Massively Speaking http://massively.joystiq.com This is the Massively podcast http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Massively SpeakingJoystiqMassively Speaking<![CDATA[Webzen to resume publishing duties for Huxley: The Dystopia]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/webzen-to-resume-publishing-duties-for-huxley-the-dystopia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/webzen-to-resume-publishing-duties-for-huxley-the-dystopia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/webzen-to-resume-publishing-duties-for-huxley-the-dystopia/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

NHN USA, or ijji.com, has been the company responsible for publishing Huxley: The Dystopia internationally, but the people in charge have announced that they're passing it back to developer Webzen.

Webzen will be self-publishing Huxley, but it's not as much of a change at it might seem at first glance. NHN USA and Webzen are separate divisions of the same company, NHN Corporation, and the two divisions will continue partnering with one another to publish other projects.

If you've purchased G Coin Cards, don't worry about losing out: "G Coin Cards branded with Huxley imaging will remain valid as long as they're purchased through an authorized retailer."

NHN USA's official statement will appear on ijji.com today.

MassivelyWebzen to resume publishing duties for Huxley: The Dystopia originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Huxleyhuxley-the-dystopiammofpsnhnNHN-USAwebzenSat, 28 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley's closed beta now open to everyone via Fileplanet]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/huxleys-closed-beta-now-open-to-everyone-via-fileplanet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/huxleys-closed-beta-now-open-to-everyone-via-fileplanet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/huxleys-closed-beta-now-open-to-everyone-via-fileplanet/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yes, we know, that title sounded like a complete oxymoron. How can a closed beta be open to everybody? It just doesn't make any sense!

We understand your confusion, but it's best not to question it. Fileplanet is giving out Huxley: The Dystopia closed beta keys to all account holders now, not just their subscribers. A couple quick button presses is now all it takes to find yourself braving the lunar apocalypse with all of your friends!

A small note of instruction: if you get your beta key from Fileplanet, you will have to still make an ijji.com account for the closed beta test. You can do that right over at the Huxley closed beta page without much fuss at all. Now go forth and kick those Sapiens all the way back to the early days of evolution.

Update: As so many commenters have pointed out, this offer is only available for the US and Canada. European gamers, it appears, are locked out of this promotion being offered by Fileplanet.

MassivelyHuxley's closed beta now open to everyone via Fileplanet originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betacbt2closed-betaclosed-beta-phase-2fileplanetfirst-person-shooterfpshuxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijji.commmofpswebzenTue, 04 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley closed beta phase two to begin tomorrow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/29/huxley-closed-beta-phase-two-to-begin-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/29/huxley-closed-beta-phase-two-to-begin-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/29/huxley-closed-beta-phase-two-to-begin-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The e-mail announcements have gone out and clients are being downloaded as Huxley fans prepare for closed beta test phase two! The servers will be opening up tomorrow for CBT1 veterans and CBT2 recruits alike, starting at 2:00 PM Pacific time and staying open until 10:00 PM Pacific. (For us Eastern time people, that's between 5:00 PM and 1:00 AM.)

Closed beta test participants have already received e-mails informing them of their acceptance to the new phase of beta. Former participants should delete their old Huxley clients and download the new, larger client from the closed beta test main page.

Weren't accepted or didn't sign up? Well, bad news first, the closed beta registration is over. However, for those of you who are FilePlanet subscribers, you can run over there and still pick up a key if you weren't in CBT1.

Closed beta phase two will be running until Wednesday, August 12th, and 10:00 PM Pacific time.

MassivelyHuxley closed beta phase two to begin tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>client-downloadclosed-betaclosed-beta-phase-2fileplanethuxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijji.comWed, 29 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ijji.com unleashes new screenshots for Huxley, Soul of the Ultimate Nation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/ijji-com-unleashes-new-screenshots-for-huxley-soul-of-the-ultim/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/ijji-com-unleashes-new-screenshots-for-huxley-soul-of-the-ultim/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/ijji-com-unleashes-new-screenshots-for-huxley-soul-of-the-ultim/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Ijji.com sent us a whole slew of information about two of its upcoming titles to us today, and we figured that we should pass on the love. If you're looking forward to either Huxley: The Dystopia or Soul of the Ultimate Nation, you'll be happy to hear that we added 10 new screenshots of each to our galleries today. Huxley's screenshots show a few more battle scenes, including the scoped in view on one of their guns, while SUN has elected to show off some spectacular landscapes accompanied by some nice armors.

If that wasn't enough, we also have two trailers, one featuring gameplay and the other a pre-rendered video, for Soul of the Ultimate Nation, featuring the Shadow class, included in this post right after the break. The Shadow looks like one heck of a wicked rogue class, so take the leap across the break to see his high flying, fast running stunts that even put the Team Fortress scout to shame.

Gallery: Huxley: The Dystopia

Gallery: Soul of the Ultimate Nation

Continue reading Ijji.com unleashes new screenshots for Huxley, Soul of the Ultimate Nation

MassivelyIjji.com unleashes new screenshots for Huxley, Soul of the Ultimate Nation originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgfree-to-playgameplayhuxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijji.commediammofpsmmorpgscreenshotssoul-of-the-ultimate-nationsuntrailervideoTue, 09 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley: The Dystopia beta signups begin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/huxley-the-dystopia-beta-signups-begin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/huxley-the-dystopia-beta-signups-begin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/huxley-the-dystopia-beta-signups-begin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Huxley: The Dystopia is the re-monikered MMOFPS from Webzen that will be published in the West by NHN USA and ijji. Huxley clearly puts more emphasis on FPS than MMO although elements of the latter are certainly there, and Massively had a chance to see a bit of what the game can offer at GDC 2009. Shortly afterwards, they launched a teaser site counting down to... something. We admit, we must've looked away from that countdown for too long because the teaser site changed today, adding video footage, forums, screenshots, character descriptions and backstory info.

The main thing we'd like to mention to our readers is that Huxley: The Dystopia is currently taking closed beta signups. The signup period is May 6 - May 20, and the first round of closed beta testing will last from June 3 - June 14. If you've been looking forward to fragging in Huxley, head on over to the Beta Test Registration page at ijji, and check out all the new info about the game they've added to the site.

Gallery: Huxley: The Dystopia

MassivelyHuxley: The Dystopia beta signups begin originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betasclosed-betagdc-2009huxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijjiijji.commmofpsnhn-usasci-fiwebzenThu, 07 May 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley: The Dystopia gets new teaser site with countdown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/25/huxley-the-dystopia-gets-new-teaser-site-with-countdown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/25/huxley-the-dystopia-gets-new-teaser-site-with-countdown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/25/huxley-the-dystopia-gets-new-teaser-site-with-countdown/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Huxley: The Dystopia is one of the new breed of games about to hit the massively multiplayer online world -- a hybrid first person shooter and sci-fi MMO, built on Unreal Engine 3. Massively took a good look at Huxley at GDC 2009, which we (naturally) feel is a solid starting point to catch up with what this game is shaping up to be, given its long hiatus between the early announcements and its re-appearance in the games journalism sphere.

So what will come of this splicing of FPS and MMO? We're not sure how well-received titles like Huxley: The Dystopia and Global Agenda will be, but it'll certainly be interesting to see what these games will add to our online gameplay options. In the meantime, Huxley: The Dystopia has launched a teaser web site with a countdown clock showing just under 30 days. We don't believe this is an actual launch countdown, but it's expected that more game info will be revealed at that time. If you're devouring everything you can about this particular game, you'll want to have a look at the Huxley teaser site and its front page video showing off more of the game.

[Via IGN]

MassivelyHuxley: The Dystopia gets new teaser site with countdown originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gdc-2009huxleyhuxley-the-dystopiaijji.commmo-industrymmofpsnew-titlessci-fiteaser-siteunreal-engine-3Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Massively previews Huxley: The Dystopia page 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-the-dystopia-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-the-dystopia-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-the-dystopia-page-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Quests and PvP

You can pick up quests in the city. Those are either story quests or instanced quests where you can either go solo or group up to wipe the map of enemy NPCs. Huxley's cities are large and while a player can navigate on foot, it's much faster to take a hoverbike, or travel by tram or train. The quests themselves often bring a player outside of the city (via train) or beneath the city, where they need to fight against the hybrids in the sewers.

While the game's quests can either be handled solo or in squads, players can also advance in Huxley through PvP. "With PvP you earn experience points as with quests, but you also earn rank points which let you level up your rank, such as private, sergeant, lieutenant, and beyond. The benefit of higher rank is access to the most powerful S-type weapons and bragging rights. People see the symbol next to your name and see what rank you are," like a title system, says Hong.

Continue reading GDC09: Massively previews Huxley: The Dystopia page 2

MassivelyGDC09: Massively previews Huxley: The Dystopia page 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternativeandy-hongcitiescitycombathuxleyijji.commmofpsnhn-usapvpquestssapienssci-fivehiclesvirtual-combatwebzenMon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Massively previews Huxley, a hybrid sci-fi MMO and FPS]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-a-hybrid-sci-fi-mmo-and-fps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-a-hybrid-sci-fi-mmo-and-fps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-a-hybrid-sci-fi-mmo-and-fps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Huxley: The Dystopia is a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS) in development at NHN USA. We haven't heard much about the title since mid-2008, so we were happy that NHN USA was willing to sit down with us at GDC 2009. We spoke with Andy Hong, Huxley's Project Manager, who showed us some of the basic concepts behind the game.

Huxley is a persistent world built upon Unreal Engine 3 foundations and is a game that differs from many of the MMOs we cover at Massively. Like other titles entering the market such as Global Agenda, Huxley is a marriage of the twitch combat of a first person shooter with classes, skills, trading, banking, and player housing we associate with MMOs. "At the core of the gameplay in Huxley, at its heart, it's an FPS," says Hong. But the depth of the rest of Huxley's gameplay, not limited to its quest and crafting systems, makes it a title quite unlike any pure FPS.

Gallery: Huxley: The Dystopia

Continue reading GDC09: Massively previews Huxley, a hybrid sci-fi MMO and FPS

MassivelyGDC09: Massively previews Huxley, a hybrid sci-fi MMO and FPS originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternativeandy-hongavengerbattlegroundclasseseconomyenforcereskafeaturedhuxleyhuxley-the-dystopiahybridijji.comjoystiq-featuresmassively-event-coveragemassively-interviewsmmo-industrymmofpsnew-titlesnhn-usanostaloniaphantompost-apocalypticpreviewspvpquestsracesrealm-controlsapiensvirtual-combatvirtual-pvpwebzenworld-controlMon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A big list of MMOs to watch in 2009]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/a-big-list-of-mmos-to-watch-in-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/a-big-list-of-mmos-to-watch-in-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/a-big-list-of-mmos-to-watch-in-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Over at The Vault, they've put up an exhaustive list of all the MMO titles you should have your eye on throughout the new year. While they sort of term it as thought it's a big list of games coming out this year, we think they know it's unlikely all of those games are going to be released in the next twelve months. With that in mind, if you aren't sure what games you should have on your radar (and you haven't clicked our handy "upcoming MMOs" widget above), this massive list will bring you up to date.

Here at Massively, of course, we've been doing our own level best to keep you updated on a lot of these titles, be they AAA superhero games like Champions Online or DC Universe Online. We've talked fervently about Star Wars: The Old Republic, and given you the skinny on under-the-radar titles like Aion, FreeRealms, and Jumpgate Evolution. We've even walked away from our precious fantasy to talk about games like APB or The Agency. The Vault's list is a great one to run down - check it out to see what game you should be obsessing over today!

MassivelyA big list of MMOs to watch in 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbig-listchampionsdarkfalldcuofreerealmsfusionfallhuxleyjumpgate-evolutionmmosnew-titlesstargate-worldsthe-agencyupcoming-gamesThu, 08 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley enters open beta (in Korea)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/30/huxley-enters-open-beta-in-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/30/huxley-enters-open-beta-in-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/30/huxley-enters-open-beta-in-korea/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Webzen published a press release today announcing the start of Huxley's open beta test phase in South Korea. No word yet on when gamers in other regions will be able to participate. There have been hints that Webzen is backing away from the North American market, but today's press release reiterates the company's dedication to releasing Huxley "in markets around the world." This comes after an announcement that portal NHN will be distributing the game in North America and Europe, so we're pretty sure things are good.

The press release is full of not-quite-true statements that Huxley is the very first game to combine the FPS and MMO genres. PlanetSide and Neocron come to mind right away, and there have probably been others. Still, we're watching Huxley with curiosity. Its production values are sky high (just look at the recent cinematic trailer) and its Unreal Engine-powered graphics are impressive. Webzen plans to release the game in Korea in 2009, so we'll be waiting a while yet.

[Via Big Download]

MassivelyHuxley enters open beta (in Korea) originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testfpshuxleykoreammofpsneocronopen-betaplanetsideshootersouth-koreawebzenMon, 30 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley in-game footage reminds us of something]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-in-game-footage-reminds-us-of-something/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-in-game-footage-reminds-us-of-something/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-in-game-footage-reminds-us-of-something/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It's not a bad thing that Huxley gameplay looks a lot like Unreal Tournament III, but it is a bit disconcerting for anyone interested in the MMOFPS in regards towards its possible uniqueness. The fact that what we're seeing in this video amounts to a standard deathmatch is probably the biggest reason for the comparison. While we professed our enjoyment of Huxley's recently released cinematic trailer, neither that nor this look into the game have told us why Huxley is any different than the many other FPS and MMO games currently proliferating across the market.

Don't get us wrong, though. We're always interested in different experiences here at Massively, so you can expect us to be playing Huxley whenever it manages to wash up on our shores. We're just hoping that the experience amounts to more than running around beautifully rendered worlds shooting things up, because that can be found elsewhere.

[via Rock, Paper Shotgun]

MassivelyHuxley in-game footage reminds us of something originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cinematicepic-gamesfpshuxleyin-gametrailerunreal-tournament-3webzenWed, 25 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley video expands on non-combat areas]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-video-expands-on-non-combat-areas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-video-expands-on-non-combat-areas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-video-expands-on-non-combat-areas/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We have to concede, we were not terribly impressed when we got wind of some of Huxley's non-combat areas as long as four months go. Chalk it up to the editing, we suppose, but the ten consecutive minutes of clomping around a barren cityscape left us barely able to keep our heads up. We were much more impressed with the recent cinematic trailer for the game, but it did little in the way of explaining how Huxley was going to change the way we play MMOs.

Well a new video has surfaced with better editing, the removal of that incessant clomping sound of walking on pavement, and some looks at non-static NPCs, shops, and the games' train system. We realize that Huxley's success probably hinges more on whether the FPS action is up to current standards, but for MMO junkies like ourselves, the little things like shops and quest hubs can have a much greater influence on whether we choose to play the game or not. Check out the new video after the jump.

Continue reading Huxley video expands on non-combat areas

MassivelyHuxley video expands on non-combat areas originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cityhuxleynpcsshopstrailertrainvideowebzenWed, 25 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Impressive Huxley cinematic trailer surfaces]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/impressive-huxley-cinematic-trailer-surfaces/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/impressive-huxley-cinematic-trailer-surfaces/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/impressive-huxley-cinematic-trailer-surfaces/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


German website PCGames.de is hosting a new trailer (and several screenshots from said trailer) for Webzen's massively multiplayer online first person shooter (what a mouthful) Huxley. If you've not heard of the game, all you need to know is that it runs on Unreal Engine 3, is developed in Korea, and features large-scale, instanced PvP battles.

The trailer doesn't show any gameplay footage (but past ones have). It just shows a really well-orchestrated cinematic sequence. It looks very Unreal or Gears of War. Unfortunately, all the dialogue is in Korean, so we have no idea whether or not it reveals any interesting story elements.

Note that a giant worm-like monster makes an appearance at the end. That might imply that players won't just be fighting each other. Huxley recently found a Western publisher, so we're looking forward to seeing for ourselves.

[Via Blues News]

MassivelyImpressive Huxley cinematic trailer surfaces originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cgicinematicfpshuxleymmofpspc-gamespc-gamesdepcgamesdetrailerunrealunreal-engine-3videowebzenMon, 23 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese MMO distributor gains new Chief Financial Officer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/chinese-mmo-distributor-gains-new-chief-financial-officer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/chinese-mmo-distributor-gains-new-chief-financial-officer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/chinese-mmo-distributor-gains-new-chief-financial-officer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There's been a recent personnel change to China's leading distributor of online gaming. The9 Limited has recently appointed Mr. George Lai as Chief Financial Officer after the resignation of Mr. Tony Tse, due to personal and family reasons. Mr. Lai brings several years of experience to the table, having worked previously at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu since 2000.

The9 Limited operates licensed MMORPGs for Chinese players, including World of Warcraft, Hellgate: London, Ragnarok Online 2, Huxley and many more. The9 Limited is also developing various proprietary games of their own including Warriors of Fate Online and Fantastic Melody Online.

MassivelyChinese MMO distributor gains new Chief Financial Officer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cfochinachinesedistributiondistributorthe9world-of-warcraftwowMon, 09 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley coming to NA and Europe by way of NHN USA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/huxley-coming-to-na-and-europe-by-way-of-nhn-usa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/huxley-coming-to-na-and-europe-by-way-of-nhn-usa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/huxley-coming-to-na-and-europe-by-way-of-nhn-usa/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The rumors of Webzen's North American demise have been greatly exaggerated. News on the inter-streets is that Webzen has found a PC-version publisher for their MMOFPS game Huxley in gaming portal heavyweight NHN USA, which is a subsidiary of the Korean NHN. There still isn't any mention of the 360 version, however. This is a pretty big deal for Webzen as it means that Huxley will be sold through the incredibly huge ijji.com videogame portal. That's the same portal through which over six million people play tons of games including Gunbound, Gunz, Drift City and Soldier Front.

You may or may not know about ijji.com, but trust us when we say it's a pretty big win for Webzen. Originally announced when Hoover build the dam, Huxley has been in the works for a long, long time. Which is the main reason we've all been questioning its US release solidity. All joking aside, the real question we should be asking is whether or not NA and European players will even like the game. Some of us here at Massively haven't been decidedly impressed by anything so far. Only time will tell.

MassivelyHuxley coming to NA and Europe by way of NHN USA originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingdrift-cityeuropegunboundgunzhuxleyijji.commmofpsnhnnhn-usanorth-americasoldier-frontwebzenMon, 02 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Where's Webzen?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wheres-webzen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wheres-webzen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/wheres-webzen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Two Hammers at MMO-centric blog gamebunny writes that Webzen is slowly making a retreat from the North American market. The Korean publisher, currently developing the much-anticipated Huxley, has cut Parfait Station and Wiki (aka Project Wiki) from its game roster on the North American site. Although Webzen has not announced cancellations of the titles, only three games remain displayed on the site: MU, Soul of the Ultimate Nation, and Huxley. Release dates are not set for SUN and Huxley.

The disappearance of Parfait Station and Wiki comes on the heels of Webzen relinquishing their publishing rights to All Points Bulletin, three years after having obtained them. Real Time Worlds bought back the rights to APB in April. These changes could diminish Webzen's presence in the North American market for the foreseeable future, and their radio silence on where Huxley is in terms of release doesn't help matters. Quite a number of people seem to be excited about Huxley, particularly among the Massively team; we can only hope that Webzen is just re-prioritizing their projects and releases for North America, and that they're not going to disappear on us anytime soon.

MassivelyWhere's Webzen? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 May 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbgamebunnyhuxleymumu-onlineparfait-stationproject-wikirealtime-worldssunwebzenwikiFri, 30 May 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley: a Brave New World?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/huxley-a-brave-new-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/huxley-a-brave-new-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/huxley-a-brave-new-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It is a curious thing to hear of a game being themed after a classic speculative fiction novel. It's even more curious because the novel in question, Brave New World, has little in common with Starship Troopers (as the game's images suggest) and a whole lot in common with Idiocracy (did they have sex hormone gum in that movie?). Brave New World itself was Aldous Huxley's take on American excessive trust in technology, the future, manufacturing, science, and hedonism, culminating in images such as babies being processed in factories instead of born, people being altered to meet almost cookie cutter standards of beauty, and sex being so casual as to almost require assigned seating. One can only imagine what Aldous Huxley would think of the United States in 2008.

Huxley promises to be a great game combining the MMO and FPS genres in a new and entertaining fashion, and I am all for creativity and license. But that's just the problem. When I heard about Huxley the game, my mind immediately leaped to the possibilities of some other first person shooter games derived from the other works of Aldous Huxley, and frankly, that boggles the mind.

Continue reading Huxley: a Brave New World?

MassivelyHuxley: a Brave New World? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 May 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aldous-huxleybrave-new-worldfeaturefeaturedfirst-person-shooterhuxleyjefferson-airplanemmofpsnew-gamenew-gamesparliament-funkadelicthe-doorsthe-doors-of-perceptionwebzenThu, 29 May 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley breaks radio silence]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/huxley-breaks-radio-silence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/huxley-breaks-radio-silence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/huxley-breaks-radio-silence/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


As we noted when we named PlanetSide our #3 Sci-Fi MMO to date, it's good to see the "MMO" try on some new (i.e., non-RPG) clothes now and again. That's why we've been keeping a close eye on Webzen's MMOFPS Huxley. Updates on Huxley have been coming in a trickle in recent months. Videos have been released now and again, and we knew it was in closed beta, but Webzen hasn't said much to the public lately. Good news: the silence was broken by an article at IGN the other day!

The basic info is all there: two persistent cities supporting up to 5,000 players in a post-apocalyptic Earth setting, instanced battles with hundreds of players, and differences between the PC and XBox 360 versions of the game. There are also several new screenshots and videos. The game looks a lot like Unreal Tournament 3. Not a surprise, since it's a first-person-shooter running on Unreal Engine 3.

According to the article, the PC version of Huxley will launch States-side before year's end, with the 360 version following about six months later.

[Via XBox 360 Fanboy]

MassivelyHuxley breaks radio silence originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>first-person-shooterfpshuxleyignkoreammofpsplanetsidepost-apocalypticsci-fisouth-koreaunrealunreal-engineunreal-engine-3webzenThu, 06 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is combat necessary?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/01/the-daily-grind-is-combat-necessary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/01/the-daily-grind-is-combat-necessary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/01/the-daily-grind-is-combat-necessary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

For most of us the term 'MMO' conjures up images of combat, whether within a medieval fantasy setting, or a science fiction milieu. Other images are mixed in there, too, of course, but I'd wager that fighting is the one that pops up most often. It's so common, in fact, that when a game deviates from this norm, attention is called to it. Take Mabinogi, for instance -- many of its features are non-combat-based, like the aging system, or the ability to create MIDI-based music, or the creation and management of a household with a spouse.

I didn't realize how refreshing the thought of not having to constantly battle creatures to progress in a game was until Mabinogi offered me these alternatives. This makes me ask the question: is combat really an integral element of an MMO? Would you play a game that lacked it completely?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is combat necessary? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agingbattlecombatdark-age-of-camelotfantasyhuxleymedievalmidinon-combatscience-fictionthe-daily-grindSat, 01 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Huxley gameplay video with analysis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/new-huxley-gameplay-video-with-analysis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/new-huxley-gameplay-video-with-analysis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/28/new-huxley-gameplay-video-with-analysis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,


Good things come to those who wait. In our earlier coverage of Webzen's upcoming MMO Huxley, we lamented the state of the in-game videos we saw -- a lot of running, nice scenery, but little else. Huxley-evolved.com has finally given us what we wanted with two videos available on blip.tv. At the time of this post, huxley-evolved.com's site was unavailable, so we're linking to the separate videos.

What does the first video tell us? Well, it's an FPS, which is a relative rarity in the MMO scene, and just behind that in little-seen-in-MMOs, it's Science Fiction. The traditionals are all here -- jumping, strafing, etc. Neither this, nor the following video feature any melée weaponry. We do notice that there's no HUD in this video, however, which some will like and some won't, but the second video does have one, so apparently it's toggleable. It also seems to take an extraordinarily long time to die, with hit after hit being scored before the opponent finally lays down. On death, a voice speaking Korean recites what we'll guess is a countdown. If our Korean-speaking audience members would care to drop a comment enlightening us, we'd appreciate it.

Continue reading New Huxley gameplay video with analysis

MassivelyNew Huxley gameplay video with analysis originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aldous-huxleyanalysisfeaturedFPSgameplay-videohuxleyThu, 28 Feb 2008 10:00:00 EST