Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Rumor: Leak suggests the next WoW expansion is nearly feature-complete]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/30/rumor-blizzard-leak-reveals-next-world-of-warcraft-expansion-to/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/30/rumor-blizzard-leak-reveals-next-world-of-warcraft-expansion-to/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/30/rumor-blizzard-leak-reveals-next-world-of-warcraft-expansion-to/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

What you call feature-complete they call post-launch.
So, ready to jump on the rumor mill? Because it's churning out big stuff about Blizzard today. An anonymous source from inside the company has apparently claimed that World of Warcraft's next expansion has quadrupled its art outsourcing and is nearly feature-complete. The source also claimed that Hearthstone is doing banner business, with its next expansion set to release in April with a heavier PvE focus.

Darker news was revealed for the other franchises under the company's banner. The next part of StarCraft II is done but with no release date. Overwatch is in the midst of debates over business model and payment plans, with the studio pushing for a 2015 release but most likely going for 2016. Meanwhile, Heroes of the Storm has low expectations among the upper management and the Diablo III team has been "completely gutted." It's up to you you believe the rumors, of course, although come April, they might look rather plausible.

MassivelyRumor: Leak suggests the next WoW expansion is nearly feature-complete originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's pretend this game is something where characters matter beyond by reference, I guess
If there's any company in the world that could launch a new MOBA title without needing to sell founder's packs, it would probably be Blizzard. But we'll never know beyond the dark realms of speculation, of course, because sales have already started on the founder's packs for Heroes of the Storm. And yes, that pack includes access to the current closed beta, if its $39.99 price tag didn't already create that implication in your mind.

Aside from beta access, the pack includes three heroes: Tyrande, Diablo, and Raynor, each with an alternate skin. Diablo gets to look fishy, Tyrande gets to look like a Blood Elf, and Raynor takes all of that high-powered armor off (which seems like a bad idea on a battlefield, but I guess that's why I'm not a space marine). You also get a mechanical golden wolf mount to ride around on the battlefield and 2500 gold for the game, which is more than enough money to buy anything that costs less than 2500 gold. Check out the pack trailer just past the break.

[Thanks to Siphaed, deathandtexas, and Vincynt for the tip!]

Continue reading Blizzard has begun selling Heroes of the Storm Founder's Packs

MassivelyBlizzard has begun selling Heroes of the Storm Founder's Packs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-accessbeta-testingbetasBlizzardblizzard-all-starsblizzard-dotaBlizzard-Entertainmentclosed-betafounderfoundersfounders-packheroes-of-the-stormitem-packmobanewsnews-itemspay-for-betatrailertrailersvideovideosWed, 21 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Heroes of the Storm is now in closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/heroes-of-the-storm-is-now-in-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/heroes-of-the-storm-is-now-in-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/14/heroes-of-the-storm-is-now-in-closed-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Your play skills, when carefully examined, show a marked status below a standard deviation from those of your peers! And your mother is considered overweight by medical professionals!
If you've paid attention to the people in the early testing for Heroes of the Storm, you likely saw a lot of feedback that amounted to surprise that the game was just in alpha. Of course, a game that feels polished and fun in alpha testing is in a good spot, which is why it should come as no huge surprise that the title moved into closed beta yesterday. Players who wish to test and have not already opted in should be sure to do so, as beta invitations are being sent out regularly.

The team behind the game also took a moment to explain a bit more going on behind the scenes with character design by looking at Thrall -- specifically, looking at top-down design for Thrall as he exists within Heroes of the Storm and bottom-up design using Thrall's Warcraft III abilities as a starting point. It's an interesting look at how the same basic character could wind up inspiring two different designs in the end and well worth a glance if you're crossing your fingers for that closed invitation.

[Thanks, Dengar.]

MassivelyHeroes of the Storm is now in closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Same venue as last year, then?
If you've been waiting patiently for the next big convention focused entirely around Blizzard's game catalogue, your wait is almost over. BlizzCon 2014 kicks off on Friday, November 7th, with the opening ceremonies starting at 2:00 p.m. EST. There's no chance of attending in person if you don't already have a ticket, but you can still pick up a virtual ticket, and DirecTV customers can also grab a pay-per-view stream that includes a virtual ticket and the associated benefits.

The convention will host a variety of tournaments, including the Hearthstone championships, the StarCraft II championships, and the World of Warcraft Arena championship. There will also be the usual assortment of lore panels, development previews, and reveals for the various games under the Blizzard banner, included the much-anticipated Warlords of Draenor expansion. If you've been on the fence about getting a stream, take a look at the list of festivities and get ready to see what's coming from the studio this weekend.

MassivelyBlizzCon kicks off on Friday, virtual tickets still available originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hear in exciting details all of the way that our games will make you angry for another year!
If you really want to check out BlizzCon but can't quite manage a flight out to California, a solution is available. Virtual tickets are now available from Blizzard for $39.99, allowing you to watch the panels, the competitions, and the events live from the comfort of your own home. Sure, you won't get to actually be packed in the convention hall, but this way no one cares whether you're wearing pants or not, so you even come out ahead.

Purchasing a virtual ticket will give you access to bonus in-game goods for World of Warcraft, Diablo III, StarCraft II, Heroes of the Storm, and Hearthstone, although the details are not yet available. All of the streams are also available in high definition and can be re-watched, so you needn't worry about missing something. If you've already purchased a physical ticket, you still have access to a virtual ticket as well, so you can still take advantage of the streaming. Everyone who wants to attend can at least get something like that experience.

MassivelyBlizzCon offers up virtual tickets originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Sep 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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heroes of the storm
Heroes of the Storm's beginnings are rooted in a mod that Blizzard made in 2010 to encourage StarCraft II players to get into the modding scene. Not only was this unnecessary (the StarCraft II comunity took to modding like fish to water) but the mod gradually became so well-liked internally that proper development began in 2012 to make it a full-fledged MOBA.

At PAX Prime, I asked the team what was going to make Heroes of the Storm stand out from the rest of the MOBA pack -- or whether it was merely content to ride the Blizzard name to big sales. The response was that this game is shaping up to be one of the most friendly and welcoming MOBAs on the market. Gone are mechanics like denying and last hits and in are new concepts like shared team levels. The devs said that the root of the toxic atmosphere seen in many MOBAs is game design that focuses more in individual selfishness and potential ways to hurt your own team. There also won't be any chatting with the opposing team in HotS to cut down on potential sass-mouth.

Continue reading PAX Prime 2014: Heroes of the Storm is friendly, zany fun

MassivelyPAX Prime 2014: Heroes of the Storm is friendly, zany fun originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blizzardblizzard-all-starsblizzard-dotaBlizzard-Entertainmentconconventioneventevent-coverageeventsexpoheroes-of-the-storminterviewinterviewsmassively-event-coveragemobapaxpax-2014pax-primepax-prime-2014penny-arcade-expopreviewpreviewsMon, 01 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Heroes of the Storm launches interactive battleground page]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/08/28/heroes-of-the-storm-launches-interactive-battleground-page/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/08/28/heroes-of-the-storm-launches-interactive-battleground-page/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/08/28/heroes-of-the-storm-launches-interactive-battleground-page/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Percival J. Ogre and his companion discuss the comparative merits of oligarchy compared to tyranny. And farting.
Looking forward to exploring the maps in Heroes of the Storm? The good news is that you can do so right now, even if you aren't currently in the test pool. The game's interactive battleground maps are now available, showing off the fields of battle and allowing you to zoom in or out, highlight important points, and scroll around to see all of the neat stuff that's there to be seen.

Each of the maps has numerous different mechanics as well as additional routes for players to take, including aboveground and underground routes or enemies that spawn during the night. The page outlines how all five maps will work and should help players start plotting strategies even without getting your hands on the game. If you feel like a bit of surveying, go check out the maps now.

MassivelyHeroes of the Storm launches interactive battleground page originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HOTS
Heroes of the Storm: Just another MOBA, right? Well, maybe. I have to admit two things before we jump into this article. First, I like MOBAs, but I'm an MMO player first and foremost. I keep trying MOBAs as they come out, and I've sunk some serious hours into the genre, so I do have a decent working knowledge of the bare basics, especially starting experiences.

Second, I'm neither a fan nor a hater of Blizzard. Blizzard often sticks to safe rather than unique features, but it also makes games for the masses, which is great because I love to drag my friends into my games. But a game that attracts everyone also attracts the kind of people I don't want to play with.

So why should I -- or you -- play Heroes of the Storm?

Continue reading An early look at Heroes of the Storm's alpha

MassivelyAn early look at Heroes of the Storm's alpha originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Aug 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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heroes of the storm
It's the gimmick, the hook that makes a well-designed MOBA battleground truly memorable, and Heroes of the Storm's Garden of Terror thinks it has its hook: a night-and-day sequence.

Unlike the mostly cosmetic lighting filters in MMO day/night cycles, Garden of Terror's transition between the two will change the fundamental rules of the match. While during the daytime players can check out mercenary camps, the nighttime is a whole different story. The camps go away when the sun goes down, and out pops nighttime horrors as players' visibility decreases. The daytime only comes back when all of the horrors are killed, giving players control over how long the dark lasts.

One of the Garden of Terror's objectives is gathering up seeds to plant so that a huge player-controlled mob can be summoned. Learning when and how to use the summon will be a key to dominating the match.

MassivelyHeroes of the Storm's Garden of Terror swaps between night and day originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jul 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No, that's not Pardo, that's Magtheridon. He was a pit lord. Jeez, you think everything is an allegory, huh?
In a rather surprising move, Blizzard's Executive Producer Rob Pardo announced today that he is leaving the company. At this time he has announced no immediate career plans or subsequent goals, although he mentions a desire to spend the summer with his family and consider his next move. Pardo's forum announcement thanks the design teams for all of their hard work and notes that he has immensely enjoyed his time with the company; he expresses great satisfaction at the growth of the company and all of the changes that have come about during his tenure there.

Pardo mentions that he began working with the studio during development of the original StarCraft, having since worked on titles including Diablo III, World of Warcraft, and Heroes of the Storm. He has promised fans that he will attempt to be communicative about his next move via Twitter.

[Thanks to Dystopiq for the tip!]

MassivelyRob Pardo leaves Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2014 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HotS
Blizzard is about fun and fantasy, not about preaching diversity, the studio said.

Polygon pulled quotes from Heroes of the Storm Game Director Dustin Browder in which he defended the sexualization of the MOBA's female characters by claiming that, "We're not sending a message. Nobody should look to our game for that." He also claimed that he didn't "get the applications" of specifically hiring female developers for the title. Browder later apologized for those remarks.

But this month, Blizzard Executive Producer Rob Pardo acknowledged that the studio still struggles in its portrayal of women, explaining that "most of [Blizzard's] developers are guys who grew up reading comics books."

"We're not trying to bring in serious stuff, or socially relevant stuff, or actively trying to preach for diversity, or do things like that," Pardo said.

MassivelyBlizzard: Sexy Heroes of the Storm characters 'not sending a message' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 May 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard
Blizzard is refueling the company RV and making a mix tape of John Denver and Megadeth for its upcoming cross-country trip to PAX East. The studio announced today that it will have a presence at the convention to show off Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor.

Blizzard will be at booth #848 from April 11th through the 13th. Hearthstone will be available to play not only on demo stations but on the iPad as well. Fans can also check out a hands-on demos of Warlords of Draenor, Diablo III for PS4, and Heroes of the Storm with new heroes.

The studio won't just be confined to its booth for the duration of the weekend, as it's planning a presentation on April 11th at 10:30 a.m. EDT about Heroes of the Storm. This presentation will be livestreamed for those who can't make it.

MassivelyBlizzard is going on a PAX East road trip originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want more information on Blizzard's upcoming MOBA Heroes of the Storm while waiting for your technical alpha invite? The latest blog post dishes details on the availability of heroes, a try-before-you-buy feature, leveling, earning in-game currency, acquiring new skins, and mounts. Every player starts with a basic horse mount. For the free-to-play crowd, five heroes will be available to play each week, with the list rotating every Tuesday. Players can buy other heroes at any time using cash or with in-game gold that is earned after reaching level 5. Various skins with tint slots can also be bought. For more info or to apply for alpha, check out the official site.

We've got the video first look of the alpha after the break.

Continue reading Latest Heroes of the Storm blog post details heroes, mounts, and more

MassivelyLatest Heroes of the Storm blog post details heroes, mounts, and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heroes of the Storm / Like DotA, only more / You've played this game before / But not with heroes of the Horde
Heroes of the Storm, the game previously known as Blizzard All-Stars, Blizzard Dota, and Blizzard Entertainment Presents A Bunch Of Guys Hitting Each Other, is technically in alpha. Wait, sorry, that's not right. It's in technical alpha. That means that it's in a phase of testing with an emphasis not on balance or gameplay but on making sure that the fundamental engine works. Testing is currently limited to a very small pool of players, but external players are being brought in to really put the game's network through its paces.

Players who cannot wait to get in on the game, even with placeholder graphics and numerous bugs, should make sure that their Battle.net accounts are up to date and have opted in for the beta. Again, invitations will be extremely limited at first, although the roster of testers will expand as time goes by. If this sounds like your sort of gig, make sure you've opted in, and stay hopeful that Blizzard will grant you a coveted invitation mail.

MassivelyHeroes of the Storm enters technical alpha testing originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardalphaalphasbetabetasblizzard-all-starsblizzard-dotablizzard-entertainmentdotaheroes-of-the-stormhotsmobanewsnews-itemstestingMon, 03 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/18/the-soapbox-my-hypersexualization-conundrum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/18/the-soapbox-my-hypersexualization-conundrum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/18/the-soapbox-my-hypersexualization-conundrum/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Final Fantasy XIV
Every now and then here at Massively, we receive an email that isn't super nice. I know this may come as a shock to many of you -- the internet is, after all, a place of tolerance and constructive debate -- but sometimes the Massively inbox is no place any sane person would want to be. One reader recently took the opportunity to offer some choice thoughts on Massively staffers. And amidst the jumble of insults and generalizations, the reader levied the ever-powerful "hypocrisy" charge at us for claiming to care about hypersexualized designs of female characters in MMOs while simultaneously playing as those very hypersexualized characters. How could we possibly purport to care about the presentation of women in games if we're all running around in chainmail bikinis?

Generally speaking, I prefer to not have my habits and behavior challenged via ad hominem attacks and false comparisons. But I have to admit that this one particular charge piqued my curiosity. Why is it that the majority of my characters are female? Am I, as a person who looks down on hypersexualized designs in games, committing an act of hypocrisy every time I create a female character?

Let's sort it out. And before we begin, remember that the Soapbox, like most of our editorials, is just one person's opinion and doesn't represent the thoughts of Massively as a whole.

Continue reading The Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum

MassivelyThe Soapbox: My hypersexualization conundrum originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Feb 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively title image
A bizarre experiment is currently taking place on Twitch.tv as thousands of gamers have tuned into a stream of Pokemon Red/Blue that puts the viewer in control. Almost five million people have tuned into the stream so far, with hundreds competing to control the game via chat. League of Legends revealed plans for its upcoming Hexakill featured game mode that turns Summoner's Rift into a 6v6 battle. Leaked screenshots of the Heroes of the Storm client surfaced this week, giving previously unknown details on unrevealed characters that will be in the upcoming MOBA. Infinite Crisis expanded its roster of super-heroes with the addition of Star Sapphire, and turn-based MOBA Arena of Heroes has now been released for Android devices.

Blizzard's Wyatt Cheng told fans of Diablo III's Wizard class that he's been experimenting with decreasing the Arcane power on Crit stat to better balance resource generation. Changes will not apply retroactively but will apply to all gear dropped after the Loot 2.0 patch. Path of Exile's Sacrifice of the Vall mini-expansion was revealed in a teaser ahead of the March 5th release date. And Star Citizen sent five more players through to the second round of the Next Great Starship contest; Chris Roberts answered 10 fan questions in another Ten for the Chairman video.

Continue reading Not So Massively: 50,000 play Pokemon together, Heroes of the Storm leak, and PoE's Sacrifice of the Vaal

MassivelyNot So Massively: 50,000 play Pokemon together, Heroes of the Storm leak, and PoE's Sacrifice of the Vaal originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Feb 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lineage II
For me, player vs. player interaction is a necessary component of any online game. The urge to engage with skilled human opponents is the reason I spent countless hours defending flags in World of Warcraft and likely the main motivating factor in my slide away from traditional MMOs and toward MOBAs like Dota 2 and Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming Heroes of the Storm. Simply put, I like a good fight.

I especially like a good fight when it occurs unscripted and out in the wilds of the world. If you catch me unaware while I'm grinding out one of TERA's BAMs or plucking gold from an ore vein in Aion, I'll be more than happy to cross swords (or trade frostbolts) with you. Winning or losing isn't important to me; the constant threat of attack heightens my enjoyment of and connection to the game's universe.

Unfortunately, open world PvP doesn't attract exclusively those people interested in fair fights. And in the games that make it possible, a certain small segment of players is working hard to ruin everyone else's good time. I speak, of course, of gankers.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Stop ganking, you ganking gankers

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Stop ganking, you ganking gankers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jan 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Haven't you heard? Sexism is over!
It's not often that you can feel uncomfortable pauses via text, but a recent interview about Heroes of the Storm managed exactly that. When asked about the character design of the upcoming game's female characters, game director Dustin Browder responded with: "We're not running for President. We're not sending a message. No one should look to our game for that." This went over about as well as you would expect, especially in the wake of World of Warcraft's next expansion's story getting billed as a "boy's trip" (and being portrayed as such in promotional materials).

Browder has issued an apology for his statement, claiming that the topic is a serious one and that Blizzard is sensitive about how it portrays its characters. No part of the apology actually addresses the issue in any more detail, although Browder does insist that the team wants everyone to have a character to identify with and enjoy. Whether or not this will result in more discussion of this serious topic or any changes to character designs remains to be seen.

MassivelyHeroes of the Storm game director apologizes for insensitive remarks regarding sexualized character designs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Nov 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blizzardblizzard-all-starsblizzard-dotaBlizzard-Entertainmentculturedustin-browdergenderheroes-of-the-storminterviewinterviewsmobasexismsocial-issuesMon, 25 Nov 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BlizzCon 2013 in photographs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/10/blizzcon-2013-in-photographs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/10/blizzcon-2013-in-photographs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/10/blizzcon-2013-in-photographs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

BlizzCon might be over, but pictures last forever, or at least until something happens to our data center. Don't get any ideas. Hey, where are you going with that tornado?! Enjoy our view of the con!

Massively's on the ground in Anaheim during the weekend of November 8th, bringing you all the best news from BlizzCon 2013. Whether you're anticipating World of Warcraft's and Diablo III's next expansions or reveals from Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, we aim to have it covered!

MassivelyBlizzCon 2013 in photographs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Image
BlizzCon 2013 is now underway, and we're expecting big news from the folks at Blizzard, like more details on the Diablo III Reaper of Souls expansion. There's also the first ever Innkeeper's Invitational for Hearthstone, the white-knuckle gameplay of the StarCraft 2 tournaments, and the Hollywood insanity of the upcoming World of Warcraft movie.

Most MMO gamers, however, are anxiously waiting to hear about World of Warcraft's fifth expansion. Is it happening? Whom are we fighting? Where are we going? Are there any new classes and races? If you want to be among the first to know but didn't snag a ticket, real or virtual, then join us in the comments below as we blog about all the juiciest news -- live!

And don't forget that the opening ceremonies are being streamed for free!

Continue reading Massively's BlizzCon 2013 liveblog: Opening ceremony and WoW presentation

MassivelyMassively's BlizzCon 2013 liveblog: Opening ceremony and WoW presentation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game title image
Star Citizen smashed through the $24 million and $25 million crowdfunding barriers this week, unlocking public transportation and expanding the game's upcoming alpha test. Designs for Diablo III's upcoming Mystic artisan were revealed, and it was confirmed that the she will be part of the Reaper of Souls expansion. Path of Exile saw a remarkably smooth launch day, with only minor lag and just a few bugs for Steam users.

Blizzard may have run into yet another naming blunder with Heroes of the Storm, as this week it emerged that a Finnish RPG published in July bears the same name. Third-person MOBA SMITE re-introduced Chinese god Sun Wukong this week, compete with shapeshifting abilities, an extendable staff, and a flying cloud. Firefall developer Red 5 Studios revealed details of what players can expect to be released in the next few months, and its parent company The9 has signed a $24 million US investment deal that values the game at $100 million. And Arena of Heroes is offering fans the chance to win an Ouya console and controller in a competition that will end in just a few days.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Star Citizen expands alpha, D3's Mystic revealed, and Path of Exile launches

MassivelyNot So Massively: Star Citizen expands alpha, D3's Mystic revealed, and Path of Exile launches originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Oct 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maybe we can start worrying about the title once the game is more than a twinkle in someone's eye.
The game currently known as Heroes of the Storm has been through more names than most high school garage bands, having cycled through titles like Blizzard Dota, Blizzard All-Stars, and for a brief period of time, Blizzard Entertainment Presents A Bunch Of Guys Hitting Each Other. (It was an early idea.) Now the game seems to be hitting another snag with its title because of a Finnish tabletop game with the same title. Except in Finnish, obviously.

According to WoW Insider, the author of the tabletop game, Mike Pohjola, has made comments implying that Blizzard might want to change the name again to avoid naming conflicts in his home country. How relevant the two games are to one another and how concerned Blizzard actually will be over such a conflict remains to be seen; the application for a trademark came from Blizzard first, but the tabletop game was published before the trademark application. Nothing might come of this, but if the game is renamed again to Blizzard's Steve and Ed Fun-time Game Hour, you'll know why.

MassivelyHeroes of the Storm hits yet another naming conflict originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively Elites Panther LX PoE ready to launch and Blizzard All-Stars renamed
This week, a new Elite: Dangerous newsletter showed off the work-in-progress missile launcher and torpedo weapons and the Panther LX heavy cargo clipper ship. David Braben also discussed plans to release the first alpha stage in December and then later proceed to a wider beta. Star Citizen managed to scrape together another million dollars this week, unlocking the Xi'an Scout light attack craft, and developers shone the spotlight on some great fan-made videos.

League of Legends extended the deadline for achieving the necessary ranks to earn the various Season 3 rewards to November 11th, and this week players discovered a series of Soraka support bots that were farming account levels in co-op mode. Blizzard All-Stars has been renamed yet again and is now back in development under the name Heroes of the Storm.

Path of Exile began gearing up for its official launch this coming Wednesday with the release of a deluge of new information on what the patch contains and the first of a brand-new season of the popular Build of the Week series. Firefall developer Red 5 Studios released a new development update with details on plans to revamp everything from the user interface to crafting and character progression. And Russian MOBA Prime World asked its community to come up with a set of guidelines for players to abide by.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Elite's Panther LX, PoE's launch week, and Blizzard All-Stars' new name

MassivelyNot So Massively: Elite's Panther LX, PoE's launch week, and Blizzard All-Stars' new name originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heroes of the Storm
Blizzard Entertainment announced today that the studio's upcoming MOBA, formerly known as Blizzard All-Stars (and Blizzard Dota before that), will officially launch under the title Heroes of the Storm. The announcement comes after about a month of speculation regarding the Heroes of the Storm name; Blizzard filed the trademark in late September, and guesses ranged from entirely new game to World of Warcraft expansion. Unfortunately, the video doesn't provide any further information on Heroes of the Storm, meaning its release date is likely still "Soon[TM]."

Check out the announcement video after the break.

Continue reading Blizzard All-Stars is now Heroes of the Storm

MassivelyBlizzard All-Stars is now Heroes of the Storm originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively D3's auction house closing Star Citizen salvaging and new MOBA heroes
Blizzard revealed that Diablo III's real money and gold auction house will be officially shut down next March ahead of the Reaper of Souls expansion. The change comes as good news to players who found that the auction house undermined the core loot-hunting gameplay by providing a shortcut to get better items. Path of Exile revealed its new Lightning Trap and Smoke Bomb skills that will be introduced in patch 0.11.6 along with a few other surprises. Star Citizen revealed its $21 million stretch goal to be a new salvaging gameplay feature that has fans of Firefly a little excited, and developers clarified that they will continue to raise funds after the $21 million goal is reached.

Valve broke its recent silence on Dota 2 to reveal the upcoming First Blood update, which introduces local network play and a new Captain's Draft game mode. Third-person MOBA SMITE added new character Thanatos, the Hand of Death, and Heroes of Newerth added ranged intelligence hero Circe the Deceiver. And Blizzard All-Stars popped out of the shadows again this week when Blizzard put up a job listing for an e-sports director for the title.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3's auction house closing, Star Citizen salvaging, and new MOBA heroes

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3's auction house closing, Star Citizen salvaging, and new MOBA heroes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Sep 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard LFM eSports Director needed for Blizzard AllStars
When I say Blizzard, you say MOBA! OK, chances are that's not the first thing you think of -- or even the fifth. That's understandable; it's been a long time since any news has come out about Blizzard All-Stars. In fact, the last we heard was just that the game was in "active development," and that was back in January! What's changed since then?

While the official site has nothing new to offer, 2P.com found a recruitment listing for a director to handle Blizzard's entire eSports program. This listing specifically mentions the upcoming MOBA, showing that the game has not been completely abandoned. This should give fans some hope that the game might still see the light of day sometime. And perhaps when director is found, we'll hear even more news on the progress of the game.

[Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]

MassivelyBlizzard LFM: eSports Director needed for Blizzard All-Stars originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Sep 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-BlizzardBlizzardblizzard-all-starsBlizzard-DotAeSports-Directorf2pfree-to-playfreemiumjob-listingjob-opportunitymicrotransactionmicrotransactionsMOBApremiumWed, 18 Sep 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Open betas, antisocial players and graphical overhauls]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/not-so-massively-open-betas-antisocial-players-and-graphical-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/not-so-massively-open-betas-antisocial-players-and-graphical-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/not-so-massively-open-betas-antisocial-players-and-graphical-o/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Path of Exile entered open beta this week as a peak of 56,700 simultaneous players piled into the servers to check the game out. Open beta brought with it the final character wipe, so for all intents and purposes, the game has now released. Upcoming first-person MOBA SMITE similarly opened its doors to the public last Thursday and released a series of new gameplay updates and graphical overhauls.

League of Legends issued permanent game bans to two extremely antisocial professional players, effectively removing Team Solo Mebdi from upcoming European competitive tournaments. Dota 2 moved to curb antisocial harassment behaviour this week by implementing new privacy features to stop players' stats from being tracked by third-party rating websites.

Heroes of Newerth announced some major upcoming graphical and gameplay overhauls with its massive Patch 3.0 update that will go live in just a few days. The update aims to revamp the map graphics and introduce bots for players to play against in a new co-op mode. Rise of Immortals continued development with the release of its new mage immortal Undine, and Blizzard announced that its upcoming MOBA Blizzard All-Stars is still in development.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Open betas, antisocial players and graphical overhauls

MassivelyNot So Massively: Open betas, antisocial players and graphical overhauls originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgaiantisocialantisocial-behaviorbanbansbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-all-starsblizzard-dotablizzard-entertainmentchampionchampion-spotlightchampionscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dotabuffe-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesharassmentheroheroesheroes-of-newerthhonlaunchlaunchesleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpatchpatch-3.0path-of-exilepermanent-banpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespoepvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesStunnedandSlayedthreshundinevalveVeigodxvideoMon, 28 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard 'actively working' on All-Stars MOBA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/blizzard-all-stars-moba-reappears-on-radar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/blizzard-all-stars-moba-reappears-on-radar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/blizzard-all-stars-moba-reappears-on-radar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Blizzard AllStars MOBA reappears on radar
Last spring there was a brouhaha over the name DotA that was ultimately settled with Valve keeping the four-letter moniker and Blizzard changing its upcoming MOBA to Blizzard All-Stars. But after that, the newly rechristened game seemingly fell off the radar. Even the official website only offers the tease "coming soonish." Despite the lack of information, however, the game is still being developed.

A recent statement by StarCraft II's production director Chris Sigaty notes that the studio hasn't forgotten about Blizzard All-Stars, but is focusing on its free-to-play business model. "We're actively working on it," Sigaty said. "That I can confirm. A lot of the stuff that's remaining right now that we need to focus on are the systems necessary to pull off a game with a different business model than StarCraft II."

MassivelyBlizzard 'actively working' on All-Stars MOBA originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-BlizzardBlizzardblizzard-all-starsBlizzard-DotAbusiness-modelsChris-Sigatyf2pfree-to-playfreemiummicrotransactionmicrotransactionspayment-modelpayment-modelspremiumstarcraft-iiWed, 23 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard renames Blizzard DotA to Blizzard All-Stars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/blizzard-renames-blizzard-dota-to-blizzard-all-stars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/blizzard-renames-blizzard-dota-to-blizzard-all-stars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/blizzard-renames-blizzard-dota-to-blizzard-all-stars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's better than the original plan to name it Blizzard Dot-A.
What's in a name? Quite a lot, as it turns out. A name alone was enough to send Blizzard and Valve to man the lawyer cannons over two upcoming games, DOTA 2 from Valve and Blizzard DOTA from Blizzard. The companies have reached an agreement, however, which includes Blizzard renaming its game to Blizzard All-Stars while retaining use of the "dota" name for noncommercial use in the fan community. Valve retains the commercial use of the name.

It sounds like a little matter until you remember that Warcraft III was the source of the map that spawned this game type, leading to both companies developing competing versions of a sequel. Blizzard All-Stars currently has no release date, while DOTA 2 is due out sometime next year and is currently in beta testing. Luckily, the terminology is only being changed on the corporate side, meaning players are free to continue discussing the games as they would have anyway.

MassivelyBlizzard renames Blizzard DotA to Blizzard All-Stars originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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