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The Art of Wushu: Thoughts on the winter expansion
We looked at a lot of the details of Age of Wushu's Ultimate Scrolls expansion last time, but we should also reflect a bit on the implications of the new changes. The Mt. Hua expansion was mostly positive, and I was very excited to see the new mentoring program and token systems. I'm not as hyped for Ultimate Scrolls. Whereas Mt. Hua added accessibility, a new battleground, and more fun things to do for everyone, Ultimate Scrolls is primarily an expansion for top players. There is very little to do in this expansion if you don't have leveled meridians and a maxed second or third internal skill. Even though I'm in the one percent, I don't think it's very fair to the majority of players who are not.
Browser-based Blood and Jade opens beta doors
Although browser-based Blood and Jade just barely kicked off alpha testing two weeks ago, the free-to-play game is already powering ahead into open beta testing. Starting today, players can get access to the Xianyang server and discover the drama of the Warring States for themselves by signing up on the official site. In Blood and Jade, players determine the fate of ancient China by becoming a master of martial arts, armed with ancient relics and accompanied by legendary Goddesses, and battling the forces of evil. Additionally, guilds can fight for territory and even ascend to the Imperial throne if they prove strong enough. [Source: R2Games press release]
The Art of Wushu: Lifting the veil on the winter expansion
Some of you may have heard about new content coming to Age of Wushu in the winter in the form of the Ultimate Scrolls expansion. Although it contains some new content including the much-anticipated marriage system, Snail Games has released scant few details about new features. We went behind the scenes and asked the studio what we can expect in the winter expansion and what we can look forward to in the future. The developers were pretty open about what was coming soon, which -- like Mt. Hua -- is chock-full of new features.
Final Chinese Blade and Soul beta begins October 29th
Blade and Soul is moving ever closer to release, at least in China. Tencent has confirmed that the final closed beta test for the game will go live on October 29th. The beta will roll out in two steps that should be familiar to weary MMO beta warriors. First, early access codes will be required to enter the beta. After an unspecified period of time, everyone else can join up. Accounts created during this last closed beta test will not be deleted; progress will remain when open beta launches a few weeks/months later. According to Tencent, all characters will be kept unless there is a "major" change to the game. If you're not in China but are hoping to join the closed beta test, you can earn a chance to win a code by visiting the official Chinese site and voting for your favorite character.
Leaderboard: Which upcoming Korean MMO excites you the most?
There are a lot of interesting Korean MMOs on the horizon. Well, they're interesting to me, at any rate. The problem is, none of them are playable in the West as of yet, even though one of them has a Western publisher and the others publish English-language news semi-regularly. Assuming you are also something of a Korean MMO aficionado, I've put together a poll featuring some of the blockbusters we'll (hopefully) be playing in the near future. Feel free to vote for the one you're most looking forward to, and explain why in the comments. Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Blade & Soul's Tower of Mushin dungeon gets new floors, bosses
Steparu's got the goods on Blade & Soul's latest solo endgame content. A new article on the website says that the Korean fantasy MMO's Tower of Munshin dungeon is getting "an upgrade with new floors." NCsoft has designed the dungeon "to be an endless tower with new solo content every now and then," Steparu writes. The new sections are accessible after clearing the seventh floor, and you can also get a sneak peek at some of the content via the video after the cut!
A look at the current endgame for Blade & Soul
If you're looking forward to playing Blade & Soul when it finally comes to this side of the pond, you probably want to know what to expect from the endgame mechanics. Fortunately for you, the game has just released its newest endgame dungeon, and a preview is available of the final boss fight within that dungeon as well as the process for gaining and powering up loot from bosses. Which is... ornate, for lack of a better term. The short version is that everyone present for the kill gets a loot box containing a weapon. You can either pay money to ensure that the weapon is right for your class, or you can buy an ordinary key and take your chances. Once you've gotten the right weapon (with the right stats) after however many trips, you can start leveling it up... but in order to really advance it, you'll need to get two more weapons and level those up. Take a look at the full preview for details on boss mechanics and the weapon upgrade process. [Thanks to Steparu for the tip!]
Blade & Soul 2.0 trailer sighted in the wild
I've got good news and bad news. Which do you want first? OK, sweet. I like saving the good news for last, too. So, the bad news is that while Blade & Soul is soldiering on in its native Korea, thus far NCsoft has said a whole lot of nothing about a potential western version. Yep, that sucks. Now for the good news. The Korean game is transitioning to version 2.0, which brings with it new weapon upgrade capabilities, new skills, a level 50 cap, new PvP areas, etc. We might have mentioned this earlier. This weekend, though, we can see some of the stuff that's on tap, thanks to Steparu and a hi-def version of the 2.0 trailer. It's packed full of gameplay and pretty vistas, and you can watch it after the cut.
Blade & Soul Korea getting major update next week
Blade & Soul's biggest update yet is coming on June 26th according to Steparu.com. The site reports that new skill revisions, an upgrading system, new dungeons, an increased level cap, new story chapters, new instanced dungeons, and new PvP areas are on the way. Whew! Yes, that's a lot of new, and Steparu has also posted a handful of gorgeous new Blade & Soul posters for your viewing enjoyment. Have a look via the link below.
Blade & Soul's 2.0 patch boasts weapon and skill upgrades
NCsoft Korea just updated Blade & Soul's weapon and skill mechanics. According to Steparu.com, it's a game-changing patch because it introduces weapon upgrades and version 2.0 of the skill system. The latter includes special sub-menus and enhancement options for each skill, and Steparu speculates that the patch could be NCsoft's response to players who are looking for something to keep them busy at endgame. The 2.0 patch also features crafting tweaks, a simplified repair system, and new belt and bracelet slots. You can see plenty of 2.0 screenshots at the source link below, as well as a gameplay video after the break.
Conquer Online 10th anniversary trailer takes the cake
Hitting the big 1-0 is certainly a cause for celebration. So how does Conquer Online top its free trip to China offered last year? With a trailer that offers a unique look at the last 10 years and turns attention towards the future. That, and a number of festivities lasting through mid-June that span events, bonuses, and gifts galore. Oh, did we mention another trip to China? This time the trip goes to the supreme champion of the first World Fighting League, a contest open to all new and veteran players spanning all 10 versions of CO. Launched in 2003, the oriental fantasy game boasting plenty of kung-fu elements has continually added new content over the years, including pirates and more PvP-based activities. This year will see even more expansions, from a new character (the mysterious Kung Fu Master) to a new massive cross-server PvP battle, the Kingdom War. To accommodate new players, Conquer Online has opened two new servers and is giving away special Starter's Packs to aid the newcomers. Veterans have not been forgotten; they'll receive a gift when logging into their original servers. Want a glimpse at what the future holds for Conquer Online? You'll have to get through the first half of the video to see the preview. Check it out after the cut. [Source: TQ Digital press release]
NCsoft sales down from last quarter, up from last year
A recent earnings report suggests that NCsoft's sales have slipped from Q4 2012 to Q1 2013, although the studio is quick to point out that the showing was "solid" particularly when compared to sales from a year ago. While sales were down 35% and net income was down 49% from the last quarter, sales were up 31% and net income was up 322% year-over-year. Guild Wars 2 accounted for 21% of sales in the first quarter, in addition to Blade and Soul's 9%, Aion's 16%, and the usual Lineage cavalcade (Lineage 1 represented 38% of sales alone with its subscriptions). While 64% of NCsoft's sales were in Korea, only 13% were in North America and 8% in Europe. The decrease in NA and EU contributions was due to "the reduction in Guild Wars 2 package sales," according to the report. All of NCsoft's subsidiaries posted drops in sales from last quarter except for NC Taiwan. [Update: Also of note in the earnings call is the news that NCsoft's Nah Seong Chan says the company is "preparing an expansion pack" but has yet to decide when it might launch. Very interesting news indeed as ArenaNet said as recently as March that it was not working on an expansion. Thanks to Mike and Robert for the tips!]
New Blade & Soul video tours White Blue Mountain Range
It's no secret that many folks like to see what they are getting into... or in the case of MMOs not yet available in all markets, what they'd like to get into. So those looking forward to playing NCsoft's martial arts fantasy Blade & Soul should appreciate this newly released visual tour of the White Blue Mountain Range area. Although lacking any English subtitles, the video contains over six minutes of footage from various locales. From verdant vistas to wintery caverns, quaint villages to majestic cities, get a taste of the ambiance and architecture of the White Blue Mountain Range region in the trailer after the break.
Leaderboard: Bless vs. Black Desert vs. Blade & Soul vs. ArcheAge
There are plenty of interesting MMOs coming out of Korea these days, and whether we're talking sandboxes like Black Desert, themeparks like Bless, or hybrids like ArcheAge, I'm pretty excited to try all of them. Let's not forget Blade & Soul, either, and even Aion has a new expansion on the way that's introducing a couple of game-changing classes. For today's Leaderboard, let's pit these games against one another and see which one will claim the title of Massively's most anticipated Korean import. Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Epic 30-minute Blade & Soul video shows off cinematics, gameplay
NCsoft has been fairly quiet on the Blade & Soul front lately, but that doesn't mean fan anticipation has died down for the martial arts fantasy MMO. If you're among those anxiously awaiting the game, you'll definitely want to have a look at YouTube user YoraiDragon's epic 30-minute video that shows off some of the title's opening cinematics as well as early-level gameplay. The clip's audio and the game UI are of course in Korean, but there are occasional English subtitles that help clarify important concepts. Click past the cut to see the clip. [Thanks Yorai Dragon!]
NCsoft earnings report shows healthy growth
NCsoft just released its fourth quarter 2012 earnings report, and things are looking pretty good across the board for the multi-MMO company. NCsoft's earnings are up both quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year due to the releases of Blade & Soul and Guild Wars 2, not to mention "record-breaking annual revenues" from Lineage. Guild Wars 2 accounted for 45% of the company's sales in Q4, followed by Lineage (24%) and Blade & Soul (10%). ArenaNet's newest game increased the North American market from 16% in Q3 to 25% in Q4. It's not completely sunshine and roses, however. Lineage II and Aion both experienced declines during the period. NCsoft's net income was in the red for the quarter and its stock has slid since September, losing half of its value in the process. [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]
New vids detail Blade & Soul's Spiral Labyrinth dungeon
Blade & Soul's newest endgame dungeon release is called The Spiral Labyrinth, and Steparu has posted an extensive look at the content complete with multiple videos. The dungeon features three floors, each of which ends in a boss fight, and there's a bit of randomization in the mix, too. Each time your party enters a particular room, you'll need to fight a miniboss. Defeating him triggers a random door which leads deeper into the dungeon level and eventually to the floor boss. With a new dungeon comes new drops and new equipment. Steparu says that farming The Spiral Labyrinth will likely be necessary to compete in the game's upcoming PvP content. Have a look at the dungeon's first minotaur boss after the break, then head to the source link for several more gameplay videos and analysis.
Yep, the new Blade & Soul instance really is called Dark Bloody Shark Harbor
NCsoft just released a significant Blade & Soul update that features a new 24-man raid. The instance is called Dark Bloody Shark Harbor, and Steparu has uploaded several new videos designed to show off both the gameplay and the loot rewards it provides. In addition to the various clips, there's a good bit of textual commentary covering both the gameplay and speculation about the difficulty curve. "I believe that PlayNC Korea is targeting the casual players of the game so that they can gear up very fast for the upcoming content this month," Steparu writes.
Blade & Soul gets legendary with its December update
Blade & Soul continues to grow in leaps and bounds overseas as the Korean title prepares to push out its Legendary Update next month. This update will buff the game with several new outfits, a 1v1 PvP arena, the 8th floor of the Tower of Mushin, and a new tier of gear (hence the "legendary"). The meat of the update will come in the form of a trio of new dungeons. The Dark Bloody Shark Harbor (best name ever) is a tougher iteration on the standard Bloody Shark Harbor. This instance turns into a different one at night called the Ice Storage Warehouse, where noises from a nearby building beg for investigation. Finally, the Spiral Labyrinth is a multi-floor randomized dungeon with plenty of secrets and a six-player requirement.
NCsoft 3Q report shows GW2 at top of global sales
NCsoft, the publisher responsible for two Guild Wars games, Blade & Soul, and Aion, has seen significant growth over the past fiscal quarter thanks to the successful launch of Guild Wars 2. The company's 3Q 2012 earnings report released earlier today shows a hefty increase in sales, profit, and income compared not only to the previous quarter but to the entire year. The report also offers a breakdown of sales by region as well as sales by games. While overall sales in Korea far outnumber sales in the North America or Europe, the availability of GW2 globally could be what put that game at the top of the sales list ahead of Blade & Soul, which is available only in Korea. You can see a detailed breakdown on the graphs after the break. To get a look at all the numbers, you download the PDF file.
