MMO Week in Review: One million served

At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

One million eager players signed up to test Guild Wars 2 during ArenaNet's two-day closed beta blitz this week. Whether those one million will be invited to the actual test is still unknown, but while you wait, there are plenty of GW2 snacks to nibble. Why not check out our closed beta impressions, the latest Flameseeker Chronicles, our video guide to crafting, and the latest on the game's anti-queue overflow servers?

This week's other top MMO stories are just behind the cut!

A second look at The Secret World
We nabbed another hands-on preview of TSW, now delayed until June 19th.
Aion's 3.0 and F2P conversion announced
Aion will be headed to fully free-to-play territory in North America too.
Average SWTOR play session tops four hours
The studio believes more players are playing rather than posting.
Why you should be playing Tribes: Ascend
Jef dived in to Hi-Rez's fully open Tribes: Ascend beta.
SOE responds to ProSiebenSat.1 fiasco
The company says the European partnership isn't a done deal.
Blizzard tells Diablo III fans to lower their expectations
Bashiok believes the hype is out of control.
Star Wars: The Old Republic video celebrates a successful launch
BioWare toots its own horn in a new trailer.
Rumor: Blizzard embracing F2P for unannounced game
Insiders say it's Blizzard DOTA, but that's already been announced.
SWTOR devs leaving BioWare to make indie game
BioWare's lead combat programmer and two artists moved on.
Why I Play: Fallen Earth
Our newest column makes the case for Fallen Earth's awesomeness.
EVE Online announces an impending Inferno
CCP names spreadsheets online's newest expansion.
HeroEngine licensing takes off thanks to SWTOR's success
Idea Fabrik says thousands of devs have now licensed the tool suite.
The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas
Justin rounds up 10 creative MMO mechanics.
John Smedley on EQMac's salvation
Smed aims to keep the EverQuest Mac servers running indefinitely.
The 2800: Of Bajor is as immersive as it gets
Teri investigated STO's latest content dump.

And from our sister site, WoW Insider...

Reader Comments (31)

1 million beta sign-ups for GW2 = ZOMG AWESOME!!!
2 million beta sign-ups for SW:ToR = THIS GAME SUCKS!! WOW IN SPACE!

After many years, I still do not understand internet people.

@Buckwald Bingo.

@Buckwald Beta sign-up numbers =/= opinion of game.

@AresOnasis

Well, I've been out of high school for 10 years and college for about 5 years now. So, I don't know what you learn in school these days. Critical thinking is something I'm well versed in. And I do plan on playing both (just an FYI). I was making the statement of "Announcement about X game" and how people react to it.

Apparently, some people need to learn this "critical thinking" you speak of.

@odericko

You are correct. My statement was about how people react about news articles concerning certain games and how laughable it is.

@Buckwald What I meant was that even if a game gets a certain number of sign-ups, it won't change there opinion. If someone feels like SWTOR is WoW in space, they're gonna voice that on an article. But if they like a game (like GW2), then they're gonna applaud.

And GW2 was in 48 hours, which was an impressive feat.

@Buckwald : 2 million beta sign-ups for SW:ToR = 2 million people seeing how poor the game was.

@Buckwald You don't have to be uneducated to be a trolling fanboy. Which, by the downvotes... yeah.

@OrangeGamer I have just downvoted all of the above posts, because, quite frankly, I throw up in my mouth a little every time the TOR/GW2 fanboys/haters start pulling each other's hair. I will continue to downvote all these flamewars on every TOR/GW2 article from now on. It is my belated New Year's resolution.

@Buckwald
"I've been out of high school for 10 years now"

Go back.

@Lenn Ironically enough, I don't car nor have the energy to fangirl for either side of the TOR/GW debate. Hence, calling out the troll comment- since it was clearly meant to rustle people up.

Well, people aren't gonna read comments correctly, surprise surprise. Rabid downvoters, come at me.:)

GW2 Beta signup was about 48 hours. As I understand it, TOR beta signup happened numerous times.

There are plenty of GW2 haters and lots of TOR lovers.

Bioware uses an IP that was purposely selected to attract people based on it's popularity.

ArenaNet is using an IP of their own IP.

SWTOR had around 1.5 million beta sign ups OVERALL.

GW2 has 1 million+ in less than 48 hours.

Bioware has constantly hyped SWTOR up and showed very little of the actual game hence why we got a bug filled game.

ArenaNet does less hype and let's the game videos speak for themselves.

Hm...I'll let you decide which is more significant.

I'm not a "fan" of IPs but a MMORPG fan and SWTOR is a blight on the MMO genre. It's exactly the way future MMOs should NOT go unless they are using the same "Big IP, Hype but show you no videos because you think people want to "steal" "your" "ideas"."

Personal opinion concluded.

@(Unverified)

My comment has nothing to do with "How significant" it is. Instead of saying "Hey, good job. Congrats." People instantly just trash a game. Hence the ending statement of :

"After many years, I still do not understand internet people."

@Buckwald

Considering SWTOR has been out a few moments I don't get where this "instantly just trash it" thing comes from since the majority of the trash of the game started after the open beta.....

@Protoavis

*months

@Buckwald

"'After many years, I still do not understand internet people.'"

"When usually one points a finger, there's usually 3 pointing back at him."

Nooooo curse that Sylvari picture in the article! Now i cannot decide on what race to roll AGAIN!

In the end, the game will do the walking. It's either good or it isn't.
We as players get in the bad habit of putting blinders on, because we have a lack of choices. The time a decent comes though.... well there could be a new king.

Still waiting on my GW2 beta email and still nothing. I'm just playing SWTOR until GW2 hits stores soon. lol

@echerringtonYAHOOCOM Beta invite will be end of March, they announced on Twiiter.

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MMO Week in Review: One million served

Reader Comments (31)

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 8:27PM Buckwald said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 8:43PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 8:50PM odericko said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 9:00PM Buckwald said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 9:26PM odericko said

Posted: Feb 27th 2012 12:38AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 27th 2012 2:22AM OrangeGamer said

Posted: Feb 27th 2012 4:28AM Lenn said

Posted: Feb 27th 2012 8:58AM Nenene said

Posted: Feb 28th 2012 12:43AM OrangeGamer said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 8:49PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 9:32PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 9:58PM Buckwald said

Posted: Feb 27th 2012 3:02AM Protoavis said

Posted: Feb 27th 2012 3:10AM Protoavis said

Posted: Feb 27th 2012 4:36AM Utakata said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 9:33PM scapist said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 10:26PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Feb 26th 2012 10:43PM echerringtonYAHOOCOM said

Posted: Feb 28th 2012 12:09AM MasterX25 said

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