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Razer made slippers for World Snake Day
Ssslip your sssoles into thessse sssnake ssslippersss from Razer.
'Minecraft' gets its own official monthly swag box
Monthly subscription boxes are a curious idea: subscribers pay a fee to receive things like t-shirts, toys, merchandise, makeup or food that they have no choice over. Companies like Loot Crate, Fancy, Graze and Dollar Shave Club all utilise the model, but there's a new entrant on the scene: Mojang. That's right, Minecraft now has its own swag box.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite piece of MMO swag?
A Reddit thread posted by curious swag-mongers working for indie MMO hopeful Das Tal inspired today's question: What's your favorite piece of MMO swag? Me, I have a few pieces that I've kept. Some cloth maps and cards from Ultima Online. All the paper maps from City of Heroes. A couple of World of Warcraft stuffies, though admittedly I've let the kids maul them. I'm not super sentimental with my stuff, but even I have a few trinkets I decided to hang onto over the years. What about you folks? What's your favorite piece of MMO swag? 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!
Breakfast Topic: What Warcraft swag do you want to see?
Between their own official gear store and the merchandise on J!NX and other retailers, there's plenty of WoW (and Blizzard in general) swag out there for the buying. But with time-limited exclusives -- like the immensely popular (and quickly sold out) Nether Faerie Dragon plush at San Diego Comic-Con -- you can't always get your hands on the swag you want... and maybe Blizzard just hasn't gotten around to making the swag you want yet. (For example, I'd love to see more of swag based on Carbot's properties, like the StarCrafts hoodies.) But just what Blizzard swag would get you shopping? Do you want more plushies, more hoodies, or something else entirely?
Can't get enough of BlizzCon? Check out the post-BlizzCon swag sale!
If you've spent the week lonesome for more BlizzCon excitement, then some shopping in the BlizzCon store may be just the thing. This is the same loot that was available in the store for virtual ticket holders and on sale at BlizzCon itself -- plus some extras from BlizzCons past -- but if you missed anything, you can now pick it up online even if you don't have a virtual ticket. Unfortunately, some things are sold out -- like Hearthstone tshirts and mugs -- but there's plenty of loot to go around, like Warlords of Draenor tees, the Lil' Chen plushie, and the epic purple lanyard. So if you still have cash to spare after BlizzCon, there's shopping to be done! If there's anything you want, you should act fast, because supplies are limited.
Shroud of the Avatar shows off crafting sigil and more
A plus-sized project update for Shroud of the Avatar kicks off with a look at the crafting sigil, the diagram that shows how the game's crafting disciplines are interconnected. The crafting sigil is made of three rings (inner, middle, and outer) that hold five skills apiece. The inner ring is devoted to crafting, the middle to refining, and the outer to production. This setup is not just for eye candy, but provides a visual representation of the crafting process as items are made by going from the inner ring to the outer. The update goes on to tease male avatar armor, a story sneak peek, Shroud of the Avatar swag, and several screenshots of housing exteriors, interiors, and basements. Yes, basements: truly the most requested MMO preview aspect ever. Please try not to wet your pants. Actually, they are kind of cool, so disregard that sarcasm.
Miku, meat and merch: Tokyo Game Show 2013 shopping area extravaganza
The Tokyo Game Show's shopping area is a dangerous place. It's full of adorable, super awesome merchandise from the likes of Sega, Capcom and Namco Bandai – which is good – but the majority of that stuff is way expensive, which is bad. What's worse, the swag-lust induced by simply being in the area is compounded with a terrible sense of urgency; the knowledge that most of this merchandise isn't readily available elsewhere, and this might be your only chance to snag it. We barely managed to escape with our lives, but you can live vicariously through the terror of our wallets. Join us for a quick look at what our children will someday inherit instead of money or land.
Breakfast Topic: How do you show your WoW?
Wandering around outside of Azeroth, in the so-called real world, you'll see a lot of World of Warcraft players. Some you'll spot with class t-shirts, others drive cars with alliance or horde window stickers (or even custom license plates), some may wear WoW-themed jewelry, and some even have WoW tattoos. But not everyone feels the need to show off their WoW fandom in an obvious way -- or even at all. So what about you, readers? Do you have a WoW-themed t-shirt collection so you always have the right shirt for the occasion? Or is there some subtler way you like to show off your WoW love? %Gallery-20183%
Vanguard throws sixth anniversary giveaway
It's Vanguard's sixth birthday today, and if you haven't read our recent dev tour of the game's progress since free-to-play, we're going to have a strong word with your mother. As for SOE's part, the studio is giving away five 'schwag bags' full of awesome Vanguard goodies -- but you'll have to sign up quick to get your chance at winning something. The prize package contains a signed copy of Vanguard's collector's edition, a backpack, a $15 Station Cash gift card, a mug, a mobile stylus, and a phone case. It's open to everyone 18 and older, but all entries must be in by tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST. You can head over to the official contest page for more details and your chance to win.
The Daily Grind: So what did you get?
It's a big holiday for a lot of people today, and the Massively offices are quiet while we engage in traditional and not-so-traditional festivities. The Massively staffers are not as quiet as many of us have been giving and receiving gifts from our family, friends, loved ones, and random strangers (shouts of woohoo can be heard all the way through the internets). And odds are good that a good chunk of our readers are doing the same. Of course, if the people in your life know you, they probably got you a gift that has something to do with gaming because of course they did. So today we're just throwing open the doors and asking you to just brag. What's the best gaming-related gift you received this holiday season? Was it a new game you've been waiting for? An old game you couldn't find? An accessory? A game system? Or was it a humble in-game gift from a friend or family member playing the same game, proving that it's really the thought that counts over the physical value of something? 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!
WoW Archivist: WoW's zaniest merchandise
WoW Archivist explores the secrets of World of Warcraft's past. What did the game look like years ago? Who is etched into WoW's history? What secrets does the game still hold? With only five shopping days left until the Feast of Winter Veil, it is officially holiday crunch time. To inspire you in your shopping goals or maybe point out the perfect gift for that special raider in your life, WoW Archivist presents the zaniest WoW-themed real-world merchandise of all time. Strange swag Every BlizzCon has its swag bag, but 2008's edition, celebrating the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, has to be the zaniest ever. In addition to Diablo III "sinamints," a can of "zerg creep" goop, and a pandaren beer cozy, the bag included an inflatable Frostmourne or an inflatable "Bubble Hearth Beach Ball." The latter is a Divinely Shielded dwarf using an uninterruptable hearthstone -- in beach ball form. The bag also included a package of tissues labeled "QQ noob," masks of Azeroth's races (reminiscent of the Hallow's End in-game versions), and a Frostmourne keychain. The keychain is notable for its several outward-facing spikes. It takes falling on your keys to a whole new level of pain. The full-size Frostmourne replica is more dangerous, but you're also not carrying it around in your pocket mere centimeters from your genitals. Or are you?
Neverwinter beta keys available in Halloween writing contest
Scary stories are all the rage this time of the year, and Perfect World Entertainment is tapping into the Halloween spirit with an adventure writing contest for Neverwinter fans. Dubbed the Spooky Adventure Contest, interested dungeon masters have until October 22nd to create an entire Dungeons & Dragons tabletop adventure based on a terrifying tale set in or around the city of Neverwinter. Successful entries will also include encounters and detailed map descriptions. After the contest closes, the three top adventures will receive Neverwinter beta keys and some game swag. All three winners get an official Neverwinter dice bag while the first place winner will also receive an official dragon beanie cap. Full rules and conditions can be found on the official site.
JINX reveals its spring collection
If you're aiming to add a little Azeroth flavor to your swagger, JINX is the go-to source for WoW swag. After all, JINX is a proven purveyor of WoW clothing, hats, and even the occasional hoodie. JINX's designs tend to be fun, creative, and WoW-flavored with a strong mainstream appeal. It's great stuff, even if you don't want every person who glances at you to instantly think, "Ah, this is a man who's really into video games." The Spring Collection has finally been announced, heralding the arrival of new designs aplenty for the WoW geek who likes to wear the game on his sleeve. My favorite is probably Property of Tol Barad Prison. After all, after enough games there, I certainly feel like I've given up my soul. Jinx also has a couple of new spray pins that look snazzy attached to backpacks. I'm avoiding faction bias by getting one of each for my Mac's bag.
The Daily Grind: Do exclusive in-game event items annoy you?
I was looking longingly at an ad for EVE Online's Fanfest a few minutes ago. I say longingly because it's a bit late to be booking airfare to Iceland for a couple weeks hence, to say nothing of getting off work. The event seems like a good time, though, and the icing on the cake is the in-game swag that CCP distributes to attendees. Sony Online Entertainment does something similar for its annual Fan Faire shindig, and I remember tons of exclusive items on display in the virtual homes of Star Wars Galaxies fans who made the annual pilgrimages to Las Vegas. It's bad enough that I never made it to Fan Faire, but it was infinitely worse that I wasn't able to get my collection-obsessed paws on rare no-trade paintings and whatnot (yeah, first-world problems, yada yada). What about you, morning crew? Do exclusive in-game event items rub you the wrong way? 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!
BlizzCon 2011 presale merchandise now available
Just like last year, Blizzard has made certain BlizzCon-exclusive items available for preorder by BlizzCon 2011 ticketholders. There are almost 100 pieces of merchandise available this year, from designer toys to poker sets to calendars to Starcraft 2 Mega Bloks sets, and they're ready to be viewed (and purchased) right this very moment! Check out the presale on the Blizzard Store, but keep in mind that you won't be able to see the new merchandise unless you're logged into a Battle.net account with a BlizzCon ticket (or virtual ticket) attached to it.%Gallery-134120%
Jagex announces RuneFest 2011
If you'll be in the UK on the weekend of October 29th -- and you're a fan of RuneScape -- you might want to drop by Old Billingsgate in central London for the annual RuneFest fan celebration. Jagex is pulling out all the stops for the browser title's 10th anniversary bash, and attendees can look forward to event favorites like the Insider Sessions as well as the Golden Gnome Video Awards. A Halloween after-party is also on the docket, as are plenty of opportunities to score swag and hob-knob with senior developers. Tickets aren't yet on sale, but you can keep up with RuneFest happenings and announcements via the official website and the dedicated forums.
Hang out with Massively (and Joystiq) at the E3 2011 reader meetup
So E3 is coming up, and you what that means: games booze! If you've done the convention circuit before, you know that listening to PR reps and watching multiple presentations on the greatest-game-in-the-history-of-games pales in comparison to the opportunity to indulge in a bit of pub-crawling with industry types. If you're over 21 and a fan of Massively, Joystiq, or WoW Insider, you'll want to mark Friday, June 10th on your party-going calendar. The Joystiq crew will be taking over the La Cita bar in downtown Los Angeles for a swag-filled shindig sure to please the most discriminating gamer. And if not, hey, you can always drink with us. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Severed head in the mail terrifies, teases Aliens: Colonial Marines
We get a lot of weird stuff in the mail, it's simply one of the hazards of this profession. Any given day, we have to be prepared to take delivery of a miniature diorama, a personalized strait jacket, a check for $200, or maybe a pile of meat, hair and teeth? Sometimes, it's a dirty doll head. Wait, what? Now, getting something like this in the mail might be a frightening experience for the casual games journalist but remember, your pals at Joystiq are pros. And by pros, we mean to say that we asked Twitter what it was. Some of you suggested it might be promoting Gearbox's announced-over-three-years-ago FPS Aliens: Colonial Marines. While that seemed like a crazy assumption, it turns out the name written on the back, Rebecca, is the actual name of that lovable scamp from Aliens, Newt. Furthermore, the return address on the package is from one Ms. Rebecca Jorden, Newt's full name. Here's what Wikia has to say about the doll: Casey was the favorite doll of Newt's. Casey was reduced to nothing but a head when she was discovered on LV-426. Casey was lost when Newt was abducted in the sub-basement reservoir in the Hadley's Hope settlement. And if that's not enough proof of an imminent E3 re-reveal, Kotaku says it has an appointment to see the game, so ... case closed, we guess. We're mostly looking forward to seeing why Colonial Marines was put on the backburner for so long ... ... mostly.
Second wave of BlizzCon tickets goes on sale tonight
If you missed out on picking up a ticket to one of the hottest events of the year, then your last chance is coming up tonight. A second batch of BlizzCon tickets is set to go on sale at 10:00 p.m. EDT (7:00 p.m. PDT) later today for the high, high price of $175 a pop. Each ticket not only gets you into the two-day convention (October 21-22, 2011 in Anaheim, CA) but includes a goody bag and the option to purchase limited-time BlizzCon merchandise before the show. Once the tickets go on sale tonight, you'll have minutes -- an hour at most -- to head over to the BlizzCon website and place your order. Blizzard is limiting you to only four per household, so if you have a group of friends who want to come, they'll need to coordinate their purchases as well! This is the sixth BlizzCon since the event started in 2005. Last year's BlizzCon admitted over 27,000 fans to the shindig.
Sega does its part to help Japan with gear auction
Delivering another fine example of the industry pitching in to help Japan, Sega is auctioning off a Yakuza track jacket, a Dreamcast hoodie and a ton of neat stuff, all of which you can see after the break. All proceeds go to the Red Cross, so you can dress like a geek but still feel like a champ.
