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Rune Factory 4 may tend European fields after all
Rune Factory 4's European release was canceled following the closure of developer Neverland, leaving only North American and Japanese fans to tend its crops. Maybe 2014 was just a bad planting season across the pond though – a report from Siliconera suggests Rune Factory 4 will launch in Europe after all, eventually arriving as a digital piece of produce on the 3DS eShop. After noticing a content rating for the RPG simulator on USK (Germany's equivalent of the ESRB) which lists both Marvelous and XSEED as publishers, Siliconera contacted XSEED Executive VP Ken Berry to learn more. Berry explained that an unnamed group has been working in place of the original development team to secure a European launch "for months," and that XSEED hopes to start the master submission process with Nintendo of Europe "within the next couple weeks." Berry added that the effort was meant to be kept under wraps until the game actually passed Nintendo of Europe's certification, just to ensure European fans wouldn't face another letdown. Content rating boards always spoil all the fun, huh? [Image: Marvelous AQL]
EVE Evolved: Features coming in Oceanus and beyond
It's been almost four months since EVE Online switched from publishing two major expansions per year to releasing ten smaller updates, and so far it looks like the new schedule has been a huge success. Rather than forcing the industry overhaul out the door in Kronos before it was ready, CCP was able to push it forward to the Crius release window seven weeks later and the extra development time meant the feature launched in a very polished state. It may be too early to tell if the new schedule's success can be seen in the concurrent player graph for Tranquility, but the numbers have remained steady for the past few months in what is typically the annual low-point for player activity. The Oceanus update is scheduled to go live in just two day's time, adding several graphical upgrades, more difficult burner missions, an experimental new notification feature, and other small improvements. The scale of the update seems to be on par with the recent Hyperion release, consisting of mostly small features and minor iterations on gameplay. While we're told that CCP is still working on large projects behind the scenes, the new release schedule means they won't be rushed out the door and so we may not see them for some time. In this edition of EVE Evolved, I summarise everything we know about Tuesday's Oceanus update, and take a look at what's to come in further releases.
Infinite Crisis recruits Nightmare Robin and Atomic Joker
An absolutely massive update for Infinite Crisis has landed, boasting over 6,000 changes and tweaks, not to mention the addition of a pair of new champions: Nightmare Robin and Atomic Joker. Nightmare Robin is actually Bruce Wayne's son Damian, who got infected with the vampiric curse and is a little miffed at being one of the undead. At least he has two large knives and a lot of bleeding-edge training to compensate. Atomic Joker is a bit more lighthearted, what with being a head in a jar who is trying to rebuild civilization in his image. The September release overhauled the launcher, improved the new player experience, polished many of the map visuals, tweaked animations, and added a Crime Alley map where champions can test out skills against the computer. You can check out Atomic Joker and Nightmare Robin in the gallery below and in the videos after the break.
The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar ain't doing so good
If you somehow missed it, last week the WildStar team announced that the game will be squishing into megaservers to help bolster populations. What the hell happened? Contrary to what the developers would like you to believe, this is not good news. It's especially bad news if you're part of the roleplaying community, as you're about to get shoved into a server configuration that's almost specifically designed to prevent you from roleplaying outside of a handful of shared plots, but it's bad news for everyone. And it's bad news for the game when server merges are a reasonable reaction after less than three full months of operation. We all know that the game launched to good reviews, and it's far too early to say, "Well, it failed." At the same time, this is not a sign of a robust and vibrant future. This is the first stage of an organized retreat, and it doesn't inspire confidence. So what, exactly, took place that brought the game from the high of its launch to server mergers today?
PAX Prime 2014: ArcheAge is a go for launch!
The packed ballroom at Trion's PAX Prime party erupted into giddy cheers last night when the team announced that ArcheAge's launch is merely a couple of weeks away. This gorgeous fantasy sandbox blew up the alpha test population and is poised to be a huge coup for Trion as the studio adds another title to its growing portfolio. While the official launch date is September 16th, there will be an open beta from September 4th through the 8th, followed by a headstart launch on the 12th for founders. The team expressed confidence in the alpha testing and the back-and-forth communication with developer XLGAMES. If XLGAMES is the proud mom and dad of ArcheAge, I was told, then Trion is the proud auntie and uncle. A lot of work has gone into straightening out regional differences for the western audience as well. For example, in Korea it's quite common to play an MMO with the intent of selling your character for actual money, which places a different value and emphasis on what you accumulate and do. Since such sales aren't often legal here, adjustments had to be made for the localized version. There was also a special cape item that Korean players could use to identify botters, which was used responsibly in that country but has apparently been wielded as a griefing tool in the west. ArcheAge won't be budging on its commitment to an open PvP world; it's simply how the game is constructed. Players who want to avoid getting ganked will need to keep an eye on war zones that move throughout the world and accept the inherent risk that comes with attempting trade in those regions. The team hopes that there will be enough space on the servers for all subscribers to grab an open world housing plot if desired. Coming some time after launch will be castles, which are larger structures that guilds can build, maintain, and defend together. Trion said that server transfers won't be in for release but are being worked on for the future.
EVE Evolved: Making ISK from the Crius release
EVE Online's economy has been studied over the years for its resemblance to the real world, and it is often cited as an example of a hyper-capitalist society with no laws or regulation. But underneath the emergent interplay of supply and demand that has fueled everything from freighter businesses to virtual investment banks, EVE is ultimately a game. The biggest influence on the markets by far has always been CCP Games and the changes it deploys in expansions, which shake the universe up and force players to adapt to new circumstances. There's always money to be made from major gameplay changes, and accurately predicting how an expansion will impact on the market can put you on the head of a short-lived but very lucrative gold rush. Though EVE's updates now come in the form of ten smaller releases per year, the upcoming Crius release scheduled for July 22nd has practically a whole expansion's worth of changes to industry and research. That gives you just over two weeks to prepare for the change, train any skills you might need, and figure out how to cash in on EVE's industrial revolution. In this edition of EVE Evolved, I run down some tips for how to prepare for the upcoming industry revamp in Crius and make some ISK.
Aura Kingdom lands on Steam
Aura Kingdom has been playable for some time now, but if you're one of those digital platform snobs who refuses to play anything that's not offered, you've previously been out of luck. This has all changed this week, as Aura Kingdom passed the Steam Greenlight process and has become available through the platform. Aeria Games CEO Pascal Zuta hopes that this will give the anime MMO a good boost: "Having a game launch on Steam is a sign of trust in the quality of the game and the service we provide. We are very excited to now be able to offer Aura Kingdom to a wider audience through the Steam platform." [Source: Aeria Games press release]
EVE Evolved: Four top tips for living in wormholes
One of the biggest goals you can reach for in many sandbox MMOs is building your own empire and controlling a small corner of the game world. For much of EVE Online's lifetime, that privilege was reserved for the powerful few leaders of the game's large territorial alliances, which carve up vast swathes of space between them. A handful of alliances still control the lawless nullsec regions today, but there are still opportunities for smaller corporations and even individuals to stake a claim in the chaotic world of wormhole space. Exploring and farming in wormholes is very profitable activity, but permanently moving in and setting up a starbase can be an intimidating prospect. One wrong decision might lead to pilots getting stranded in the void without bookmarks, your starbase coming under attack, or the whole expedition being robbed blind by a corporate infiltrator. The early days of wormhole exploration were rife with stories of hardship, heists, and devastating wars fought through shifting networks of wormholes. A lot has changed since the wormholes first opened in 2009, and today many of those problems have solutions. In this EVE Evolved opinion piece, I look at some of the ways wormhole life has improved since Apocrypha and give four of my favourite tips for anyone planning to colonise wormhole space.
Knight's Fable launching on Wednesday
"The world needs a hero," the Knight's Fable website proclaims. "You be the one." Well, I guess that's it. You're the one. This means that you need to load up on Hot Pockets and Mountain Dew because you're going to need the fuel to save the world come Wednesday, June 18th. That's when Knight's Fable releases and the world gets that one hero it's always craved. This new browser MMO comes courtesy of iMiGAME. It features trainable pets, a battle party system, a PvP arena located in Hell (seriously), and four classes. Knight's Fable also says that it uses "fast-paced turn-based combat," so take that as you will. [Source: iMiGAME press release]
E3 2014: The Crew launches November 11th, is totally an MMO
While a lot of attention has been focused on The Division, not as much discussion has gone on surrounding Ubisoft's other MMO-ish title, The Crew. According to a recent development blog, though, the game is totally an MMO, even if you're not necessarily taking all of it on as a group. The game is based around an asymmetric multiplayer model in a persistent world, and there are even different classes of cars for players to specialize in depending on preference. Of course, you won't have to rely upon the word of the developers about that for much longer. The game has been given an official release date of November 11th, with beta starting on July 23rd. There's also a trailer past the break that shows in-game time-lapse footage of driving from Miami to LA, covering the entire United States during the trip. Check out the development blog regarding customization, game mechanics, and the game's MMO nature as well.
SMITE packs its bags for Latin America and Brazil
SMITE will be coming to Latin America and Brazil, Hi-Rez Studios announced today. Hi-Rez has teamed up with publisher Level Up to release the MOBA in Central and South America. There are no dates for this release as of yet, but the beta will begin in that region later this year after the localization has been completed. Players from those countries who have accounts on a NA or EU server will be allowed to transfer to Level Up servers at that time. Teams from Latin America and Brazil have been invited to participate in the SMITE World Championship in January 2015. [Thanks to Soren for the tip!]
EVE Online: Kronos goes live
EVE Online deployed the Kronos content update-slash-expansion today, and CCP is calling on all pilots to get out there and kick some major pirate booty. Er, butts. Heinies. Kronos includes new pirate ships, a mess of ship rebalancing, more exploration sites, and plenty of improved visuals. The hefty 1.2 GB patch comes with equally impressive notes to peruse while you update the game. Kronos represents the first update on CCP's accelerated six-week cycle.
Japan's not getting the Xbox One until this September
If we're being civil, Japan's relationship with the Xbox could be described as "tenuous" at best, and the release date for Microsoft's latest game console probably won't do much to change that. Come this September 4th, gamers in the country will finally be able to claim an Xbox One for themselves. Yes, that's around 10 months after it launched in the US and other "first tier" countries, and seven months after the PlayStation 4's Japanese debut. Redmond's Eastern wing hasn't mentioned pricing just yet (what, one announcement isn't enough?), but with E3 on the horizon it likely won't remain unknown for too much longer.
Hearthstone comes to iPad
After a soft launch in a few countries, Hearthstone is now available to iPad owners worldwide. Blizzard announced today that Hearthstone is on the app store as an alternative to the PC version. The title is available on iPads 2 and newer as well as the iPad minis. New and returning players will be treated to a free card pack as part of this release. Hearthstone has a funny trailer for the Apple release, which you can watch after the jump.
The Daily Grind: Is Elder Scrolls Online in a good shape to launch?
Right now is the calm before the Elder Scrolls Online storm, the holding of one's breath before it can be released next week. I won't be playing it but I'm happy for those of you who will, since a major new MMO release is always a cause for celebration and energizes the larger community. However, I have one question today that I'd like to put out to those of you who were in the beta test, either extensively or during one of the weekends: Is ESO in a good shape to launch? Did it get adequate testing? Are the bugs fixed or is it an insect-lover's paradise in there? Is it being pushed out the door firmly but prematurely due to a fixed date or is it sailing gracefully on its own steam with no major reservations? Do you take the devs' words that launch will be a polished, lag-free experience? 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!
LG's G Pro 2 starts rolling out across Asia
If you love your screens large but hate the bezel, LG's G Pro 2 smartphone has arrived to Asia, replete with a 5.9-inch, IPS 1080p display and meager 3.3mm side frames. It also sports cutting-edge niceties like 4K video recording and the drum-to-unlock Knock Code, along with a 13-megapixel camera, Snapdragon 800 chip and 3GB of RAM. It'll hit Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam in the coming days, with North America and Europe to follow at an unspecified date. There's still no word on pricing, but given those specs, it's not the budget phone you've been looking for.
Elder Scrolls Online promises 'polished, lag-free launch experience'
ZeniMax Lead Developer Matt Firor rallied the legions of Elder Scrolls Online fans today with a lengthy post about what the studio's done and what it's planning to do to ensure a successful launch of the game. Firor said that beta feedback and testing has been invaluable, prompting the team to streamline the starting experience and make combat "more substantial." He was also impressed by what he saw during testing: "Some of the things we've discovered with your help excite and inspire us -- like seeing that 98% of characters created have a unique appearance, or seeing the first emperor crowned in our epic PvP system -- while other findings challenge us to make the game better." To ready the game for launch, there will be one final stress test this weekend. ZeniMax has prepared megaservers for both North America and Europe, and the studio assured players that playing cross-region will not result in any drop of latency. The team also has a number of overflow servers on the ready to deal with the initial crush. Finally, Firor said that we'll soon hear more about the first post-launch update that will add the Craglorn zone for endgame players. "We will make sure that no matter where you live, every player in North America, Europe, Oceania, and many places beyond will have a polished, lag-free launch experience," Firor promised.
Hearthstone launches, offers players a way to earn a special World of Warcraft mount
Whoa, this sneaked up on us unexpectedly! Blizzard abruptly announced today that Hearthstone has officially launched and updated to the new 1.0.0.4944 patch. The free-to-play card game has been widely available for some time now, but now it's all there for keeps. Today's patch includes golden hero and special card backing visuals as rewards for ranked play. Other changes include balance tweaks, a reconnect feature, access to multiple regions, and a whole lotta bug fixes. Players can also earn a Hearthstone mount for World of Warcraft by winning three games in play or arena mode.
Perfect Ten: The journey from announcement to launch
One of the aspects that I love about MMOs is just how dang fun the build-up to launch can be. I know this period can make some people cranky (Jef) because they'd rather have Santa randomly kick in their door, toss in a bunch of unwrapped video games and Minecraft foam accessories, and refuse to stay for milk and cookies. Not me; I love the build-up, the anticipation, and the goofy fun of partaking in all of this with a like-minded community. There's something awesome about each stage of the journey from announcement to launch, even if it brings out the crazy in many of us. Now that I think about it, if MMOs didn't exist, where would the drama llamas go to bleat out their discontent? Would trolls go extinct under their mossy bridges? That sounds just awful. I don't care if liking all of this stuff makes me a big lame-o. I eat lame-os for breakfast because they're high in fiber and there's a free beta key in every box. So get ready to face the full might of my unadulterated joy in three... two... one...
The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar's NDA and impending release
The release date approaches for WildStar, and that day is... entirely unclear. Maybe it'll be next month; maybe it'll be six months from now. The official word is still silence. Mirroring that silence are the game's current testers, still under an NDA that prevents them from talking about the game even as we in the press can talk about much of the content and leveling currently in place through both text and streams. Are these relevant points to discuss? Yes, they really are, especially in the wake of two prominent illustrations of what can be done with testing phases and NDAs. So let's talk about the NDA, the lack of a release date, and how those elements might tie into one another. Especially as we're coming off of a weekend when more people got to try out the game, it's important to talk about when the gates and the lines of communication will be opened.
