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Smedley announces SOE is no more, becomes Daybreak Game Company
In a surprising move, CEO John Smedley just announced on Reddit that Sony Online Entertainment is leaving behind its Sony roots and becoming Daybreak Game Company after being acquired by the investment firm Columbus Nova. This change allows the company to publish online games on multiple gaming platforms, including the XBox. Smedley also assured players via Twitter that all of the games in the company's portfolio are staying and will continue to be a part of the new company. Here's the full announcement plastered on the official forums of each of the company's games: Dear Players, Partners and Friends, Today, we are pleased to announce that we have been acquired by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm well known for its success with its existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. This means that effective immediately SOE will operate as an independent game development studio where we will continue to focus on creating exceptional online games for players around the world, and now as a multi-platform gaming company. Yes, that means PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and more! As part of this transition, SOE will now become Daybreak Game Company. This name embodies who we are as an organization, and is a nod to the passion and dedication of our employees and players. It is also representative of our vision to approach each new day as an opportunity to move gaming forward. So what exactly does this mean for you? It will be business as usual and all SOE games will continue on their current path of development and operation. In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition. It also means new exciting developments for our existing IP and games as we can now fully embrace the multi-platform world we are living in. Our games and players are the heart and soul of our organization, and we are committed to maintaining our portfolio of online games and pushing the limits of where we can take online gaming together. Thank you for your continued support. See you in game! The Team at Daybreak
Runewaker to reveal new game next week
Is it an MMO? Is it a MOBA? Or is it something else entirely? Those are the questions swirling around the news that Runewaker is working on a third title, following Dragon's Prophet and Runes of Magic. Whatever the case may be, Runewaker will be revealing the game next week to the public. After that, this new title will be playable at the Taipei Game Show. The studio did release a couple of pieces of concept art that show two fantasy forces squaring off against each other. There might be a touch of sci-fi in this as well, as the art shows giant robots (golems?) and neat-looking rifles.
Check out Dragon's Prophet's newest zone, Thadrea
Thadrea, the newest zone for Dragon's Prophet, is coming soon, and if these previews are any indication, it will be a land of both beauty and challenges. And also -- spoilers -- dragons. "Your journey will take you to some of the most exciting places you will ever see," the team posted today. "This place is full of history, and there are many ancient sights to behold." You can check out this "ancient land" in the gallery below and in a video after the break.
Dragon's Prophet kicks off anniversary events in Europe
Those of you who remember the distant and far-off past of 2013 may recall that Dragon's Prophet launched last year. Those of you still playing the game a year later are probably very aware of that anniversary. The game launched on September 18th in Europe and September 23rd in the US, so there's still a day until the anniversary hits on these shores. But the anniversary celebrations have already begun on the European servers, possibly offering a taste of what US players can look forward to shortly. You can see a new video celebrating the game just past the break, and there are two major events running as part of the anniversary. Players can take part in the Creation Night event, which includes a variety of rewards as well as a chance at taming the Illusion Night dragon. Meanwhile, the monsters in Wynnadia and Porthis have taken to celebrating themselves, and they've gotten bigger and meaner than usual. It's unclear yet whether US players will be getting the exact same celebration events, but EU players still have time to jump in on the festivities.
SOE Live 2014 in pictures: H1Z1's Zombie Prom, a costume contest, and attendees galore
Every year there seems to be something different at SOE Live. IN 2013, there was the big reveal of the new EverQuest Next and the surprise announcement of Landmark, complete with sand art and champagne. This year, one popular festivity focused on another new title in development: H1Z1. Attendees got all dolled up and put on their best undead faces for a night of dancing at the Zombie Prom (those who preferred the living enjoyed a pool party). It was quite the evening, complete with a wedding proposal! But even as some things change, some stay the same. Friends and guildies meet up (or just plain meet!), games are played, tournaments are won, costumes are shown off, swag is collected, and folks have a good time geeking out with devs. There were also plenty of heart-warming moments, from stories of players helping players to actual weddings. If you weren't able to attend the festivities, or you just want a little pick-me-up as you come down from your convention high, here's a quick look at the weekend in pictures.
SOE Live 2014: Dragon's Prophet to join All Access, add hatching system
While much of the SOE Live attention has been on other titles, Dragon's Prophet was on hand with some announcements of its own. The two biggest pieces of news are the upcoming hatchling system and the addition of the game to SOE's All Access pass, and Producer Todd Carson shared the details with us as well as gave the heads up on a couple other upcoming changes. The new hatching system will allow players to find and raise their own dragons. Carson explained that how long it takes the egg to hatch depends on what activities players do to care for their eggs. Additionally, the stats of the dragons will be influneced by the egg's care. More specifics on that system will be coming soon. The other really big (and welcome news) is the addition of Dragon's Prophet to the All Access plan. Carson noted that it has taken time to work out the details because of the unique differences of the game since it is made by Runewaker. Within the next month or so players will be able to become a part of the system that gives special monthly bonuses in all SOE games, 500 station cash, and a 10% discount on all items in the store. Dragon's Prophet players will receive a nine in-game items every month worth $50, including a 30-day repair hammer, teleportation, revive tokens, and more. Carson also described the recent renovation of the starter experience and the change to the class masteries that give them more defined roles in combat that await new players who try the game out thanks to the All Access changes. He gave us a heads up that a new zone expansion is coming at the end of the year and special roaming merchants that will be added to the territory islands. Another new feature will be the ability to pay to have your house packed up and moved to a different island. Carson is also taking into consideration panel attendees' requests to add Vanguard dragons into the game. What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporter MJ Guthrie to this year's SOE Live, from which she'll be transmitting all the best fan news on EverQuest Next, Landmark, H1Z1, and the other MMOs on SOE's roster.
SOE Live 2014: Thursday keynote liveblog announces EQ and EQII expansions, more
Are you looking forward to getting a hint of what's to come for your favorite SOE games this next year? SOE Live's Thursday keynote has just kicked off, and SOE notables like John Smedley are taking the stage to give fans a hint of the announcements coming over the course of the weekend. We're here live to give you the scoop directly from the devs, and we'll be keeping this post updated as it progresses. You can also can watch the presentation streamed live below. Keynote announcements on Friday have all the juicy details, so don't miss them! Four awards for Player Studio: Highest creator - BeastBuster with over $25,000 to date; Most Prolific creator - Rollen; Most Improved Creator - Jerry "Rawl" Dechant; and Most inspirational - Neko Zero. Player Direct awards -- you can see all full-length film on the official site. H1Z1 is coming out on the PS4. The Play it Forward initiative is gamers helping others, in game or in life. Tournaments: Prize money on the line for participants. Dragon's Prophet is introducing a new system where you find and raise dragon hatchlings. EverQuest is introducing a new category to Player Studio. EQ working on a new advanced looting feature. EQ's next expansion is The Darkened Sea. EverQuest II's 10th anniversary in November, the 11th expansion Alter of Malice is launching on 11/11. New classes for EverQuest Next will be announced tomorrow. A touching video tribute to EQII's Ribbitribbit was presented. SOE encouraged support for AbleGamers, Gamers4Life, and Military Gamers.
SOE compensates players for All Access issues
Acknowledging that the recent switchover to the new All Access program has been "frustrating," SOE announced today that it will be compensating its playerbase for these issues. The studio will be handing out 50 replay badges to DCUO players, adding an additional week to seven-day Landmark closed beta keys, and triggering double XP weekends for Dragon's Prophet, EverQuest, EverQuest II, and PlanetSide 2. "The implementation of this new membership plan across SOE's game portfolio has been one of the most complicated updates to our billing system to date," SOE apologized in a post. "As fellow gamers, we know that this has been frustrating and we sincerely regret any inconvenience this has caused."
Dragon's Prophet EU introduces the Column of the Prophet content update
Dragon's Prophet has announced the release of the Column of the Prophet content update today. This new challenge features a tower that reaches 100 stories into the sky with monsters that increase in difficulty with each level of the tower. Three sources can be called upon to aid your character whether solo or in a group: a medic, Skyhammer guards, or a war dragon. Right now, this update is only for European players of the game handled by Infernum, not SOE. A North American update schedule has not been announced. [Source: Infernum press release]
Dragon's Prophet patch adds arenas, evolution, and compendium
Three is a good number, especially when it comes to the number of big new features in a patch. If you want triple your patching value, then head over to Dragon's Prophet, where the team added three significant systems this past week. First on the docket for the patch are dragon arenas, where players can form a team of three dragons to fight others' teams. Next is the new evolution system, which allows for dragons to learn an additional skill. Finally, the compendium compiles all of the information and statistics related to dragons captured and those still untamed. The patch contains plenty of bug fixes and tweaks, so give the notes a read for the full scoop.
Dragon's Prophet EU creating player council [Updated]
Dragon's Prophet players in Europe will soon have a new way to influence their game: the Osiran Council. This player-elected body will give the community more influence over Dragon's Prophet EU's future development. Those who want a seat on this council in order to weigh in on game-relevant decisions, assist in the development and publishing process, and submit suggestions and criticisms directly need to send an email to community@dragonspropheteurope.com with the following information: Character name and server Forum name Spoken languages (English skills should be present) Level of the highest character, Previous MMO experience Values and expertise Reasons why you want the candidacy Today's patch also introduced the Dragon Compendium for the European community. This feature contains valuable information on all dragons that can be captured as well as resources to upgrade your dragon with other elite skills. SOE also announced a new zone, Olandra, as well as updates to the treasure hunt, mounted combat, and class systems. [Source: Infernum Productions/SOE press releases]
Choose My Adventure: Back in the saddle again edition
Yeeehaw! Now that Mike has finished his ride, they're lettin' me back in the saddle for another round of rootin' tootin' Choose My Adventure fun! And the opportunity has come not a moment too soon: I've had my spurs on and been raring to go for weeks now. As you know, this ain't my first CMA rodeo, and I'm sure as shootin' excited for this next wild romp through a new world. Of course, I won't be doing this alone. This ain't a one-woman show, and you ain't just spectators. I'm the rider all right, but y'all actually have a hold of the reins and will be leading me through the adventures. I'll wrangle up some options each week, and y'all will make the choices for what we do, where we go, and how we get there. Our first choice: which game we're going to tame! I've corralled a herd of titles that ain't seen their time in the spotlight yet (or at least, not for a long, long time). We've got an assortment of breeds to choose from -- some I've the barest hint of experience with; with others, I've none at all. Look 'em over, size 'em up, and then tag the one you want us to spend our next six weeks in. Y'all have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, January 25th, to make your selection. Then we rope the winner and get this ride started.
Massive mounted combat update rides into Dragon's Prophet EU
European players not only fight along side their dragons in Dragon's Prophet, they can now battle atop them as well! Thanks to the massive mounted combat update, dragons now have a trio of healing, tanking, and damage skills available that can aid their riders in PvE. But that's not all that Infernum Productions has rolled out with this update: Players can dive (literally) into a new high-level, completely submerged dungeon called Shrine of Handras and fight five new bosses along with a host of other water monsters and dangerous whirlpools. Additionally, players can participate in random mini events throughout Auratia as well as earn XP while resting in their personal houses (how much depends on amount and type of Marketplace furniture in the dwelling). Get a taste of the mounted combat skills and tour through Shrine of Handras in the two trailers below. And for more details about the update, check out the official patch notes. [Source: Infernum Productions press release]
Smedley expounds on benefits blunder and SOE's philosophy
When SOE first announced the membership changes coming to some of its titles, the company stirred up a storm that was completely unexpected, according to CEO John Smedley. After listening to the community, the studio reversed parts of the proposal and unveiled an extra benefit: a $14.99 All-Access pass. But even after a few extra posts explaining the changes and the reasoning behind them, there were still some unanswered questions and remnants of confusion from the quick succession of announcements. Why were some titles in SOE's arsenal listed part of the pass but others aren't? Which membership gift is actually the one going forward? When will these changes take place? And what about the European players? I sat down with Smedley to answer these questions and get some added clarity on these changes,
Some Assembly Required: Virtual world roundup for 2014 and beyond
Just over two years ago there was a great disturbance, as if millions (or so) of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Yes, something terrible had happened: a beloved virtual world was destroyed. And that left a number of sandbox refugees looking for a new place to call home. At that time, Some Assembly Required offered a roundup of the then available virtual worlds that could possibly offer accommodation, depending on what qualities players most desired in their games. But as things are wont to, they changed; a lot can happen in the MMOverse in 24 months, from additional features in existing games to new games to the loss of more worlds. So it's time to update this list of virtual worlds to reflect 2014 and beyond. Take a look and see what titles or titles-to-be have the sandbox features that best make a game a home for you.
Massively's winter holidays MMO roundup
The holidays are here! That means the hustle and bustle of the season is in full swing, with gifts to get, treats to taste, deals to nab, and plenty of festivities to partake in -- and that's just in the MMOverse! Yes folks, there's a plethora of holiday celebrations out there -- so many, in fact, that it can be hard to keep track of them all, let alone participate to them! If you're trying to catch everything in your favorite games, we're here to help. We've got a round up of the various winter celebrations across the gaming sphere all bundled together right here for you. If something catches your eye, hop in and join in the festivities!
Next SOE Live hits Vegas August 14 - 17, 2014
If you're still kicking yourself for missing the big reveals of SOE Live 2013, you've got plenty of time to make preparations for next year's convention. Mark your 2014 calendars for August 14th through the 17th; that's when fans from the whole arsenal of SOE games will descend upon Las Vegas to mingle with devs, participate in contests and tournaments, attend player and dev panels, and catch reveals of upcoming content in their favorite games. SOE Live 2014 will also features access to beta programs as well as plenty of in-game and real world swag. The annual fan convention will return to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, and tickets will be available for purchase in early 2014. Additional information will be forthcoming later, but you can catch the reveal trailer below. [Source: SOE press release]
Jukebox Heroes: Dragon's Prophet's soundtrack
Considering the lack of chatter I've heard about Dragon's Prophet post-launch, I'm willing to say that this title's been having a difficult time gaining traction in the main MMO community. Gameplay aside, I was looking forward to this MMO's release because I hold Runewaker's Runes of Magic in high regard when it comes to its soundtrack. I was hoping for the same level of quality in Dragon's Prophet, and I really wasn't disappointed. The OST was composed by Alex Pfeffer, Alexander Röder, Mindy Lo, and Rmoney Chen. It's a series of grand, stirring orchestral tunes that would be at home transplanted to just about any fantasy MMO that you're playing. Listening through it all, I found that it had a high ratio of quality tracks, so much so that narrowing it down to six picks proved problematic. I think I found a good balance, however.
Dragon's Prophet EU prepares to unleash its first raid
If you think fighting alongside one dragon is pretty great, then you should love fighting alongside 10! Dragon's Prophet EU is introducing the first raid experience, a 10-man (and 10-dragon) affair, in the next update scheduled to hit in just a few days along with a level cap raise to 90. Four legendary dragons await adventurers in the new Dragonheart Temple dungeon: Sammos the Resplendent, Vita the Stalwart Shield, Izamu the Relentless Tide, and Fadero the Heavenly Storm. And if adventurers vanquish all four, there is an even more powerful fifth raid boss to face, whose identity will remain secret until the day of the patch. Take a look at the vicious behemoths you'll be facing in the five new images below. [Source: Infernum Productions press release]
Dragon's Prophet introduces Highlord system in Europe
It's always nice when new updates come close on the heels of launch. Sure, you've had only a little time to play and haven't yet explored all of the launch content, but updates give you the feeling of a game that keeps getting updated rather than one that's stagnant. Dragon's Prophet has only been out in Europe for a few weeks, but it's already getting its first major patch to include the Highlord system, allowing players to rule over islands controlled through territory wars. When an island is brought under control by an alliance, that alliance can appoint a Highlord who will be responsible for managing several aspects of the island. Aside from being able to set the taxation rates on that island, Highlords can also manage several defensive buffs to give the defending forces an advantage against would-be assaults. If you're playing the game in Europe, you can start enjoying this update now, along with the several bug fixes and improvements included in the same patch.
