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Earthrise launch day arrives, sandbox title available for purchase
Zomg it's a sci-fi sandbox! You'll have to forgive our somewhat subjective enthusiasm on this one, as it's an increasingly rare occasion when we're able to announce the launch of something other than a themepark with classical fantasy elements. Yes, Earthrise is here to (hopefully) save the day for the sandbox die-hards in the audience, and Masthead Studio's skill-based title is available for purchase in both a retail edition (which features a poster and map) and a digital download from Direct2Drive (which comes with exclusive Overdrive armor). "Our team has channeled years of dedication and hard work into Earthrise, and we are thrilled for those fans who have been following us this entire time, as well as those who are just now checking us out, to experience the world of Enterra. We are already working on updates and expansion packs to be integrated within the next few months, and are excited to continue to develop and enhance the world," says Masthead producer Atanas Atanasov. As of press time, the server has not come up, and a couple of us have been unable to enter our activation keys into the account page on the Earthrise website. Fear not though, as we've got plenty for you to do while you're waiting impatiently to check out the world of Enterra. Join us after the break for a launch-day roundup of all the recent Earthrise news, interviews, and videos to get yourself up to speed and ready for action.
Earthrise server located on US east coast
The folks behind the Earthrise sci-fi sandbox made headlines a couple weeks ago with announcements that the game would launch on February 4th and that players would be grouped together on a single worldwide shard. As it turns out, the server is located on the east coast of the United States, which is a somewhat surprising move given the European pedigree of the game's parent company and the title's Europe-centric retail plans. Masthead Studios community manager Kuliani has compiled a short list of frequently asked questions about the impending release and published it on the game's official forums. In addition to the server location announcement, he confirms that the Earthrise digital download will be available via the game's official website (as opposed to third parties like Steam or D2D) and that new forums will be introduced on launch day.
All MMOs 20% off at Direct2Drive
Looking to pick up some MMORPGs on the cheap? You could go for one of the hundreds of free-to-play titles crowding the market, or if you're looking for something a bit more traditional, Direct2Drive's latest sale might interest you. From now through January 10th (at 10:00 a.m. PST to be exact), you'll enjoy 20% discounts on what D2D deems "top tier MMOs." Titles include (but aren't limited to) the Guild Wars trilogy, World of Warcraft, City of Heroes: Going Rogue, and Champions Online. The discount also applies to MMO pre-orders, so if you're looking for that extra nudge needed to push you towards an early purchase of RIFT or DC Universe Online, look no further.
Star Trek Online: Deep space exploration on a budget
It's never been a better time to be a fan of the final frontier, particularly with Star Trek Online's recent Season 3 update. But if you've been biding your time on STO, just waiting for that perfect deal, today might be your lucky day. Amazon is selling the digital download version of STO for a mere $2.50 -- and that includes a full month of gameplay. Seeing as how a month's subscription runs around $15, it's quite a steal. But we'd advise you to go for the deluxe edition of STO on Amazon instead. For $5, you not only get the game and 30 days of play, but also a classic series uniform set, the Joined Trill race and a handful of other goodies that would cost you well over $10 to buy separately on the C-Store. Speaking of Cryptic's in-game store, the company has announced that all C-Store items (excluding the two newest additions) are 20% off from now through January 3rd, 2011. Since a wise starship captain is frugal with his ship's budget, this seems like the perfect time to snatch a few bargains without worrying about breaking the bank. [Thanks Omali!]
MOD Systems' Download2Go kiosks now hawking DRM-free music
You'll need to pop into a Quick Chek in New York or New Jersey to take advantage for now, but if you and iTunes just aren't on speaking terms, a hear-to-heart with a MOD Systems' Download2Go kiosk may be your best alternative. Planted in ten locations across aforementioned states, these kiosks work a lot like the movie-equipped ones that were installed in various Blockbuster locations and in 30 US airports, but rather than hosting the newest chick flicks, these are loaded down with singles, albums and other things you may enjoy on your so-called MP3 player. You can get a general idea of how it works with a film just after the break, but whatever you do, make sure you bring an unloaded SD card or USB drive.
Blizzard clarifies cinematic download for digital customers
In order to clarify what information is being downloaded with the direct digital download of Cataclysm, Blizzard has said that all current World of Warcraft subscribers will be downloading the cinematic as part of a pre-Cataclysm patch. I am guessing this is some extra 4.0.3 data that will be coming out in the next few weeks for all players. Here is the official post: Cataclysm Direct Download and Game Cinematics We'd like to take a moment to clarify how we'll be delivering World of Warcraft: Cataclysm cinematics to players who purchase the expansion digitally through Battle.net or download the installer from the web in the future. Prior to the December 7 launch of Cataclysm, all current World of Warcraft players will receive the Cataclysm intro cinematic as part of an upcoming patch. In addition, all other in-game cinematics (including previous ones such as the Wrathgate movie) will be available for download to players who have not previously installed them. These cinematics will be automatically downloaded in the background while you play the game, after other critical game data has been received. source
Cataclysm digital upgrade now available for pre-order
You can now pre-order the Cataclysm digital download and Blizzard has released a relevant FAQ. As Mike Morhaime announced at BlizzCon, it is possible to pre-order and download the expansion prior to release and therefore be able to play immediately after launch, servers permitting. Logging into the game after pre-ordering will set your account up to start background downloading Cataclysm data as soon as it is available. Unfortunately, while you may pre-order the physical collector's edition from non-Blizzard sources, the only digital download option is the standard version. So it looks like I'll be installing my collector's edition while digital download people are dealing with rolling restarts and emergency maintenance. Oh yes, I went there. The full Cataclysm digital pre-sale FAQ is after the break.
The Daily Grind: Want a box with that?
With the proliferation of digital-download gaming going on these days, it's getting progressively harder for those of us that care about box copies, collectors editions, cheesy cloth maps, and cheaply produced pewter figurines to get our fix. It's obvious why developers and publishers love digital delivery, as it saves them a lot of distribution money, but does it really benefit the consumer aside from scratching our instant gratification itch? As I look over at the MMO box museum cluttering the shelves of my game room, I take no small amount of comfort in the fact that I got something tangible for my fifty bucks, even though in most cases the games themselves were incapable of sustaining my interest past the free month. In fact, I've only purchased a digital download twice: Fallen Earth (and I later obtained a box just because) and Darkfall (still hunting for a box). Subscription-based MMOs are inherently more about renting than owning but -- for now at least -- you can still get a physical copy of your favorite virtual world and, if you're lucky, an outdated manual and a map. Today we ask you, dear readers, do you want a box, or are you OK with leaving your games on a remote server? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
BlizzCon 2010: Cataclysm will be available for digital download on launch day
Straight from the Mike Morhaime's mouth during opening ceremonies -- Cataclysm will be available for digital download at midnight Pacific Standard Time of December 7, 2010. For the first time in the game's history, the game will be available for purchase online at the same time as it launches in retail stores. Pre-orders for Cataclysm digital downloads will be available on the Blizzard site soon. Players eager to play the game right away but don't have the endurance (or geographical proximity) to attend a midnight launch can simply sit in the comfort of their homes and enter a broken Azeroth as the game goes live on launch day. CLARIFICATION: Morhaime mentioned that the game should be available for digital download ahead of the launch date, allowing players to have the full game when Cataclysm goes live.
Sony, Warner and Disney mulling $30 at-home viewing option, we laugh and wait for the $100 option
Ah, "premium" video-on-demand. Media controllers have been fighting the inevitable forever, but now it seems they're finally coming around to the future -- letting users watch silver screen gems (or duds, for what it's worth) in their home shortly after release in the theater. Before you bust out the golf claps for these dudes and dudettes, you should know that they're planning to ding you for around $30 for the privilege, so it's only remotely of interest if you happen to have a family of eight. According to a new Bloomberg report, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., and Walt Disney Co. are all in talks with major cable systems to "offer films for as much as $30 per showing soon after they run in theaters." Disney's also thinking of streaming its content to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, with Warner expected to begin testing an offering later this year that lets consumers watch new(ish) release material for "$20 to $30 per viewing." Of course, we guess it can't hurt to throw the option out there and see exactly who is desperate enough, but we're guessing this won't exactly be the demise of the cinema. Or Redbox.
MP3 Shocker! Apple Records makes Billy Preston and James Taylor available for download, the Beatles not so much
EMI and Apple Records have announced that a number of artists from the back catalog (and it's all back catalog at this point), including James Taylor, Badfinger, Mary Hopkins, and Billy Preston (pictured above, shooting time traveling lightning bolts from his fingers) will see their work remastered and re-released on CD and digital download on October 26. Authorized downloads are a first for the company, although the plans do exclude the one group that really matters. How about the four lads from Liverpool, then? Looks like for the time being you're either stuck with pre-loaded novelty USB drives or you're ripping all your legally purchased CDs (for personal archival use only). Billy Preston shows us how it's done after the break.
Pick up Mirkwood on the cheap today
With the 3rd anniversary of Lord of the Rings Online rolling along and a new connection between Turbine and Warner Bros ensuring no shortage of operating funds, it seems like it might be a little strange to find Lord of the Rings Online's newest expansion Siege of Mirkwood being offered on deals.woot today. That said, it's there nonetheless, and for those who may have been holding off on picking it up until the price dropped, there's no time like the present! The deal offers everyone a chance to pick up the Siege of Mirkwood Complete Edition, which includes the core game, Mines of Moria, and Mirkwood as well as 30 days of free game time for the incredibly low price of $9.99. Now, with that said, this is for the US version run by Turbine, and is strictly digital download only. However, for $10 you really can't beat it -- especially if you've never played before or haven't touched the game since launch, but have been thinking about picking it up recently. And hey, if you're new to the lands of Middle-earth, be sure to check out our handy information on how to get started in skirmishes, skirmish rewards, or Justin's excellent on-going column chock-full of LotRO tips, tricks and more -- The Road to Mordor!
Former Titan Quest devs announce Grim Dawn
Crate Entertainment is a company made up of the old Iron Lore team that worked on Titan Quest, arguably the most popular of the Diablo clones to come out in the past few years. Crate has finally announced its latest project, and it's Grim Dawn, another action RPG (it even namedrops Diablo in the description) set in the world of Cairn, where two forces have "decimated human civiliation" and are "warping the very fabric of reality." Sounds appropriately epic, though as long as there's plenty of loot, we're not too bothered. Five classes? Check. Skill trees? Check. A crafting system and co-op multiplayer? Check and check. Considering that even the same Titan Quest engine and toolset are being used, Grim Dawn doesn't sound too far off the hack-and-slash loot-hunting reservation. But that's not a bad thing -- we'll have to see if it plans to mix up the tried-and-true formula as it moves toward a planned digital release in 2011.
Exclusive: International community members will get the Sentinel's Fate headstart after all
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/EverQuest_II_rectifies_problem_with_international_shipping'; With only a month to go before the release of the newest EverQuest II expansion, Sentinel's Fate, many members of the international community were up in arms in the forums over the expansion's pre-order bonuses. Why? Because only the boxed editions of Sentinel's Fate were eligible for the exclusive one week headstart to the expansion. In order to give retail distributors incentive to carry the boxed version of the game, Sony Online Entertainment made the decision to only provide the head-start access to those who picked up the physical box from retail distributors, while the digital download version of the game would not offer the seven day access and would be available for purchase only when the expansion was officially "live" on February 23rd. Problems began to arise when international community members noticed that they could either not import the game from the US, or importing would take too much time and cost them almost double of what the expansion was worth. After contacting SOE for a statement on this situation after the many tips we've received from the EQII community, the company has revealed to us that there is now a plan in place for international community members to participate in the retail headstart via a digital download system. Follow after the break to view SOE's plan to get Sentinel's Fate into the hands of their international members.
PSP Go Rewards program hitting DRM-laced brick wall
Needless to say, none of this applies to the Americans in attendance, but for international PSP Go buyers looking forward to taking advantage of Sony's PSP Go Rewards program, the always user-friendly DRM seems to be putting a solid kink in those enjoyment plans. According to a growing number of users at the official European PlayStation boards, an error by the name of 80109D53 is causing downloaded titles to not play back on the new handhelds. We're told that Sony is aware of the issue and is toiling away in an effort to fix things, but for now, it seems as if you can sidestep some of the risk by downloading your trio of free titles (which Sony offers if you're an existing UMD owner) directly to the PSP Go rather than sideloading 'em from a PS3. Any others having this issue? Figured out a solution? Shoot your mouth off in comments below.[Thanks, James]
Report: Only 35 songs from Guitar Hero World Tour work with GH5 [update]
Update: It appears as though Activision itself has answered the question of what songs specifically are importable into Guitar Hero 5 from World Tour (35 songs) as well as Smash Hits (21 songs), via the Activision Customer Support Center. The full list of songs available from each game has been dropped after the break -- thanks to everyone for sending this in! We can't lie to you, friends -- when Activision claimed songs from last year's Guitar Hero World Tour would be playable in this year's Guitar Hero 5, we were skeptical. It seems that skepticism proved right, as USA Today reveals that a hair over one third of GHWT's tracks can be downloaded into the new game. Specifically, just 35 of World Tour's 86 tracks are playable in GH5, with an unspecified amount of Guitar Hero Smash Hits tracks available "later this Fall." The licensing fee for those 35 tracks is 280/$3.50 for Xbox 360 and PS3, though it remains unclear whether or not that fee would include Smash Hits' tracks when those are released. We've asked Activision for clarification of which tracks specifically are available in GH5 and when Smash Hits will be ready for download, but unfortunately were told that we'd get a release tomorrow with "tons of details." So this is where we crowdsource things -- Guitar Hero 5 owners in the Joystiq Biomass™, please let us know which 35 of Guitar Hero World Tour's 86 tracks are playable! Our inbox is always open!
CrimeCraft's digital download options and bonuses
CrimeCraft's launch date is just around the corner now, and if you haven't pre-ordered yet but plan on doing so, there really isn't a lot of time left! While the retail distribution of the game in North America and Canada is exclusive to particular stores (Best Buy for NA and Future Shop in Canada), there are a few choices when it comes to making a digital purchase. Future players will be able to buy and download the title from CrimeCraft.com, Direct2Drive (IGN), Steam and Best Buy Digital. All of the digital downloads come with a few in-game perks (different from each other), and all of them bar Steam offer some extras for pre-ordering. No matter which way you go, the suggested price of US$49.95 includes two months of premium subscription, including a ration of gold bars that are used for in-game microtransactions. All of the information you need to know in order to make your choice is just past the break -- be sure to check it out if you plan on getting CrimeCraft digitally.
Verizon to offer GameTap-esque service in the Northeast starting this summer
Announced today and starting "this summer," Verizon will be offering "more than 1,400" PC games through its broadband service, for $9.99 per month. The service boasts a variety of games, ranging from Bejeweled to Splinter Cell, allowing customers to play the games over an internet connection or download the games directly to their computers -- provided the computer is connected to the internet, that is, presumably for license verification.For now, the service is only going to be offered in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York, with no word on when other areas will be able to sign up. Between OnLive, Steam, GameTap, and now this, that digital download future we're all expecting seems to be more feasible every day. We've contacted Verizon for more information on the service and will update you accordingly as more news comes in.
Star Vault reveals Mortal Online beta and pre-order details, launch info
Another competitor in the hardcore PvP niche in MMOs may give Darkfall Online a run for their money: Mortal Online from Sweden-based developer Star Vault. The game is presently in closed beta and is about to get its first test of the release build. The real news here is that Mortal Online has announced its open beta and release schedules. Pre-orders for Mortal Online will begin on June 29th via the official site, and the actual launch (with monthly subscriptions) is slated for Q4 2009. Anyone who pre-orders the game "in any of the formats available" will have access to all of the beta phases remaining until the title launches. The catch, however, is that the pre-orders are limited to 10,000 people.
UMD-less Patapon 2 officially released for PSP, another brick in the wall?
Joystiq reported back in April that Patapon 2's release would be a UMD-less affair, and now it's officially here. The followup game is now available as a digital download on the PSN, and as a redemption code voucher in retail locations. The sans-UMD format is a United States only test for Sony, and certainly leads us to wonder if that UMD-less PSP could possibly, potentially be in the works. The $19.99 title is available today, disc-less PSP available in your wildest dreams.
