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PAX East 2011: Will World of Warcraft ever go free-to-play?
It seems that every new MMORPG wants to bill itself as a "WoW killer." From Lord of the Rings Online to Age of Conan to (most recently) RIFT, everyone wants a piece of the most popular subscription-based MMORPG of all time. To date, World of Warcraft has weathered the competition. Its subscriber numbers have reached an all-time high (now over 12 million), with its latest Cataclysm expansion selling nearly 5 million copies in the first month alone. The game should remain popular and successful for years to come. Still, even Blizzard admits: It can't stay on top forever. So what happens when the game starts losing a significant amount of its subscriber base? If what happened to Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online is any clue, World of Warcraft might move to a free-to-play model. Since switching to free-to-play, both of Turbine's games added subscribers and increased revenues. This past weekend, I sat in on the free-to-play MMO panel held at the PAX East 2011 conference in Boston. Afterward, I caught up with Robert Ferrari, VP of Publishing and Business Development for Sanrio Digital (Hello Kitty Online), to discuss WoW. We discussed the free-to-play industry and whether or not World of Warcraft could eventually find a place in it. "WoW has to be looking at a free-to-play model currently," Ferrari theorized.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Between the lines of PAX
I think that the first year of PAX East spoiled me for any and all future City of Heroes panels. At the time Paragon Studios held that panel, there was a new expansion due out in that marvelous sweet spot when it's just far enough away that a lot of questions are unanswered but not so far away that we can't be told all of the cool parts. Every panel since then has had a bit less to share, but really, that's kind of the nature of the beast. Until we get expansion number three on deck, we aren't going to have another panel with that much information and that many surprises unloaded all at once. Still, another part of my brain can't help but feel as if the most interesting part of this year's presence for City of Heroes wasn't the panel itself but the other elements surrounding the panel. (Considering that I already wrote up what happened there, this may also serve a stunningly convenient purpose for writing a column about the convention.) There's certainly no hints of a big revelation around the corner, but there were little elements hither and yon that piqued my interest for various reasons.
The most important thing about Serious Sam: Double D
Professional game critic though I may be, I don't have too much in the way of valuable insight to offer about Serious Sam: Double D, Mommy's Best Games' entry in the Serious Sam Indie Series. Blending the run-and-gun dual-stick action of Mommy's Best's Weapon of Choice with Serious Sam's ... headless dudes with bombs for hands works as well as you'd think. No, the most important thing about the game I can relate to you is elegantly conveyed by the above screenshot. While many games will let you wield a shotgun, machine gun and plasma rifle, only one game will supply you with an item that lets you stack all of them together and fire them simultaneously. The Gun Stacker: Let it never be said 2011 was without innovation.
PAX East 2011: Hands-on with SWTOR's Taral V
Star Wars: The Old Republic was an obvious hit at PAX East. Fans stood in line for hours just to get a chance to touch one of the most anticipated games of this year and to catch a glimpse of Taral V, the first publicly shown Flashpoint. The excitement to be one of the first to get hands on SWTOR group content was palpable. Our contributing editors Larry Everett and Eliot Lefebvre scored that opportunity to play the game last Saturday. Read on as our intrepid reporters showcase their experiences in the Star Wars universe. Draw your blaster and ignite your lightsaber as we head to a galaxy far, far away... Larry Everett: There are many things that can distract you from actually playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. Who wouldn't be distracted by the incredible layered scenery? I'd think the spot-on animations would make you want to attack more, although it is possible that you could attack the wrong target. Perhaps it was the vivid facial expressions that would cause someone to not make a dialogue choice. These have to be the reasons behind the fact that the Jedi Knight on our team completely failed to do his job in one of the most incredibly polished games and easy-to-slide-into games I have have ever played.
Section 8: Prejudice preview: Once you drop, you can't stop
The original Section 8 was an unknown quantity launching within weeks of the likes of Halo 3: ODST and Batman: Arkham Asylum. To put it lightly, Section 8 had quite an uphill battle on its hands. Now, developer TimeGate Studios has prepared a disruptive secret weapon: Turning the sequel, Section 8: Prejudice, into a budget download. Based on what I played at PAX East, I'd say it's a strategy that might pay off. %Gallery-115412%
PAX East 2011: Massively interviews Wizard101's Fred Howard
There was a lot of game news to come out of PAX East this past weekend, and KingsIsle definitely arrived with some very big announcements. Wizard101 fans can look forward to a brand-new world called Wintertusk, which completes the epic storyline of Grizzleheim. Both high- and low-level players will have new places to explore and quests to complete. Highlights include brand-new areas for high-level Wizards to discover and explore, new spells, level 58 class pets for each primary school, a revamped underwater introduction zone for lower-level characters (continuing the story of the Crab King), and the ephemeral "more." Massively had the chance to talk with KingsIsle Vice President Fred Howard about Wizard101 and the rapid growth of MMOs aimed at younger players. Read on for his thoughts on player security, the importance of story, and a curious Crab King with a penchant for rock.
PAX East 2011: Law In Games panel hits home for WoW
PAX East is home to all sorts of panels and discussion, ranging from sexism in video games to mechanics and motivations in the games we play. Legal issues are present in all things, and video games -- even World of Warcraft -- are no exception. Two of the biggest topics at the panel, hosted by prominent legal minds in the video game industry, were End User License Agreements and damages in game as part of tort law. All in all, it was a very interesting panel of Q&A from some of gaming's smartest minds.
City of Heroes posts updates to the global server change
While nothing quite compares to a new expansion pack, Paragon Studios still surprised City of Heroes fans when it announced at PAX East that both the American and European servers were going to be merged into a single list. The team is looking to head off most further questions with a recently released FAQ regarding the changeover, which will also see European account holders rolled into the existing database. It also enumerates the benefits to the community as a whole, allowing both regions equal access to testing and special events while expanding the total number of servers available for each player. In the case of name conflicts for the global chat channel, a player originally from the European servers will be given a temporary handle based on his character's name and a free change to said handle. According to the official statement, the number of affected players is expected to be fairly small, and actual character names will not be affected as the servers aren't merging in any way. Expected to be fully rolled out by the end of the summer, this latest change to City of Heroes won't help any content slumps but will help foster more international community efforts for the game.
PAX East 2011: Massively interviews RIFT's Scott Hartsman
With the launch of RIFT still fresh, members of the Trion team packed their bags and flew to Boston to attend PAX East. Even though they didn't have a booth, their "We're not in Azeroth anymore" banner made their presence known. In addition, Community Manager Cindy "Abigale" Bowens hosted a party in Boston to celebrate the launch with players and fans. Massively had a chance to sit down and talk with Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman about launch day, security, plans for the future, and a whole lot more. Read on for the full interview!
Capy's 'Zombie Tactics' on hold, studio too busy
Capy President Nathan Vella told us at PAX East that the prematurely exposed Zombie Tactics is "on hold." "It's not on hold because it sucks," Vella explained. "It's on hold because we have other stuff first." Capy is currently prepping for the iOS launches of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP and the release of Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes HD on XBLA and PSN in mid-April. The studio is also working on other "unannounced projects." Vella believes the prototype for Zombie Tactics, which he told us has hints of Valkyria Chronicles gameplay peppered in, is great. However, he feels the zombie genre is just a tad saturated at the moment. %Gallery-76627%
FEAR 3 preview: On the run from The Wall
It's always a good sign when a representative for a game developer who's leading you through a demo tells you, "No, that's not an in-house nickname -- that's what this game mode is actually called." The gametype in question is FEAR 3's "F***ing Run" (its actual moniker), a four-player cooperative mode that sends players down streets and alleys filled with enemies, whom they must mow down as they race from checkpoint to checkpoint. That would sound like a fairly uninspired experience, if it weren't for the gigantic, horrifying innovation Day 1 Studios has thrown in the mix: The Wall of Death. As the players shoot their way through the crowd, a towering black cloud pursues them, gobbling up any and all stragglers who rely on the safety of cover for too long. %Gallery-119108%
Video: Joystiq vs. PAX East 2011
PAX East 2011 has come and gone. As we recuperate and shake out the remainder of our coverage, it's time to officially say goodbye. After the break you'll find one of our (now traditional) "Joystiq vs." videos, in which we'e compiled some of the more memorable moments from the expo, including the live Joystiq Podcast, the Blueberry Muffin Tops Breakfast, the show floor and, of course, lots of cosplayers. Enjoy. [Music: "Ghost Pressure" by Wolf Parade]
A vision of Lord of the Rings Online's new instances
While we relayed to you several details of the five new dungeons coming with Lord of the Rings Online's Echoes of the Dead update, it's still great to be able to see them as well. Today, Turbine released screens for three of the instances for our visual consumption. Stoneheight is a town under siege in North Downs as Ivar the Gaunt-lord makes a general mess of things as he searches for a very special helm. Meanwhile at Northcotton Farm, Thadúr the Ravager is attempting to poison the poor Hobbits by turning their love of food against them. Finally, the Lost Temple in the Trollshaws is a plague explosion waiting to happen, as Ferndúr the Virulent uses his dark power to modify and kill all who encounter him. Check out the gallery below for five illuminating screens, and don't forget to read our PAX East overview of these instances! %Gallery-101902%
PAX East 2011: Delving LotRO dungeons deeply
Right now, Lord of the Rings Online is in a brief respite between the insanity of PAX East and the upcoming March 21st release date for its next big update, Echoes of the Dead. To say that there's a lot coming with this update is a vast understatement, so it was great to get a sneak peek at the five new instances before they went live. Earlier this year, players started to get rumblings about a major upcoming event as five mysterious relics popped up all over Middle-earth in Evendim, Forochel, Enedwaith, North Downs and the Trollshaws. By finding all five, players completed a special deed and got the title "Calm Before the Storm," foreshadowing dire events to follow. All anyone could do after that was prepare for an uncertain future. It turns out that LotRO's players had good reason to prepare, because as of next week, five new dungeons will open their doors for business -- the business of eating adventurers alive and spitting out their bones, that is. Spurned Gaunt-lords have returned to make life for the Free Peoples of Middle-earth harder by transforming the very landscape into their hellish domain, and it's up to you to thwart their schemes. Hit the jump as we traveled to these new instances at PAX East with LotRO Executive Producer Kate Paiz!
The ocean was all, like, 'psych' in BattleBlock Theater's intro
The Behemoth sets the scene for BattleBlock Theater casually, with an intro movie that doesn't even really seem sure of what happened. Find out approximately how Hatty Hattington and his round-headed, nameless friend got into their predicament after the break.
PAX East 2011: Stalking through DDO's Update 9
One of the scariest games I ever played has to be the original Silent Hill. A nearly empty town shrouded with fog and featuring one of the most terrifying elementary schools ever devised? Yes, this is why I didn't sleep much in 1999. So when I started to get flashbacks as Fernando Paiz took me through the creepy alleyways of Dungeon and Dragons Online's upcoming update, I had to excuse myself and run around the PAX East show floor for a few minutes while shrieking like a tormented cat. OK, it wasn't that frightening, but I definitely was getting a Silent Hill vibe from the latest adventure pack that Turbine has crafted for the game. Coming "soon" (TM, all rights reserved, void in Utah and the Yukon Territories), DDO's Update 9 promises to bring a wide assortment of lavish treats to a hungry populace. At the center of it is a level 15 quest chain that centers around mysterious abductions, a skittish population, and nightmares made flesh. Hit the jump as I recall my brush with certain death in these adventures and relate the other jewels of Update 9!
Skullgirls preview: Strong foundation
Look past Skullgirls' big-breasted anime babes -- as seen in the announcement trailer -- and you'll find one of the most technical fighters out there. For fighting game fans, Skullgirls offers an interesting prospect: a predictive game engine designed to be a strong foundation to fix and avoid some of the biggest problems plaguing the genre. %Gallery-118997%
Fez preview: It's the little things
Fez is not just a platformer. Nor is it just a puzzle-platformer. Fez is an experience. A crazy experience that's clearly the product of some eccentric and passionate game developers -- two, in fact, who are all that comprise Polytron Corporation, the game's Montreal-based developer. Fez is what happens when you mix fancy, high-end modern consoles with 16-bit-era graphics, and put two guys with very serious detail obsession in control. In short, Fez is very, very impressive.
PAX East 2011 attendance 69,500; officially becomes biggest PAX
PAX East organizers have told Joystiq that the show's attendance at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center was 69,500, making it the biggest PAX convention yet. Last year's inaugural PAX East show welcomed 52,290 revelers to the smaller Hynes Convention Center. Penny Arcade business honcho, Robert Khoo, told Big Download: "The venue we have this year is massive - it's legitimately 2-3x larger than last year's venue, so the amount of breathing room was fantastic. I didn't hear a single complaint about overcrowding. I never thought I would see the day." PAX East 2012 is scheduled for April 6-8. Start booking those hotel rooms now ... we'd be surprised if it wasn't another sold-out show.
PAX East 2011: Shipping up to Boston with City of Heroes
It's only fitting that PAX East 2011 would see another panel for City of Heroes, as last year's convention was the first time the team from Paragon Studios had been to the east coast. While this year's panel didn't see the many announcements and surprising new reveals of last year, it's good to see the team making the trek out to Boston once again in what fans can only hope will be a regular event. As always, the line to get into the panel was gargantuan, with players lining up an hour before the panel doors opened for a seat in the relatively small theater. Once players had filed in and the room had settled down, it was time for a look at the past year or so for City of Heroes and at what players could expect for the near future, as well as the usual lively question-and-answer session.
