Massively

Analyst predicts that Destiny will sell between 15M and 20M units

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, MMOFPS, Destiny, Buy-to-Play

I think we all know that Destiny is going to be a very big launch when it happens this September, but one analyst has put a number to that feeling: 15 to 20 million copies sold.

Cowen & Company Analyst Doug Creutz has been tracking the progress of Destiny, saying that it has topped the company's rating chart: "We continue to believe that Destiny is a lock to sell at least 15 million copies. And we now view 20 million copies as increasingly likely."

Creutz said that Destiny will help to sell PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles and predicted that the game will be purchased alongside with many of them. He also noted that Destiny may cannibalize sales from the Call of Duty franchise.

Analyst predicts that Destiny will sell between 15M and 20M units originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

8 Bit Studios drops Skara gameplay trailer

Mike Foster — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, PvP, News Items, MOBA, Crowdfunding

8 Bit Studios describes its new MOBA, Skara: The Blade Remains, as "an experience with the action of Street Fighter inside a story and land like World of Warcraft, all blended into a fast-paced Call of Duty style arena." If you're not sure what that looks like in action, well, neither are we.

Luckily for our strained imaginations, 8 Bit has just released its first Skara gameplay trailer. The video showcases some of the title's arena combat, with the 8 Bit team noting that this trailer reflects the status of the game after around five months of development.

With 19 days and £135,000 ($200,000-ish) to go on its Kickstarter campaign, Skara has a ways to go before reaching its funding goal. Check out the trailer after the break.

[Source: 8 Bit Studios press release]

Continue reading 8 Bit Studios drops Skara gameplay trailer

8 Bit Studios drops Skara gameplay trailer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: Remembering that games are games

Mike Foster — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, EVE Online, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-Play, Wizard101, World of Tanks, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

I think it's safe to assume that we all love games. If we didn't, I wouldn't be in this crowded, noisy coffee shop writing this and you wouldn't be blowing off some sort of important responsibility reading it. We're all here together, engaged in this somewhat-anonymous internet back-and-forth, because games have touched our lives. It sounds corny, but it's true.

For many of us, games have a deeply personal and specific meaning. We like the games we like not so much for their craftsmanship or content but for the way they engage our minds and spirits. Games create incredible, irreplaceable moments infused with emotional resonance, and it's only natural we would feel some sort of personal connection when a piece of digital entertainment syncs just right.

It is precisely this personal connection that leads many of us to act like total morons.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Remembering that games are games

The Soapbox: Remembering that games are games originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hailan Rising raises funds for 'love-child of DAoC and CoD'

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, New Titles, PvP

MMO Kickstarter projects are coming out of the woodwork now, and each one has to sell its concept to would-be donors or else face possible extinction. Today's scrappy contender is Hailan Rising, the "love-child of Dark Age of Camelot and Call of Duty," according to the devs.

Hailan Rising is a fantasy PvP MMO that ditches classes and levels for a more level (but not equal) playing field. It features instant action, strategic territory control, randomized loot, and over four billion possible character builds. The game is built on the Unity 3-D engine.

The project is being worked on by a couple of MMO studio vets: Adam Smith (Knight Online) and Jess Mulligan (Asheron's Call, Ultima Online). Mulligan said he was attracted to the title's unique PvP mechanic, adding that "this is the fastest and most competitive PvP environment I've ever seen in an MMO."

The team's Reloaded studio is looking to raise $275,000 to finish the game for a potential 2013 launch on Mac and PC. If the stretch goal is met, the developers are eyeing mobile platforms as well. Hailan Rising has been in development since 2010.

[Additional source: Reloaded press release]

Hailan Rising raises funds for 'love-child of DAoC and CoD' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: Games-as-a-service sucks for the consumer

Jef Reahard — Tue, 29 May 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Economy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, Diablo III

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

If you pay close attention to game industry marketing-speak, you've probably heard of something called games-as-a-service.

It's an initiative that's been gaining momentum in recent years, as publishers and development houses look to increase revenue, strangle used game sales, and clamp down on both PC and console piracy. It's also championed by a few of our more clueless game "journalists," more often than not due to their (desire for a) cozy relationship with the aforementioned industry players.

Put simply, games-as-a-service seeks to change both the definition and the public perception of the phrase "video game" from a product that you buy to a service that you rent, thereby granting developers and publishers complete control over the end-user's experience. If that sounds somewhat nefarious, that's because it is. It's also something that MMORPGs have been doing for two decades.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Games-as-a-service sucks for the consumer

The Soapbox: Games-as-a-service sucks for the consumer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Virtual Worlds, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous

Last week on the exciting cosmic adventures of the Game Archaeologist, we uncovered the ancient civilization of Lucasfilm's Habitat, one of the early predecessors to graphical MMOs. While we talked about how it came to be and pondered just how much money we'd waste if game companies were still charging by the minute, we didn't have the time or space to cover the community and events that formed around this experimental project.

That day has come. Prepare your bladder for imminent release!

Giving a bunch of players tools to do every which thing in the game and turning them loose without strict regulation might seem like a recipe for an instant sewage pit of a game today, but our cultured, classy behaviors weren't quite trained into us in 1986. When players first set eyes on Habitat, they weren't thinking of min-maxing, kill-stealing, or raid progression; they were trying to make sense of a virtual world using the only frame of reference they had to date: their own lives. Out of a melting pot of ideas and objects came fascinating stories from one of the earliest MMO proto-ancestors of the modern era. Get your '80s on as we head back... to the future!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2

The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Activision Blizzard loses 1.1 million WoW players since May, triples profits

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Economy, MMO Industry, Miscellaneous

Today's investor call with Activision Blizzard was a rollercoaster of news for MMO fans, with both good and bad news coming forth.

Starting with the bad -- everyone asks to start with the bad news, don't they? -- World of Warcraft's subscriber numbers are much lower than they were this past May. The company reports that subscriptions have dropped from 11.4 million in May to 11.1 million in June to 10.3 million, representing a loss of 10% of the playerbase. These numbers represent the total worldwide, and Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime said that most of the losses were suffered in the eastern market. No matter where the losses come from, this continues the downward trend of the title during the past year. Blizzard declined to provide a subscriber forecast for the next quarter.

The good news is that the company has whooped expectations by nearly tripling its profit for the quarter over this time last year. During this past quarter, Activision Blizzard raked in $627 million worth of sales, of which $148 million is pure profit. A majority of the revenue -- 62% -- comes from its digital sales.

The company expects 2012 to be even better, with titles like Diablo III and another Call of Duty in the works. CEO Bobby Kotick is nothing if not confident in the company's future: "I believe our unyielding commitment to excellence and our creative talent around the globe will continue to position Activision Blizzard as the leader in interactive entertainment."

Activision Blizzard loses 1.1 million WoW players since May, triples profits originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GDC 2011: Joymax weighs Karma

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Video, MMO Industry, New Titles, War, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Events (Massively's Coverage), Miscellaneous

Imagine a world where World War II -- also known as "That War With All Them Movies" -- never ended. Imagine that while the conflict raged, weapons development continued to advance well into the 1950s. Now imagine that this war-ravaged landscape is your new virtual playground.

Joymax, the studio behind Silkroad Online, revealed at GDC that its next MMO will take place in such a world. Code-named Karma Online, this massively multiplayer online first-person shooter will attempt to provide the ultimate PvP battleground for players sick of bows and arrows and futuristic plasma rifles.

Karma Online seeks to meld the best of both RPGs and FPSs by introducing a skill tree system that allows soldiers to specialize in preferred weapons and tactics. Although we're not quite sure what Joymax means by this, the studio promises more immersion by requiring the use of both hands for combat instead of just the mouse. The game will also come with the popular Call of Duty-style zombie mode if you want to switch up player-killing for undead slaughter.

The shooter is scheduled to go into closed beta this May. Hit the jump to see Karma Online in action and get the skinny on Joymax and WeMade Entertainment's other projects-in-progress!

Gallery: Karma Online

Continue reading GDC 2011: Joymax weighs Karma

GDC 2011: Joymax weighs Karma originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Raptr report analyzes DC Universe Online players

Justin Olivetti — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Super-hero, MMO Industry, DC Universe Online

Raptr, a social networking app for gamers, has turned its eyes to DC Universe Online players in a recent report. By breaking down player demographics, the site was able to piece together common trends and paint an overall picture of the DCUO playerbase.

So who is playing DCUO (while using Raptr)? The first bit of surprising news is that these gamers aren't necessarily superhero fanatics, at least not according to the other types of games they play. These players didn't tend to have City of Heroes and Champions Online as their other go-to games in the top 10, for example.

Actually, Raptr found that DCUO players are most likely to be into the MMORPG genre as a whole, as well as multiplayer games like Call of Duty: Black Ops and League of Legends. The report speculates that there may be a connection between DCUO's fast action gameplay and these other titles: "While there are a number of MMORPGs listed, it's interesting to see some FPS, and RTS in the mix. This could be because DCUO prides itself in being a deep MMO mixed with action-oriented gameplay more akin to RTS or FPS games."

World of Warcraft and EVE Online were the two biggest MMOs that DCUO players also enjoyed, while these players found themselves stealing time away from WoW and Aion to head over to DCUO for their gaming sessions.

You can read the full analysis over at Raptr Tracks.

Raptr report analyzes DC Universe Online players originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Bobby Kotick muses about a Call of Duty MMO

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMOFPS, Rumors

Activision Blizzard owns one of the most profitable gaming franchises in the world with Call of Duty, and Bobby Kotick knows it. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Kotick was open about his ambitions with the series, saying that he wishes that they would create an online subscriber version. It's not a new sentiment from Kotick, as he's been saying as such for years, although it certainly is pretty straight-forward.

Kotick threw a few logs onto the fire of speculation: "I would have Call of Duty be an online subscription service tomorrow. I think our audiences are clamouring for it. If you look at what they're playing on Xbox Live today, we've had 1.7 billion hours of multiplayer play on Live. I think we could do a lot more to really satisfy the interests of the customers. I think we could create so many things, and make the game even more fun to play."

No stranger to controversial statements, it's hard to tell if Activision Blizzard's CEO was just shooting the breeze or hinting at an upcoming title from the publisher. In any case, a Call of Duty MMO would be major news indeed if it happened, so we'll be sure to keep our eyes on Activision -- and our ears on Kotick for any possible confirmation.

[Via Eurogamer]

Bobby Kotick muses about a Call of Duty MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Are you an MMO stereotype?

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

While stereotypes can be both offensive and unfair, depending on the situation, they can also be spot-on accurate. After all, stereotypes come from somewhere, whether it's a good place or New Jersey. Gamers seem to accumulate a great deal of stereotypes, perhaps more than any other hobby out there. Enjoy the hyperbole sandwich, it's the chef's special.

According to all reports, we are a legion of unwashed, relationship-phobic nerds living in our parents' basements who converse entirely in binary. And, according to most educated news reports, we're also one frustrating session of Call of Duty away from snapping and taking out a Wal-Mart with a heavily modified Nerf gatling gun.

So here's where the painful admission begins and the healing can finally take place. Do you actually fit into a MMO gamer stereotype? Are you a poor typist who communicates in barely legible gibberish? Have you missed work and family outings to pull an eight-hour raid? Is your gaming space littered with cans of Red Bull and the greasy wrappings of Hot Pockets? Have you never spoken to a member of the opposite sex in real life who isn't a parent? Have you -- and this is vital to admit, people -- have you ever used MMO lingo in your daily conversations without even realizing it?

Are you a MMO stereotype? It's okay. You're among friends who would never, ever point and laugh.

The Daily Grind: Are you an MMO stereotype? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What project would you like to see your favorite studio tackle next?

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: New Titles, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Speculation and wishful thinking inevitably collide at the junction of studios and future MMOs. When we become rabid fans of a particular MMO studio we want them to succeed -- and not only with current games, but by expanding their portfolio into other titles as well. This is apparent when we eagerly grasp at even the barest hint of a rumor of a new studio MMO, as we've seen with NCSoft (City of Heroes 2?), Cryptic (Neverwinter Nights?), Blizzard (Call of Duty MMO?) and Turbine (console MMO?).

So pushing rumors aside to engage in the ultimate wish fulfillment, if you could select a project for your favorite MMO studio to take on, what would it be? Would you want to see them snag a popular IP that's remained untouched in online space up to this point? Would you like to see them expand into other markets than PC, such as mobile or console games? Would the studio be wise to greenlight a project that is radically different in both scope and business model than anything they've done before? If wishes were magical sparkle ponies, what project would you like to see your favorite studio tackle?

The Daily Grind: What project would you like to see your favorite studio tackle next? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Acti-Blizz restructuring, assigns new executive to Blizzard

Jef Reahard — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items

The Los Angeles Times reports that Activision-Blizzard has undergone a significant internal reorganization and elected not to notify investors or the public. The changes were circulated in an inter-company memo obtained by the newspaper and later confirmed by a company spokesperson.

The new company map features one business unit focused squarely on the Call of Duty franchise, another overseeing Activision-owned brands such as Tony Hawk and Guitar Hero, and a third unit to handle licensed properties. Blizzard Entertainment rounds out the fourth unit but interestingly, Blizzard's Mike Morhaime now reports directly to newly appointed chief operating officer Thomas Tippl, who in turn reports to Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.

"This is an important change as it will allow me, with Thomas, to become more deeply involved in areas of the business where I believe we can capture great potential and opportunity," Kotick said in the employee memo.

Check out the original article from the L.A. Times.

[Correction: Activision-Blizzard has two primary divisions, Activision Publishing and Blizzard Entertainment. The Activision Publishing arm has reorganized into three separate business units.]

Acti-Blizz restructuring, assigns new executive to Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO

Kyle Horner — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

There are times when I feel like being completely indulgent, and this week's The Digital Continuum is one of them.

The Fallout MMO has been a long while coming and probably will continue to be "on the horizon" well into the foreseeable future. So, it's with this knowledge that I've put together a grocery list of ideas that would be in my version of the game -- things that would make me decidedly excited to play as soon as possible. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised it took me so long to write these things down.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO

The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Digital Continuum: 'Meh' to MMOs?

Kyle Horner — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Digital Continuum

While the MMO genre appears to be growing at a decent pace (at least for Blizzard) there's still plenty of room for growth. World of Warcraft clones can attract only so many interested players and turning to classic niche designs such as the sandbox MMO ala Fallen Earth won't do anything to pique the interest of people who otherwise have no interest in the genre.

So what will appeal to someone who has never felt a desire to play a game both massively and multiplayer?

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: 'Meh' to MMOs?

The Digital Continuum: 'Meh' to MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumor: SOE devs are the focus of Infinity Ward hiring [Updated]

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Opinion, MMOFPS, Rumors

As we reported back in November, there have been rumors of a Call of Duty MMOFPS floating around for a while now. With nothing more than a rumor to hold on to at that time, we filed that nugget away in the corner of our brains and went on about our business. However, it appears that another rumor about Infinity Ward looking in the direction of MMOs has bubbled up -- this time on Destructoid. ~~Apparently the current word from industry insiders is that they are targeting and hiring away MMO developers from~~ ~~Sony Online Entertainment~~.

If these rumors are true, the resultant game could be the source of many fanboy head-explosions -- and we're not talking headshots. Hiring SOE's developers gives IW a ready-made team that is very familiar with the nuts and bolts of coding MMOs. Add to it the rabid fanbase tied to the Call of Duty franchise, and mix in the fact that Infinity Ward is owned by Activision Blizzard, and you can see where we're going with this. Could a Call of Duty MMO be the super-secret MMOFPS that Blizzard is involved with? Is this why SOE has started working on PlanetSide 2: to compete with a potential MMOFPS hybrid from Infinity Ward, Blizzard, and their own ex-employees? While it's all rumor right now, and thus anyone's guess, it certainly makes for a potentially tasty batch of kool-aid.

[Edited to add] Alan "Brenlo" Crosby, Executive Producer for EverQuest II contacted us to let us know that the rumor about the Lead Developer for EverQuest II going to Infinity Ward is absolutely false. He suggested that the rumor may have instead started since previous SOE Lead Developers Jon L. Davis and Rick Baker are working at Infinity Ward currently. So while it seems that current SOE people are off the table, it certainly doesn't stop the potential of a CoD MMO -- especially with talented ex-SOE employees already in-house over at Infinity Ward.

[via Joystiq]

Rumor: SOE devs are the focus of Infinity Ward hiring [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

LFG in Call of Duty?

Rubi Bayer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Launches, News Items

Well, it's a possibility, at any rate. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, was officially released November 10th with what the LA Times described as a "Hollywood-scale launch". The launch expenses turned out to be money well spent, as the game had generated $550 million in sales as of last Saturday. Fans lined up days in advance to pick up their copy of Modern Warfare 2, complete with free night vision goggles.

While this was all very nice for Activision Blizzard, it was the end of the article that really got MMO fans interested: "One person close to the company said it also was considering adapting Call of Duty as a massively multi-player online world. The genre, in which Activision's Blizzard Entertainment subsidiary is a leader, requires huge upfront investments but can be very profitable as players pay a monthly subscription fee."

The possibility of a Call of Duty MMO is an exciting one for a very large group of gamers, and Blizzard is certain to be aware of that. We will definitely be keeping an eye out at Massively for more news on this possibility.

[Thanks Abel!]

LFG in Call of Duty? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Activision Blizzard's CEO is a funpire

Kyle Horner — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, MMO Industry, News Items

Bobby Kotick isn't just the CEO of Activision Blizzard. He's also the CEO of Activision Blizzard who recently said, "You have studio heads who five years ago didn't know the difference between a balance sheet and a bed sheet who are now arguing allocations in our CFO's office pretty regularly," Then again, as Ars Technica has pointed out, his incentive program that, "rewards profit and nothing else." may have something to do with that.

That's not all Bobby Kotick recently said, however. He's also known for this uplifting little diddy, "We have a real culture of thrift. The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games." Now that quote may be out of context, but what kind of context can make that look... well, good or even mildly acceptable?

Something smacks of bad omens here. Sure, things are going good right now for the company that puts out Blizzard games and Call of Duty, but when a company's Chief Executive Officer is saying things like, "We are very good at keeping people focused on the deep depression," it may be time to double-check your neck for bite marks and then get the hell out of Irvine.

Activision Blizzard's CEO is a funpire originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Digital Continuum: Dealing with delay

Kyle Horner — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: News Items, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

Back in 1999 when I was just a 14 teenager with way too much free time on his hands, I had finally got Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete for my PlayStation. Saying the game saw delays would be quite an understatement and up until that time I had been pretty frustrated with the whole ordeal. Nobody likes it when games are delayed and back then I was no exception.

But thinking back to how wonderfully translated (and semi-ported from the Sega Saturn) the game was, it was quite worth the wait. Although I may not have realized it at the time, the delays were entirely the right choice. And as it turns out, they usually are, not that everyone can make that observation.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Dealing with delay

The Digital Continuum: Dealing with delay originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blizzard rejects E3 a second time, Activision going stag

Kyle Horner — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items

Look E3, Blizzard has a lot going on in it's life right now. A big project is being finished up, while some others are just getting started. And then there's that whole World of Warcraft thing keeping them rightly busy as well. So unfortunately -- yet again -- there won't be a E3/Blizzard love-in this year. It's not you, it's them -- really!

Sure, sure. Activision Blizzard is going to be there. You remember them, right? They like to put out all those guitar-y games and hey, there's even a new Call of Duty coming eventually too. Who knows, maybe there'll be an FPSMMO announcement this year and you'll just be the bell of the MMO newsphere ball.

Granted, this is assuming Blizzard doesn't announce a new World of Warcraft expansion or, great Brewmasters forbid, their next-gen MMORPG. Either way, we still love you E3 and that's all that really matters. Right? And as for Blizzard, well... There's always Blizzcon -- if you can manage to get a ticket.

Blizzard rejects E3 a second time, Activision going stag originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Digital Continuum: Rock Band, the MMO

Kyle Horner — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Opinion, The Digital Continuum

At first thought, a Rock Band-inspired MMO may not sound like the greatest idea to everyone. I've actually entertained the idea for a long time now, only shove it aside as a crazy notion. But the thing kept popping back into the forefront of my mind so often that I couldn't discount it as happenstance. I've become enamored with the idea, because let's face it; a Rock Band MMO has the potential to ooze- no, to gush pure liquid awesome.

ROCK >>

Gallery: Rock Bandia Online

The Digital Continuum: Rock Band, the MMO originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leash on developers slackening thanks to Blizzard?

Chris Chester — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, Making money, Opinion

Few developers in the world have the leverage with their publishers that Blizzard has enjoyed over the years. Where most companies involved in major mergers or corporate hullabaloo end up being cut up and sold for scrap, Blizzard actually had a major say in which parties their parent company dealt with. The resulting mega-corp is even partially adopting their name. Not bad for a developer started many moons ago by a trio of UCLA grads.

Some are now speculating that the spectacular success of outfits like Blizzard and Bungie may be prompting publishers to reconsider their relationships with other rockstar development houses like Infinity Ward, the folks behind the best of the Call of Duty series. It seems the suits are finally coming around to the idea that trusting in their proven talent can yield benefits far exceeding the cost of a delay here and there. EA, for instance, appears to be demonstrating patience with Mythic's treatment of Warhammer Online, but only time will tell whether these aren't just isolated cases.

Leash on developers slackening thanks to Blizzard? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

A clandestine interview with The Agency's Kevin O'Hara

Chris Chester — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Game Mechanics, Interviews, New Titles, PvP, The Agency, Spy

MMO Gamer recently got a chance to sit down with Kevin O'Hara, designer for the hotly anticipated SOE spy-thriller The Agency. Among the things O'Hara touches on during the interview are his thoughts on what subscription model they'll use (it's completely up in the air at this point), the wisdom behind directing the game at consoles (O'Hara believes the shooter gameplay will endear it to that audience), and how bosses in a spy game might be slightly atypical (you may travel to their volcano lair and win the day with a hand of poker instead of fighting).

One thing I found particularly interesting was the way they're trying to balance fast action with the fun and sense of place that comes from existing in a persistent world. The Agency as he describes it will have a "hub-and-spoke feel to it" where most of the mission-based content will necessarily be instanced. He also mentioned how PvP will be accessible at the touch of a button, tossing you right into the middle of a multiplayer map. In this respect I almost feel like they're paying too much homage to the game's shooter roots. If I wanted to jump into multiplayer deathmatch utterly lacking in context, I'd put in Call of Duty 4. I'm hoping they give slightly more of an incentive to make it akin to traditional MMO PvP. Just, ya know, with guns and spy gadgets.

A clandestine interview with The Agency's Kevin O'Hara originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Activision exec discusses Call of Duty MMO

Chris Chester — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, War, MMOFPS

In a discussion with investors yesterday, Actvision CEO Bobby Kotick mentioned how the soon-to-be-formalized merger with Vivendi Universal would give the new company the ability to leverage their properties in ways that were never before possible. Specifically, he mentioned how Activision could conceivably tap into the technical and creative expertise of Blizzard in developing the Call of Duty franchise into an MMO. This follows on the heels of another recent comment he made in public recently about Activision's research into the MMO space, and their perception of the considerably monetary barriers to entry.

While nothing about Kotick's comments seemed to indicate that a Call of Duty MMO was actually in development, it's still an interesting prospect to think about. Call of Duty 4, which is currently the most actively played game on Xbox Live, actually contains a number of gameplay elements reminiscent of an online RPG. There are classes, various skills and challenges to grind, and a persistent experience gain. It really wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine Call of Duty in an MMO context, or at the very least, containing even more elements from the genre to grab players and keep them coming back. But the very prospect of a collaboration between Infinity Ward and Blizzard is almost simply too much for my geek brain to handle, so for my sanity I'm just going to have to assume this was all executive-speak, and such a game will never happen.

Activision exec discusses Call of Duty MMO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments