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SOE answers Vanguard free-to-play questions
With the recent announcement from Sony Online Entertainment that Vanguard: Saga of Heroes will be going free-to-play sometime this summer, questions immediately began to surface. How will it effect current players? Will it be anything like the other free-to-play titles that SOE runs? Well, we were as curious as anyone else, so we fired off a few questions to SOE in the hopes of snagging some more insight into the transformation. We received our answers from Andy Sites, Director of Development, and the ever-familiar Salim Grant, Creative Director. It's an exciting time to be a Vanguard player, but will putting a free title on a game that has struggled in the past make any difference? Time will tell. In the meanwhile, click past the cut to check out what SOE had to say!
A Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review
It's that time again -- time to look back on a year of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and see what changed and what stayed exactly the same. The game is now five years old, and the last year has been relatively exciting for the community. Vanguard is just one of those titles that seems to want to last forever. The playerbase is loyal, mature, and truly dedicated to this aging title. Will the players' efforts pay off? We took a look back on the last year to see what the larger announcements were. There were some surprises and even updates (yes, actual updates to the game), something that is still affecting the community. While other games might publish monthly or even weekly updates, the Vanguard players are the camels of the greater MMO community and have learned to live off very little development fuel. Bear in mind that as I type this, an update is being played through on the test server.
Vanguard's fourth anniversary raises new questions
Vanguard is somewhat of a unique beast among other "AAA" MMOs; it's a forgotten child that still offers great adventure, open-world excitement, and hardcore raiding. While we all have heard of the botched launch and practically dead-in-the-water development cycle of the game, the fact of the matter is that players are still playing it. You can't force a player to enjoy himself, so why are the members of the Vanguard community still playing? Is it possible that they are having a good time? Or do social ties mean more than great adventure? Could it be that players simply have not found a game that they enjoy more than Vanguard, warts and all? We asked the players on the official forums and received a total of four responses. The thread was immediately pushed down by standard complaint posts. Could it be that the community has been the worst thing for the game, a game that needs, more than anything, positive word-of-mouth? Click past the cut and we'll look into it.
EA partners with Live Gamer for global microtransaction business
One of the burgeoning microtransaction industry's biggest players, Live Gamer, announced today its partnership with its largest client to date: Electronic Arts. The monolithic publisher will adopt the company's "Elements" microtransaction platform -- currently in use by over 90 different publishers -- into its current business model to create a global storefront for in-game virtual goods. You may not realize the implications of this deal, so we'll break it down in the simplest way we know how: World Peace. After all, you know what they say: The planet that buys virtual armor for their virtual horses together, stays together.
Virtual sales boom, will top $3 billion in five years
Gamasutra reports on a new study from research firm DFC Intelligence that concludes that sales of virtual goods are on the rise. The study surveyed 5,000 gamers from Europe and North America for a two-month period in early 2010, and also sampled seven years of Live Gamer historical data. Live Gamer, a virtual world monetization company with clients that include Sony Online Entertainment and Funcom, partnered with DFC for the study. DFC reports that 88 percent of their survey base purchased virtual content, a label that includes everything from MMO microtransactions, to music, to movies and games. Sixty percent of this group said their digital purchases were in-game items. DFC says the growing trend of virtual item sales paints a bright future for MMORPGs as well as social networking platforms, predicting that total item sales for "MMOG Lite" titles will exceed $3 billion by 2015. Head on over to Gamasutra for the full article.
DFC: 88 percent of gamers have bought virtual goods
According to a recent study, 88 percent of gamers have purchased digital content over the last several years. The study was conducted by market research firm DFC Intelligence using a survey of 5000 gamers from the US and Europe during the first two months of 2010. The study also looked at data from several different countries -- including South Korea, the U.S., Japan, Germany, Vietnam and the Philippines -- gathered over the last seven years. The worldwide data was provided by Live Gamer, a company that helps developers and publishers monetize their products. It's worth noting that the content described by the survey includes music and movies as well as in-game content. Still, 60 percent of those surveyed have purchased in-game items, most of which were offered as part of free-to-play games. DFC analyst David Cole notes that the free-to-play model gives games distinct advantages over traditional single releases, saying that "a single product can have a lifespan of years online as opposed to a few months on the retail shelf." According to DFC, free-to-play games like Farmville and Combat Arms, which the firm refers to as "MMOG Lite," are expected to grow substantially over the next few years. DFC sees what it calls "MMOG Lite" products growing substantially in the next few years. Specifically, DFC predicts that the MMOG Lite market in Europe and North America will grow from $800 million in 2009 to over $3 billion by 2015. But don't feel left out, core gamers, these finding apply to all kinds of games. Live Gamer's Andrew Schneider points out that core gamers are "increasingly engaging in the purchase of virtual goods" and adds that the study illustrates "the market potential as traditional Western game publishers migrate towards microtransactions as the central monetization method." Frankly, the study's findings seem just a little far-fetched. Now, if you'll excuse us, the crops need tending. [Via Gamasutra]
Free Realms Introduces player-to-player real money transactions
Sony Online Entertainment is taking an interesting step to help cut down on fraud and gold farming: beating them at their own game. As of today, if you are a Free Realms player over the age of 18 you have the option to use Live Gamer Exchange (LGX), a RMT service set up to allow players to trade virtual goods in Free Realms for real world cash. "LGX for Free Realms allows SOE to make tremendous progress in reducing fraud by providing a secure platform for legitimate player-to-player transactions." Live Gamer is an established provider of real money transaction platforms, and all LGX transactions in Free Realms will be authenticated through Live Gamer and done without extra fees. It's an unusual approach to the gold-seller problem, but may meld well with the new Free Realms pricing structures in the end as players find they can earn a few dollars in game to offset the cost of advancing in the game.
Live Gamer's Andy Schneider on legitimizing RMT in games and virtual worlds
Most mentions of real money trading (RMT) in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds conjure up images of virtual sweatshops and the resulting blitz of gold spam. Despite how loudly many protest against the idea of RMT in games, the fact remains that there is a market for this and people spend a lot of real world money on virtual goods every year. Live Gamer is a company that aims to legitimize real money trading, creating a way for players to spend their cash without the risks inherent in dealing with shady gold and item sellers. It also ensures that money spent on virtual goods is going back into the pockets of the game companies. While services such as Live Gamer don't end the debate on whether or not RMT should be permitted in the first place, it's clearly here to stay, and some game publishers are getting proactive about real money trading.
GDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer
Massively sat in on a GDC 2009 session this week titled Applied RMT Design which was part of the Worlds in Motion Summit. Andrew Schneider, Founder and President of Live Gamer and Erik Bethke, CEO of GoPets, Ltd. presented a case study on balancing a game's primary and secondary markets, using GoPets as an example of how it can be done. The market for virtual goods in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds is worth billions. Not all of this is grey market, and more games are now being designed with microtransactions in mind. Live Gamer aims to bring greater legitimacy to microtransactions through a regulated secondary market providing benefits to companies as well as the players themselves. Thus far they've worked with EverQuest II, Vanguard, and GoPets, with Acclaim's 9 Dragons on the way. Bethke and Schneider kick off their talk by explaining the fact that RMT in MMOs is inevitable, explaining how developers can be proactive about incorporating RMT into their titles rather than having it exist outside of the game. Live Gamer works with developers to create a legitimate system for trading virtual items for real money, one that's safe and secure. Of course, legitimizing RMT can also stir up controversy. %Gallery-48454%
The Daily Grind: Can we solve problems intertwined with MMO economies?
In-game economies can make MMOs more vibrant places to play, lending depth to these games that generally isn't found in regular PC or console titles. Then again, the perceived value attributed to virtual currency and items can lead to a slew of problems, not limited to acts of real world violence, the plague of gold spamming, and the slippery slope of ownership in the virtual space. At least one company out there is working with MMO publishers to create a regulated secondary market, the hope being that it's possible to reclaim the black and grey market commerce so often attached to massively multiplayer titles. Do you think this approach is a viable solution to some of the problems associated with MMO economies? What are your ideas on how these issues intertwined with virtual currency and items should be resolved? Is there even a solution at all?
Live Gamer interviewed about regulated RMT
We've mentioned a company called Live Gamer in the past here at Massively. Essentially, Live Gamer is attempting to legitimize real money trading (RMT) in virtual spaces, by partnering with game publishers to create a regulated secondary market for item sales and trades. The goal is to integrate RMT with MMOs and virtual worlds and usurp the myriad gold spammers and scammers currently plaguing most virtual spaces that feature economies. Suzie Ford at WarCry recently interviewed Live Gamer Founder and President Andrew Schneider about how the company plans to change a $2 billion industry presently dominated by the black and grey market. The interview touches on the company's background, how the Live Gamer service works, and overall how they handle some of the polarizing issues of RMT in MMOs. Check out the full interview with Andrew Schneider over at WarCry for a brief overview of what Live Gamer is about. Does the prospect of having a legitimate, regulated secondary market for avatars, virtual items, and currency in your MMOs seem like a step in the right direction?
RMT company Live Gamer to work with virtual economist
Live Gamer, the legit Real Money Trading (RMT) company that handles all legal transactions for EverQuest II and other games, has brought on "noted virtual econonomist" Vili Lehdonvirta. Lehdonvirta is a former game designer who now researches virtual consumerism at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University of Technology TKK.The prominence of economists and other financial experts in the MMO and virtual world industries has been steadily growing in recent years. For example, CCP's EVE Online hired a full-time economist to work on its staff and to put together quarterly economic reports, among other things.Live Gamer's ambition is to transform an RMT black market that's causing the industry to bleed away potential profits and that's sending waves of instability and frustration through various MMO communities into a legitimate business that can be monitored and controlled by developers with their communities' and business' best interests in mind.[Via MMORPG]
Virtual items trader receives Red Herring award
Red Herring has named Live Gamer, a virtual items trading company, as one of the top 100 privately held companies in North America in 2008. The annual Red Herring 100 North America Awards are given to companies identified as the most promising tech startups. Love it or hate it, RMT is not going away. The virtual trading economy, which includes avatars, items and in-game currencies, is estimated to be a market worth more than USD 1.8 billion. Much of this trading takes place on the black market, exposing buyers and sellers alike to potential fraud. Live Gamer aims to remove the sketchiness from virtual item trades, enabling secure player-to-player trading while taking business away from some of the banes of the MMO world: virtual item thieves.
Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley clarifies Free Realms/Agency RMT
Earlier today Sony Online Entertainment and Live Gamer released a joint statement announcing their intentions to collaborate on player-to-player RMT auction services for future titles. Both Free Realms and The Agency, in development at the moment, will offer this moderated transactional element at launch. In past SOE titles, such as EverQuest II, RMT services have been non-existant or highly limited. With these new games, all players will have the opportunity to engage in in-game item trading for real money.To clarify what the company has in store we contacted Mr. John Smedley, CEO of SOE. In our brief conversation about the announcement we touched on how this might affect the games' interactions with the PlayStation 3. We also talked about SOE's hopes for a farmer free playing environment, and what this might mean for the future of the company's relationship with Live Gamer. Mr. Smedley went even further, giving us a few sneak preview comments hinting at topics he'll be discussing in his keynote address today at ION 2008. Will a Pokemon-esque card battle system will be coming to Free Realms? Read on to find out.
SOE's The Agency and Free Realms will offer RMT services
Gamasutra carries word that Sony Online Entertainment has announced their intentions to offer RMT services for both Free Realms and The Agency when they're released. These services will be offered through the third party company Live Gamer, likely in a similar arrangement to the company's current model on the EverQuest 2 title. This news comes just a day after the announcement that Live Gamer will be working with Petrogryph Games on their upcoming free to play MMO. Both The Agency and Free Realms have been recognized as possible RMT/Free to play titles since they were announced by SOE last year. The Agency will feature a card-based system which puts human assets at the players fingertips. Called Operatives, this living loot will most likely be tradeable via Live Gamer's managed RMT service. Similarly, Free Realms will offer purchasing options to players in the form of outfits, pets, and special items. Tradeable items might include collection compontents. Tentative plans also call for Free Realms to offer 'event tickets' to free players that would allow them to participate in subscriber-only services. The full release is after the break. Stay with us for future coverage of this announcement, as we've contacted both SOE and Live Gamer for comment.
Live Gamer now live on Vox and Bazaar servers
The previously-postponed Live Gamer Exchange service has now launched, and EverQuest II players that are into the whole RMT thing can start spending. To get started, you'll need to register at the EQII Live Gamer page, and you can then take part in trading real cash for characters, items or in-game currency for the Vox and Bazaar servers. It looks like the bidding has already begun, so hurry along to the Live Gamer Exchange if you want to snap up the first deals.
EQ2's Live Gamer opening postponed
SOE has informed EverQuest II players via the game's official community website that the opening of the Live Gamer service has been delayed. The originally stated launch date was March 31st. No new date has yet been provided. The Station Exchange -- the service Live Gamer is to replace -- ceased operation Thursday. In this new announcement, SOE noted that it will update a status thread on the official forums with new information at some point.If you're not in the loop about Live Gamer: it's a company that works with game publishers and developers to provide legitimized RMT (Real Money Trading) services to users of MMOs. SOE has had all sorts of problems in the past with credit card fraud and gold farmers, and it hopes the folks running Live Gamer will have much better luck. Is this delay just technical in nature, or have new concerns arisen? It's a bit late for second thoughts, so this is probably just a technical bump in the road, but we'll be keeping our eyes and ears open for updates.Oh, and if this is all new to you: before you raise your eyebrows too high note that, as with Station Exchange, Live Gamer service will be limited to the specified RMT-friendly servers.
SOE begins migration of Station Exchange to Live Gamer
The EverQuest 2 Players page has a post up on the start of the Station Exchange's migration over to the Live Gamer service. Sony Online Entertainment and Live Gamer made the announcement of their alliance last month, with the third-party company soon to be in control of SOE's unique publisher-supported RMT service. The 27th, specifically, is the last day that Sony Online will be running the service.Starting on the 31st, Exchange (operating only on the Bazaar and Vox servers) will be completely transferred to Live Gamer. Already users are no longer allowed to start auctions with a 12-day timespan. Service users will have to register with the Live Gamer Exchange prior to using the service. Users who register before the 27th will actually be given a unique in-game EQ2 house item: a Pot of Gold. Somehow strangely appropriate, eh?
Live Gamer to develop in-game RMT client for EverQuest 2
We've previously discussed the Live Gamer service, a venture-capitalist funded enterprise looking to legitimize RMT in the US marketplace. Their collaboration with Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) has been a topic of discussion since it was announced late last year, but not much was known about what precisely the two companies were working on. In an announcement this morning, they have revealed that Live Gamer (LG) will be effectively taking over SOE's Station Exchange (SE) service. LG will be absorbing the Station Exchange technologies, and retooling them into a service they're calling Live Gamer Exchange. By the end of March Live Gamer will be running SOE's RMT service as an independent third-party enterprise. LG eventually hopes to offer, among other tools, an in-game EverQuest 2 client to access the service. We had the opportunity to speak to SOE president John Smedley and Live Gamer President Andrew Schneider about this step towards legitimate 3rd party Real Money Transactions. Besides stressing that the Live Gamer Exchange will still just be limited to the two already existing SE servers, the two men had some interesting things to say about the future of RMT in the US. They went on at length about the pitfalls and frustrations of existing third-party goldsellers, along with a few plans for the future. Read on for a look at what a legitimate gold-selling industry might look like.
SOE President crushes EQ2 / Live Gamer speculation
This past weekend, Sony Online Entertainment's Grand Poobah, alias John Smedley, was out and about dousing the fires and dismissed SOE's alleged takeover by Zapak. (SOE had for a measly 300 million? What a crock.) During his flurry, Smedley also dispelled the crazy speculation talk regarding SOE's new partnership with Live Gamer over on the lovable EQ2 Flames. After the initial announcement regarding the two joining forces; the hysteria pot stirred yet again. The biggest concern was that the grey-market service would intrude on EQ2's non-Station Exchange servers."We aren't going to be allowing RMT in any way, shape or form on the non-exchange enabled EQ II servers. Period. End of statement. If we catch people, we ban them and have been for a long time now. The truth of the matter is it's very difficult to combat them, but we have people at SOE who fight the good fight each and every day. In the near future you're going to see us becoming a lot more public about this then we ever have been. I think we've done a bad job at communicating just how seriously we take this fight.We're interested in working with LiveGamer because they are unique in the RMT world due to the fact that they are pledging (and are putting technology behind it) to not buy from farmers. Farmers are the bane of our existence at SOE. They cause us endless amounts of grief and do real financial damage in a meaningful way."
