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Lineage II awakens to free-to-play today
Got room in your stomach for another free-to-play adaptation? If so, NCsoft has a plump and willing Lineage II that it would like you to nibble upon, if you're so willing. The company announced that it was adopting a hybrid F2P/subscription model a month ago, and things have certainly picked up speed since then. Players can level all the way up to 99 without spending any money if they choose, and NCsoft has implemented a "Path to Awakening" system that will dole out new rewards for players going through this journey. Normally, a F2P transition would be a major update in and of itself, but NCsoft is coupling Lineage II's relaunch with the Goddess of Destruction update. It's even opened up a new server, Shilen, to handle the influx of freebies. This update comes packaged with additional zones, eight new classes, an auction house system, and more. A new website awaits those interested in Lineage II's next evolutionary stage. For players who don't mind investing some cash into the game, NCsoft is selling Exploration Packs starting at $5 to open up more of the game for funzies.
Choose My Adventure: No Skyrim, unfortunately
For the next six weeks, you, dear readers, get to poke me with virtual sticks and jeer as I do your bidding in an MMO of your choosing. Who am I, you ask. Some of you know me from Massively TV's livestreams, during which I like to ninja loot Karen Bryan's kills. Some of you know me from reading my Runes of Magic articles. What none of you (likely) knows is that I actively play and enjoy many of the MMOs featured here on Massively. However, there are plenty of other MMOs I've either never played or have only sampled briefly. You are going to rectify that. I tend to have a casual, laid-back style of play. You'd typically find me crafting armor rather than running a dungeon in World of Warcraft. I'd rather be exploring the countryside in Vanguard than progressing through raid content. So whether you revel in the idea of throwing me out of my comfort zone or you want to sit next to me on my extra-soft carebear couch, now's your chance to vote. I'll also be livestreaming parts of Choose My Adventure in the coming weeks. Oh yeah -- and you have until Saturday to vote!
Lineage II Goddess of Destruction and Truly Free transition coming November 30th
Last month, NCsoft announced that Lineage II would be making the transition to free-to-play (or, as the company likes to call it, Truly Free), but the studio has remained tight-lipped on when the transition will take place. Until now, that is. On November 30th, Lineage II's newest and largest content update, Goddess of Destruction, will be hitting the live servers. As soon as the update is live, players will be able to play for free, with "no zone, level, or player interaction restrictions." The update also introduces a new feature known as Path to Awakening. Path to Awakening is "an exclusive leveling guide designed specifically for Lineage II," and it will provide leveling players with "buffs, time limited gear enabling accelerated progression through the game," and interactive maps to point players to the optimal leveling locations. For the full details, head on over to the new Truly Free Lineage II site. [Source: NCsoft press release]
The Daily Grind: Are you tempted by Lineage II's 'truly free' model?
NCsoft recently announced its new "truly free" free-to-play model for Lineage II. This is interesting for two reasons. One, the title insinuates that all those other free-to-play games aren't actually free. And two, well, I just ran out of excuses for not returning to the world of Aden. The new press materials highlighted some 400 hours worth of content, and as a former player, I'd say this estimate is probably a bit on the conservative side. L2 is truly a massive title, and getting to endgame is really the halfway point since you've still got all kinds of EVE-like territorial PvP and metagaming shenanigans waiting for you after you've maxed out a character. For today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know if the recent announcement piqued your interest. Will you be checking out Lineage II when it goes free-to-play? 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!
NCsoft releases brief Lineage II F2P trailer
Lineage II is going free-to-play. This isn't news (or rather, it's old news at this point, amirite?). We wish we could tell you when the stalwart fantasy title is flipping the free-to-play switch, but unfortunately NCsoft's big announcement earlier this afternoon made no mention of a release date. The company did unveil a new trailer that clocks in at just under a minute in length, and it boasts of 400 hours' worth of gameplay and optional leveling and quality-of-life enhancements from the L2 store. There's also a new section of the Lineage II website devoted to the "truly free" marketing campaign. Other than that, though, there are still more questions than answers, and your guess is as good as ours when it comes to release dates for the long-awaited Goddess of Destruction content and the business-model switcheroo. In terms of additional info, ZAM recently interviewed NCsoft bigwigs and wrangled some pricing-related details out of them (most items are in the one dollar range, with some as high as $15 depending on whether or not they're time-limited). We'll keep you update with more L2 F2P news bits as they happen.
Lineage II celebrates Play Your Way with October Bonanza
Lineage II players, are you ready for a bonanza!? If you said no, then too bad! To celebrate the game's new Play Your Way business model, NCSoft is throwing an October Bonanza that players surely don't want to miss. It all kicked off on October 12th with new Loyalty Subscription Gifts. Any player who purchases a new subscription between now and the 31st of October will receive some fine gifts, including a Dynasty Weapon Box and five Birthday Present Packs. On top of that, from October 19th until November 2nd, players will be receiving weekly thank-you gifts from NCSoft to show the studio's gratification to them for their loyalty. These gifts are Potion Support Packs, a Supplies Support Pack, and a Dimensional Support Pack. And last up, NCSoft's Player Commendation event will be beginning on the 19th and continuing until November 9th. During this event, players will receive a 50% XP bonus and a 100% Fame boost, a buffing blessing, and the ability to gain Player Commendation points, or PC points. PC Points are points earned just for being logged into the game, which accumulate over time and can be exchanged for a variety of useful items. For the full details on the upcoming event, check out Lineage II's official site.
Lineage II adopting a hybrid business model
Lineage II is in the minority among NCsoft's US offerings in that it requires a subscription fee -- but now even that is going away. According to an announcement from the company, the game will be adopting a hybrid business model in the near future to allow players to enjoy the game for free, in a similar vein to the recent City of Heroes conversion. This comes hand-in-hand with the announcement that the game will be receiving a Russian launch in the near future. While specific details regarding the new model have yet to be announced, the press release promises that it will allow players of all varieties to enjoy the game's several years of content. Considering the game's latest expansion, Goddess of Destruction, is promised for later this year, this seems like good news for anyone looking for a new title to try out in the near future. [Source: NCsoft press release]
Lineage II update talks auction house, Goddess of Destruction zones, and more
Lineage II's latest expansion has been in the works for a looooong while, or at least it seems that way. Every time we see a new post about the game, we get our hopes up and then wonder when we'll actually get to play Goddess of Destruction instead of read about it. Alas, today's news isn't a release date, but at least the official Lineage II website has updated with some interesting tidbits about the new content. The GoD expansion is finally bringing an auction house to the seven-year-old fantasy title, and consequently players will no longer need to clutter up various town squares with their AFK store bots. There's also a bit of insight into the new awakening process that level 85 players will experience prior to their journey toward the new level cap. Finally, there are some details about two of the new zones coming with the patch, and Shilen's Altar and Ye Sagira both look to open up exciting new adventuring areas for denizens of Aden.
NCsoft releases Lineage II Goddess of Destruction trailers
Lineage II's Goddess of Destruction update has been a long time in the making, but it looks like release is drawing near if the updates to the long-running fantasy title's website are any indication. NCsoft has posted two new videos centering on the expansion, both of which function as primers for players chomping at the bit to get their hands on the game's largest ever update. The first clip is a Lineage II history lesson of sorts, and it takes viewers on a quick journey through all of the title's chronicle updates before launching into a highlight reel of the upcoming content patch. The second video has a bit of narrative feel to it, but it's also got plenty of action, and frankly it does a great job of whetting our appetite for the Goddess expansion that's scheduled to go live this fall. Check out both clips after the cut or on the official Lineage II website.
Kim Jong-il has hackers farming MMOs for in-game coin (and, we assume, Aviators)
It all makes sense now -- North Korea's infamously deluded dictator, Kim Jong-il, wants to be king of the castle in NCsoft's MMO Lineage, completely explaining his fetishes for extravagance and naked discos. Kim has hired a team of hackers to farm Asian MMOs for in-game coin, which they sell online for cash IRL, according to South Korean officials. Kim's hackers hail from North and South Korea, and work with operatives in Northern China, four of which were arrested last week in Seoul for organizing a hacking squad of 30 people, authorities said. In less than two years, the organizers made $6 million, 55 percent of which went to the hackers, and some of that to Kim's agents in Pyongyang, Seoul police said. Officials believe the hackers report to a mysterious Communist Party agency named Office 39, which earns money for Kim through drug trafficking, arms sales and other illegal activities. Kim's slush fund is worth billions, American and South Korean officials said, and he uses it, in part, to fund a nuclear weapons program. This is truly upsetting, because the only thing more depressing than a nuclear attack is a nuclear attack funded by MMOs.
Lineage II releases new dev diaries
Lineage II has long been NCsoft's forgotten MMORPG, at least outside of Korea. While City of Heroes is experiencing a resurgence of interest following its F2P announcement and Aion is poking along at the same steady pace it's been enjoying since release, Lineage II recently went live with a huge and game-altering update that barely registered in terms of the Western MMO psyche. The title nonetheless has its devoted and its die-hards, and it's also got significant dev resources still attached -- and those devs are cranking out the fixes and the content updates. While we're talking about updates, the official Lineage II website boasts a couple of new ones, starting with a nod to Player Appreciation Week as well as a Goddess of Destruction-focused blog by Sace (Lineage II's community manager). You can also check out the official Goddess page for more info on the upcoming mega-patch.
The Game Archaeologist traces his Lineage: The highlights
If we judged MMOs by their numbers alone -- and I'm not suggesting we do so -- then Lineage would be the crowing rooster strutting about the hen house. It's also been one of those games that I've always intellectually acknowledged was a huge hit for some reason, but I never gave it much attention. I think it's because, contrary to many of the "big name" games we cover here, Lineage was and always will be an Asian phenomenon. That doesn't mean it should be shunned, of course, but just that it may be difficult to understand when you're on the outside of it. So let's back up the memory truck to September 1998, when a then-fledgling NCsoft rolled out a Diablo-esque isometric MMO and struck virtual gold in South Korea. At the time, gaming rooms were becoming a huge thing in the country; a recession had hit (giving people a lot of time with nothing to do), and the government was rapidly expanding the broadband network. In the face of this perfect storm, titles like StarCraft and Lineage became overnight household fixtures -- and the country hasn't looked back. Even if you haven't played Lineage and you don't know anyone who does, trust me: There are a lot of people playing this 13-year-old title, to the tune of millions and millions. As former Senior Producer Chris Mahnken said, "Lineage keeps going because it's just plain fun." This month we'll be looking back at the incredible legacy that Lineage has given the industry, starting with an overview of the highlights of these past 13 years. Hit the jump and mind the gap!
The Perfect Ten: Sequelitis
As a long-time movie buff, I've always been fascinated by sequels. I know, they have a terrible reputation and everyone gets this face like he's digesting a porcupine when discussing them, but there's something fun about them as well. I think we always want a good story to continue, to see what happens next, and to answer the question, "What would the first film be like if it were put in the hands of a complete boob?" It would be an entertaining trainwreck, that's what. Even though the MMORPG genre is in its toddler stage, it's seen a number of sequels, prequels and spin-offs, just the same as other types of entertainment. Video game sequels for hit titles are safer financial investments than striking out into new territory, so it makes sense that MMO studios would follow this pattern as well. Right now there are loads of MMO sequels and spin-offs in the works -- including EverQuest Next, PlanetSide Next, Guild Wars 2, Mabinogi 2, MapleStory 2, Phantasy Star Online 2, Dust 514, and even a possible Ultima Online sequel -- so it's safe to say that the trend won't be dying down anytime soon. However, today I want to look at 10 sequels that already made it to release and briefly examine how they stacked up to their predecessors. Oh yes, there will be blood after the jump -- and I will drink your milkshake!
NCsoft profits decline, limited marketing blamed
MMORPG publisher NCSoft has reported a year-over-year decline in both revenue and profit during the first quarter of 2011. The company's revenues fell 7 percent from the same period a year ago to 155.4 billion Korean Won (about $143 million), despite increased sales from Lineage 2. Profits showed an even sharper decline, dropping 30 percent to 40.8 billion KRW ($37.5 million). The company chalked up the losses to "soft sales promotions" of its other two key games, the original Lineage and Aion -- or, as we like to call them, "the one with all the castles" and "the one with all the angels." That's ... about all we know about the two games. You know, ahem, because of their limited marketing budgets.
NCsoft increases profits, maintains revenues
It's a banner year over at the NCsoft household, as the company is showing a strong rise in net profits for the first quarter this year. Even though NCsoft's revenues have held relatively steady during Q1 2011, profits are up by 30% for a total of $37.5 million due to recent promotions in Lineage and Aion. The vast majority of NCsoft's money comes from Korea, with Chinese and Western markets trailing behind. According to Gamesindustry.biz, Aion is making the most bank for the company (accounting for 44% of revenues), followed by Lineage (28%) and Lineage 2 (22%). NCsoft's Sara Rogers sees nothing but good news in these numbers: "NCsoft consistently delivers strong figures in a way that most other games publishers can only dream of. These results prove that we have the MMO brands that people want to play and that we're able to grow and maintain customer loyalty, which is crucial in successful MMO publishing. This year, Gamescom will be very significant for us. We'll have a major presence and maybe even steal a headline or two."
Goddess of Destruction expansion brings big changes to Lineage II [Updated]
'Tis the month for MMO anniversaries it seems, and Lineage II is joining the likes of City of Heroes, Free Realms, Guild Wars, and Lord of the Rings Online in front of the birthday cake. NCsoft's long-running fantasy opus is also throwing a bigger bash than any of its contemporaries. Today marks the release of the new Goddess of Destruction expansion, and it's a doozy, bringing new classes, skills, and hunting grounds to the world of Aden. The devs have added 30 new hunting grounds, 60 new raid bosses, and more than 400 new equipment items, making this the largest content update in the game's seven-year history. The level cap has been increased from 85 to 99, and characters above 85 can awaken eight new classes to take on the titular goddess Shilen and her minions. Finally, the expansion boasts new starting areas, a relaxed leveling curve, and instanced clan housing, all wrapped inside a free update for Lineage II subscribers. [Update: The expansion is not released yet, as this official word from NCsoft states: "Goddess of Destruction is a free update to existing players releasing later this year, and will be available as an all-new retail box as well as a digital SKU for players looking to join the game with additional value and incentives."]
Aion adds Lineage II armor microtransaction items
Long-time fans of NCsoft MMOs are no doubt aware of the visual similarities between Aion and Lineage II. Sure, Aion is quite a bit newer and shinier, but it's easy to see influences from the earlier title if you know where to look. Take the level 30 Elyos Daeva armor for example. The set looks suspiciously like an updated version of L2's Blue Wolf armor, right down to the skin-tight leggings and the white boots. Today, NCsoft has announced a cash shop promotion designed to capitalize on the seven-year anniversary of L2 and intermingle the two titles even further. Players are now able to purchase skins inspired by Lineage II's dynasty armor for use on their Aion avatars. The dynasty skins also mark the first set of armor appearance items that aren't restricted by a player's armor proficiency (i.e., if you want to put the dynasty plate set on your cloth-wearing Sorceror, you can). The skins are available via NCsoft's microtransaction store and will only be available for a limited time according to the official website.
The goddess is set to wreak havoc in Lineage II
With darkening eyes and a thirst for revenge that may well mean the utter decimation of the kingdom of Aden, Shilen comes. Not content to rest on its laurels, the team at NCsoft is hard at work localizing the next major update for Lineage II: the Goddess of Destruction expansion. Just one look into her steely, cold stare and you just know all hell is going to break loose. After all, hell hath no fury like a Goddess scorned. According to NCsoft, we'll be hearing the first concrete information on the U.S. version of this update on April 28th. Until then, you can check out all the spooky CGI trailer action behind the break and bookmark the Goddess of Destruction page on the Lineage II website for when that fateful date in late April arrives.
Exclusive: Massively's Lineage II High Five interview
Today's the big day for Lineage II fans, as NCsoft is dropping the much-anticipated High Five content update on the game's live servers. The patch features a ton of tweaks, additions, and improvements for the world of Aden, and it offers quite a makeover in terms of character skills for the seven-year-old fantasy title. High Five brings a new hunting system to the table as well as several Grand Olympiad enhancements (including new stadiums, visuals, daily quests, and rewards), difficulty tweaks on epic bosses, and matching system improvements designed to encourage more players to participate in raids and epic battles. To mark the occasion, we nabbed an interview with Lineage II lead developer Steve Chae, so head past the cut to learn more about what's in store for you courtesy of the new update.
NCsoft's Lineage enjoys record year, Aion growth boosts total revenue
It's been an up and down year for NCsoft, literally. GamesIndustry.biz writes that the Korean MMO titan has reported increases in both its sales and operating profits but a drop in net income in the recently concluded fiscal 2010 period. Surprisingly, the company's total revenue was up two percent due to unprecedented sales of the 12-year-old Lineage MMORPG. Much to the chagrin of fail-trolls across the internet, NCsoft has also publicized the fact that Aion continues to be a financial success after "recording consecutive growth for the last three years." Taken together, NCsoft's big three (Lineage, Lineage 2, and Aion) have now accounted for $2.7 billion in lifetime sales. NCsoft's largest success came courtesy of the booming Korean market (which represented a $370 million cut of its $576 million total revenue). Next up was the Japanese market at $70 million, followed by North America at $43.4 million and Europe at $30.1 million.
