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Joystiq Photo Album
Like all good photo albums, our look back at ten years of Joystiq is a hot mess of nostalgia, out-of-focus shots, and GIFs (you've been warned). Now, gather round and mind the edges. >>Joystiq Photo Album<<
Flameseeker Chronicles: Alas, and so we go
Everyone heard the earth-shattering roar that shook Tyria this past weekend, right? No, it wasn't another Elder Dragon awakening; I'm talking about the fan response to ArenaNet's presentation at PAX South in which CEO Mike O'Brien and Lead Developer Colin Johanson revealed what Heart of Thorns means for Guild Wars 2. Yes, Virginia: It's an expansion pack. The irony is a little too much, to be honest. Heart of Thorns is the most exciting thing to happen to GW2 since launch, but I won't be able to cover it in this column. I'm going to get all maudlin if I dwell on that, so let's cap things off by talking about the game. And since I want to end my last FSC on a happy note, I'm going to talk about all of the things I'm tremendously excited for in HoT. Once more past the cut, dear friends!
Fantasy Earth Zero shutting down on March 24th
Sad news today for fans of Fantasy Earth Zero -- after officially launching less than a year ago, the game will be shutting down in North America in just under two months. Gamepot USA has posted a full statement explaining the game's shutdown schedule as well as the policies on refunds for any game currency purchased within the last month. The game's cash shop has been closed, with all servers set to quadruple experience and money so that players can enjoy the time that's left. Fantasy Earth Zero took the long way around to get released stateside in the first place, after being developed by Square-Enix and then nearly shut down in Japan due to poor sales. An emotional farewell letter has also been posted, something fans of the game will no doubt wish to read. There's still time left to enjoy the accelerated servers before the shutdown, but when the lights go out on March 24th, they won't be coming back on. [Thanks to Jeffrey for the tip.]
The Daily Grind: When have you said goodbye?
Spend enough time in any game, and you're bound to form connections. It's the structure of MMOs, after all -- they aren't meant to be played all alone. And yet as time wears on, no matter how close a friend you've found in another player, you will find yourself going in different directions. There comes a point when either you or your best friends in-game are leaving, and you have to say your goodbyes. Even though you never mean to lose touch with your friends from an old favorite, it's hard to maintain a friendship when your point of common interest is gone. Sometimes you can manage it, but frequently you have to accept that the good memories of the past are just that. So when have you had to say goodbye to your friends from a game? Was it a friendship that came back in a later game down the road, or do you look back wistfully at the good times you had? 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!
Overheard at E3: A trumpet fade out
At approximately 3:59PM PST (7:00PM EST), a noise entered the show floor that trumped all other soundwave. It was a trumpet, signaling the end of E3. A woman's voice comes on, telling us to exit the premises and to come back next year.We're gone, it's over, but we still have much to write up. Stay tuned over the weekend and next week as we continue to post our impressions and experiences at E3, and give you our picks for the best of show.
