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UK retailer GAME launches 'Free2Play' portal with EA
UK-based retailer GAME has partnered with Electronic Arts to launch Free2Play, an online portal that serves up a collection of free browser-based PC games.Free2Play currently offers EA's strategy-MMO Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances, medieval role-playing game Lord of Ultima, and the racing-RPG Need for Speed: World. A pair of EA-published shooters, Battlefield Play4Free and Battlefield Heroes are also slated to hit the service at a later date.GAME notes that it has "many more titles in the pipeline," though no specific games or release dates were announced.
Need for Speed World is two years old, have a fancy new car
Need for Speed World, EA's free-to-play racing MMO, is celebrating two years of existence with a new car, double-XP week and the launch of the "free cam mode." The new car, a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be handed out to all players for free. It's like My Sweet Sixteen, but all the guests get fancy cars and the party is for a 2-year-old.Running today through Friday, July 27, players will earn double XP in every racing event, Team Escape and cop pursuit. Free cam, also available today, allows racers to control the game camera to take photos of their sick rides in action.Now get out there and raid! Or, race, we guess.
Need for Speed World celebrates its second anniversary
It seems like only a scant few months have passed since we covered the launch of Need for Speed World, EA's street racing MMO. But NFSW celebrates its second anniversary today, kicking it off with a double XP boost for everyone as well as a free Chevy Camaro ZL1 for all registered players. In honor of the occasion, the dev team invited us to a group interview session culminating in a race-off during which we got to show just how hot (or not) our racing skills were. Lead Producer Marc de Vellis and Lead Designer Melvin Teo were on hand to answer our questions and talk about how the game has grown over the past two years. They enthusiastically discussed the ways they've developed NFSW as a result of community feedback, both in terms of game features and in terms of community interaction. Read on for a look at what changes they've made to keep their virtual drivers coming back for another lap.
EA in Vancouver sees 'small number' of layoffs
EA's studio in Vancouver, home to EA Canada and Black Box, was hit with layoffs while the studio goes through a "transformation." Apparently it's a lot of transforming, since variants of "transform" show up a lot in the following statement about the transformational studio."EA in Vancouver is transforming its studio to align with EA's transformation to high-growth digital formats, including online, social gaming and free-to-play," an EA spokesperson told IndustryGamers. "The Need for Speed World team in Burnaby is leading the digital transformation with 11 million registered players. As the BC studio makes this transformation, a small number of employees are being impacted while most others are being retrained, redeployed and rolling-on to new projects."EA recently reported a net loss of $205 million in the third quarter, but is seeing significant positive transformation in increased digital product sales.
EA now has 25 million registered Play4Free accounts worldwide
EA's move into the freemium market appears to be working, with the company boasting yesterday that it now has a total of 25 million registered players across all Play4Free titles. Of course, that number is far less impressive if those people aren't actively playing, but that hasn't stopped EA from patting itself on the back and calling the number a "remarkable achievement." For those keeping score at home, that's 25 million registered players combined in Battlefield Heroes, Need for Speed World, Battlefield Play4Free, Dragon Age Legends, Battleforge and Lord of Ultima. Battlefield Heroes and Need for Speed World are the top dogs, each with a registered base of players exceeding ten million.The remaining five million comes from the total players registered in the other four games. "Developing a community of 25 million players is a remarkable achievement. It is a testament to the explosive growth of the free-to-play market and a reflection of EA's commitment to spearheading the digital transformation," said Play4Free VP Sean Decker in the press release. As a thanks to the community for taking time to at least register for its games, EA is offering some free in-game bux for its two heavy hitters: entering promo code EQ9M-TYYT-TXR3-5GU3 will net players 300 Battlefunds in Battlefield Heroes, while promo code EWPD-3KGA-VBVF-9HYS is good for 750 SpeedBoost in Need for Speed World. Codes expire on January 17, 2012 at 12:00 AM GMT.
MV Guide: January 9-15, 2012
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!
Need For Speed World caters to your need to spend money
You know how they say money can't buy you happiness? Well, if happiness to you is having the best thing possible in a game, then that saying doesn't apply to Need for Speed World. The Play4Free title added the Koenigsegg CCX "Elite" Edition car pictured above, available to all players for $100. You can grab the flashy whip through the in-game Car Dealer. Your regret will immediately follow, after realizing you've spent a hundred bucks on an imaginary car.
Aeria Games bringing Need for Speed World to a global audience
Do you feel a need to get behind the wheel of a car and race through the city streets? Would you prefer to do so without being arrested or the risk of crashing into a building at 100 MPH? Need for Speed World fulfills that requirement, and as of today, Aeria Games is bringing the game to a worldwide audience. It's the second game that the publisher has handled from Electronic Arts following the work done on Battlefield Heroes earlier this year. Like many other releases from Aeria Games, Need for Speed World's global release comes with several different localizations. The client is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Polish, letting players of several different nationalities face off against one another on the mean streets of several fictional cities. And of course, the core racing mechanics of the game have remained intact so that players can enjoy the whole free-to-play racing game in whatever tongue is most comfortable.
Need for Speed World's Gamescom trailer has a lead foot
Does the revving of an engine make your knees weak? Do the sleek curves of a Porsche make your heart beat faster? Yeah, me neither. But if pretty cars going really fast happens to blow up your skirt, then we've got a present for you. Straight from Gamescom 2011, Need for Speed World is kicking it into high gear with an adrenaline-pumping new trailer. Fasten your seatbelts and hang on for your life as a Porsche 911 GT3 RS goes head-to-head with a Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 (don't they just sound expensive?) in a frenetic race through Rockport. Of course, the other racer isn't the only hazard to your health in Need for Speed World; you also have to dodge and weave through incoming traffic and keep an eye out for the pesky five-o. For the full trailer, shift gears on past the cut.
MV Guide: July 18-24, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
Community Detective Issue #24: Need for Speed World
Thus far, Community Detective has stayed on the straight and narrow course of fantasy MMORPGs during its brief existence. Sure, I've taken the occasional detour into sci-fi, superhero, and quasi-historical territory, but the majority of the column's first 23 issues were -- like the genre itself -- largely concerned with sorcerers, scantily-clad he-men, and sword-related violence. This week I'd like to break out of that mold for a bit and examine a title based in the real world (or more accurately, Electronic Arts' approximation of the real world). To borrow a quote from dear old '80s cinema: I feel the need, the Need for Speed World.
Need for Speed World laps five million registered users
Another day, another creatively defined user record shattered. This time around, Need for Speed World does the honors by surpassing five million registered users. The free-to-play racing MMO from Electronic Arts most recently made metrics-related headlines last December when it topped three million registered users. Gamasutra has the details on the latest milestone and also notes that NFSW is offering motorsport fans a chance to check out virtual versions of actual automobiles from Audi, including the new A1 ClubSport Quattro that was unveiled yesterday. Need for Speed World is the 15th iteration of EA's venerable racing franchise and the first to feature MMORPG stylings. You can read all about it and download the free client at the game's official web destination.
Need For Speed World adds Team Escape
Why get chased by the cops alone when you can do it with friends? Need For Speed World has opened the freeways with six new Epic Escapes. This time you're not running from the cops alone; you and your friends can high-tail it away from smokey together. Not only is NFSW stepping it up a notch with team pursuits, but it's also upped the danger by giving the cops all-new tactics for catching you lawbreakers. And just to make things more interesting, the times for these runs have been extended to up to eight minutes, so you'd best slap on those high-endurance tires. Of course, the game doesn't give something to the cops without giving something to you. Because this is a team effort, the devs have given the racer two new team abilities: Team Emergency Evade, which saves your team from getting arrested when you need its help, and Team Slingshot, which provides a powerful boost of speed to your team when it needs it the most. Check out the full details on the Need For Speed World website. If this gets your adrenaline pumping, then keep watching Massively; we have some special Team Escape events coming up soon!
Need for Speed World population passes 3 million registered racers
After going free-to-play back in September, Need for Speed World has added roughly 2 million users to its online racetracks, surpassing 3 million registered users in total. Just imagine rush hour! Although the majority of the expanded user base can be attributed to the change to a free-to-play business model, the recent localization of the game into French, Polish, Russian and Spanish likely contributed to the rise in licensed drivers, too. Now, how would EA say, "Please buy some DLC" in those languages?
GameStop throws its hat into the digital distribution ring
As brick-and-mortar stores are struggling in this day and age, digital distribution has been taking off into the stratosphere. Seeing where the winds of change are blowing, GameStop has announced that it is joining the ranks of Steam, Amazon and Direct2Drive by offering a digital distribution service through its website. If players are comfortable sacrificing a physical box copy in exchange for the speed and convenience of a digital product, GameStop's service will allow them to purchase and download games, trials, expansions and various add-ons in the comfort of their own home. Players will be allowed to install the game on one to three PCs, depending on the product. Unfortunately, because the service is being handled by a third party, GameStop gift cards and certificates are not accepted as payment. GameStop's downloads page features a number of MMOs for purchase, including Need for Speed World, LEGO Universe, Aion and Age of Conan. If you haven't given Final Fantasy XI a whirl, the Ultimate Collection is on sale for $9.99 in both boxed and digital form.
This week on The MMO Report
This week's MMO Report finds Casey Schreiner all comfy with his feet propped on the desk, accusing us of cannibalism and bringing you the latest MMO news. First up, of course, was the tale of Bad Bobby and his EVE Online hijinks, a story that caused a huge stir in the MMO world over the weekend. SWTOR's announcement regarding Corellia got some attention, and Casey echoed the hope of many fans: since Corellia is Han Solo's future home, BioWare had better pony up a nod to the Solo name. Up next was Need for Speed World and its sudden switch to free-to-play, along with the upcoming new content and cash shop items. Company of Heroes Online, Final Fantasy XIV's maps, and Uncle Casey's Mailbag wrapped up the show, so follow along after the jump to see this week's MMO Report!
Need for Speed World goes free-to-play
Need for Speed World launched at the end of July with a business model that many MMO fans like to call "free-to-try." Players could zoom around for as long as they wanted at no cost, but with a level cap of 10. Paid players could reach level 50. The NFSW team members have had some time to settle in, watch player reaction, and discuss where they want the game to go from here, and today they announced their decision: the level cap is off and Need for Speed World is free-to-play! We chatted with Producer Jean-Charles Gaudechon about the change shortly before it happened, and he had some exciting things to tell us. Follow along after the jump for all the details and a first look at some of the new content.
Need for Speed World shifts to free-to-play model, as user base passes 1 million milestone
EA has announced that Need For Speed World, its MMO racer, has surpassed one million registered players since going live on July 27. With this milestone comes word that the game will soon be adding a co-op pursuit mode and expanded customization options (in addition to the already-promised new gameworld areas). Oh, and it's gone completely free-to-play. Originally free only up to level 10 -- requiring a $20 investment for the "full" experience -- Need For Speed World has removed its base cost, although the purchase of items, power-ups, car rentals and other premium content will remain an option under the F2P model.
One Shots: Need for rollercoasters
When it comes to adrenaline junkies, there's no challenge that seems too crazy -- especially when it's in a video game and you won't really suffer any broken bones from those insane stunts! Today's One Shots contributor, Jeroen V., is not content to simply zoom around in Need For Speed World at high rates of speed, racing against other players. Instead, he's dreamed up a crazy driving stunt he wants to pull off... somehow. He writes in: "I was just cruising the streets of whatever they called this town when I came across a roller coaster. Who doesnt want to race his car down a roller coaster track? I'm still searching for a way in!" There are tons of interesting sights out there in the MMOGverse, but we need you to help make One Shots happen. If you'd like to contribute, grab a screenshot of something interesting from your favorite game for us! Then all you have to do is email it to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit. %Gallery-85937%
Need for Speed World pulls up to the starting line on July 27
Anxious to envelop yourself in your Maserati's splendor and hit some hairpin turns at 100mph? Well, you can do that later. Now we want to tell you about this video game. EA has announced that its MMO experiment, Need for Speed World, will be available for download on July 27 -- a week later than initially expected. Those who pre-ordered the Need for Speed World Starter Pack -- a $20 primer that gives players $20 in SpeedBoost (in-game currency), full access up to level 50 and some power-ups including Nitrous and Traffic Magnet -- get a week's head start and can play Need for Speed World starting today. Those who pre-ordered get further incentive in exclusive cars, double experience points, driver name reservation and permanent VIP status. Racers looking for a free taste of the game will be able to download a special trial version (that unlocks all game modes and provides free play up to level ten) here as of July 27.
