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Final Fantasy XIV unveils Dark Knight and more at London Fanfest
The second of three Final Fantasy XIV fan festivals is taking place now in London, and once again there's no shortage of information about the game's first expansion. While the Las Vegas gathering hinted at the new jobs, the first one was officially revealed today: Dark Knight, a new tank wielding a two-handed sword without any base class involved. No word on how the omission of a class will affect the leveling structure, but it was mentioned that the job will focus on dodging and parrying to reduce damage. The keynote speech also included revealing more about the game's flying mounts, which will allow free exploration of the Heavensward areas with no need for take-off or landing. Black chocobos and single-player airships were confirmed, with a grand total of six mounts currently in development. Two beast tribes were also linked, a birdlike race called the Vanu Vanu worshipping the primal Bismarck, and the insectoid Gnath who worship Ravana. There was also a hint that the next job to be revealed will be gun-focused. More news is likely to emerge as the fanfest continues.
Final Fantasy XIV posts preliminary notes for Patch 2.4
Ready to take on the lady of ice, twist down the last coil of Bahamut, and start stabbing from the shadows? Final Fantasy XIV's next patch won't drop until October 28th, but you can finish any last-minute preparations you need now with the release of preliminary patch notes. The patch includes new sidequests, new main story quests, new trials and dungeons, and of course the new Rogue and Ninja. This patch also adds in the Allagan Tomestones of Poetics, several new recipes for both Rogue/Ninja gear as well as other high-level options, and the usual assortment of bugfixes and balance improvements. Whether you're making sure to grab everything you'll need for Ninja before the patch goes live or just want to know how far you must progress before fighting Shiva, the patch notes hold a wealth of information.
DC Universe adds Green Arrow to Legends PvP
SOE has plucked Oliver Queen from the mean streets of Star City and plunked him down in DC Universe Online's Legends PvP mode. That's right, you can now fight as Green Arrow and if you're keeping score at home, this release marks the first time a bow user has been made available for Legends play. You can see Green Arrow in action via a recent SOE livestream that we've embedded past the cut. [Source: SOE press release]
Xbox One's screenshot feature won't arrive until next year
The Xbox One's screenshot-making feature won't be added to the system's feature set until next year. Xbox head Phil Spencer explained to IGN that as the company comes "back into the new year, we'll see new stuff, and screenshots is on the list." The news follows Spencer's promise a few weeks ago that the company would deliver on oft-requested features such as screenshot creation and background themes for the Xbox One's dashboard. Those custom backgrounds will be part of the system's November update. "In December, it's probably a time for us to pause for a little bit and settle just as all the new consoles are coming online," Spencer said, indicating a small break in the action for the console's development team. He also noted that screenshot creation for Xbox One is "a little more technically challenging than I thought," but that the team found a "good solution" two weeks ago. "They're working on it. They know people want it. The team has a path to getting it done, and now it's just prioritizing," he added. [Image: Microsoft]
Final Fantasy XIV 24-hour patch downtime and cash shop controversy [Updated]
If you've got any lingering business in Final Fantasy XIV you want to get finished before patch 2.4 launches on Tuesday, you'd better get it taken care of on Sunday. Yes, Sunday. Because of the new wards being added, database maintenance will also be undertaken while the patch is being applied, and it comes down to a 24-hour maintenance downtime from 3:00 a.m. EDT on October 27th until 3:00 a.m. EDT on October 28th. The maintenance might take a bit longer to complete, but players will want to be finished up and logged off before it starts. [Edit: Square-Enix has announced that the maintenance will be extended by one hour until 4:00 a.m. EDT on October 28th.] Patch 2.4 also introduces to the game the cash shop, which has already provoked extensive player discussion, including requests to keep past seasonal items out of the shop. Opinion on the matter is split, and there has been no official word yet from Square-Enix, although it is possible that there will be more concerns addressed during the London Fanfest this weekend.
Destiny hotfixes out a loot cave, players uncover more DLC areas
Destiny has a bit of an issue with caves, particularly those that allow players to stand around and shoot until candy comes out. An upcoming fix will adjust auto-rifle damage, boost scout rifles, and also cut off another loot cave from the players. The development team is also working on fixes to under-performing Exotics and tweaking overall class balance. Meanwhile, the game's players have managed to uncover another DLC area in the video past the break, uncovering unpopulated regions on the Moon that tie into an unknown portion of the game's expansion content. Analyst Michael Pachter weighed in briefly on the game when he predicted that game sales for September 2014 would be in a slump compared to September 2013, stating that Destiny's ubiquitous media presence would provide an overall figure around 2.75 million, a bit below Bungie's stated 3.2 million daily logins.
Final Fantasy XIV opens up HD fanfest streams for purchase
If you missed out on your chance to get a ticket for Final Fantasy XIV's fanfest in Las Vegas this weekend, you can still at least watch the events unfold in glorious high definition. Square-Enix has opened up the purchase option, allowing players to watch the event, pick up a moogle costume, and watch otherwise unviewable parts of the convention for $20. Players who opt for the HD stream will also have access to the archived footage until March 31st, 2015. Should you be short of the cash to drop on this stream, you still have options open, as a standard-definition stream is also available for free. This stream skips the opening keynote and closing ceremonies and does not award viewers a moogle costume, so it's up to you if $20 is worth the absence of those. Still, even if you can't make it out to the side of the convention, you'll be able to find out all of the information on the ground as it happens.
Report: Sony to ship 200K PS4s to China by December
Sony plans on bringing 200,000 PS4 systems to China by December, Bloomberg reports. The number comes from a filing on the Chinese (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone website, which reportedly notes that Sony intends on shipping that many consoles to the region on an annual basis. Sony Computer Entertainment spokesman Masaki Tsukakoshi confirmed the report with Bloomberg and noted that the actual PS4 production amounts may vary. This follows news of Microsoft's relative success in China, as it reportedly sold 100,000 Xbox One consoles in its introductory week. Microsoft is the first to bring an official foreign console to China in 14 years since the government lifted its console ban in January. China issued a new set of rules for foreign video game and console sales in April, one of which requires that companies work with a China-based partner. Sony paired with the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group in May to bring the PS4 to the country. [Image: Sony]
Final Fantasy XIV previews the Rogue and Ninja
Limsa Lominsa is a rough town. There are pirates, layabouts, and all manner of shifty people at Final Fantasy XIV's island port city. The Yellowjackets keep the order in the streets, of course, but who keeps things clean in the back alleys? Why, the dashing Rogues, of course, the subject of the newest patch 2.4 preview on the official site. They might be cutthroats, brigands, and thieves, but they've still got a city to keep in one piece. The preview also discusses Ninja, the job recently imported to Eozea from the Far East with the arrival of the Doman refugees. The preview makes it clear that both class and job will follow the usual progression for quests and gives a small slice of the flavor players can expect, but even the secondary class for Ninja is still shrouded in mystery, which is frustrating if you want to get leveling done before it goes live... but then, would you really expect the most stealthy class to give away all of its secrets?
Final Fantasy XIV shows off the dungeons of patch 2.4
We don't know exactly when patch 2.4 will drop for Final Fantasy XIV, but we know it will be soon -- and not just because it's been about three months since the last major patch, but we've also got a peek at the three new hard mode dungeons coming in patch 2.4. The Sunken Temple of Qarn and Sastasha will be updated in new forms, while Snowcloak takes the role of the completely new dungeon for players to navigate. While the massive ice wall of Snowcloak is visible in the game now, a series of tunnels will be navigable in 2.4, allowing players to enter the depths searching for the source of this formidable barrier. Meanwhile, Sastasha has become invested with a new group of apparent pirates straight from the depths of the sea, and the Sunken Temple of Qarn has proven to be less conquered by adventurers than originally thought. Take a look at the full preview for more details; you can also check out the details on viewing livestreams from the upcoming fanfest in Las Vegas.
Report: Microsoft sells 100K Xbox One consoles in China
Microsoft has reportedly sold over 100,000 Xbox One consoles in the system's introductory week in China. The sales figure comes from an interview with Shanghai Media Group Vice President Zhang Dazhong, courtesy of Chinese news site 17173 (translated by Kotaku). Dazhong also noted that Microsoft's Chinese partner BesTV aims to sell one million consoles in the region over the next year. The system launched in late September along with 10 games, and Microsoft said it is preparing an additional 70 games for the region. The Xbox One is the first official foreign console to arrive in China in 14 years following the government's move to lift its longstanding console ban in January. It then began drafting rules that dictates how companies can sell games and game consoles under Shanghai's free trade zone, settling on a new set of policies in April. Game sales in China are restricted based on whether the government determines that products threaten "China's national unity, sovereignty, or territorial integrity," whether they "instigate racial/ethnic hatred," include gambling-related features, promote drug use, obscenity, violence or violate China's constitution. [Image: Microsoft]
One Shots: No airbags at 125 kph
So here's what I'm always wondering: Why do all science fiction worlds and technology look far, far more dangerous than anything we have in the present? Star Wars is horrible in this regard. Lightsabers should be lopping off users' appendages left and right, even if they have the so-called "Force." Walkways without handrails over bottomless pits are commonplace in space stations. And their trash compactors are full of metal-devouring monsters, whereas mine has but the faint odor of eggshells. Anyway, reader Joe's picture of his jaunt accross Tatooine in Star Wars: The Old Republic on a speeder made me muse about the safety issues of operating what is essentially a rocket-powered flying motorcycle in the middle of a canyon of jagged rock. Ain't no airbag on that thing that's going to save you when you dink into a wall, my friend. Safety issues are but the start of our journey through this week in player-submitted MMO screenshots!
SOE previews new DCUO UI
DC Universe Online is getting a UI makeover, and SOE has released a new nine-minute video that serves as a sneak preview of what you can expect from the superhero MMO in the near future. For starters, there's a new PDA featuring transparent layers that allow players to observe game action while managing their stuff. SOE says that it also achieved a "more consistent and better organized" menu flow as well as improved performance. Click past the cut to see if you agree.
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV and the housing mess, part 2
Wait, part 2? When was part 1 a thing? January, my friends. And while I had prayed for sun, I planned for rain, and that turned out to be a wise move. What happened in the end was unpleasant but entirely unsurprising, as Final Fantasy XIV's second implementation of housing went little better than the first. In the interests of full disclosure, yes, I am one of the vanishingly small number of people with an in-game house at the moment. I work at home and happened to have both the money and the time to grab myself a place to live in-game. That doesn't mean the system is anything remotely approaching good or even acceptable, which is why I want to spend this week talking about the mess that has been made and what, if anything, can be done to correct this fact. Housing in Final Fantasy XIV is a sore spot right now, and that's a problem, especially when it doesn't have to be.
The Crew's console closed beta launches tomorrow
Console closed beta arrives tomorrow for racing MMO The Crew, a tweet from Ubisoft has announced. PS4 and Xbox One players can sign up on the official site to secure a spot in the test. Sorry, Wii U and PS3 stalwarts; the game won't be ported for you. The game's second beta began on PC back in August. It's slated to launch on November 11th.
Final Fantasy XIV shows off footage from the Tokyo Game Show
Final Fantasy XIV players were treated to a preview of the game's next major patch over the weekend as the Tokyo Game Show wrapped up. Producer and director Naoki Yoshida showed off the first trailer for the patch as well as a quick preview of the new dungeons, the upcoming Rogue and Ninja, and the arena where players will face off against Shiva. While all of the videos are in Japanese, most of them have very little narration, making them just as accessible if you don't speak the language. The trailer is embedded past the cut, but it's only one of the four videos. Shiva's arena features a central dais and a lower area connected by staircases, implying that players can be knocked off or may even choose to jump off at certain times. Sunken Temple of Qarn and Sastasha are receiving the hard mode makeovers for the patch, while Snowcloak takes the role of the new dungeon. A few more tidbits are also revealed by the Rogue/Ninja video, including a sneak peek at the class's stealth mechanics. Jump past the break for the trailer to get a taste of what's coming.
Final Fantasy XIV introduces personal housing (badly) with patch 2.38
After more than half a year of waiting, Final Fantasy XIV players can finally purchase houses of their own. Provided, of course, that they have an exceptional amount of disposable gil and were on the servers early. Patch 2.38 introduces the option of purchasing land in the housing wards as an individual, but with prices starting at 4 million on the most populated servers for the smallest plot and with only two new wards introduced, many players who had been hopeful for a new house will find their hopes quickly dashed. Producer Naoki Yoshida took to the forums to apologize for the land shortage, promising that more wards will be introduced with or following the launch of patch 2.4, which should double the amount of available land. While the prices are equal for both personal and free company houses (being built on the same plots), these prices are significantly lower than those when housing was first introduced, even after adjustments to Legacy worlds. The update also contains other features, including new emotes, new Relic Weapon quests, and update loot in Syrcus Tower and the Second Turn of the Binding Coil.
The Mog Log: On the twilight of Final Fantasy XIV's story
As I write this, we don't yet have the patch notes for Final Fantasy XIV 2.38. Supposedly this is when we're getting personal housing, and people are abuzz with speculation about how that will be rolled out, what will work, what will be broken, and so forth. Alas, I can't yet address any of it -- not prices, not availability, not any of that. It's all just guesswork until the powers that be let us know what's going on, which will likely be in the evening after you read this. My guess is that there's going to be something to make people angry, but there usually is. So since I've nothing to offer regarding Final Fantasy XIV's mini-update other than speculation, it's best to turn to something that can be much more clearly seen. We're not at the end of the 2.0 update cycle just yet, but it seems pretty obvious that we're on the back nine, so to speak. So where are we going from here? What awaits? And what does all this mean from a storyline perspective? (If you'd like to avoid any potential spoilers, do look away now.)
Final Fantasy XIV Q&A teases future content and pacing
Final Fantasy XIV has been a little pokey in rolling out major new systems. Will this be the case going forward? Not so much, according to a new producer's letter Q&A, in which the team says that future updates should be coming more frequently. "Due to scheduling issues and circumstances surrounding implementation, we've been prioritizing the implementation of party-based challenges utilizing the duty finder whenever possible," the letter states. "As a result, we were a step behind in implementing systems that make use of the open world, or those that require time but can be completed at one's own pace. With the introduction of zodiac weapons followed shortly after by the Hunt, it may seem as though we're shifting focus toward time-consuming systems, but rest assured this is not the case, and we plan to strike a balance with party-based activities as we move forward." Other topics of discussion include the upcoming Rogue class and Ninja job, the approximate release window for Patch 2.38 (about a month), word of a new expansion release, and hints about the expansion and new race.
The Think Tank: Consoles and the future of MMOs
Destiny might not be a pure MMO, but its huge launch on the fringes of the MMO space this week has prompted us to ponder whether the future of core MMOs lies in the console market. In this week's Think Tank, I polled the Massively writers about just that.
