strapped in and ready to shoot if you want to celebrate the holidays that way.
Allods Online grants players two weeks of a free sub
Allods Online is one of the few MMORPGs in existence that began free-to-play and added a subscription server well after its original launch. And as part of its winter holiday celebration, Allods is granting everyone the chance to play on that subscription server for two weeks -- entirely for free. From the 18th of December until the 1st of January, all Allods players - veterans and newcomers alike - will be granted two weeks of free subscription time for the premium server "Smugglers Paradise". If you have never played on the server before, now is a good time to check it out - while those who already play there will gain two weeks of extra playtime. We hope you enjoy this New Year gift - and don't forget, we've got many other events and celebrations on the horizon as well, so stay tuned and enjoy the festivities! The Allods team is currently toiling away on its Brothers in Arms patch, which is set to include "multi-personnel combat mounts, additional PvP skirmishes with new objectives, new PvE adventure mechanics, and many other improvements," according to a dev blog posted to the official site yesterday. Unfortunately, the dev diary vid is in Russian, so you'll just have to take the official site's word for it.
GTA 5 'Festive Surprise' brings Christmas fear to Los Santas
As the snow drifted quietly this wintry morn, Rockstar Games offered a new "Festive Surprise" update for Grand Theft Auto 5. Players will now be able to use proximity mines and a homing missile launcher in the game, which will feature occasional snowy days. The update also adds holiday pajamas, Christmas sweaters, hats, scarves, masks and other festive gear for free, available through Monday, January 5. GTA 5's Festive Surprise update also features special gifts on Christmas Day (December 25) and a firework launcher and firework rocket ammo to celebrate New Year's. Lastly, players can pick up four new vehicles, such as the Hot Rod Christmas Ratloader and the Slam Van. The open world game's update also tweaked a few of the game's mechanics, adding an on/off switch for the first-person mode's auto-level setting as well as deadzone and acceleration slider controls. Better yet, players are now able to own a third property in GTA Online, allowing them to own up to 30 cars and 9 bicycles. While the Festive Surprise update is available to all players, a recent developer Q&A addressed concerns over next-gen-exclusive updates, such as first-person mode. Rockstar stressed that "there may be some updates that are only technically possible on the new hardware," though it does "hope to continue delivering as many updates as we can for all four consoles for as long as possible." GTA Online's heist missions will be available for all players in early 2015. [Image: Take-Two]
Steam discounts lots of MMOs for the holidays
Steam's winter sale is upon us, which means it's time to celebrate the season the way gamers do: by opening up our wallets. Here are just some of the MMOs running sales through Steam: The Elder Scrolls Online is just under 20 bucks. Nice! Star Trek Online is running sales on its versions from 20%-50% off. The Secret World's many versions are all on sale. EverQuest II's and EverQuest's packs, except the very newest expansion bundles, are half off. DC Universe Online's ultimate bundle is half off. Shroud of the Avatar is on sale for 15% off. EVE Online has a $5 edition as well as a $25 premium edition. RIFT's various edition are 15% off. Some (though not all) of PlanetSide 2's and Dragon's Prophet's DLC packs are half off. The Lord of the Rings Online's packs are 50% to 75% off. Final Fantasy XI's CE seeker's edition is $26.79. Perpetuum fell under the $20-mark. City of Steam marked its bundles down by 50%. Defiance's DLC is all 50% off. Wakfu's Magmog pack is half off. APB: Reloaded's packs are all 40% off. Oort Online is 10% off. Mabinogi's DLC is just under a dollar. Anybody spot anything else?
The Secret World's Christmas Conspiracies event takes the stage
What's Christmas without a clown and a chainsaw? Nothing -- if you're in The Secret World. The game that excels as conspiracies has turned one into a holiday event for players to unravel. It all starts with attending a show at London's Albion Theater and winds its way through gathering clues and solving Musical "Magic Flute" puzzles, even discovering Old Saint Nick's tomb. And what's a Christmas without gifts? TSW offers new pets like an undead polar bear, funky hats, and more outfits and costume pieces -- including a carrot nose -- in the Rucksacks of Saturnalian Delights. The bags are rewards for finishing the holiday missions as well as available in the item shop. As during the Halloween event, players who purchase a special bag (this time the Bag of Wassail) in the shop to share with players will be rewarded with an all-new dance. As in years past, previous holiday events are also live and running. However, the launchpad warns players that the End of Days event is currently experiencing issues and the team is working to resolve them.
The holidays have arrived in SOE's MMORPGs
If you're a fan of SOE's MMOs and also a fan of Christmas, good news! SOE's MMOs also have Christmas! The studio posted a roundup of its holiday festivities earlier today: EverQuest II: The Frostfell Wonderland Village returns this year along with a brand-new quest called The Great Candy (Cane) Chase. DC Universe Online: Players will confront Larfleeze's Orange Lantern Corp. Old feats and rewards are back, as are "new base items, styles, a feat, and collection." PlanetSide 2: It's Auraximas, which means it's time to murder snowmen. Special camo will also be on sale in the in-game store because of course it will be EverQuest: Frostfell in this classic MMO brings Santug Cluagg and a host of new quests rolled out in phases. Dragon's Prophet: Celebrate the The Silver Dragon Festival through January 15th. A moment of silence, of course, for the SOE games no longer with us after this year's purge. Ahem. If you're more the type to moon after Landmark and its futurespawn, EverQuest Next, check out MJ's hands-on with Landmark's PvE content update, which launches today. And peek back early next week for Massively's traditional MMO holiday event roundup for all the big games across the genre.
SMITE explores Awilix in depth and kicks off Saturnalia
There are a lot of goddesses of the night or the moon, period, and there's no shortage of playable ones in SMITE, either. Awilix is also a figure without a whole lot of prominent lore trying to provide a different take on the general role of assassin. So how did the design team go from a name and a few details to a playable character? Through interplay with her pet jaguar, a different series of abilities, and an emphasis on mobility and hit-and-run tactics. Already have all of the gods you need right now? You've still got a reason to log in to SMITE as the game runs its Saturnalia event, offering free bonus gems to everyone and doubled experience gains for each match played. A series of rolling sales on the pantheons of the game will also persist through the whole of Saturnalia, so if you decide you would like to pick up some new skins, you've got that option. [Thanks to Sorenthaz for the tip!]
Guild Wars 2 kicks off Wintersday events
The event avalanche of Guild Wars 2's Wintersday has gotten up to full speed and is currently roaring down upon the game's population. Today's update activates the previous years' Wintersday content as well as a few new additions. There's the Wondrous Workshop to explore, jumping puzzles, bell choir minigames, the Snowball Mayhem battle royale, and a quest to track down Grawnk to get a Wintersday tree for home instances. The patch also activates a couple of PvP events, new Wintersday-themed cash shop cosmetics, the daily login rewards, and the latest overhaul of the daily achievement system.
Celebrate SWTOR's sacred Life Day by launching frozen orbs of water at each other
If there's a Christmasy holiday in MMOs these days, you can bet your bottom credit that there will be a snowball fight somewhere in it. Apparently, MMO developers worldwide got together in 2009 and signed a sacred pact to feature snowball fights in all of their games in December. And so it is with Star Wars: The Old Republic and this year's Life Day. SWTOR's Life Day celebration begins today and will go through January 6th. It will feature snowball fights that have a chance of awarding parcels that can be traded for rewards, grumpy parcel droids that need a good cooling off, and several new cash shop items including a mini Wampa pet. Get in the spirit of Life Day by listening to Princess Leia's legendary song from the Star Wars Holiday Special and downing some Wookie eggnog.
Store It is a wishlist app that falls short of its potential
Store It, free in the App Store, has the potential to be more powerful than other wishlist and gift apps on the market. It has a great concept, but isn't so great in execution. You add items to your list by searching websites with the in-app browser, scanning a barcode or uploading a photo. This is in stark contrast with Instalist, an app I reviewed a few weeks ago, which only gives you a non-searchable selection of items from Amazon. With the free version, you can create two lists with up to eight items each. For US$0.99, you can build 50 lists with a maximum of 150 items per list. Search for items on the web via Google or go directly to your preferred sites by adding them to the "favorite retailers" section. You select your item by clicking on the "add new item" button at the bottom of the screen. Store It only pulls the image from the website. You have to add the name and price of the item. It would be nice if this information was automatic, the way that it is with Amazon's wishlist button. If the image doesn't show up for some reason, the app lets you take a screenshot of the product that you want. You can include notes with each item on your list for things like the size and color of the item or whether it's a must-have gift. You can also create lists for other people. I used Store It to keep track of the gift ideas I had for people on my holiday shopping list. Store-It connects with Pricegrabber to give you price comparisons. This is a cool idea, but you don't always get targeted results. For instance, I received price comparisons on iPad Mini cases alongside actual iPad Minis. There are a few quirks to the app. There are default websites included in the "favorite retailers" section, like Apple, Amazon and Pricegrabber. Even though I'm in the US, they are all UK sites. Likewise, the price on each item in your wishlist is in euros. Oddly, you can set the currency for the comparisons on Pricegrabber, but that has zero impact everything else. Store-It also has one big limitation: You cannot email a full list to anyone, however you can share individual items via social media. The point of a wishlist is to keep everything that you want in one place to make it easy for the people who are shopping for you. Why create a wishlist app that doesn't let you share your entire list? This feature is supposedly forthcoming, but I question why the developer released this app with such a critical piece missing. The option to build your lists online or offline make Store It a strong app conceptually, but until the developer adds more sharing features and cleans up some of the quirks, it's not going to live up to its potential.
Killer Instinct update 2.2 brings raptors and reindeer
Killer Instinct for Xbox One is about to get a cup of Christmas cheer with patch 2.2, which will bring holiday-themed costumes for fighters TJ Combo, Orchid and Sabrewulf, as well as the re-introduction of Riptor, a fighter from the game's original 1994 release. Players who own Orchid or play as her when she is part of the free character rotation will be able to do battle decked in holly jolly red-and-green stockings. Those who have purchased the Ultra edition of Killer Instinct's Season One will also be able to equip Orchid with oversized candy canes, as well as place reindeer antlers and a red nose on Sabrewulf's adorable face. If you own the Ultra edition of Season Two, you'll be able to give TJ Combo a white beard and Santa hat. As for the return of Riptor, developer Iron Galaxy states on the Killer Instinct forums that they are aiming to release her from captivity on December 17 for Ultra edition owners, and December 23 for Combo edition owners. "Full transparency: we hit an issue in Cert that paused us long enough to put the date in slight risk. SLIGHT," creative director at Microsoft Studios Adam Isgreen wrote. "We are all good to land it as long as there are no further hiccups." The cybernetic dinosaur will also receive a trailer to show off her unique talents on Monday, but just looking at her, we have no doubts about her lethality. Sheesh, where's Chris Pratt when you need him? [Image: Microsoft]
ArcheAge details its upcoming update, PTS, and holiday events
What do stockings, a vengeful sea goddess, and a dragon have in common? No, it's not a titillating new fantasy paperback. It's ArcheAge's next update. Version 1.2 Build 4.6 (as it is officially known) heralds the introduction of the Red Dragon to Erenor, an insane ancient Wyrmkin that will test the mettle of the strongest adventurers. Additionally, the jealous sea goddess Dahuta will make traveling the waters near her domain even more treacherous. Other update tidbits include a five-second forced delay between land claim attempts "in order to disrupt rapid spam-placement attempt tools" and the sale of the Comet speedster for 800 gilda. Players can test these new experiences out on the newly launched public test server. More information on all this and instructions for installing the PTS can be found on the official site and the PTS FAQ. This update also introduces the Winter Maiden Festival for the holidays. Featuring buff-giving trees you decorate and stockings you assemble all from loot drops, the event sees players decking the mobs with swords and staffs all through the season. Plushie collectors have the chance to acquire seven new snowman plushies to decorate their homes.
EverQuest celebrates 15 days of holiday cheer
Whether you've been naughty or nice this year, SOE has plenty of presents to go in your virtual stocking. To celebrate EverQuest's 15th anniversary year, the studio is throwing 15 days of "holiday cheer" for the game's community. On each of the next 15 days, there will be some sort of event or promotion for players to enjoy. It kicks off today with double faction points and double rare spawns. After that, there will be many daily sales, including cheaper severed hand mounts (because who doesn't want to ride on one of those?) and a 50% off housing items sale on December 18th.
Final Fantasy XIV rolls out the Starlight Celebration
You could be forgiven for not remembering the imminent Starlight Celebration in Final Fantasy XIV. After all, there are weddings to worry about now. But it's back again, and like most holidays in the game, it brings with it a new outfit and a new minion for players to procure. Even better, it also brings a variety of housing decorations to help turn your room, house, or guild hall into a festive wonderland. A stuffed qiqirn is appropriate for any house all year round, after all. The celebration starts on December 18th and runs until December 31st, with a main questline as well as daily quests for event rewards. Another batch of goods will also be made available to players starting on December 24th, so you'll want to be ready for more as the event rolls on. So take a little time away from wedding planning and relic weapon upgrades to celebrate the reason for the season. Also to unlock fake moustaches; that's pretty great.
