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MMO Roundup: Guild Wars 2 beta on the horizon
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 Old Republic previews future content updates BioWare released a new video detailing the content slated for the game in the coming months. Director James Ohlen lays out several new additions planned for the near future, several of which are features players had been asking for. Diablo III senior producer leaves Blizzard Blizzard's Steve Parker dropped a bit of a bomb via Twitter recently. The Diablo III senior producer is leaving the project and the company for reasons unknown. "I'm no longer working at Blizzard or on D3," Parker wrote. "I've had a great five years there and those guys are going to kill it with Diablo." Guild Wars 2 confirmed for 2012, public beta coming ArenaNet founder and president Mike O'Brien rocked the Guild Wars 2 community very recently announcing 2012 as the official launch year for the game. Guild Wars 2 recently finished up a very small closed beta test, and now ArenaNet is planning to start opening the testing doors wider very quickly. RIFT revenues reached $100 million in 2011 How successful is RIFT? That's hard to say without knowing how much it cost, but it's safe to assume that Trion executives are smiling after the game generated $100 million in revenue in only 10 months. The game is aiming to launch in China and South Korea later this year. The latest MOBA news Move over MMOs -- MOBAs and ARPGs are all the rage these days. Catch up on the latest news from your favorite not-quite-massive games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, and Diablo III. 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 guide to The Old Republic for WoW players
Our sister site Massively, which deals in the immense universe of massively multiplayer games that do not take place in Azeroth, has put together an informative guide for WoW players playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. With the number of comparisons being made between The Old Republic and World of Warcraft, one would think that there would be a sizable amount of overlap in terms of necessary skills and familiarity. As it turns out, there are a lot more differences in the minutiae than predicted. If you're a WoW player heading to a galaxy far, far away while your raid takes some time off (or you just like seeing what's out there), you'll find some great tips over at Massively.
MMO Roundup: Diablo III heading to a console near you
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. Diablo III heading to a gaming console near you Though Blizzard has made numerous statements that it was "seriously considering" a console version of the title, CM Bashiok tweeted today that the upcoming Diablo III would be making the jump to consoles, giving us our first official confirmation. Massively takes on SOPA Unless you've been living under a rock, chances are you've heard of SOPA and PIPA. The Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act are two radical pieces of copyright legislation currently being pushed through the U.S. legislature. Although the stated intent of the new legislation is to provide companies with additional tools with which to combat piracy, the bill's loose wording has raised some serious alarm bells. SWTOR's 1.1 patch adds anti-aliasing, level 50 Flashpoint Star Wars: The Old Republic's next big update is live on the game's public test shard. BioWare says that the 1.1 patch is chock full of bug fixes and is "the first of many content updates" for the sci-fi MMO. Bethesda and Interplay settle Fallout MMO lawsuits, Interplay's rights revoked Bethesda and Interplay have been embroiled in a legal battle for quite some time now, arguing over whether or not Interplay had the rights to create a Fallout MMO. Well, that lawsuit has finally been settled and it appears that Bethesda has come out on top. Dr. Greg Zeschuk talks about the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic It's been just about a month since Star Wars: The Old Republic began its early access period, throwing open the doors for players all around the world. But the release wasn't just an interesting point for the many players anticipating the game -- after all, it had been BioWare's big project for many years. In a recent interview, Dr. Greg Zeschuk discusses his thoughts on the game at launch and a look back at what could have gone differently. 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: Massively's Best of 2011 Awards and more
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 Best of 2011 Awards 2011 was an interesting year for MMOs. Some of the most anticipated games were launched, one of the strongest MMO communities was left in the cold, and a seemingly untouchable indie developer quickly realized that it needs to listen to its players more than anything else. As is the tradition this time of the year, Massively has laid out its favorite moments of 2011 for you. BioWare: Mac version of Star Wars: The Old Republic is something it's "looking at next" BioWare label leads Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk are quite dedicated to their fans. At least that's a recurring theme for them when talking about their company's moves in new directions, to which both repeatedly referred during a recent interview in midtown Manhattan. "We know there's a big Mac audience of BioWare fans ... we know that's an important and large audience. And we want to serve that audience." Bethesda vs. Interplay case finally settled War. War never changes. And neither, it appeared, would the long-running legal dispute between Bethesda and Interplay over the rights to the Fallout IP. For years, it seems, we've been reporting on this courtroom tug-o'-war between the companies which has kept the fate of Fallout Online in limbo. Well it looks like it is finally over, one way or another. An administrator on the Fallout fan site Duck and Cover says that a settlement has been reached although the details have yet to emerge to the public. Nexon takes Mabinogi offline indefinitely due to "malicious activity" Nexon has since resolved the issue, but if you were looking to play a little Mabinogi on New Year's Day, you were out of luck. The game was taken down Jan. 1 and stayed down for 40 hours. It wasn't the first time this has happened to Mabinogi, and it may not be the last. 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: The Old Republic exceeds 1 million subscribers
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. BioWare stages SWTOR freeze mob event in New York City's Times Square If you happened to be walking around Times Square on the night of Dec. 20, you may have witnessed one of the more unique MMO launch day promotions in recent memory. BioWare enlisted the help of Darth Malgus and a cadre of heavily armored Jedi (or at least, their cosplay equivalents) to stage a Star Wars: The Old Republic freeze mob event complete with lightsabers and bewildered onlookers. Over one percent of League of Legends players have been banned When your game has over 15 million registered players, it can be tough to to handle antisocial behavior amongst your playerbase. This problem is usually handled by hiring a massive roster of GMs, but League of Legends approaches things a little differently with its Tribunal system. BioWare hints at new SWTOR content, tops 1 million players Star Wars: The Old Republic is less than a week old, and many players are already wondering if and when BioWare is going to add new content. Yes, there are some 50s on the servers already, and James Ohlen has penned a post on the game's official website that should excite those who have already rushed through the game's content. Trion Worlds customer database hacked, "no evidence" credit card info stolen Trion Worlds has become the latest in a long string of MMO studio security breaches this year, as the company reported an intrusion into its customer database. At risk of compromise were customers' user names, passwords, birthdates, email and billing addresses, and partial credit card info. However, the company states that "there is no evidence" that full credit card numbers were stolen at this time. Massively Interview: Guild Wars 2 game designer discuss the Mesmer Now that The Old Republic has launched, Guild Wars 2 is next on the list of most anticipated MMO titles. ArenaNet recently announced its final class, the Mesmer. Massively sat down with one of the game designers to discuss both the class and the game in general. 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 Star Wars: The Old Republic launch guide
On Tuesday afternoons, we typically link all of you to our sister site Massively's top stories of the week from all across the MMORPG genre via MMO Roundup. This week will be different. Outside of World of Warcraft, there's only one other MMO anybody wants to hear about this week. Star Wars: The Old Republic's prerelease head start begins today, and Massively has absolutely everything you need to go into the opening days of the game well prepared. If you'll be playing The Old Republic, head over to Massively's TOR launch guide for class information, dungeon flashpoint walk-throughs, and anything else you might want. If you're strictly a World of Warcraft player, you may want to take a look anyway. WoW can always learn from other games, and as a player, it never hurts to stay informed.
MMO Roundup: The Old Republic's beta pulls 2 million players
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 beta test attracts 2 million players It's no secret that Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the most highly anticipated MMORPGs in recent memory, and the game's recently concluded public testing phase confirms the hype. The game's publisher, EA, announced that the SWTOR test phase drew in over 2 million players, and of those 2 million, 750,000 unique players jumped into the game over the Thanksgiving weekend alone. Diablo III game designers talk Inferno difficulty and twinking Diablo III has a lot of expectations to live up to, several of which are discussed in a recent PC Gamer interview with Wyatt Cheng and Andrew Chambers. Both designers discuss the challenge level of the new Inferno difficulty, which is aimed at max-level characters in good gear who have already completed the Hell difficulty level. They confirm that while it's meant to be brutal, it can be played and beaten solo -- although having a friend won't hurt. Neverwinter tempts your lust for glory with its first teaser trailer Like any good Dungeons & Dragons session, Neverwinter's maiden trailer begins in a fantasy tavern, where locals and adventurers are mingling and swapping stories. Everyone is curious about a pitched battle that happened the night before on a bridge, but only one mysterious figure is able to tell them the truth. Richard Garriott predicts the death of consoles as a gaming medium Considering his influence on the realm of MMOs, many gamers would argue that it's hard to dismiss Richard Garriott's thoughts on development out of hand. A recent interview with the man includes him predicting the fall of traditional console gaming in favor of portable devices, and the end of MMOs as a major market share compared to social and casual games. Massively Speaking Episode 177 Massively Speaking returns this week with hosts Justin and Rubi discussing the week's MMO news, including Glitch's unlaunching, Lineage II's move to F2P, EVE Online's Crucible update, Justin's love for Bobby Kotick, and much more. 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: Titan, why you gotta hurt me like this?
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's not talking about its unannounced MMO at BlizzCon this year Remember that one time when Blizzard accidentally leaked some info stating that it's working on a new MMO (codenamed Titan), and we all got excited? And then BlizzCon happened, and we all thought the studio would tell us more, but it didn't? And then remember when that happened the next year, too? Well, it's happening again this year. BioWare founders: We make the decisions, not EA BioWare has a message for critical fans who blame the company's perceived inadequacies on its corporate overlords at Electronic Arts. "I always chuckle because we are EA, we're BioWare -- we're both, and we still have huge autonomy in terms of what we do," cofounder Greg Zeschuk recently told Eurogamer. MMO impressions from Eurogamer Expo 2011 Some of the industry's biggest names were at Eurogamer Expo last week, including BioWare, NCsoft and Trion Worlds. Massively's Brendain Drain was on the floor at the expo to get some hands-on experience with several upcoming MMOs, including Guild Wars 2 and The Old Republic. Not So Massively: Eurogamer Expo 2011 edition Not So Massively, Massively's weekly column for not-quite-MMO multiplayer games, covers all the latest and great not-so-massive Eurogamer news: League of Legends, Dark Souls, Diablo 3, and more. Star Wars: The Old Republic accidentally taunts potential testers What's the worst thing that can happen when you're waiting for a chance to play a highly anticipated game? Being inadvertently taunted about the fact that you aren't in the beta. 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 launch date, Guild Wars 2 gameplay, and more
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. BioWare announces launch date for Star Wars: The Old Republic At the 2011 Eurogamer Expo keynote address, BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic will officially launch on Dec. 20, 2011, for North America and Dec. 22, 2011, for Europe. Head over to Massively to find out how much you'll be paying. Guild Wars 2 Necromancer, Thief gameplay videos captured at Eurogamer Expo If you're a Guild Wars 2 fan who couldn't make the trip to London for this weekend's Eurogamer Expo, Cynical Brit's TotalBiscuit has the next best thing. A series of gameplay videos shot live at the event, and all told, the three clips clock in at just under an hour of footage. The videos feature both Norn Thief PVP and high-level Sylvari Necromancer shenanigans. Informal RMT study looks at microtransaction effects across multiple titles Wondering whether microtransactions in western games are as harmless as publishers would have you believe? BitGamer was as well, and as such, the website has conducted an informal study of RMT and its effects across seven different titles. Ultimately the piece reaches the familiar conclusion that RMT is here to stay and that it's OK as long as the implementation avoids the dreaded pay-to-win stigma. League of Legends: Dominion launches The big day has arrived for League of Legends fans, as League of Legends: Dominion officially launched yesterday following a short beta period. Developers promised a 2011 release for the new game mode, but it's doubtful anyone expected release before the end of September. Dominion turns standard MOBA gameplay on its head by introducing capture points, super-powerful creeps and buff-giving relics. Massively Speaking Episode 166 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week as Shawn and Rubi discuss the week's MMO news. Topics include Dan Stahl's exit from Star Trek Online, Asura week wrapup, World of Darkness info, an exclusive interview with John Smedley about DCUO's move to free-to-play, and much more! 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 watching WoW, the Smuggler, and more
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 is keeping a close eye on World of Warcraft It probably comes as no real surprise to learn that Electronic Arts is studying WoW when it comes to SWTOR's upcoming launch -- but not in the way you might think. The company isn't concerned as much with the mechanical side of the equation, but with the question of what happens post-launch and how to increase player retention. Bigpoint says game publishers should sell in-game advantages In case you were wondering where browser MMO specialist Bigpoint stands on the issue of selling in-game advantages, a new interview with the company's chief games officer leaves little to the imagination. "[...] if they want to pay, don't just offer hats -- offer them something that will help them." Diablo 3 faces competition as it enters closed beta Blizzard confirmed that the public beta for Diablo 3 is due to begin very soon. The friends and family portion of the closed beta official began this week, and Blizzard has surprisingly opted not to put an NDA on those involved. Videos of gameplay have begun to surface on YouTube, expanding on last week's brief leaked footage with some real, first-hand game experience. SWTOR shows us how to level like a Smuggler Star Wars: The Old Republic showed off the armor progression of the game's Smuggler class in last week's Friday community update. The two-and-a-half-minute video displays not only the class's awesome armor, but also some never-before-seen gameplay elements of the class. Massively Speaking Episode 164: Dragon*Con 2011 Massively Speaking Episode 164 returns this week as Shawn is joined by Jef Reahard and MJ Guthrie to discuss their experiences at Dragon*Con 2011 last weekend. Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to shawn@massively.com. They may just read your email on the air! 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 leaks, Fallen Earth F2P, and more
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. Diablo 3's beta leaks An ex-employee at Blizzard allegedly leaked footage and screenshots of the beta client this week, giving us a brief first look at character creation and the login system, along with another look at the game in action. Head over to Massively for the video to get a sneak peek at the current state of the Diablo 3 friends and family beta that will undoubtedly soon open to the public. SWTOR launch date hinges on fan beta reaction Speculation about Star Wars The Old Republic's launch date is reaching a fever pitch lately, with fans hanging on every word from BioWare and Electronic Arts staffers and chomping at the bit to experience the title's September beta weekends. The latest release-related blurb comes courtesy of EA bigwig Frank Gibeau, who told CVG that while EA-BioWare does have a date in mind, fan reaction to the beta will ultimately tell the tale. Fallen Earth set to go free-to-play on Oct. 12 GamersFirst has released a new dev blog announcing an Oct. 12 free-to-play conversion date for its post-apocalyptic MMO Fallen Earth, details of a "mostly-finalized structure of free accounts and Premium Subscriptions," and appreciation gifts for veterans. Massively Speaking Episode 163 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, is back this week with your hosts Shawn and Rubi bringing you the latest MMO news and word back from PAX Prime. Topics include Wurm Online's new PVE server, Star Wars Galaxies' player-driven ending, The Secret World's and Star Wars: The Old Republic's upcoming betas, and more! 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: PAX, SWTOR beta, and more
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 PAX Prime coverage PAX Prime took place in Seattle, Washington, this past weekend, and the Massively crew had their feet on the ground uncovering all the biggest and best MMO news in the industry. Head over to Massively to see it all. Former World of Warcraft addict talks about the dangers of habitual gaming When one thinks of a player who's addicted to video games, usually the image of a teen or college student with too much time on his hands comes to mind. Not so with Ryan Van Cleave, who's a college professor with a Ph.D., marriage and kids -- and who admits to a crippling former addiction to World of Warcraft. SWTOR beta test weekends to begin Sept. 2 Starting Sept. 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic will begin its beta test weekends for a select few who registered on the game's website. This news was announced at PAX Prime, including the fact that even those who didn't preorder can have an equal chance to participate. Star Wars Galaxies puts the end of the saga in the hands of the players This is how the galaxy ends: not with a whimper, but with a mighty bang. At least, that's what SOE hopes as Star Wars Galaxies' devs map out the final few months for this sunsetting MMO. Instead of weeping into a glass of strange blue milk, the team is issuing a challenge to the Imperials or Rebels. The stakes? The fate of the galaxy, once and for all. Massively Speaking Episode 162 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, is back this week to bring you all the latest MMO news with your hosts Shawn and Rubi. This week your hosts discuss the newest info on the NASA MMO, APB Reloaded's retail launch info, The Secret World's large-scale PVP, the Guild Wars 2 crafting system demo, and more! 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: Gamescom, Gamescom, and more Gamescom
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 Gamescom coverage Gamescom is one of Europe's largest gaming events of the year. More news comes out of that event than we could ever hope to sum up in MMO Roundup, but Massively has it all. Head over to Massively's Gamescom hub for all of the event's MMO news. NCsoft announces new MMO: WildStar Developed by Carbine studios, WildStar is a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid MMO of "high adventure" in which players "lay claim to a mysterious planet on the edge of known space" by playing as explorers, soldiers, scientists, or settlers. Hit Massively for concept art and the game's cinematic trailer. Blizzard quashes speculation about a potential World of StarCraft Just in case all of Blizzard's previous indications of a StarCraft MMO not being in our future wasn't enough, here's another verification from Blizzard senior VP Frank Pearce: Blizzard currently has no plans to adapt the StarCraft setting to an MMO. Guild Wars 2 shows off 40 minutes of gameplay On the Gamescom floor, ArenaNet's Chris Lye took time to walk Wartower.de through the full Guild Wars 2 demo for the event. During the tour, he shows us character customization, the Asura, and the Charr starting experience, capping it off with a giant dragon boss encounter. Massively Speaking Episode 161 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, is back this week to bring you all the latest MMO news with your hosts Shawn and Rubi. This time around, the focus is Gamescom 2011, which exploded with new game announcements, video trailers, and screenshots. 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: Ponzi scheme in EVE, LEGO Universe F2P, and more
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. Biggest EVE Online scam ever recorded nets over a trillion ISK Of all the stories that come out of EVE Online's colossal sandbox, it's the tales of criminality and dirty dealings that grab our attention the most. Thefts and scams would be cause for account closure in most MMOs, but they form a legitimate and dark part of the EVE universe. The latest scam, a simple Ponzi scheme, managed to net the equivalent of $51,677.50 in EVE's virtual currency. LEGO Universe goes F2P Free-to-play conversions have been in the news a lot lately, with games as diverse as Age of Conan and Champions Online throwing open their doors with various flavors of free access. LEGO Universe is the latest freemium convert, and yesterday was the official kickoff for the brick-building MMORPG's new membership tier. Nintendo patents "massively single-player" term According to an article at Gamespot, the 121-year-old Japanese console company has patented the term "massively single-player" to define a new genre of games that it hopes to create. The basic idea is that you would play a single-player game, and (through an internet connection) what you do in that game would influence the environment or economy of the same game on someone else's console. The latest in MOBA news Not So Massively is your weekly guide to the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre and other significant non-MMO multiplayer games. This week, League of Legends reveals more about new game mode Dominion, DotA 2's million-dollar tournament takes place at Gamescom, and more. Massively Speaking Episode 160 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, arrives this week as Shawn and Rubi are joined by Beau Hindman to discuss the week's MMO news. Topics include Guild Wars 2's Sylvari Week, documentary The Raid's world premiere, North Korea's gold farming budget, and more. 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: Gamescom, SWTOR breaks EA records, and more
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. EA proclaims SWTOR preorder breaks records Star Wars: The Old Republic has set the new bar for EA's preorder sales, according to the notes for EA's Q1 Fiscal Earnings Release. The previous bar was set by Battlefield 3, but according to President Frank Gibeau during an investor's conference call, SWTOR far exceed BF3's preorder sales. In fact, according to Gibeau, the sales exceeded the company's expected sales curve, therefore breaking records no one at the game developing company could have expected. NCsoft's Carbine Studios to reveal new MMO at Gamescom NCsoft announced that Jeremy Gaffney, executive producer of NCsoft's Carbine Studios, has confirmed that the studio's latest project is to be revealed next month at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. Gaffney has many game titles to his name, having worked on Asheron's Call, City of Heroes/Villains, and a number of other online titles. Top 10 MMO mascots Weekly top 10 list The Perfect Ten tackles MMO mascots this week, lining up the best the genre has to offer. Who is World of Warcraft's mascot? Is whoever it is on the list? HoN goes free to play and Diablo 3 meets eBay Not So Massively is your weekly guide to the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre and other significant non-MMO multiplayer games. This week, Heroes of Newerth has gone free-to-play, Blizzard announced Diablo 3's real-money auctions, and League of Legends hit 15 million registered accounts. Massively Speaking episode 158 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week with Shawn and Rubi being joined by Justin Olivetti for some laughs, innuendo, and the occasional bit of MMO news. Topics include RuneScape's new Clan Citadels, APB's second open beta, and of course, SWTOR's record-breaking preorder. 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: Selling children for gaming
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. BioWare hopes SWTOR lasts for decades Those of you worried about The Old Republic's longevity (all three of you) can rest easy, according to BioWare. Game director James Ohlen told Comic-Con attendees that the company hopes the game will stand the test of time. "And our goal -- this being an online game that we're hoping is going to last for decades -- we're going to be, obviously, adding more to the galaxy map as the game progresses," Ohlen said. Chinese couple sells their kids to pay for online gaming According to ABC News, a Chinese couple has been apprehended for selling three children to bankroll their online gaming activities. Li Lin and Li Juan sold their baby daughter for approximately $500, as well as two sons for $4,600 each. The Sanxiang City News reported that the couple were turned over to authorities by Li Lin's mother. The newspaper also stated that the couple was unaware that they were breaking any laws. Beta test weekends set for Star Wars: The Old Republic in September An investor report from Electronic Arts shows that the game will be opening up special beta weekend events for players to get a glimpse of the game starting in September. While the report doesn't say if these tests will be open or closed, they certainly bring to mind the beta weekends that RIFT popularized, with a limited number of players but a great deal of freedom in access. Scott Hartsman says gold farming hurts our games more than we know Trion Worlds General Manager Scott Hartsman shared a glimpse of just how hard gold buying activities hit games and how concerned he and other studio execs are about the proliferation of credit card fraud that results. Your favorite game studio's paying out fraud fees to MasterCard and Visa has more of an impact than you think. Massively Speaking Episode 157 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week with Shawn and four very special guests from the Massively team: Eliot Lefebvre, Brandon Felczer, Larry Everett, and Matt Daniel. Topics include Allods Online's newest patch, Star Trek Online's Season Four launch and the latest Engineering Report, SWTOR's collector's edition contents, and much more! 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: StarCraft Universe, SWTOR cinematics, and more
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. StarCraft MMO mod gameplay video released What if the year's most noteworthy MMO release wasn't a mega-budget corporate theme park but a crazy-detailed mod produced by a tiny team of fans? A lot of gamers out there would love to see a StarCraft-flavored MMORPG, and modder Ryan Winzen is in the process of making that dream a reality with StarCraft Universe. RIFT's first State of the Game address Trion Worlds has never been shy in talking about RIFT's upcoming content, especially considering how fast and furious said content's been flying down the pipe. However, the studio may have topped itself as it gave its first State of the Game address, opening up about the title's history to date and both the near and far future of the team's plans. SWTOR Studio Insider dives into opening cinematics About once every four weeks, BioWare gives us a backstage look at what it takes to put together the monumental MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. These articles are simply called Studio Insider. This week, Senior Video Editor Brian Arndt tells us all about putting together the unique cinematics every player will see the first time he or she logs into SWTOR. LucasArts releases an official statement to Star Wars Galaxies fans For a majority of MMO players, the announcement that Star Wars Galaxies was shutting down came as no surprise. However, many SWG loyalists have been extremely upset by the turn of events, blaming everything from the hacks on Sony earlier this year to the impending release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. A statement from LucasArts puts all of that to rest. Massively Speaking Episode 156 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week with Shawn and Rubi covering the week's MMO news, including Black Prophecy's North American launch, DCUO's newest DLC, Darkfall 2.0, CCP's partnership with Nexon, The Secret World's info explosion, and this little game called Planetside 2. 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: RIFT sale, Planetside 2, and more
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 offers limited-time subscription discounts Getting into the RIFT groove and certain you'll be sticking it out for a while to come? Then there's a way you could be saving some money, as well, by signing up for one of Trion Worlds' new subscription plans during the "Summer of Savings" period that began this month. SOE reveals screenshots and trailer for Planetside 2 SOE Fan Faire 2011 played host to an official announcement for the highly anticipated Planetside 2. Players looking for a new entry in the sci-fi MMO genre should head over to Massively to check out screenshots and a trailer. Guild Wars: Winds of Change It's time for another major event in Guild Wars, one that's been heavily anticipated by the players -- the next installment in Guild Wars Beyond, centering around the lands of Cantha. There are changes afoot for the land, as evidenced by the title of the new multi-part event, Winds of Change. And if you want to start taking part in the history that will shape Guild Wars 2, now is a fine time to see what those winds are bringing. CCP partners with Nexon to release EVE Online in Japan The Japanese games market can be difficult for western companies to break into, with accurate client localization and translation acting as a huge potential roadblock. In an unexpected press release late last week, EVE Online developer CCP Games announced a strategic partnership with Japan-based MMO publisher Nexon to bring EVE Online to the Japanese market. DUST 514 may go true F2P in the future While we've known that DUST 514 won't be as free as originally thought, there's still hope for a true free-to-play version to come. CCP's Hilmar Veigar Pétursson told GamesIndustry.biz that while PlayStation 3 owners will have to contend with a "cover charge" -- estimated to be between $10 and $20 -- before accessing the game for the first time, the company may drop it entirely in time. Massively Speaking Episode 155 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week with Shawn and Rubi discussing the week's MMO news. Topics include Planetside 2's announcement at Fan Faire, Global Agenda's success with F2P, EVE Online's CSM results, and Age of Conan's Unchained update.
MMO Roundup: Titan will be for casuals
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's Titan a "casual" MMO Arvind Bhatia is quoted on the game industry website Gamasutra as saying that Blizzard's product pipeline includes "expansion packs for StarCraft and World of Warcraft, a new Diablo game, [and] a new casual MMO." That casual MMO is of course Titan, the secretive WoW followup that has reportedly gobbled up Blizzard's most experienced designers. EA quotes "200 hours of gameplay per class" in SWTOR For most single-player video games, eight to 20 hours of gameplay is currently considered "sufficient." For Star Wars: The Old Republic, those numbers are merely a prologue to the main event. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Electronic Arts' Frank Gibeau said that players should expect around 200 hours of core gameplay per class, not including side activities like PVP and raiding. CCP responds to EVE Online's monoclegate This has been a difficult week for EVE Online developer CCP Games, with massive controversy hitting the media surrounding what should have been a momentous expansion release. Unfortunately, simple complaints over some very overpriced microtransactions soon escalated into outright panic and even in-game riots with the release of an internal company newsletter and subsequent internal email casting doubt on the game's vanity-only microtransaction policy and its development direction in general. Not So Massively If you're looking for a different sort of multiplayer gameplay than what MMOs provide, Massively's Not So Massively has you covered. Check it out for all of the latest MOBA and other multiplayer news. Massively Speaking Episode 154 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week with Shawn and Rubi catching up on the week of MMO news insanity. Topics include World of Warcraft's new extended free trial, Guild Wars 2's underwater combat and dungeons, EVE Online's macrotransaction explosion, and the upcoming shutdown of Star Wars Galaxies. 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: Farewell, Star Wars Galaxies
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 sunsetting of Star Wars Galaxies Star Wars Galaxies players recently received the notice that no MMO player wants to see: Their game was shutting down. At the end of 2011, Star Wars Galaxies will be closing permanently. Massively recently sat down with SOE President John Smedley to discuss the closure of the game and SOE's future. Controversy brewing over EVE Online microtransactions EVE Online sparked a veritable media frenzy late last week with the launch of its Incarna expansion and an in-game item shop. An event being dubbed "monoclegate" began when players discovered the lofty price of a cosmetic monocle -- and the flames only grew from there. Leaked document shows CCP's microtransaction plans And here's where it gets worse. An internal CCP document that outlined the potential directions the company could take with microtransactions was leaked to the public. Here's a phrase you never want to hear: "Greed is good." Mike "Gabe" Krahulik speaks his mind about SWTOR Sometimes being a celebrity in the gaming world has its perks. Take Mike Krahulik from Penny Arcade, for example. People instantly recognize him, they want his opinion on everything, and he can get in on any beta he wants. All right, that last bit was a stretch, but he did get into game testing for Star Wars: The Old Republic. And after much begging, the marketing team at BioWare gave "Gabe" the chance to publicly sound off about TOR. Guess what? He loved it. Guild Wars 2 takes us down into the dungeons Although Guild Wars 2 is taking steps to advance the MMO scene, there's one standby that isn't going anywhere, and that's dungeons. Author and developer Jeff Grubb recently discussed the details of a few of Guild Wars 2's dungeons. Check it 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.
