Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Fans express concerns in newest Ask Cryptic]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/09/fans-express-concerns-in-newest-ask-cryptic/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/09/fans-express-concerns-in-newest-ask-cryptic/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/09/fans-express-concerns-in-newest-ask-cryptic/#comments The folks at Cryptic wanted to hear from you, and hear from you they did. Last week, the call went out for fan questions for the next installment of Ask Cryptic, and the current round of questions was posted last night.

It's no secret that concern has been growing in the player community for a while now regarding all things Cryptic. While a bit of Star Trek Online made its way into the Q&A, things primarily focused on Champions Online and the company as a whole.

Fans asked questions regarding the future of Champions Online and Cryptic's commitment to the game, what they plan to do in order to rebuild faith in the company, and what they've learned from the rocky ride they have had so far. A few questions made it in that were less "big picture" as well, regarding themed characters and the upcoming melee rebalance.

The latest Ask Cryptic can be found on the official site, so take a look and see what you think.

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Fans express concerns in newest Ask Cryptic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ask-crypticchampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosstar-trek-online Rubi Bayer Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[LEGO Universe begins beta signups]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/09/lego-universe-begins-beta-signups/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/09/lego-universe-begins-beta-signups/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/09/lego-universe-begins-beta-signups/#comments It was a bit quiet on the LEGO Universe front for most of 2009, with a reveal of screenshots, and a bit of development news here and there, but not much else.

January 2010 changed all of that, with a big reveal at CES that gave us a trailer full of zombie pirate awesome, and some actual alpha footage of the game. This quick progression from screenshots and interviews to trailers and gameplay footage led to the natural assumption that more was going to come quickly, and we were right: signups for the LEGO Universe beta began today, just a short while ago.

Don't tell us that it's a kids game and you're entirely too grown-up for it -- we know better. Nobody outgrows LEGOs. Now go sign up for the beta, you know you want to. Signups can be made here, and we hope to see you in the beta. (Yes, we're signing up too. We told you: nobody outgrows LEGOs.)

[Thanks to Dennis for the tip!]

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LEGO Universe begins beta signups originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> betaclosed-betaLEGOLEGO-Universenetdevil Rubi Bayer Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Planet Calypso player pays nearly $70,000 for virtual egg]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/planet-calypso-player-pays-nearly-70-000-for-virtual-egg/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/planet-calypso-player-pays-nearly-70-000-for-virtual-egg/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/planet-calypso-player-pays-nearly-70-000-for-virtual-egg/#comments Planet Calypso continues to bring in the big spenders. At the end of December, word got around that a Planet Calypso player had won an auction for the Crystal Palace Space Station, paying $330,000 real world cash for the item. A few years ago, another player mortgaged his home to pay around $100,000 for a virtual nightclub in Planet Calypso. Hold off on the laughter, though: the nightclub wound up turning quite a profit, and the space station looks to be well on its way to the same.

Now another player is following in the footsteps of those two, taking a chance on the mysterious Atrox Queen Egg. David "Deathifier" Storey purchased the egg in a public auction, paying the equivalent of $69,696 for the item. The egg has been around since 2006, and players don't know when it will hatch, or even what exactly is inside. Deathifier is taking a bit of a chance with his purchase, perhaps hoping it will turn the same sort of profit as previous newsmaking purchases in the game.

You can take a look at the full story here.

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Planet Calypso player pays nearly $70,000 for virtual egg originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> altrox-queen-eggcrystal-palace-space-stationdeathifierplanet-calypso Rubi Bayer Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Keeping an old game new]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/flameseeker-chronicles-keeping-an-old-game-new/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/flameseeker-chronicles-keeping-an-old-game-new/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/flameseeker-chronicles-keeping-an-old-game-new/#comments "Guild Wars is an old game." As the game approaches its fifth birthday and Guild Wars 2 continues production, that's a phrase you'll hear more and more. While it's true that the game has been around for a while now, age doesn't necessarily equal stale or boring. On the contrary, it means you've got an established game with an experienced development team behind it, and they've had time to work out all those bugs, kinks, and emergency patches that are so common in new games. Even better, you've got a strong player base that knows their way around.

The largest factor in what makes a game fun for you is your attitude and outlook, so let's take a look at some ways to keep from falling into the trap of assuming there's nothing left for you to do in Guild Wars.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Keeping an old game new

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Keeping an old game new originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> arenanetarenanet-guild-warsfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsGuild-Wars-2guildwarsgw Rubi Bayer Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Darkfall to offer new player protection]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/darkfall-to-offer-new-player-protection/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/darkfall-to-offer-new-player-protection/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/darkfall-to-offer-new-player-protection/#comments Don't you love it when you began a brand new game and emerge fresh from character creation, only to get one-shotted by a high level player? No? The creators of Darkfall agree that it might not be the best introduction and have plans to help out with that very soon.

Darkfall will introduce New Player Protection very soon, an optional process that allows players to get their bearings in the game without fear of being used for target practice by any random Joe that happens by. It will be a short period of protection, lasting only a few hours, and is completely optional. (It's on by default when you begin the game, and can be turned off.) During that time, you can't harm or be harmed by other players -- you can only attack monsters.

This feature could be introduced as early as the next patch. Until then, you can read up on it here.

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Darkfall to offer new player protection originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aventurinedarkfalldarkfall-onlinenew-player-protectionnewbie-protectionpvp Rubi Bayer Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Cryptic clarifies what one million accounts actually means]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/cryptic-clarifies-what-one-million-accounts-actually-means/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/cryptic-clarifies-what-one-million-accounts-actually-means/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/08/cryptic-clarifies-what-one-million-accounts-actually-means/#comments As Eliot pointed out yesterday, when Cryptic announced that they had reached one million registered accounts, it paid to look at the announcement a bit more closely. What exactly is a registered account? Does a registered account mean that someone purchased Star Trek Online? Is it a beta tester? Maybe just a forum account?

We weren't the only ones wondering about this. More than one reader was curious about the phrasing the press release: "Already, over 1 million Star Trek fans have created accounts at the official websites." IncGamers was able to get a response from Cryptic regarding the specifics of the release, minus the lingo.

While the phrase "Star Trek fans" led many people to assume that the press release referred to Star Trek Online accounts only. The press release actually referred to Cryptic accounts -- which are required to play not only Star Trek Online, but Champions Online as well.

One million registered accounts is a milestone worth mentioning in any situation, but it's always helpful to know for certain what we're congratulating.

[Thanks Bill!]

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Cryptic clarifies what one million accounts actually means originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Atarichampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosIGN.comstar-trek-online Rubi Bayer Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Aion releases first Eye on Community for February]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/07/aion-releases-first-eye-on-community-for-february/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/07/aion-releases-first-eye-on-community-for-february/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/07/aion-releases-first-eye-on-community-for-february/#comments
Aion team member Tamat is back with the first Eye on Community for February, in which he answers player questions and talks a bit about what the developers have in store.

This week's player question was regarding the fort timer surveys from a while back, and Tamat revealed that they've finished looking over the surveys and will be changing the capture timer to an hour next week.

Eye on Community lived up to its name by providing a pretty extensive community roundup this time, directing players to a handy application to monitor server status, a guide to a couple of bosses (Kratia and Harpback -- if you're having trouble with them this is the place to go),a look a one players first month in Aion, and a new reason to keep one eye on the skies in PvP.

Head over to the official Aion site to read the full Eye on Community.

Continue reading Aion releases first Eye on Community for February

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Aion releases first Eye on Community for February originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aioneye-on-communityncsofttamat Rubi Bayer Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Zodiac Online enters open beta February 10th]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/07/zodiac-online-enters-open-beta-february-10th/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/07/zodiac-online-enters-open-beta-february-10th/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/07/zodiac-online-enters-open-beta-february-10th/#comments
Zodiac Online, the free-to-play offering from Ingle Games, entered closed beta early last November. Since then the folks at Ingle Games have been hard at work refining things, fixing bugs, and just generally preparing to move to the next phase.

That next phase will arrive in just a few short days: open beta begins February tenth. The game predictably revolves around the Chinese zodiac, challenging you to assist the twelve creatures of the zodiac to defeat the forces of evil.

If you fall in the "make love, not war" camp, never fear. There is another side to Zodiac Online that says "give fate a chance and let it turn into a romance." This game has a fate system based on astrology that will give you a heads up when a player is nearby that you are particularly compatible with -- or particularly incompatible with -- so you can follow up if you're so inclined.

Check out the Zodiac Online site for more information and to register for open beta!

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Zodiac Online enters open beta February 10th originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> betachinese-zodiacf2pfree-to-playingle-gamesopen-betazodiaczodiac-online Rubi Bayer Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Guild Wars fans to raise money for Haiti]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/06/guild-wars-fans-to-raise-money-for-haiti/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/06/guild-wars-fans-to-raise-money-for-haiti/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/06/guild-wars-fans-to-raise-money-for-haiti/#comments
Gaming World Events, a fan-created organization, will be holding their first ever Guild Wars in-game event tomorrow: Gamers Giving Back to Haiti.

The fans behind Gaming Gamers Giving Back to Haiti will happen in Lion's Arch International District 1, from 10AM - 4PM PST. The six hour event will offer quite a few in-game prizes of items and gold for participants.

The group has set a fundraising goal of (of course) $1,337.00, but a look at their Red Cross donation page shows that they are already approaching the $700.00 mark. Gamers are known to be a generous bunch, so maybe Gaming World Events can reach their goal twice: once before the event and once after. You can donate via the donation page, and read more about the event on their Facebook page or the forum announcement.

We at Massively join the community in thanking Gaming World Events for organizing the event, and all of the players for their support.

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Guild Wars fans to raise money for Haiti originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> arenanetgamers-giving-back-to-haitigaming-world-eventsguild-warsgw Rubi Bayer Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Dungeons and Dragons Online: a guide to the Risia Ice Games]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/dungeons-and-dragons-online-a-guide-to-the-risia-ice-games/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/dungeons-and-dragons-online-a-guide-to-the-risia-ice-games/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/dungeons-and-dragons-online-a-guide-to-the-risia-ice-games/#comments
Dungeons and Dragons Online released Update 3 Tuesday, sending players in all directions to check out the new content once the servers went back up.

One of those directions was up, in the form of a ski jump in the suddenly frostbitten area of Stormreach Market. Welcome to the Risia Ice Games, a winter festival handily timed to coordinate with the 2010 Winter Games. While Update 3 hit some snags (which, for the most part, were quickly taken care of by Turbine) the Ice Games went off without a hitch.

Well, mostly. For the first few hours, cries of "What are these ice tokens?", "How do I get ice skates?", and "Why am I falling directly into the water at the end of the ski jump?" echoed across General Chat as players struggled to figure out what was going on. As with anything new, time and patience were the keywords in working it all out.

If you're still stumped and can't figure out where this half-pipe is that you keep hearing about, Dungeons and Dragons Online has provided a handy rundown to all of the events here. You'll find a list of where events and NPCs are, as well as different ways to acquire ice tokens, and what you can do with them once you have them.

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Dungeons and Dragons Online: a guide to the Risia Ice Games originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ddoddo-update-3dungeons-and-dragons-onlinef2pfree-to-playrisia-ice-gamesturbine Rubi Bayer Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Betawatch: January 29 - February 5, 2010]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/betawatch-january-29-february-5-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/betawatch-january-29-february-5-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/betawatch-january-29-february-5-2010/#comments
Welcome to Betawatch, Massively's weekly report on the state of MMO betas. In each installment, we'll report everything from the latest open betas, closed betas and even alphas in one convenient place. Plus, we'll make sure to include as much info on each game's current status, including projected release dates (if known) and links to the sign-up forms to get yourself into that beta you've been seeking.

It was a quieter week on Betawatch, with only a few games making changes on our list. Mortal Online entered open beta February first, while Allods Online kicked off their fourth round of closed beta, which will last until the tenth. Aika's first closed beta test began as well, and will run until the ninth.

Click below for the complete list, updated weekly.

Continue reading Betawatch: January 29 - February 5, 2010

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Betawatch: January 29 - February 5, 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> betabetasbetawatchclosed-betafeaturedmassively-metaopen-beta Rubi Bayer Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[City of Heroes announces Secret Admirer Contest]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/city-of-heroes-announces-secret-admirer-contest/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/city-of-heroes-announces-secret-admirer-contest/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/05/city-of-heroes-announces-secret-admirer-contest/#comments Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and City of Heroes is ready and willing to help you woo your sweetheart. Well, as long as your sweetheart is the War Witch -- anyone else and you're on your own.

They're making it worth your while, though. The City of Heroes Secret Admirer Contest invites you to create a digital or homemade Valentine's Day card for the War Witch and submit it for the chance to win some great prizes. While we can't guarantee that the lady herself will be presenting you with her phone number, three people in each category (homemade and digital) will be presented with prize packages including Logitech gaming headsets and a pile of CoH goodies.

The contest is going on now and will last until the submission deadline of February 28th. Take a look at all the rules and regulations here, and good luck to you!

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City of Heroes announces Secret Admirer Contest originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> city-of-heroescryptic-studiosncsoftparagon-studiossecret-admirersecret-admirer-contestvalentines dayvalentines-day-2010ValentinesDaywar-witch Rubi Bayer Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Age of Conan releases 1.06 patch notes]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/age-of-conan-releases-1-06-patch-notes/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/age-of-conan-releases-1-06-patch-notes/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/age-of-conan-releases-1-06-patch-notes/#comments Funcom has been planning Age of Conan Patch 1.0.6 for a while now, and recently gave us a look into what they have planned for this patch and beyond.

The patch went live today, and the full patch notes were presented with links to full explanations of each major new feature, as well as the Thoth-Amon's Stronghold, the new Tier Three raid instance. The much-discussed Guild Renown system was added with this patch, as was the Assassin revamp, raid loot token system, and changes to the crowd control system.

Quite a few smaller changes and bug fixes were added, and most classes received a few changes. The Age of Conan team took a look at PvP as well, making a few minor changes to mechanics, particularly in minigames.

The patch notes can be seen on the official forums, and be sure to take a look at the links included in the notes for further explanation.

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Age of Conan releases 1.06 patch notes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> age-of-conanaocaoc-patch-1.06Funcompatch-1.0.6 Rubi Bayer Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Runes of Magic releases new trailer with patch 2.1.6]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/runes-of-magic-releases-new-trailer-with-patch-2-1-6/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/runes-of-magic-releases-new-trailer-with-patch-2-1-6/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/runes-of-magic-releases-new-trailer-with-patch-2-1-6/#comments
"The time has come to confront the Demon Lord." Frogster released the latest update for Runes of Magic earlier today, a patch that added Demon Stronghold to the game.

Demon Stronghold is a challenging new 12-man raid that reportedly brings some surprises to the table at its end, requiring players to think fast and fight even faster. We saw a nice array of screenshots recently, but if you'd like a better peek at the action before you head in, Frogster is happy to oblige.

They released a brand new trailer for Demon Stronghold today, giving nearly two minutes of in-game footage from beginning to end. It's a fast-paced, but extensive trailer, giving a nice look at the dungeon as well as an array of the baddies waiting to take you on. To top it all off, the video's finale gives us a preview of the Demon Lord himself.

This is one that you'll want to visit more than once in order to take in the surroundings -- but don't look around too long, Demon Lord Sirloth is waiting! Follow along after the jump for a look at the trailer.

Continue reading Runes of Magic releases new trailer with patch 2.1.6

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Runes of Magic releases new trailer with patch 2.1.6 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> demon-strongholdf2pfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactiveromrunes-of-magicvideo Rubi Bayer Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Star Trek Online team seeks world record]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/star-trek-online-team-seeks-world-record/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/star-trek-online-team-seeks-world-record/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/star-trek-online-team-seeks-world-record/#comments Namco Bandai and Atari are helping Cryptic keep the hype machine for Star Trek Online at full throttle with this latest event: an attempt to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records.

The team at Star Trek Online is pursuing the record for "largest gathering of people dressed as Star Trek characters", and of course, they want your help. Fans in the London area are asked to join dressed as anything Star Trek related. The gathering will take place on London's Millennium Bridge

Join other fans February 14th (bring your significant other -- it's romantic!) at 1.00pm on the bridge and prepare to be checked out by officials from Guinness to be sure everyone is dressed in full Trek regalia. Best dressed fans can win Star Trek Online prizes, including lifetime subscriptions.

Check out all the details on the event here, and if you attend, have a great time.

Continue reading Star Trek Online team seeks world record

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Star Trek Online team seeks world record originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Ataricrypticcryptic-studiosguinness book of world recordsguinness-book-of-world-recordsNamcoNamco-Bandaistar-trek-online Rubi Bayer Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Pirates of the Burning Sea announces server merges]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-announces-server-merges/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-announces-server-merges/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-announces-server-merges/#comments
Are you a fan of Pirates of the Burning Sea, and feel like the population in game has been a bit thin these days? You're certainly not alone. Other players have been expressing the same opinion, and Sony Online Entertainment has been listening.

On March 5th, Pirates of the Burning Sea will be closing three servers: Blackbeard, Defiant, and Rackham. The two remaining servers, Antigua and Roberts, will serve the entire player base.

Sony Online Entertainment is giving players a month to make plans and choose a new server. Beginning this Friday, February 5th, players on Blackbeard, Defiant, and Rackham will be able to transfer their characters to either of the remaining servers. Character creation on those three servers will be disabled at the same time, so start making your plans for new characters and transfers of current characters now.

Character transfers can be done via the PotBS character transfer service.

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Pirates of the Burning Sea announces server merges originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Pirates-of-the-Burning-Seapotbsserver-mergeserver-transferSOEsony-online-entertainment Rubi Bayer Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Warhammer 40k MMO to be fully revealed this summer]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/warhammer-40k-mmo-to-be-fully-revealed-this-summer/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/warhammer-40k-mmo-to-be-fully-revealed-this-summer/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/04/warhammer-40k-mmo-to-be-fully-revealed-this-summer/#comments Have you been looking forward to the Warhammer 40K MMO for what feels like forever? The people at THQ have been offering up small pieces of information since they announced the game a few years ago -- last April we finally got a release year of 2012, and just in December we were given some beautiful concept art.

Now we've been given even better news. THQ plans to "fully unveil" Warhammer 40K this summer at E3. The Electronic Entertainment Expo will be at the Los Angeles Convention Center this year, from June 15th-17th, and if you were thinking of attending, this is a very good reason to hop off the fence.

THQ has kept the game largely under wraps for now, but the developers are pretty excited. Team member Joe Madureira promises large scale combat, tons of customization, and great-looking characters.

June suddenly seems a lot farther away, but we'll keep a close eye out for more news on the game until then!

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Warhammer 40k MMO to be fully revealed this summer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> e3e3-2010joe-madureirathqwarhammer-40k Rubi Bayer Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[DDO Update 3 goes live, Turbine releases new screenshots]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/ddo-update-3-goes-live-turbine-releases-new-screenshots/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/ddo-update-3-goes-live-turbine-releases-new-screenshots/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/ddo-update-3-goes-live-turbine-releases-new-screenshots/#comments
Dungeons and Dragons Online released Update 3 earlier today, something we at Massively have been anxiously awaiting since our tour last week. Fans of the game have been anxious too, reading through the patch notes and checking out the buzz on the Lamannia forums while they waited for update day to arrive.

Well, that day is here, and Stormreach Harbor is frozen over and crowded with players sliding and falling on the ice, while others farm Ice Tokens, check out casual mode, and gather groups for the new quests. If you haven't patched yet, Turbine has given us a little something to pass the time while you wait for your game to update: a series of new screenshots from the Delirium quest. Take a look at the gallery, and check out our developer tour for some insider hints while you wait.

Have fun, and have a drink at the Sleeping Spell in on us!

Gallery: Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 3

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DDO Update 3 goes live, Turbine releases new screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> d-n-d-onlineddoddo-unlimiteddungeons-and-dragons-onlinepatchturbineupdate-3 Rubi Bayer Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[PvP with the Champions Online Cryptic Corps]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/pvp-with-the-champions-online-cryptic-corps/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/pvp-with-the-champions-online-cryptic-corps/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/pvp-with-the-champions-online-cryptic-corps/#comments It stands to reason that the people who make their living creating MMOs love to play them, and the Champions Online team is ready to do just that by logging some PvP time in their game.

The Cryptic Corps will be taking a break to queue up for PvP this Friday from 3-5 PM PST. What they're planning on doing is still a mystery, but they'll announce it in game in plenty of time for you to get prepared. Break out your best level 40 characters and see if you can successfully take on the Cryptic Corps.

They're going to make it worth your while, too. If you beat Cryptic's team, of course you'll get bragging rights, but they'll award you a special forum title as well. No word yet on what the title is, so feel free to pass the time making guesses or suggestions. Good luck, and have fun!

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PvP with the Champions Online Cryptic Corps originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> champions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-corpscryptic-studiospvp Rubi Bayer Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[EverQuest II to host live tour of Sentinel's Fate]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/everquest-ii-to-host-live-tour-of-sentinels-fate/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/everquest-ii-to-host-live-tour-of-sentinels-fate/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/03/everquest-ii-to-host-live-tour-of-sentinels-fate/#comments
Sentinel's Fate is the upcoming expansion to Sony Online Entertainment's EverQuest II, and fans are looking forward to exploring Odus, checking out all the new dungeons, and learning more about the Erudites and their fate.

Sony Online Entertainment has been giving us peeks into Sentinel's Fate for quite a while now. We've seen the screenshots, read up on the lore, and heard behind the scenes tales from the creators, and now it's time for a guided tour!

The end of this week will bring Sony Online Entertainment's first Ustream Beta Tour. Senior Producer Alan "Brenlo" Crosby will be the host, taking players through the world of Sentinel's Fate and giving them a producer's-eye view of the expansion.

The tour will begin this Friday, February 5th, at 4:00 PM PST on the SOE Ustream channel. There's no need to register or log in, just visit the site Friday and enjoy the tour!

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EverQuest II to host live tour of Sentinel's Fate originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> alan-crosbyeverquest-2everquest-iisentinels-fateSOEsony-online-entertainmentustreamustream-beta-tour Rubi Bayer Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Star Trek Online offers two new races in online store]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/star-trek-online-offers-two-new-races-in-online-store/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/star-trek-online-offers-two-new-races-in-online-store/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/star-trek-online-offers-two-new-races-in-online-store/#comments Many Star Trek Online players were surprised to find a couple of new additions to the C-store after launch in the form of two new playable races.

For 240 Cryptic Points, you can purchase the Klingon race, and for only 80 Cryptic Points you can purchase the Ferengi race. Each race comes with a few race-specific traits -- Warrior and Honorable for the Klingon, Immunity and Acute Senses for the Ferengi -- and the ability to choose two more. Purchasing the race unlocks it for every character slot on the account.

Most pre-order packages included Cryptic Points, so the races will essentially be free for many players, but fan reaction was mixed regarding the addition anyway. Many players felt it to be a bit of an underhanded move, with the phrase "nickel-and-diming us" being batted about frequently. Meanwhile, a similar number of players pointed out the free points that came with pre-order as well as the increasing frequency of microtransactions in MMOs these days, and moved on.

No matter which side of the argument you fall on, if you are interested in learning more about these two new races, you can take a look here.

Continue reading Star Trek Online offers two new races in online store

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Star Trek Online offers two new races in online store originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Breakingcrypticcryptic-pointscryptic-studiosferengiklingonPlayable-Racesstar-trek-onlinesto Rubi Bayer Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Mortal Online releases new game trailer]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/mortal-online-releases-new-game-trailer/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/mortal-online-releases-new-game-trailer/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/mortal-online-releases-new-game-trailer/#comments Mortal Online's open beta began yesterday, but closed beta players have been enjoying the game for a while now, right along with the development team.

The Mortal Online team has been collecting game footage from closed beta and working on a game trailer for the past few weeks. They're drawing the suspense out by showing it to fans in parts, and part one was released today. They do warn us that it's not super polished, as it was created using the then-current build of the game, but it's still a great look at the world of Nave.

You'll see a fair amount of players, as the video is composed entirely of in-game footage from beta, and Mortal Online sent out a big thank you to all the players who participated in the production. Take a look at part one of the trailer after the jump, and we'll keep an eye out for the next two parts!

Continue reading Mortal Online releases new game trailer

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Mortal Online releases new game trailer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> betaclosed-betagame-trailersmortal-onlineopen-betatrailer Rubi Bayer Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free Realms expands its portfolio of pets]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/free-realms-expands-its-portfolio-of-pets/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/free-realms-expands-its-portfolio-of-pets/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/free-realms-expands-its-portfolio-of-pets/#comments Do you love the pets in Free Realms as much as Game Designer Margaret Krohn? If you just can't get your fill of all things furry and scaly in Free Realms, you'll be very happy with the new pets.

Haven't seen them yet? Well, for starters there is now a sad little spider named Mister Munchy, available in five different colors. He's got the blues and being adopted would cheer him right up. Are you more of a dinosaur fan? Several new dinosaurs are available as well, including Screech the Raptor -- who seems a lot friendlier than the Jurassic Park variety -- and Crackers, who is having a bit of an identity crisis. If you're more the traditional sort, there are new ponies available as well, bringing the total to thirteen.

All of the new pets are available now, so make a visit to the Marketplace and see what you'd like to add to your collection.

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Free Realms expands its portfolio of pets originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> f2pfree-realmsfree-to-playmarketplacepetsSOEsony-online-entertainment Rubi Bayer Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Global Agenda multiplayer Conquest Mode launches today]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/global-agenda-multiplayer-conquest-mode-launches-today/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/global-agenda-multiplayer-conquest-mode-launches-today/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/02/global-agenda-multiplayer-conquest-mode-launches-today/#comments Global Agenda launched yesterday, to the delight of many fans -- including our very own Shawn and Sera. However, that was just the beginning of the launch week festivities.

Conquest mode launches today, offering all players free access until March 3rd of this year. This is a great opportunity to explore this massively multiplayer feature, take part in some Agency vs. Agency battles, and see if it's for you or not. The first zones opened today at 12pm US Eastern time, with two open zones (Obelisk and Echelon) in the UK and three (Sovereign, Citadel and Warlord) in the United States.

Because the workings of Conquest can feel a bit intimidating and overwhelming to new players, particularly with so much else to learn, Global Agenda is helping players make the most of their free time by offering the developer video diary we showed you earlier in the week with an overview of Conquest. Take a look at it to gain some helpful tips before you dive in, and be sure to check out the new exclusive AvA screenshots in our gallery!

Gallery: Hi-Rez Studios and Global Agenda Gallery

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Global Agenda multiplayer Conquest Mode launches today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> agency-vs-agencyconquest-modeglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-conquesthi-rezhi-rez-studiospvp Rubi Bayer Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Dragonica launches new low-level dungeon]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/dragonica-launches-new-low-level-dungeon/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/dragonica-launches-new-low-level-dungeon/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/dragonica-launches-new-low-level-dungeon/#comments European Dragonica fans will soon find a little more to do in the early stages of the game. On February 4th, Dragonica will launch the Temple of Water.

The dungeon will be open and accessible to all players, but geared specifically toward those in the level 26-30 range. The Temple of Water is a name well known to the residents of Port of the Winds, but disturbing changes are being made recently. The once friendly water spirit Endairon has cut off communication, and strange water creatures have been seen near the Temple. Lord Steven is concerned, and asks that you look into the matter.

If you're a higher level player looking for a challenge, sit tight. A few weeks after the Temple of Water opens, Dragonica will be reopening the Drakos Dungeon, an area designed for players level 58-65. Either way, you'll want to make sure you explore both areas -- you may find some surprising connections between the two. Good luck!

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Dragonica launches new low-level dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dragonicadrakos-dungeondungeongpotatotemple-of-water Rubi Bayer Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Designing the apocalypse: behind the scenes of Fallen Earth]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/designing-the-apocalypse-behind-the-scenes-of-fallen-earth/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/designing-the-apocalypse-behind-the-scenes-of-fallen-earth/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/designing-the-apocalypse-behind-the-scenes-of-fallen-earth/#comments
We know that the development teams at our favorite MMOs work hard at game creation, but we're equally aware of how much they love their jobs. It's a dream job, and while development of a new game can be tough and stressful, more often than not it's lots of fun.

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in the studio? What mishaps do the developers run across during the process, and what great ideas never make it to launch day? We talked to the team at Fallen Earth, and they generously shared some of their greatest bloopers and favorite ideas. Read along after the cut, and enjoy!

Continue reading Designing the apocalypse: behind the scenes of Fallen Earth

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Designing the apocalypse: behind the scenes of Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> behind-the-scenesbloopersfallen-earthgabriel-smithicarus-studiosjames-lowelee-hammockwes-platt Rubi Bayer Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Flameseeker Chronicles: A guide to the Canthan New Year festival]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/the-flameseeker-chronicles-a-guide-to-the-canthan-new-year-fest/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/the-flameseeker-chronicles-a-guide-to-the-canthan-new-year-fest/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/the-flameseeker-chronicles-a-guide-to-the-canthan-new-year-fest/#comments Token farming, Rollerbeetle racing, and AFK-ing the rings. Hot on the heels of Wintersday Redux comes Canthan New Year 2010. Guild Wars players joke about the AFK-fest, and while it's a great opportunity to work on those lucky and unlucky titles, there is much more going on. ArenaNet puts together a great festival every year, with old favorite quests and NPCs returning to dole out Lunar tokens and Fortunes as well as a heap of other treats. There is a lot going on, and it can be a bit overwhelming if this is your first Canthan New Year, so let's take a peek at the festivities.

Continue reading The Flameseeker Chronicles: A guide to the Canthan New Year festival

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The Flameseeker Chronicles: A guide to the Canthan New Year festival originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> arenanetcanthan-new-yearcelestial-tigerfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsshing-jea-boardwalk Rubi Bayer Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Altis Gates closed beta download available]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/altis-gates-closed-beta-download-available/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/altis-gates-closed-beta-download-available/ http://www.massively.com/2010/02/01/altis-gates-closed-beta-download-available/#comments IGG.com recently introduced their latest MMO, Altis Gates. Altis Gates is a turn-based fantasy game in which players battle in the continuing aftermath of a 300-year war, long after it was thought to be over and forgotten.

The game will begin closed beta at 8:00 pm EST February 2nd, and if you're interested in giving it a try, our sister site Big Download is ready and willing to help you out. Big Download has partnered with IGG to offer closed beta keys. Just head over to their site to read up on Altis Gates, then download the special beta client provided. The file includes a unique "Closed Beta Activation Key" text file. Follow the instructions found in the file and you're all set.

The offer is available to anyone who would like to try the Altis Online closed beta, so visit Big Download, get your activation key, and have fun!

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Altis Gates closed beta download available originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> altis-gatesbetabeta-keybig-downloadclosed-betaf2pfree-to-play Rubi Bayer Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Betawatch: January 22-29, 2010]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/betawatch-january-22-29-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/betawatch-january-22-29-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/betawatch-january-22-29-2010/#comments
Welcome to Betawatch, Massively's weekly report on the state of MMO betas. In each installment, we'll report everything from the latest open betas, closed betas and even alphas in one convenient place. Plus, we'll make sure to include as much info on each game's current status, including projected release dates (if known) and links to the sign-up forms to get yourself into that beta you've been seeking.

We bid farewell to WonderKing and MAG this week as they celebrate their launch, and wish them the best of luck. Kung Foo! headed into their second round of closed beta, and Perfect World International cranked out yet another title for closed beta: Battle of Immortals. Global Agenda and Star Trek Online also graduate from the list this week as their betas have ended and launch preparation begins for next week.

Click below for the complete list, updated weekly.

Continue reading Betawatch: January 22-29, 2010

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Betawatch: January 22-29, 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> alphabetabetawatchclosed-betafeaturedmassively-metaopen-beta Rubi Bayer Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Global Agenda video diary details AvA battles]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/global-agenda-video-developer-diary/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/global-agenda-video-developer-diary/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/global-agenda-video-developer-diary/#comments Hi-Rez Studios released a new Global Agenda video developer diary today, and Senior Game Designer Scott Zier promises that it's the first in a series all about Conquest.

This first video serves as an introduction to the concept of Conquest and Agency vs. Agency battles. Zier narrates the video, giving an overview of how things work all the way from the basics of zone open hours to simple battle strategy. He continues by giving a play-by-play of sorts of a battle between two neighboring Agencies in order to demonstrate how it all comes together. While the series will presumably become more detailed and cover specific topics as things progress, this serves as a great first look at how Conquest works in the world of Global Agenda.

We've included the video after the cut, so follow along and take a look for yourself. Thanks to Scott and the rest of the Global Agenda team, and we look forward to the next one!


Continue reading Global Agenda video diary details AvA battles

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Global Agenda video diary details AvA battles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> agency-vs-agencyconquestdeveloper-diaryglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-conquesthi-rez-studiosscott-ziervideo-developer-diary Rubi Bayer Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Zatanna Zatara joins DC Universe Online cast]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/zatanna-zatara-joins-dc-universe-online-cast/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/zatanna-zatara-joins-dc-universe-online-cast/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/29/zatanna-zatara-joins-dc-universe-online-cast/#comments They've taken some time to answer fan questions and announce their upcoming weekly comic, and now the DC Universe Online team has returned to rolling out cast members for their upcoming MMO.

The latest addition to the cast is Zatanna Zatara, the Justice League of America's tuxedo-jacketed magician. Zatanna is descended from a long line of magicians, and her inherited talents make her one of the world's most powerful magic users. She's wary of abusing her nearly limitless powers, and you'll find her restricting herself to defensive and non-lethal spells.

Like any traditional MMO caster class, Zatanna is a formidable foe and a very weak one at the same time. Her incantations rely entirely on the (backward) spoken word, so she can be shut down simply by rendering her unable to speak: even a plain cloth gag does the trick. Getting close enough to get a gag on her is another matter entirely -- good luck.

Follow along in the gallery for a closer look at Zatanna.

Gallery: DC Universe Online: Zatanna Zatara

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Zatanna Zatara joins DC Universe Online cast originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dc-universe-onlinedcuojlajustice-league-of-americaSOEsony-online-entertainmentzatannazatanna-zatara Rubi Bayer Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[LotRO announces Volume III, Book 1: Oath of the Rangers]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/lotro-announces-volume-iii-book-1-oath-of-the-rangers/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/lotro-announces-volume-iii-book-1-oath-of-the-rangers/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/lotro-announces-volume-iii-book-1-oath-of-the-rangers/#comments
Lord of the Rings Online fans have been speculating for a while, wondering what the name of Volume III, Book 1 was going to be. Turbine's Sapience has been giving increasingly specific hints in a hangman-style game in the forums. Now the game's over, he's had his fun, and we have a title.

Volume 3:Allies of the King, Book 1: Oath of the Rangers is on the way, bringing with it plenty of new additions to the game.

Players will be returning to Dol Guldur for four skirmishes in the brand new twelve person mode, and a fifth skirmish in the Depths of Nûrz Ghâshu. Crafting will receive a some attention as well: players will be able to craft items up to level 65, and there will be crafting updates for Jewellers, Cooks, Woodworkers, Farmers, and Weaponsmiths.

Of course, these are just a few of the highlights for the newly-titled Volume. All the current details are on the official site, so take a look, and we'll keep an eye out for more information!

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LotRO announces Volume III, Book 1: Oath of the Rangers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> allies-of-the-kingBreakingCodemasterslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-craftinglotro-expansionoath-of-the-rangersskirmishesturbinevolume-3volume-iii Rubi Bayer Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:45:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively's tour through DDO Update 3]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/massivelys-tour-through-ddo-update-3/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/massivelys-tour-through-ddo-update-3/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/massivelys-tour-through-ddo-update-3/#comments Recently, we posted information about the current release notes for Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 3, the latest in a series of updates from Turbine since Dungeons and Dragons Online went free-to-play last summer. The update is scheduled to go live on February 3rd, and is only the tip of the iceberg for Turbine's plans, including six content updates for 2010, with a new one added every two months.

For now though, Update 3 offers more than enough to keep players very busy exploring all of the new surprises that it brings. The team at Turbine was kind enough to take us on another extensive tour of the new content, and since we are kind as well, we decided to share it all with you! Follow along after the cut to see all that Turbine has in store for DDO.

Continue reading Massively's tour through DDO Update 3

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Massively's tour through DDO Update 3 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> charles-milesd-n-d-onlineddoddo-unlimitedddo-update-3developer-tourdungeons-and-dragons-onlinedungeons-and-dragons-online-update-3eric-boyerf2pfernando-paizfree-to-playturbine Rubi Bayer Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Upcoming MMO from Blueside also in development for Xbox360]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/upcoming-mmo-from-blueside-also-in-development-for-xbox360/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/upcoming-mmo-from-blueside-also-in-development-for-xbox360/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/28/upcoming-mmo-from-blueside-also-in-development-for-xbox360/#comments We know Korean developer Blueside for Kingdom Under Fire, as well as the hush-hush project they've been working on for a while, an MMO known by the name of "Project T."

Given that Kingdom Under Fire is a sequel to the 2001 Xbox title Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, it should come as no surprise that Blueside is taking a similar approach with the mysterious Project T. Not only will Project T be released for the PC, but we've also gotten word that an Xbox360 version is coming as well.

A recent Korean job listing specified that the company needs people with experience on commercial MMOs, and specifies that the MMO is in development for both platforms.

Details on Project T are still very scarce, and confirmation that Blueside is planning to join the emerging trend of console MMOs is the most we've heard for a while. We'll keep an eye out for more details!

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Upcoming MMO from Blueside also in development for Xbox360 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bluesideconsole-mmoconsole-mmo-gameskingdom-under-fireproject-txbox 360xbox-360-mmoxbox-mmoXbox360 Rubi Bayer Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Runes of Magic collects over 40,000 Euros for charity]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/runes-of-magic-collects-over-40-000-euros-for-charity/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/runes-of-magic-collects-over-40-000-euros-for-charity/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/runes-of-magic-collects-over-40-000-euros-for-charity/#comments Remember the Save the Children charity event from Runes of Magic back at the end of November? Frogster created a special mount -- Moa's Charity Steed -- at a reduced price, and donated 3 Euros to Save the Children for each mount purchased.

The event lasted from November 20th until December 28th, and Frogster released the final numbers yesterday: "Thanks to the great efforts of our Runes of Magic community, Frogster has donated 40,000 Euros to the international charity organization Save the Children."

In those few weeks allotted for the event, players purchased over 12,500 Moa's Charity Steed mounts to support Save the Children, and the official announcement pointed out that 170 helpers from the charity are working in Haiti today, no doubt supported in large part by the generosity of RoM fans.

It's always great to see game studios and players step up and support a good cause this way, so we at Massively add our sincere thanks to Frogster's.

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Runes of Magic collects over 40,000 Euros for charity originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> f2pfree-to-playfrogstermoas-charity-steedRoMrunes-of-magicsave-the-children Rubi Bayer Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[CitiesXL to close multiplayer features]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/citiesxl-to-close-multiplayer-features/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/citiesxl-to-close-multiplayer-features/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/citiesxl-to-close-multiplayer-features/#comments Three months after launch, CitiesXL was forced to make a difficult decision. An email was sent out to all players this morning informing them that as of March 8th, Monte Cristo will be putting an end to the Planet Offer: "Three months after the launch we have to admit that the subscription rate is lower than what we expected and therefore the Planet Offer is not sustainable. Not enough players decided to subscribe."

The CitiesXL team has our sympathy -- it's never easy to make such a decision -- but there is a silver lining. While players can no longer visit other cities, trade tokens, and so on, CitiesXL will continue to exist as a single player game.

Monte Cristo has also added an FAQ to their official site, and the complete letter to subscribers can be found below, just after the jump. Presumably, this will be the last time you'll hear about CitiesXL on Massively, so we wish them the best of luck on the single-player version.

Continue reading CitiesXL to close multiplayer features

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CitiesXL to close multiplayer features originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breakingcities-xlmonte-cristomonte-cristo-gamesplanet-offer Rubi Bayer Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:45:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rumor: Red 5 Studios lays off one-third of its staff]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/rumor-red-5-studios-lays-off-one-third-of-its-staff/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/rumor-red-5-studios-lays-off-one-third-of-its-staff/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/27/rumor-red-5-studios-lays-off-one-third-of-its-staff/#comments Their official site reads "Red 5 Studios is seeking highly talented and driven programmers to help us build a AAA massively multiplayer title."

Well, maybe not. A report from Gamasutra gives the news that we never like to hear or report: Red 5 Studios -- founded by former World of Warcraft team members -- has laid off approximately 30 people. This report comes from a "reliable source" close to Red 5, and if the number is accurate, it's nearly a third of their 100-man team. (That figure from a December 2008 interview with CEO Michael Weingartner.)

Red 5 Studios has been around since 2005, and as a rule has stayed very quiet regarding their ambitions for their upcoming MMO. They secured funding in 2006 and made some staff changes in 2008, but it's been mostly silent on the Studio 5 front for the most part, until now.

Our best wishes go out to those affected by the layoff, and to all involved.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in as a tip!]

Update: Red 5 has confirmed and clarified this rumor via a press release announcing the restructuring of the company: "As part of the restructuring, some team members chose to part ways while others were let go."

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Rumor: Red 5 Studios lays off one-third of its staff originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> BreakingGamasutralayofflayoffsmmo-industryred-5red-5-studios Rubi Bayer Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Acclaim CEO says Spellborn version 2.0 is on the way]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/acclaim-ceo-says-spellborn-version-2-is-on-the-way/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/acclaim-ceo-says-spellborn-version-2-is-on-the-way/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/acclaim-ceo-says-spellborn-version-2-is-on-the-way/#comments If you're a fan of The Chronicles of Spellborn, Beau Turkey at Spouse Aggro found something today that will make you very happy. There have been rumors floating around lately about a restructuring of the game, and those rumors were recently confirmed on the official forums by Howard Marks, the CEO of Acclaim Games: "The rumors are true! Spellborn Version Two is on the way."

Marks went on to explain that the new version has already been released in Japan to great success. They've been fine tuning it, and plans for the English version are underway. If you are a current player of The Chronicles of Spellborn, be sure you have a valid email address on file with Acclaim, because everyone playing the current version will be invited to beta test the new version via email.

While details are minimal at this point, it's great news for players to know that more is on the way. You can take a look at the forum announcement here, and Beau's take from a fan point of view here.

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Acclaim CEO says Spellborn version 2.0 is on the way originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> acclaimacclaim-gamesbeau-turkeychronicles-of-spellbornf2pfree-to-playhoward-marksspellbornspellborn-2spellborn-version-2spouse-aggro Rubi Bayer Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free Realms releases January Ask a Dev video]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/free-realms-releases-january-ask-a-dev-video/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/free-realms-releases-january-ask-a-dev-video/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/free-realms-releases-january-ask-a-dev-video/#comments Free Realms has released its January Ask a Dev video, and it's another fun one. Game Designer Margaret Krohn and Lead Character Artist Matt Case are back to answer more questions from Free Realms players, this time with a slightly more personal angle added.

They began by talking about some of the new Marketplace and Coin Shop items coming up, including housing items, pets, and clothing. Matt and Margaret both hinted at new housing locations and decorating items in the future, so we'll be keeping an eye out for those.

The video explored a different series of questions next, starting with "How was your holiday break?", and then spending some time exploring the things that Matt and Margaret like the most in game, what they've been having fun with in Free Realms, and their favorite things about working for Sony Online Entertainment.

Follow along after the jump to take a look at the video for yourself!

Continue reading Free Realms releases January Ask a Dev video

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Free Realms releases January Ask a Dev video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Ask-a-Devf2pfree-realmsfree-to-playmargaret-krohnmatt-caseSOEsony-online-entertainment Rubi Bayer Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Global Agenda announces launch schedule]]> http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/global-agenda-announces-launch-schedule/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/global-agenda-announces-launch-schedule/ http://www.massively.com/2010/01/26/global-agenda-announces-launch-schedule/#comments We're less than a week away from the launch of Global Agenda, but Hi-Rez is as anxious to get things going as the fans are. Last night they gave a list of launch activities for the week leading up to the big day, and it looks like it's going to be a busy few days.

Today is the last day of beta, and the Hi-Rez team will make it interesting by randomly entering certain PvP missions and spawning bots that don't usually show up there. If you're interested in a little extra challenge, keep your eyes peeled for these.

Wednesday, you'll want to keep a close eye on this Twitter feed. Global Agenda is expected to be available for download on Steam by the end of the day, and that's where you'll find the announcement. Name reserve begins as well, so take a close look at the instructions on the GA site.

Early start begins Friday the 29th, and the servers will be open for limited content until Sunday afternoon.

And finally, Monday, February first: launch day.

The last few days before launch are typically the ones that find us as players at our most impatient, but in this case, GA fans are likely to be way too busy for that. Check out all the details in the announcement, and have fun!

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Global Agenda announces launch schedule originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> gaglobal-agendahi-rezhi-rez-studioslaunchsci-fi Rubi Bayer Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST Massively