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  • Last Week on Massively: PAX East 2014

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    04.14.2014

    This post originally appeared on Massively from Editor-in-Chief Brianna Royce. At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO story last week, you've come to the right post. Massively took on the wilds of PAX East 2014 this weekend. Here's what we've seen so far: PAX East 2014: WildStar's panel was all about the endgame PAX East 2014: First impressions of Warlords of Draenor PAX East 2014: Landmark's current tools and future crafts PAX East 2014: The Repopulation's Josh Hall on the future of the game PAX East 2014: Hands-on with Infinite Crisis PAX East 2014: State of Decay eyes multiplayer, stays offline PAX East 2014: Guns of Icarus Online's expanding environment PAX East 2014: PlanetSide 2's Matt Higby on weekly updates PAX East 2014: Hearthstone reveals Naxxramas single-player adventure PAX East 2014: Star Citizen and the DFM are 'more than just PvP' There's more to come over the next few days. Read on for the rest of this week's top stories!

  • Last Week on Massively: The Elder Scrolls Online's PC launch

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    04.07.2014

    This post originally appeared on Massively from Editor-in-Chief Brianna Royce. At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO story last week, you've come to the right post. After a few pre-launch hiccups, ZeniMax's Elder Scrolls Online MMO formally launched on PC this week. We celebrated with a five-part launch week diary, a guide to exploration, two livestreams, and a month-long Choose My Adventure series in which you'll boss us through playing the game. Read on for a look at the rest of this week's top MMO stories.

  • The Daily Grind: How would you define 'massive'?

    by 
    Bree Royce
    Bree Royce
    08.23.2013

    In our editorial Soapbox this week, a Massively writer suggested that MMO players have a difficult time agreeing on what constitutes an MMO at least in part because of fundamental confusion over the term "massive." I've always thought the word too relative to be useful; I like the idea of playing alongside thousands of fellow geeks, but very few of the MMOs and MMORPGs I've played since the dawn of the genre ever actually put more than a few dozen people on my screen at a time, and those that tried anyway usually lacked the tech to pull it off without extreme lag. Most MMOs, even single-shard EVE Online, are divided in some way, be it over shards or server boundaries or layered zone instancing or dungeon instances or phasing or even lobbies, and it just doesn't make much difference unless the economy is tanked as a result. A game that isn't massive but feels massive is more an MMO to me than one that's technically massive but plays like a single-player title -- "massive" seems a happy illusion at best and a double-standardish proxy for "old-school" at worst. But many gamers are convinced they know exactly where the line in the sand must be drawn between the massives and the nots. So today, let's assume you, the readers, get to decide for the genre what "massive" means. How many people does it entail -- and how and where and in what numbers precisely must they interact -- for a game to be "massive" enough to merit the term MMO? And how many old school MMORPGs would fit that definition? 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!

  • EverQuest roundup: The next steps for the landmark series

    by 
    Mike Suszek
    Mike Suszek
    08.03.2013

    Our friends at Massively launched a stream of updates this week on all things EverQuest from Sony Online Entertainment's SOE Live 2013 event in Las Vegas. We're breaking down the news from the week to get you caught up on all that's in store for the popular MMORPG series. The next game in the series, EverQuest Next, features destructible environments built with voxels. The world isn't entirely a sandbox-like playground, though, as SOE will enforce some restrictions on what can and cannot be destroyed in the game, and the crumbling world will respawn after some time. The game's AI will include "likes and dislikes," and NPCs will remember player choices made during quests, such as instances where players side with either humans or orcs. Public quests known as "Rallying Calls" will also unfold over the course of multiple months and see permanent effects in the game's world, Norrath. Player locomotion will expand in EverQuest Next as well, as players can move along terrain in more ways than the typical run, walk and jump animations offer. Registration for the game's beta program is available now. SOE also unveiled another game at the event, EverQuest Next Landmark. Landmark offers players tools to construct any (appropriate) structure on a plot of land they claim in the world, then sell in the Player Studio's marketplace, possibly for use in EverQuest Next. The toolset offered to players in Landmark is the same that developers use for EverQuest Next, so the build-and-explore facets of the game should feel genuine. Lastly, for on-the-go players that need their questin' fix, SOE is offering an iOS and Android app called EverQuest Worlds. Worlds delivers quests and mini-games "that reveal lore, content, and rewards from the EverQuest franchise." The app is free and available now on the App Store and Google Play store.

  • EVE Evolved: Massively's plans for EVE Fanfest 2013

    by 
    Brendan Drain
    Brendan Drain
    04.14.2013

    There's just over a week to go until EVE Online's massive tenth anniversary Fanfest, and you'll be pleased to hear that Massively will be there this year to cover the action! CCP is aiming to make this the biggest Fanfest yet, promising huge reveals and announcements about EVE's summer Odyssey expansion and beyond. We can also expect to hear some big news about upcoming console MMOFPS DUST 514, and fans of Vampire: The Masquerade will undoubtedly get to see some of the year's progress toward making the World of Darkness MMO a reality. Tickets to this year's Fanfest sold out in record time, so many players who really wanted to be there for EVE's tenth anniversary celebration weren't able to secure a spot. CCP is running its usual livestream of the main talks for those not in attendance, but only certain parts of the event are being streamed. Here at Massively, we plan to give you an inside look at Fanfest with ongoing news coverage from April 25th to April 27th and in-depth opinion pieces on what each announcement means for players. In this week's short and sweet EVE Evolved, I lay out Massively's plans for in-depth coverage of EVE Fanfest 2013 and ask what you'd like to see reported on.

  • Last Week on Massively: Blizzard at PAX, FFXIV's relaunch, and more

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    02.27.2013

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Blizzard to attend PAX East Blizzard Entertainment sort of does its own thing these days. The company has the clout to ignore most gatherings outside of the obvious BlizzCon when you consider the sheer size of World of Warcraft and other properties. But it looks as if this year things will be just a little bit different. Blizzard has stated that representatives will be attending this year's PAX East to show something off. And to compound the bafflement, it's not what you'd expect. Massively's comprehensive preview of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Final Fantasy XIV is doing something that has never been done before. After launching to poor reception, the MMO appointed a new producer and director, Naoki Yoshida, who has been working tirelessly for two years to rebuild the game from the ground up. The launch version shut its servers down in November of last year, and since then players have been eagerly awaiting the release of the game's revitalized relaunch, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Celebrate RIFT's second anniversary with the Carnival of the Ascended What's a party without a dragon piñata or two? Luckily, RIFT fans won't have to find out as the annual Carnival of the Ascended will have those and plenty more for revelers joining in the game's second anniversary celebration. But the carnival -- with its games of skill, pie-stomping contests, and special anniversary cape -- is not the only goody in today's 2.2 update. Besides the previously revealed features, PvP gets a tier 2 attunement of war. Want to see what awaits in the update? Watch the trailer! SOE lawyering up in its fight against PlanetSide 2 cheaters SOE president John Smedley took to Reddit yesterday to elaborate on the firm's banning policy as it relates to PlanetSide 2. Smedley also says that the cat-and-mouse routine is here to stay. "The fight against cheaters is not a war we will ever be finished with," he said, before explaining that the reason it takes longer to ban cheaters than some honest players might like is because the devs "don't want to falsely accuse people without solid proof." Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • Last week in MMO news: The best of Massively

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    01.02.2013

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Massively's 2013 MMO predictions Massively's annual MMO prediction usher in the new year. What will the gaming industry see from the genre in 2013? Will more games follow the F2P trend? Will The Elder Scrolls Online be a hit or a miss? Will new MMO releases stop trying to be World of Warcraft? Blizzard scraps Diablo III PvP mode, starts over Blizzard has decided that the long-in-production Team Deathmatch mode for PvP in Diablo III isn't living up to its standards and has scrapped the entire system. Lead Designer Jay Wilson wrote a dev diary in which he explained the concept of PvP in Diablo III and why Team Deathmatch wasn't working. He said that arena combat put too much of a focus on class balance that the team doesn't want. Ragnarok Online 2 open beta begins Ragnarok Online was the first MMO many of us long-time gamers every played. Earlier this week, the sequel opened its beta doors to English players. The game is a reworking of the first title, and brings back the job system, professions, the card system, and pets. There's also a way to set up your character to act as a player vendor while you're offline. Massively's Best of 2012 Awards When game obituaries and studio layoffs start to pile up in the news, Massively can seem like a herald of doom, but the reality is that the MMO industry is stronger and richer than ever. To end 2012, Massively's staff honors the best of the best for the year. The Elder Scrolls Online gets some myths dispelled Are you looking forward to seeing what happens when the developers at Bethesda finish working on The Elder Scrolls Online? Are you unsure how the game's Skyrim-based combat will work when accounting for lag in your aim? Do you have a fear of having everyone grouped on a single server? If you answered yes to any of those questions, it's probably a good idea for you to take a gander at this article. Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • MMO News Roundup: Last week on Massively

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    12.18.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. The Secret World no longer requires a subscription Early last week, the urban fantasy MMO The Secret World has officially dropped its subscription fee. Effective immediately, you only need to purchase the game itself to play. Subscription-free players are not restricted from accessing any content or gameplay features. Turbine brings back Asheron's Call 2 Though Asheron's Call is still running, Asheron's Call 2, which launched in 2002, closed its doors in 2005. Now, nearly 7 years later, Turbine is bringing Asheron's Call 2 back. The game is currently in beta phase, and to access the game, you need to be an Asheron's Call subscriber. EVE Online breaks the 450k subscriber mark Between the recent launch of the Retribution expansion and a relaunch in China, EVE Online has accumulated more than 450,000 subscribers. EVE developer CCP partnered up with TianCity to bring the sandbox back into the Chinese market. According to a CCP press release, the game's business in China has surpassed expectations. Did SWTOR make things worse by going F2P? Star Wars: The Old Republic has caught a lot of heat over its approach to F2P gaming. With severely restricted gameplay for free players and exorbitant prices in its cash shop, The Old Republic may have done more harm than good for its game -- a surprise misstep in a market that has seen great success with F2P games in the past. Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • Massively is looking for San Francisco freelancers

    by 
    Bree Royce
    Bree Royce
    12.17.2012

    If you follow Ask Massively, you're probably aware of Massively's ethics policy -- you know, the one that keeps us from accepting awesome "free" trips to check out awesome games from awesome developers in awesome cities where we do not happen to have staff. That's where freelancers come in. This round, we're looking for a freelancer in San Francisco, California, to attend events for us on occasion and write about the games previewed there. It won't be a full- or part-time staff position; you'd just be called on for these special events when they crop up. We'd like to think it'd be a nice way for a local to get some industry experience, have some fun, and make some pocket change. Here's the skinny on what we're looking for and how you can apply.

  • MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    10.23.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. EVE Online player loses tiny ship worth over $6,000 EVE Online is well known for its sandbox gameplay and ruthless citizens, with monumental kills and record-breaking scams popping up year after year. Earlier this week, player "stewie Zanjoahir" reportedly lost over 213,000,000,000 ISK when he tried to transport a huge cache of valuable blueprints in a tiny, unfitted frigate. Through EVE's currency conversion, that's worth about $6,422.50 US. League of Legends finals get some serious viewership If you're a League of Legends fan, odds are good you know all about the championships that took place recently. If you're not, however, you might be wondering whether or not this was really a big deal or just something the fans are fixated on. Turns out that it was kind of a big deal after all, as Riot Games has revealed that the live coverage of the finals was watched by over 8 million individuals, including more than 2 million from Korea. Massively's hands-on with The Elder Scrolls Online he Elder Scrolls Online has caused quite a clamor since it was first revealed back in May. MMO gamers are deeply divided about TESO, and some vocal potential players are most displeased to see the venerable sandbox world of Tamriel being reduced to yet another themepark MMO experience, but is that actually the case? Massively takes the game hands-on to find out! Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • MMO Roundup: Guild Wars 2 launches, City of Heroes closes, and more

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    09.04.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. City of Heroes to sunset before the end of the year NCsoft is closing Paragon Studios due to a "realignment of company focus and publishing support," according to a blurb just posted on the City of Heroes website. Community manager Andy Belford says that the superhero MMO will shut down before the end of the year, and recurring billing will be discontinued immediately. Up close and personal with Torchlight II Torchlight II is marching toward its September 20th launch date and Massively was given an opportunity to take the game hands-on at PAX Prime this past weekend. Hop over to Massively to see their impressions of the latest clickfest to come your way. A critical look at Guild Wars 2 ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2 launched recently and the game hit 400,000 concurrent users before the game even officially launched -- all 400,000 of those players coming from the pre-order head start event. Just about everyone agrees that it's a good game, but it isn't without its problems. Massively's Matt Daniel takes a look at the game with a critical eye. BioWare's Matt Bromberg discusses converting Star Wars: The Old Republic to free-to-play If you missed some of the analyst predictions flying around after Star Wars: The Old Republic announced it was converting to a free-to-play model, they were... zealous, to say the least. But general manager Matt Bromberg doesn't seem to share those opinions. When asked in a recent interview whether the conversion will make the game more money in the long run, Bromberg replied in extremely uncertain terms: "I don't know." Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • MMO Roundup: Guild Wars 2, stolen Torchlight assets, and more

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    07.24.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Guild Wars 2's Sanctum of Rall shard named after late gamer What's in a server name? Quite a lot if you're talking about Guild Wars 2's Sanctum of Rall shard. Roger "Oldroar" Rall passed away last fall, but his name will live on when ArenaNet launches its fantasy opus on Aug. 28. Rall was a member of the Gaiscioch gaming community and was renowned for his calm battlefield leadership in Warhammer Online and RIFT. The War Z zombie MMO coming soon So how does a hardcore, post-apocalyptic zombie sandbox experience grab you? No, we don't mean DayZ (although that one's pretty cool too). There's a new kid on this particular genre block, and it's an MMO called The War Z. It's brought to you by Hammerpoint Interactive and Arktos. Torchlight assets allegedly stolen by Chinese MMO There are times when things in one game seem eerily similar to another game, and then there are times when the items are actually the same. While watching the announcement video for the Chinese MMO Armed Heroes Online, Runic Games President Travis Baldree noticed that many of the assets used in that game seemed to come directly from Torchlight. A look at Guild Wars 2's Sylvari cinematic ArenaNet has released numerous trailers and cinematics highlighting the various races of Guild Wars 2, but as the man assembling MMO Roundup, I have decided to highlight my personal favorite Guild Wars 2 race: the gorgeous plant folk, the Sylvari. There's nothing cooler than plant people. That's a fact. Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • Ask Massively: I would like to play WildStar now please OK edition

    by 
    Eliot Lefebvre
    Eliot Lefebvre
    06.28.2012

    At Massively, we all have our pet games, games that we follow with interest and that we want to do well. Some of mine are quite obvious, but if you weren't aware that WildStar is on that list, well, now you know. Come on, it's like Walt Disney's Firefly as an MMO and man everything I see about it just makes me want to start playing yesterday. This is kind of related to the fact that we had two separate interviews about it this week, if you hadn't guessed. It's also somewhat related to this week's Ask Massively questions, seeing as how one of those questions is about the games that we hate. Yes, I know, I did a topical introduction; I'm very ashamed of myself. I also answer a question about fantasy worlds in the distant future. If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future installment of the column, send it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.

  • MMO Roundup: Wizard myths, free-to-play, and dirty ISK

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    06.26.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Five Diablo III wizard myths tested and debunked Diablo III is still a new game, and players are still picking apart the fine mechanics of their favorite classes. In this guide, Massively puts five popular wizard myths to the test and discovers the inner workings of Energy Armour, Hydra, Blizzard, Critical Mass, and other abilities. EA's Peter Moore: Free-to-play is 'inevitable' The writing is on the wall, and the hens are laying eggs of prophecy: Free-to-play is the inevitable future of all video games. This comes from EA COO Peter Moore, who thinks we'll be seeing the free-product-plus-microtransaction business model trump the up-front cost of a retail box. Read the full interview for further details. EVE players abuse faction warfare to produce trillions of ISK If there's one constant in the EVE Online universe, it's that the players can never be underestimated and every care must be taken to make sure systems can't be abused in unintended ways. Recently, five EVE players revealed how they'd generated five trillion ISK, EVE's in-game currency, using game mechanics introduced in the Inferno expansion. Blade & Soul takes over the top spot in Korea, dethroning Diablo III Just a few short days ago, Blade & 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. Massively Speaking episode 206 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, tackles numerous upcoming MMO expansions this week. Bree returns with her acerbic charm, and Justin's bouncing with the desire to relay everything in a giant show tunes number. The MMO news train stops for nobody, so hop aboard and pull that whistle! Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • MMO Roundup: Diablo 3 tips, Hamill returns as the Joker, and more

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    05.22.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Five top tips for your first few days of Diablo III Most of us are hip-deep in Diablo III already, but if you're one of the holdouts waiting for a rainy day to get started with the game, you might want to store these tips somewhere precious. ArenaNet: Guild Wars 2 a 'reaction' to sluggish MMO design Do you believe that the MMO genre has been stuck in a rut over the past few years? So does Christopher Lye, the global brand director for ArenaNet, who publicly denounced the post-World of Warcraft trend in the industry as stagnant. DCUO's Last Laugh features Hamill as the Joker Sony Online Entertainment is bringing out the big guns for its next DC Universe Online content patch. The Joker is set to return for The Last Laugh, and fortunately for everyone, his voiceover duties will be handled by none other than Mark Hamill. EVE talks smack about Diablo III's login woes EVE Online is letting the trash-talk fly at the newly launched Diablo III by displaying the message "37...3007...315300." It's code for "Play EVE. Servers are up, login is fine" on the game's login screen. This, of course, is making reference to the myriad error codes that Diablo III players experienced over the course of the game's launch. Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • Massively has your TERA launch-day roundup on lock

    by 
    Mathew McCurley
    Mathew McCurley
    05.01.2012

    Interested in TERA, one of the biggest MMO launches coming in 2012? Our sister site Massively has prepared an extensive launch-day roundup for all things TERA that shows you everything from unboxings and videos to controversies and impressions. The North American launch is happening today, and you won't want to miss out. Check out the TERA launch-day guide over on Massively.

  • MMO Roundup: Game of Thrones MMO debut, mobile MMOs, and more

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    03.06.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Game of Thrones MMO to debut at GDC 2012 Brace yourselves -- GDC is coming. And with it comes the first-ever public demonstration of Bigpoint's upcoming MMO title based on George R.R. Martin's hit fantasy series A Game of Thrones. For the first time ever, players will be able to get a look at the world of Westeros brought to life in all its browser-based glory. Star Wars: The Old Republic announces economic adjustments Economic upheaval is coming to the galaxy in Star Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.1.5. A series of rumors and announcements from major organizations across the galaxy have been published on the official site in order to give players some insight into the upcoming changes. 16 mobile MMOs to play on the go Is World of Warcraft's mobile armory not enough to sate your thirst for MMOs on the go? Check out this list of 16 fully functional MMOs that you can play on the go, right on your smartphone. First official MechWarrior Online trailer drops into action For some time now, the folks at Piranha Games have been teasing us with 'Mech reveals, Q&As, and steady info drips. Now, finally, we get to see those big badass bots in action, as the studio has just unveiled the first official trailer for MechWarrior Online. The short teaser trailer takes fans inside the cockpit of one of the game's monumental BattleMechs as its pilot prepares for an aerial drop. Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • Massively's Guild Wars 2 beta reactions

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    02.21.2012

    In lieu of our weekly MMO Roundup, where we highlight the top MMO news of the last week from our sister site Massively, today we're highlighting one item in particular: Massively's Guild Wars 2 beta reactions. Guild Wars 2 seems to be the next MMO release that current World of Warcraft players are genuinely interested in. Massively's Shawn and Elisabeth had an opportunity to tackle the game hands-on in the recent closed beta weekend, so head over there and find out what they thought of the upcoming title.

  • MMO Roundup: RIFT in China, SWTOR hip hop, and more

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    02.15.2012

    Sometimes, you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. RIFT in China: "Biggest game deal ever" for a Western MMO How big is RIFT? Big enough to attract one of China's heavyweight MMO houses, apparently. Trion has announced a partnership with publishing giant Shanda that will bring RIFT to the Chinese gaming market. Trion is flexing its muscles -- and broadening its horizons -- on the strength of a banner year that included a hefty influx of investment capital as well as RIFT's $100 million revenue windfall. Full SWTOR-themed hip hop album released If the one thing missing from your life has been music to show the world how much you love Star Wars: The Old Republic, rejoice! Your wait has come to an end. Richie Branson, who put out his first SWTOR-themed song late last year, has released Cold Republic Episode I: The Empire Likes Rap, which has the peculiar honor of being the world's first SWTOR mix tape. League of Legends reveals Nautilus, its newest champion Riot Games adds a new champion to League of Legends' growing roster every few weeks to keep the game fresh, and this week Riot revealed the game's next champion, Nautilus, the Titan of the Depths. Nautilus is a tank with a unique initiation ability: He throws his massive anchor toward a target, and then drags himself toward the anchor. Watch The Old Republic's Guild Summit from home Maybe you want to head down to the first guild summit for Star Wars: The Old Republic but just can't quite fit a trip to Austin into your budget at the moment. Good news: Portions of the event will be available via livestream for those who can't attend in person. Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.

  • MMO Roundup: SWTOR nets 1.7 million subscribers

    by 
    Alex Ziebart
    Alex Ziebart
    02.07.2012

    Sometimes you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Star Wars: The Old Republic has 1.7 million active subscribers EA has reported sales of more than 2 million units of The Old Republic, with about 1.7 million subscribers. The publisher reported much better sales than expected for the December quarter, largely thanks to the runaway sales of the new MMO title. EverQuest goes free-to-play When EverQuest II made the transition to free-to-play across all servers, many gamers wondered whether its sibling EverQuest would follow. Last week, the speculation has become reality. EverQuest will officially go free-to-play in March, which also is the month that the game first launched back in 1999. Dutch Supreme Court declares RuneScape theft a real-world crime Is stealing a virtual good deserving of a real-world criminal sentence? According to a recent ruling by the Dutch Supreme Court, the answer is "yes." The court recently upheld a ruling of a criminal case in which teens attacked another youth and forced him at knifepoint to relinquish his possessions in RuneScape, including an in-game amulet and knife. Want to be Massively's next Guild Wars columnist? Are you a passionate Guild Wars fan? Do you know everything there is to know about the game? Are you more excited about Guild Wars 2 than Mists of Pandaria? Can you meet deadlines and follow instructions? Then head over to Massively! Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup.