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Guild Wars 2 is getting a refer-a-friend free trial weekend
If you have friends that have been on the fence about playing Guild Wars 2 with you, ArenaNet is offering the perfect opportunity to get them in to check out the game for themselves. Starting on Monday, November 12th, players will be able to invite up to three friends to join them in the world of Tyria. The friends can then enjoy a free trial period running Thursday, November 15th through Sunday the 18th, conveniently coinciding with the Lost Shores event. All accounts in good standing created before 2:59 a.m. EST November 7th are eligible to participate. We'll keep you posted as more details come in.
Mortal Online welcomes back all former players for a free week
MMOs change at a breakneck pace, but you don't always have time to check back in and see what changes have taken place. Mortal Online has just recently released its second major expansion, and the community staffers want everyone to check in and see how the game has grown, so they're giving you the chance to do just that. Starting today you can hop into the game and experience all of the improvements in Awakening for free if you previously subscribed to Mortal Online. If you've played in the past but haven't been following the game recently, you might have missed all of the features added by Awakening, including new AI mechanics and a variety of new combat abilities. The free play period will last for the next week, more than enough time to patch the client and take a look at the latest update to the game. [Thanks to Chris for the tip!]
Square-Enix working hard to "regain trust" with players and investors
It's been a rocky couple months for Final Fantasy XIV. Due to extensive feedback from the playerbase and mixed reviews, Square-Enix extended the free trial period for new players to a full two months -- a rarity in the industry -- as the company worked to shore up FFXIV's weaker points. Due to all this, Square-Enix has been watched closely by investors and players regarding the future course of the game. President Yoichi Wada recently stated during a money report that the company is doing all it can to improve the situation: "We're quickly working on reforms... We'd like to put our full power into regaining trust." Eurogamer reports that FFXIV has sold 630,000 units worldwide as of September 30th, including 230K in Europe and 210K in North America. According to IGN, FFXIV was the third-best selling title from the company in the past six-month period. Square-Enix points to a couple bright spots in the near future -- a partnership with China's Shanda Games and the upcoming spring 2011 release of Final Fantasy XIV on the PS3 -- that should help boost sales.
The Daily Grind: Are free trials good for MMOs?
A couple days ago we chatted about the nature of open betas, and whether or not any testing goes on in these periods. The overwhelming majority of respondents seemed to favor the notion that stress testing is the primary reason for open beta from a developer's perspective, while free trials and sneak peaks were the primary motivators for consumers. When it comes to MMORPGs, trials are an interesting beast. Early in a game's life cycle, it seems to me that trials do more harm than good, as the goal of every developer is to move a lot of product and/or convert a lot of the tire-kickers into subscribers or cash shop patrons. Extensive trials actively work against these goals, especially when games are new, buggy, and light on content compared to how they usually look a couple years down the road. If stress testing really is the main reason for an open beta, and MMOs are almost always inferior products at launch, why then do developers not simply stress test in closed beta phases, selectively screening their applicants for actual testers instead of the folks who are only interested in getting a free look at the game? What do you think, Massively readers? Have free trials (or open betas) saved you from purchasing an MMORPG? Do you think game companies are shooting themselves in the foot with open betas and early trials?
Hulu Plus launches on PS3, exclusive to Sony's console through 2010
The Sony Defense Force has reason to celebrate today, as the circle is now complete -- where Netflix HD once spited PS3 for Xbox 360, today Hulu Plus has chosen the PlayStation for limited console exclusivity through the end of the year. Today, "a select group" of PlayStation Plus subscribers can download the Hulu Plus app and start watching immediately, while regular ol' paying members can ask nicely (via the same app) and wait patiently for the privilege of shelling out an additional $10 a month. Those who aren't dropping $50 a year on PlayStation Plus aren't entirely out of luck, they'll just have to wait till the end of the preview period to get their Hulu on. Press release after the break, more info at the official PlayStation.Blog.
Hulu Plus on PS3 only requires PlayStation Plus during preview period
Though it originally seemed like you'd need to drop an additional $50 annually to get your on-demand TV fix via PlayStation 3, it turns out that the PlayStation Plus is not technically needed for Hulu Plus functionality. Concerned console owners emailing support@hulu.com are being told Sony's premium service is "only a requirement during the preview period," after which point "you should be able to download the Hulu Plus app," which will still require Hulu's own $10 monthly subscription, of course. We reached out to a Hulu representative and confirmed the above for ourselves -- so the only question is how long you'll have to wait without shelling out.
