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The Secret World's killer clown is coming to get you
Some Funcom fans are getting a nice present in their email today: a ticket to play The Secret World for free for a month. "You will die. Because, hey, that's what happens when you play an MMO where killer clowns are after you. Fight back! Play The Secret World for FREE this Holiday season," reads the promo. The freebie 30-day codes in the emails are apparently valid if used by January 15th and include experience potions as well as $5 worth of points to spend in the cash shop. It's currently unclear whether the promotion is for former subbers or just everyone who has a Funcom account.
The Daily Grind: How long does a new game have to get you hooked?
Buying a new MMO implies a certain level of commitment. Whether you're purchasing the game on day one or just buying it after hearing about it from friends, you have some investment when you shell out the cash for the new box. It's true for the recent launch of RIFT and it was true for Ultima Online. But just because you want to be there for launch doesn't mean that you're ready to place yourself in the game for the long haul, even if you've got the nigh-ubiquitous free month to keep you engaged. It's been said that the real test of subscribers isn't at launch but 32 days out from launch, long enough that the rush of people who would just play for the free month have departed. So how long do you take in a game you've purchased to decide if you want to stick with it? Do you make up your mind during the free month? Wait until you no longer feel like logging in? Or is it an ongoing process in which you have to decide fresh on every given month? 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!
Final Fantasy XIV players get another free month of playtime
More than a month ago, Square-Enix announced that players of Final Fantasy XIV would be receiving an extension to the free trial period of the game, citing that the game was not as polished as originally hoped and it was only fair not to bill for a cycle. It was a gesture of goodwill without much precedent, but most players should be very pleasantly surprised that the free trial is being extended once again. Another 30 days of free time are being granted to all players, up to and including those who had planned to cancel their billing once the free period wore off. In addition to this announcement, the November version update is being given a tentative date of November 25th, just after the point when most free periods would have expired. This means that early adopters have received a grand total of 90 days of free playtime -- but any account with a character created through November 19th will receive the free trial extension as well. While the free time won't mollify ardent critics, Final Fantasy XIV's players can still enjoy the fact that they can play or not play the game for another month without worrying about subscriptions one way or the other.
Final Fantasy XIV grants players a month of freedom and revamped markets
Player opinions have been strongly mixed on Final Fantasy XIV, something that hardly needs to be reiterated. Even the game's supporters have occasionally been a touch leery about paying for their first month of the game with the current state of polish. Which means that it should be good news for players all around that Square-Enix is extending the normal "free month" to encompass an additional month, placing early adopters out of the realm of billing until November. Aimed primarily at purchasers of the collector's edition with its headstart, the extension will be credited to any and all accounts created before October 19th. Billing will be credited for another 30 days, giving a total of 60 days free time within the game world. The official announcement assured the community that the development team is listening to all the feedback received, and wishes to thank Final Fantasy XIV's players for their devotion to the game. Considering that the game has just seen its first pass of reorganization for the market system and a director dispatch on the game's future, it's a morning of good news for the game's players. [Thanks to Bartillo and FusionX for the tip!]
Electronic Arts takes over Dark Age of Camelot in Europe
Dark Age of Camelot is under new management -- sort of. Actually, it's under new management that could more properly be termed old management, or maybe it would be better termed the original management... it's a bit complicated. After many years of the European branch of the dark Arthurian MMO being managed by GOA, the game has come under the direct control of Electronic Arts. Mythic Entertainment will be taking over the game's operation in Europe... which is what they're already doing with the game in North America, seeing as how the game is originally theirs. Like we said, the pedigree is a bit odd. For the many players affected by the change, a pre-emptive olive branch is being offered -- all Dark Age of Camelot players being brought under their aegis will be receiving a free month of play time. The game will also be patched up to match the current North American version. No word is officially given on why the change in management was deemed necessary, although speculation is certainly possible. What this will mean for the game's future is uncertain, but the offer of a free month of play certainly helps take the edge off, as does the promise of improved synchronization between both regions.
The Daily Grind: Keep fishing or cut bait?
A new MMO comes out. You've read the reviews, Watched the promo videos. Changed your desktop to show the buxom model on their cover art. Subscribed to the newsletter. Read all the developer interviews. Attended the chats! Participated in the lively banter between the lead designer and the people of a well known community forum! You've made your own guild before you even got to play the game! You pre-ordered the special collector's edition, and the game's theme music is on continual repeat on your iPod!The fateful day comes, you install the game and ... well, it's a decent enough game, but it just isn't what you expected. You play it for a few days, and then start wishing you hadn't given away all your gold and sharded your epics in your old game. And maybe you suddenly regret telling the raid leader just exactly, precisely what you thought of him. So do you stick with the new game? Or return to the old? How long do you give a new game to grab you before you erase it from your hard drive, put the disks on the shelf, and call it a decent effort but just not the game you wanted to play? Just the free month? Until you reach the max level? Or just fifteen minutes perhaps?
