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Two new videos preview Blade & Soul's Tower of Mushin dungeon
On Monday, Steparu.com treated us to two videos highlighting Blade & Soul's new Tower of Mushin, which is part of the Second Wave update that just went live today. Now, the site is offering more videos previewing what players can expect when they open the doors of this new solo dungeon. The first video shows off the lobby, which includes a PvP arena in the center as well as practice dummies for players to build their chi or rage. The area also contains various NPCs found in regular towns, giving players access to the auction house, their banks, and such. The second video highlights various boss fights. The fights get progressively more difficult as the player ascends through the seven floors of the tower. The tower also appears to be able to support indefinite additional levels as the level cap increases. Get a glimpse of the Tower after the break.
Going inside Blade & Soul's new solo dungeon
While Western audiences are still sitting on their thumbs waiting for Blade & Soul to cross the Pacific, Eastern gamers are getting ready for a major update to the game titled Second Wave. Second Wave's core addition is the Tower of Mushin solo dungeon, which awards successful adventurers with gear-purchasing tokens. Steparu.com posted a pair of videos showing off a Tower of Mushin run. Not only does it give a good overview of the dungeon, but it also demonstrates the combat system for those who've yet to play the title. Give them a watch after the break and let us know if you think that solo dungeons in Blade & Soul are a good idea!
Blade & Soul introduces the Lyn Blade Master
The wait is still on for Blade & Soul to make it across the Pacific, but at least we can drink in news and updates from those already enjoying the title. Steparu.com has a big preview of the Lyn Blade Master class as well as the game's October update. As one might infer from the title, Lyn Blade Masters are quite skilled in slicing and dicing. Players using the class can employ stuns, flying swords, and AoE attacks. The Lyn Blade Master has use as a tank too, with strong grabbing skills to keep the enemy rooted and focused on him or her. October's update to Blade & Soul has a slew of changes and tweaks. NCsoft is revamping the Summoner class, creating a new endgame dungeon from an old one, adding a solo dungeon called the Tower of Mushin, implementing a cross-server party matching system, throwing in a tournament system, and more. Check out the Lyn Blade Master reveal video after the jump and let us know if you'll be playing one!
The Daily Grind: Do you pre-judge Korean MMOs?
Blade & Soul is currently one of the most popular games in Korea, and a subset of Western gamers have been looking forward to it for several years. Given the lukewarm reception for TERA and Aion, though, it's not hard to imagine B&S facing an uphill battle in terms of public perception. I'm not sure why that is, exactly, but there's a definite anti-Korean bias among western MMO players regardless of the actual quality of an imported game. TERA has a terrific combat system and cutting-edge visuals, for example, while Aion is as feature-rich as any MMO that has been released since 2004 (it's also dialed its level grind down to World of Warcraft-style easy mode). So, how about it morning folks? Do you pre-judge Korean MMOs? And if so, how come? 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!
Lengthy Blade & Soul review finds a lot to love
So Blade & Soul is headed west, and you're kind of interested but also kind of wary because, well, Aion and TERA. Fortunately for you, Steparu.com has a pretty lengthy review of Blade & Soul's Korean client. The piece delves into everything from the game's unique movement and travel systems to its combat, clothing, and skill mechanics. There are quite a few embedded gameplay videos as well. So what's the author's verdict? "I played this game hardcore for two months straight with ten-hour long gaming sessions each day," he writes.
Blade & Soul opens Western website, debuts trailer
If you've been long awaiting NCsoft's Blade & Soul, then today might be the shot in the arm that your anticipation needs. The publisher unloaded a brand-new website for its Western fans as well as a North American trailer. The website offers many goodies right out of the gate, including an overview of Blade & Soul's world, races, and classes; screenshots, concept art, and videos; a newsletter signup; and frequently asked questions and answers. As for the trailer, it's a high-octane mix of splendid videos and flashy combat, as you might have expected. Massively recently met with NCsoft to talk about the title's voyage to the Western market, and the following trailer is certainly part of that transition.
Blade & Soul is headed west
Gamescom 2012 was not a show of many big surprises. Fans and press alike were mostly given in-depth looks at things to come for existing franchises and games that were announced at E3 or even before that. But that doesn't mean that there were no exciting little bits of information to be scrounged up here and there. In Cologne, we sat down for a chat with NCsoft's Stephen Levy as he spilled the beans on Korean martial arts MMO Blade & Soul, but we haven't been allowed to talk about it until today. The best part? Blade & Soul is headed west.
NCsoft weathers $6M loss in Q2
NCsoft may have more banking on Guild Wars 2 than once thought. The mega-publisher announced that its second quarter earnings were lower than expected; it posted a $6 million loss for the period. Revenues were down 12% from last year to $130 million, of which a vast majority came from NCsoft's online titles. The company stated that it dipped into the red due to rising labor costs, an increased marketing budget for Blade & Soul's Korean launch, and the acquisition of Ntreev. Aion was also blamed for the company's financial woes, as revenues in that title sharply decreased due to fewer microtransaction sales. Both Lineage titles composed a great share of the company's revenues, with the first game producing 45% of sales and the sequel 13%. NCsoft said that it is banking on Guild Wars 2 to produce a profitable third quarter, however.
Ask Massively: Welcome to here edition
If you follow MMO news at all, you probably caught the fact that Star Wars: The Old Republic is going free-to-play this fall. This is news only in the most abstract sense of the word. Seriously, it's been three years since Dungeons & Dragons Online made the switch. Basically every title in the world has now converted over and found out that F2P is more or less a license to print money. Free-to-play is not the future of MMOs; free-to-play is the right now and has been for a while. This week's installment of Ask Massively does not cover free-to-play conversions, but as you all know, I've never been a fan of strongly linking the opener to the rest of the article. No, this week we're talking about Blade & Soul. If you've got a question for a future installment of the column, leave it in the comments below or mail it to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.
Blade & Soul takes over the top spot in Korea, dethroning Diablo III
Just two days ago, Blades & Soul opened its doors to players for the Korean open beta test, clocking an impressive wave of users and a third place finish in popularity behind Diablo III and League of Legends. Now the new fantasy MMO has leapfrogged over both games to claim the number one spot. One feature that helped cinch Blade & Soul's rise in popularity was the lack of any server maintenance over the weekend, something the deposed leader couldn't claim when it launched. Want to see what all the fuss is about? Check out the two new studio-released PvP videos after the break. NCSoft also laid ongoing rumors of the game's going free-to-play to rest by announced the game's pricing: A monthly fee of 23,000 Korean Won (about 19.81 USD) will begin on June 30th.
Blade & Soul Korean open beta records 150,000 users within an hour
Have you been itching to jump in to try Blade & Soul during its open beta test? If so, you aren't alone: The Korean OBT for the fantasy game started just last night and recorded 150,000 CCU (or Concurrent User number for the acronym-challenged) within a single hour. To accommodate the volume of players participating in the beta, NCsoft increased the number of servers available from two to 25 and has five more waiting in the wings if needed. Even with that flood of users, the B&S servers remained stable. Currently, Blade & Soul ranks behind only Diablo III and League of Legends in popularity according to data provided by Gametrics. The game is scheduled to launch in Korea next month; unfortunately for North American and European fans, there are currently no set plans for bringing the game to these markets.
Conquer Online 9th anniversary celebrations include a free trip to China
Reaching the nine-year mark is quite an accomplishment in the MMO world, and Conquer Online plans to celebrate this milestone in style with a number of special events, bonuses, and gifts both in-game and out. From now through May 31st, players can enjoy a variety of festivities and goodies: Ongoing special events like Crazy Lotto, Naughty Bunny, and Crazy Invasion. Special discounts on offers in the shopping mall, including a four-hour event on +3 stones from May 26th to 27th. A chance to prove which server is truly best in the cross-server Capture the Flag battle. A Nurture Pack with useful healing and XP items to welcome newcomers. VIP gifts. Special upgrades to certain event rewards. Oh, but that's not all! The pièce de résistance: Three lucky current Conquer Online players will win a free trip to China to take in the sights of Beijing and visit the TQ headquarters. To enter the drawing, players must credit at least one $15.99 or one $29.99 TQ Point Card during the period between May 15th and June 30th (the more you credit, the more chances you have), have at least one level 50+ character, and be at least 18 years of age. For full details, check out the contest rules. [Source: Press release]
Blade & Soul on track to launch in Korea this July
If all goes well, NCsoft's Blade & Soul will be making its public debut in July. That's the good news; the bad news is that the launch will be confined to Korea for the time being. The company recently announced in an earnings call that the title is on track to go into open beta testing by June and then launch this July. There's some hope at NCsoft that the release of Diablo III will grow the potential gamer audience in the country, an audience that could be attracted to Blade & Soul come this summer. Currently the game is in closed beta, with the next round of testing commencing on May 22nd. ThisIsGame reports that Blade & Soul has stirred up controversy with testers due to a vitality system that limits how fast a player can advance his or her character.
New Blade & Soul videos show Summoner gameplay, qinggong abilities
Looking for some more Summoner gameplay after that pet reveal last weekend? Korean MMO website ThisIsGame has you covered with a new Blade & Soul preview video. We get to see three minutes of combat footage, including plenty of killer kitty-cats and spell-casting action. The video quality isn't the greatest, but it's definitely interesting to see the Summoner in action for an extended period. NCsoft has also released a new one-minute qinggong trailer. The clip shows several Blade & Soul avatars in all their wall-running, high-flying, gravity-defying glory (and this time it's a high-quality embed). Check out both videos after the break. [Thanks to Tym for the tip!]
Watch 17 minutes of unadulterated Blade & Soul PvP footage
There's nothing that South Korean gamers love more than hot-blooded PvP, which is why they went bananas to see NCsoft's Blade & Soul's player-vs.-player combat live at the recent Soul Party 2. In two filmed videos by ThisIsGame.com, testers give the game's intense, kinetic action a workout during a 20v20 PvP match. The characters' full range of motion is on display in these clips, as are their various methods of impaling, soul-sucking, and fireballing opponents. Blade & Soul recently announced its adorable Summoner class, which will be playable when the game heads into its third closed beta test on May 9th. And yes, you have our full permission to stay up past your bedtime to watch the following PvP bout.
New Blade & Soul trailer shows off Summoner pets
NCsoft has released a new trailer for Blade & Soul's Summoner class. As you might expect, the Summoner is a pet-handling heroine who relies on her animal companions for much of her utility. What you may not have expected is the form those animals will take. Prior to this particular trailer, Blade & Soul has gone with a fairly serious high-fantasy approach to its world and character design. Thanks to the Summoner pets, the cuteness factor has gone through the roof. Don't take our word for it, though. Head past the cut and see for yourself. [Thanks to Blade&Soul Fan for the tip!]
Blade & Soul nearing commercial release, adding Summoner class
NCsoft is loath to talk about its Blade & Soul martial arts MMORPG here in the West, so we have to rely on third-party fansites and Chinese/Korean translations for most of our info. The latest such comes courtesy of MMO Culture, and it features an interview from a recent Tencent Games media event with a couple of newsworthy notables. First up is the fact that upcoming Korean and Chinese Blade & Soul beta phases will feature the new Summoner class. Not much is known in terms of class specifics yet, but the site says that it boasts an "easier" and "more relaxed" playstyle than other classes. The interview also touches on Blade & Soul's business model and its impending release. Despite the fact that NCsoft titles like Aion and Lineage II have recently committed to free-to-play in North America, the firm isn't talking about any particular Blade & Soul payment model just yet. Finally, MMO Culture reports that Blade & Soul "is currently near the end of the development phase for commercial release," and given the lack of info on a Western client, we expect said release to be exclusive to the Chinese and Korean markets for now.
Perfect World announces Fantasy Condor Heroes MMO
Are you ready for another free-to-play martial arts MMO from China? Ready or not, Perfect World Entertainment is producing a title called Fantasy Condor Heroes, according to a news blurb at Gamasutra. If you're a student of Chinese popular culture, that name may ring a bell since it's taken from a wuxia novel called Return of the Condor Heroes. The book was written by author Louis Cha (under the pen name Jin Yong) and originally serialized in the late 1950s. Thus far Perfect World has not made any feature- or gameplay-related details available, nor do we know when Fantasy Condor Heroes will be released.
ZT Online 2 open beta attracts 435K concurrent users
For the past couple of years, EVE Online and World of Tanks have been duking it out to see which game can outfox the other in the hunt for the MMORPG peak concurrent user record. As of this week there may be a new contender for the crown if ZT Online 2's open beta period is any indication. The game is a sequel to Giant Interactive's popular ZT Online martial arts title, and the recent open beta period featured an impressive 435,000 simultaneous players online. Gamasutra has the details, culled from a Giant press release, and the company also indicates that approximately 400 developers have worked on the title over the past three years.
Blade & Soul's Dragon Forest zone showcased in 35-minute video
More Blade & Soul closed beta info is making its way around the web, and the latest bit of interesting comes courtesy of a lengthy zone preview video posted by the folks at Blade & Soul Dojo. The whopping 35-minute clip takes viewers on a journey through the game's Dragon Forest zone from the recent Korean closed beta phases. The zone provides content through level 20 and features a remarkably diverse set of environments despite the fact that its name conjures images of your typical fantasy wood. There is quite a bit of forest footage, of course, but there are also long stretches of pristine beach set off by towering cliffs, not to mention quaint fishing villages, spectacular waterfalls, and an archetypal dojo complete with dragon-adorned columns and various acolytes. The video is blessedly free of the modern rock soundtracks that typically accompany fan-made uploads; instead, it features snippets of Blade & Soul's original orchestral soundtrack. Feast your eyes (and ears) after the cut.
