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The Daily Grind: What project would you like to see your favorite studio tackle next?
Speculation and wishful thinking inevitably collide at the junction of studios and future MMOs. When we become rabid fans of a particular MMO studio we want them to succeed -- and not only with current games, but by expanding their portfolio into other titles as well. This is apparent when we eagerly grasp at even the barest hint of a rumor of a new studio MMO, as we've seen with NCSoft (City of Heroes 2?), Cryptic (Neverwinter Nights?), Blizzard (Call of Duty MMO?) and Turbine (console MMO?). So pushing rumors aside to engage in the ultimate wish fulfillment, if you could select a project for your favorite MMO studio to take on, what would it be? Would you want to see them snag a popular IP that's remained untouched in online space up to this point? Would you like to see them expand into other markets than PC, such as mobile or console games? Would the studio be wise to greenlight a project that is radically different in both scope and business model than anything they've done before? If wishes were magical sparkle ponies, what project would you like to see your favorite studio tackle?
Nexon MMOs not coming to Mac or consoles any time soon
There's been quite a bit of talk coming out of Nexon from the time of the GDC -- revealing two games, more news on the venerable MapleStory, and even a developer initiative announced shortly before the conference. But if you were waiting for the other shoe to drop, there is one after a fashion, because the company still has no plans to develop anything for the Mac or for consoles. Both Vindictus and Dragon Nest are apparently popular choices for players to request on consoles, but according to Nexon America vice president Min Kim, neither one is planned for development for the console platform. Kim went on to explain that his company's base of operations in Korea meant that Mac support was a distant afterthought at best -- the market for non-PC games in Korea is minimal. Of course, in both cases he said that the support is something they would like to expand to eventually, but for now there's just not enough reason to expand. Which is sad news if you're one of the many users who prefer a fruit-based computer, especially with more and more games expanding to be playable on any platform. [Thanks Tracey!]
What could the PS3 bug mean for console MMOs?
If you're a PS3 owner, you probably already know about the difficulties surrounding the PS3 Phat consoles as of late. You're probably also wondering why we are talking about this here at Massively. Well, the problems that began this weekend left many players unable to log into the Playstation Network, rendering certain games unplayable. Games like MAG. We're betting the MAG population is looking a bit sparse right now. Earlier today, Sony warned owners of the affected consoles to shut them down and leave them alone for the next 24 hours, while they work to repair the bug with the internal clock that's causing the problem. While it's great that Sony has isolated the problem and is working to repair it, it leaves us with some food for thought. MMO developers are beginning to turn an eye to the console market, and this incident highlights a potential significant weakness. PCs rely almost entirely on software and individual hardware when it comes to gaming. It's the rare MMO gamer who doesn't know how to open his or her tower and create a custom machine. Consoles don't work like that. If a bad update comes down or there is some sort of internal glitch (with the internal clock, for example), everyone who owns that particular console is going to get it because everyone has the same hardware. That, in turn, will affect everyone trying to play an MMO from their console. While this doesn't mean mass hysteria and the doom of the console MMO market, hopefully it will serve to alert MMO developers to a problem that they can address before it moves from "potential" to "actual". In the meantime, here's a little something to look at while you wait for your PS3 to come back to the land of the living.
Upcoming MMO from Blueside also in development for Xbox360
We know Korean developer Blueside for Kingdom Under Fire, as well as the hush-hush project they've been working on for a while, an MMO known by the name of "Project T." Given that Kingdom Under Fire is a sequel to the 2001 Xbox title Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, it should come as no surprise that Blueside is taking a similar approach with the mysterious Project T. Not only will Project T be released for the PC, but we've also gotten word that an Xbox360 version is coming as well. A recent Korean job listing specified that the company needs people with experience on commercial MMOs, and specifies that the MMO is in development for both platforms. Details on Project T are still very scarce, and confirmation that Blueside is planning to join the emerging trend of console MMOs is the most we've heard for a while. We'll keep an eye out for more details!
The elusive breed of the console MMO
Much like the Loch Ness Monster, the console MMO is a rarely-seen creature which nevertheless has captured the imagination of many. (Unlike the monster, console MMOs are not admitted hoaxes perpetuated by willing disbelief and a lakeside town's need for tourist revenue.) We've yet to see much progress made toward console MMOs, despite the huge available market (see also: China) and the increasingly robust hardware of consoles. Even more notable is the fact we've already seen publishers promising the game for consoles without it happening, with Age of Conan and Champions Online being the biggest offenders. What's the problem? Syp recently asked and tried to answer this very question, noting that most of the problems come from the console hardware, both its short lifespan and lack of several input devices. Still, it hasn't stopped many from playing and enjoying Final Fantasy XI on the Playstation 2, nor does Sqare-Enix seem worried about placing Final Fantasy XIV on a console. The lifespan of consoles can also be somewhat elastic -- almost anyone who plays console games holds on to their systems longer than their market lifespan. Gordon at We Fly Spitfires believes it may be a split in audience, since computers are more ubiquitous than consoles -- but computers capable of serious gaming are far less common than the PS2. Whether a hardware issue or one of audiience, the breed remains elusive, though the subject of far fewer undewater searches and TV specials than the aforementioned lake monster.
First Impressions: MAG
It's a technical marvel, really, to be able to shoot at 256 people at once. Very few games have been able to get this many players into one enclosed space, and even fewer have been able to do it without having everything lock down in lag. But Zipper Interactive's MAG is taking the bull by the horns and is following in the footsteps of games like PlanetSide to deliver a true "war" experience to the PS3. With the impending release of MAG to the shelves of stores everywhere, my editor wanted me to get down to the front lines of combat and find out what the fuss was all about. To that end, I've joined up with Shadow Raven Industries to get a taste of the combat that MAG has to offer. Follow after the break, and let's break down how this "Massive Action Game" plays out.
Sony launching MMO for PlayStation Home
Sony is adding an MMO to the ranks of games currently offered on PlayStation Home. Sodium One launches today and is a sci-fi themed game involving a variety of games and community events. Players will begin their experience in Sodium One with VICKIE, an NPC who is responsible for assigning quests. The first game is "Salt Shooter" (Are we sensing a theme here?), and sends you off in a tank to fight robots. Sony has adopted a pricing structure that is becoming increasingly familiar: free-to-play to a point, with the option to break out the credit card and purchase more in an a la carte system. You can play the first five levels free, and additional items are available for purchase to help you advance beyond that. The game launches today for PlayStation 3 owners who have a PlayStation Home account -- just look for the teleporter in the PlayStation Home Central Plaza and you're on your way.
Interview with Undead Labs' Jeff Strain
Last month we heard about Jeff Strain's new studio Undead Labs, and his upcoming zombie MMO. In the wake of that exciting announcement, Kill Ten Rats was lucky enough to spend some time with Jeff in an interview. They covered quite a few important questions: fast zombies or slow ones, why it's best to hide in a Costco in the event of a zombie apocalypse, those darn velociraptors, and why so many development companies are in Seattle. Oh, yes, they also talked about gaming. Jeff covered some interesting points on the complexities of console MMO gaming -- the lack of a keyboard seems to be the biggest issue -- as well as how much he loves the term "MMO" (not really). Jeff also gave due respect to World of Warcraft, and even managed to toss in a "shameless plug" for Guild Wars 2. The full interview is well worth your time, and can be found here.
NCsoft reconsiders console MMOs
The concept of console MMOs is not a new one, particularly to NCsoft. They've gone down this road before, and now it looks like they're giving it another shot. NCsoft PR team leader Jin-Won Yun spoke to Gamasutra at G*, and talked a bit about their plans. "After we finished Aion, we started thinking about what it would take to make an MMO come to consoles. We're testing that possibility. We're not in the development process yet, but we're in the thinking and planning stages." Yun also stated that they are considering a multi-platform MMO, following in the steadily successful footsteps of Final Fantasy XI, but that it's only one path they are considering -- they're keeping their options open at this point. NCsoft doesn't have a strong console userbase in Korea, which can make it hard to study and analyze user patterns there during development, but also has the potential to be a wide open market for them.
AGDC09 Breaking: Turbine confirms console MMO in the works
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/AGDC09_Breaking_Turbine_confirms_console_MMO_in_the_works'; During his talk at AGDC entitled "MMOs to Consoles -- Challenges, Opportunities, Emerging Trends," Turbine's Craig Alexander, the VP of project development for the company, has confirmed that they are working on a console MMO.The project has been in Turbine's production house for a year and a half now, and the staff is actively seeking to launch the title on Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles. Turbine does also have plans to develop for Wii in the future, although they did not go any further into that topic. Over 20 million dollars has been spent on developing the platform for this title. The targeted release date for this project is early 2011. Craig also said during the speech that he believes that consoles will eventually pass PCs in the MMO market, making this a lucrative endeavor. He also hinted briefly at a free to play subscription model, saying that MMOs should have "minimum friction to access."Turbine has said in the past that they will completely confirm their console MMO plans in early 2010, but speculation is still in the air as to if this is a brand new IP, or perhaps one of their former titles repackaged for the console. (Edit: Craig has now said, and we quote, "Under no circumstances should you attempt to port a title." This now looks to be a brand new console IP for Turbine.)We'll keep this post updated with new information as we receive it.%Gallery-73468%
Cryptic's Jack Emmert baffled by lack of MMOs on Xbox 360
A number of massively multiplayer online game developers have touted the fact that their titles will be playable on both PC and Xbox 360 but, with rare exceptions, they've failed to deliver on MMOs for this console. But can the blame for this really be laid solely at the feet of the developers? That seems to be the typical reaction, as many of us get frustrated over these broken promises. However, looking at the various titles that were aiming for 360 and missed, perhaps we should look at what all of these stories have in common: Microsoft. (Lest the fires of console fanboy rage blaze out of control, we're not exactly inundated with PlayStation 3 MMOs either.) Patrick Garratt from VG247 recently spoke with Jack Emmert from Cryptic Studios about this issue, and his perspective on playing ball with Microsoft to get Champions Online on the 360. Emmert stated that Champions Online for Xbox is almost ready to go, but lack of action on Microsoft's part is holding up the project.
Cryptic's Bill Roper: Microsoft MMO reveal for Xbox 360 unlikely at E3
Much has been said and written of the coming marriage of gaming consoles and MMOs, but like all lengthy engagements, if it drags on too long people begin to doubt it'll ever happen. When we do hear industry rumblings of a massively multiplayer online game coming to a console, it's generally about Playstation 3 rather than Xbox 360. But would it be fair to assume that Microsoft has less interest in bringing MMOs to the 360, much less delivering on a first-party MMO title? Bill Roper from Cryptic Studios seems to think so, and they're developing Champions Online for the 360 as well as PC. When speaking of the possibility that Microsoft would announce an MMO for the 360 at this year's E3, Roper told Patrick Garratt at VG247, "I don't think that's something they've been really pushing towards. From any discussions I've ever had, or heard with Don Mattrick [Microsoft's Senior VP of Interactive Entertainment Business], Don's not necessarily a huge MMO fan." Although he says he'd be pleasantly surprised if Microsoft did shift more focus to console MMOs, he cites the difficulties inherent in both dealing with technical issues and the complexities on the business side of working with third parties. You can have a look at what else Roper has to say on the prospects of Xbox 360 MMOs in the article at VG247. Do you feel that bringing your MMO of choice to the Xbox 360 would be viable, or are you starting to think that the 360/MMO marriage is doomed?
Trion transitions President into career options elsewhere
Although we know Trion World has an MMO for Sci-Fi Channel in the works and a fantasy MMO planned for the console, we've heard very little beyond that. Well, okay - we also knew they have an all-star team, 100 million in funding, and recently joined the ESA too. That said, our sister site Joystiq got a rather unpleasant insider email about the company with one piece of information we've since been able to corroborate. Apparently their President and Chief Operational Officer, Jon Van Caneghem, has "transitioned" out of his job at Trion, and will be seeking opportunity elsewhere. According to Trion's statement: Jon Van Caneghem has transitioned out of his role as president and no longer holds any operational responsibilities at Trion. His creative and operational roles have been distributed among the talented senior team.The rest of their statement is behind the break for those curious.
Rumor: Lord of the Rings Online heading to Xbox 360
We've come across a rumor about Lord of the Rings Online over at Destructoid, from Brad Nicholson. If his information is correct, Lord of the Rings Online may have an Xbox 360 release in its future. Nicholson writes, "According to a reliable source, Turbine is currently eyeing their MMO, Lord of the Rings: Online, for an Xbox 360 release. The source added that Turbine has hit a snag, unrelated to the development process. Microsoft, allegedly, won't commit to allow Turbine to utilize a free-to-play model, which is what the developer desires for the console version of LotRO." Nicholson writes that he contacted Turbine about the matter, but they neither confirmed nor denied that LotRO on 360 is in the works. Joystiq also got in touch with Turbine's PR director Adam Mersky, who stated, "We saw that rumor, too... We're not talking about what we're working on specifically, only that we're making a console MMO and actively working with Microsoft and Sony." Mersky added that their unnamed console project is progressing and that they'll have something to show by this summer.
The Daily Grind: How important are console MMO titles to you?
With the news out yesterday that Champions Online will not be seeing a launch day release to consoles along with the PC client, we're kind of wondering what's coming for the future of consoles in terms of MMO releases. Sure, there are already a handful of MMOs out there in the space: Final Fantasy XI, Phantasy Star Universe, and EverQuest Online Adventures, but they seem to be more the exception than the rule. Age of Conan, promised to be released to consoles shortly after AoC's PC launch, has been beseiged by setbacks and is now only rarely mentioned - if at all. Champions Online has been set back. Free Realms (and likely the other upcoming SOE titles as well), perhaps the strongest potential crossover due to SOE being part of SCEA, will still see console release well after the initial PC launch. So with all the delays or largely-vaporware-status of several promised console MMOs, we thought we'd ask you this morning - just exactly how important is it to you, as an MMO gamer, that there are more options for MMOs on the console? Do you look forward to the day when you can get a USB keyboard and hook it into your console, to enjoy a round of MMO gaming from the comfort of your couch? Or does it not really make much of a difference for you, as you'll be at your computer anyway; after all, consoles don't tend to offer the option of alt-tabbing out and checking database sites for item drops, locations, tips and other hints. How important are console MMOs to you?
BioWare CEO on potential future MMOs
With the MMO world all abuzz about BioWare's upcoming MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's not too terribly surprising to hear that they're considering other MMO projects down the line. Gamers have already shown they're very receptive to BioWare joining the MMO fray, at least if the comments here are any indication. With the potential of making more money than just the initial box sales, having a successful MMO in the fold has to be an attractive proposition for game companies in today's market - even with the risks. Of course, while we're not surprised they jumped in on PC MMO gaming, we were a bit surprised to once again hear MMOs and consoles come into the discussion. In an interview with Play, BioWare CEO Dr Ray Muzyka discusses the potential of crossing over briefly, remarking "There's challenges with the interface – making sure that the features players expect in an MMO are enabled and are feasible on a console. If those can be overcome, and I think it would be a good challenge to try, then yeah... people like playing with other players." Guess we'll have to wait and see how SWTOR goes for BioWare first, but who knows - perhaps SOE will see some more competition for PS3 MMOs after all.[Via Joystiq]
LOGIN 2009 online gaming conference speakers announced
Over the past few years, the online gaming conferences put together by Evergreen Events have been rather significant ones in the industry. Evergreen Events are the people who organized the ION Game Conference which we covered extensively last year, and the Online Game Development Conference in 2007. As we announced previously, ION has been renamed as LOGIN for 2009 and they're already announcing some of the conference's speakers. Among the many speakers slated for LOGIN this May are David Ryan Hunt, Senior Game Designer at Flying Lab Software, and Craig Alexander, Turbine's VP of Product Development. Alexander's session will be "Building Online Games for the Console Generation: Challenges and Opportunities" which could certainly prove to be interesting. We'll keep an eye on how the conference is shaping up as we get closer to the four-day event kicking off on May 11th.
Console MMOs: Can they get up off the ground?
If you don't like chocobos, then you're a little out of luck when it comes to the console MMO market. With Final Fantasy XI and the only choice console users have, the market looks ripe for the addition of a few new games -- or does it?IGN has put together a nice article on the fail whale history of console MMOs, starting with True Fantasy Live Online and progressing all the way to shaky in-development titles like Age of Conan, and the solid upcoming titles like The Agency, DC Universe, and Champions Online.The article also covers the many problems of making a console MMO, from poor TV resolution, to UI issues, to just general production issues in making such a complex game.But who knows what the console MMO market may hold? Perhaps one of these days those chocobos will be chased off by men and women in spandex.Update: It appears that we forgot to mention EverQuest Online Adventures for the PlayStation 2 in our quick rundown of console MMOs. Our apologies! Thanks, Joshua!
The Daily Grind: Do you want more console MMOs?
MMOs are primarly a PC business. They started here, and they're certainly dominating the PC gaming industry, one hard drive at a time. But why must we limit the MMO to simply the PC machine? What about the untouched masses of the console market? Why must we keep our games to ourselves when we should share freely with the others?Ok, ok, controller vs. keyboard issues aside, what do all of you think about console MMOs? We already have Final Fantasy XI and Phantasy Star Universe on the Xbox 360 and PS2. We also have The Agency eventually making a debut on the PS3 and the rumored Age of Conan release on the Xbox 360, but 4 MMO games is nowhere near the many many games we have on our PCs.Do you want to log into Xbox Live or PlayStation Network and boot up your favorite MMO? Would you rather sit on your couch and raid instead of your computer chair? Can cats and dogs live together in harmony? Readers, we need your opinions!
No love for Final Fantasy XI on PS3
Square Enix's MMO title Final Fantasy XI has been popular on PlayStation 2 for years, but despite its availability for Xbox 360 and PC, it seems FFXI won't be making an appearance on the PS3 anytime soon. While some of the older PS3 models boasted PlayStation 2 emulation, moving forward gamers purchasing the PlayStation 3 won't enjoy this backwards compatibility.Given this limitation, and the simple fact that many gamers are leaving the PS2 behind as they look ahead, why hasn't Final Fantasy XI migrated to the PS3? You'd envision this being the logical next step for the title, particularly given the new breed of console-based MMOs coming to PS3 -- namely, superhero MMO DC Universe Online, spy-centric The Agency, and of course Free Realms. As it turns out, Square Enix did intend to move up to the PS3, according to a recent report from Kris Pigna over at 1UP.
