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[The Crew hints at 'new PvP mode,' season pass info]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/06/the-crew-hints-at-new-pvp-mode-season-pass-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/06/the-crew-hints-at-new-pvp-mode-season-pass-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/06/the-crew-hints-at-new-pvp-mode-season-pass-info/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Crew hasn't launched yet, but Ubisoft is already marketing a season pass for its racing MMO that will include everything from new missions to themed car packs to a "new PvP mode." The announcement doesn't say much regarding the new mode other than that it exists, but there is a lot of info regarding the rest of the obtainables on the game's official website.

MassivelyThe Crew hints at 'new PvP mode,' season pass info originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Nov 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crewgreedmmo-racingracingracing-mmothe-crewthe-crew-season-passubisoftThu, 06 Nov 2014 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Is League of Legends greedy? No, says Riot Games president]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/02/is-league-of-legends-greedy-no-says-riot-games-president/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/02/is-league-of-legends-greedy-no-says-riot-games-president/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/01/02/is-league-of-legends-greedy-no-says-riot-games-president/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

League of Legends
Responding to claims that Riot Games is being greedy and lazy for failing to create an updated client for League of Legends, President Marc Merrill posted a sharp-tongued rebuttal on Reddit yesterday.

"It's pretty frustrating when people try to position us as greedy," Merill began, "because look at it from our perspective: We build pretty much the first successful free online game in the west that core gamers actually really like and play. We did this by building a really fun game, constantly investing over and over to grow and improve this game and by NOT selling power or being money hungry."

Merill said that "millions upon millions" play the game for completely free, which is completely fine with Riot Games, and that the studio does the right thing in the end such as its response to the e-sports contract controversy.

"I completely disagree with your greed accusation and yes, it pisses me off because I've spent the last eight years of my life building this company, game, and team to deliver great value and to treat players well," he wrote.

MassivelyIs League of Legends greedy? No, says Riot Games president originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jan 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dotae-sportesportf2pfantasyfree-to-playgreedleagueleague-of-legendslolMarc-Merillmarc-merrillmobaredditriotriot-gamesThu, 02 Jan 2014 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Mechanics: Three fair ways to distribute loot]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/25/mmo-mechanics-three-fair-ways-to-distribute-loot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/25/mmo-mechanics-three-fair-ways-to-distribute-loot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/25/mmo-mechanics-three-fair-ways-to-distribute-loot/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MMO Mechanics title image
I mentioned last week that players throw their precious characters into the MMO meat grinder in the pursuit of higher levels, new achievements, or shinier gear. We gladly jump on the seemingly endless PvE treadmill, cranking up the speed with each new patch in an attempt to catch the dangling carrot of character perfection. Of course, we don't just punish ourselves like this to say we overcame some previously impossible challenge; there's shiny new loot to be had! The best booty usually comes from completing group activities like dungeons and raids, but not everyone can agree on how to share the spoils of joint pursuits.

Several different loot distribution methods have been devised over the years to solve the problem of fairly distributing the swag, with most methods starting life as player-made agreements that weren't officially supported by hard-coded game mechanics. Players have long since rolled for gear or took turns to claim items round-robin style, leading developers to implement the most popular methods as actual game mechanics to avoid ninja-looting and then the inevitable public pity parties associated with player-led arbitration.

In this edition of MMO Mechanics, I'll break down three of the most equitable loot distribution systems used in MMOs today and look at why this age-old problem doesn't have a one-size-fits-all solution.

Continue reading MMO Mechanics: Three fair ways to distribute loot

MassivelyMMO Mechanics: Three fair ways to distribute loot originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentccpccp-gamescolumndkpdkp-issuesdkp-systemdkpsystemeqeveeve-onlineeverquestfantasyfeaturedfree-for-allfree-for-all-pvpgame-designgame-mechanicsgearGreedgreed-rollgreed-rollsgreedyhonour-systemlootloot-distributionloot-mechanicsloot-rulesloot-systemslootingmaster-lootmaster-lootermaster-lootingmmo-mechanicsneed-before-greedneed-rollneed-rollsninjaninja-lootninja-lootingninjaspve-lootpvp-lootsandboxscamscammersScamssci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentthefttheftstina-laurowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 25 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Game companies exist to make money]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/15/the-soapbox-game-companies-exist-to-make-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/15/the-soapbox-game-companies-exist-to-make-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/15/the-soapbox-game-companies-exist-to-make-money/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

You want a nice crib? You'd better pay for it.
I'm going to start this article off with a statement, and it's going to be divisive, but not for the reasons you might expect. A good chunk of you reading this are going to read the line, roll your eyes, and immediately think that I've just written the most obvious thing ever. Some of you might even take to the comments to start calling for my termination just from this line alone. Ready for this?

Game companies exist to make money.

All right, so it was probably all of you rolling your eyes. This is pretty basic stuff, right? Except I'm willing to bet that some of you who rolled your eyes at that sentence still don't really get it. You understand that companies are trying to make money, but you don't really grasp what that means in a larger sense. So let's just accept that some of you are going to read this article and nod along the whole time without learning a whole lot. The rest of you will head to the comments and start demanding my head.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Game companies exist to make money

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Game companies exist to make money originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessbusiness-modelscashcorporate-greededitorialfeaturedgame-industrygreedindustrylockboxlockboxesmmo-industrymoneyop-edopinionpricingprofitrantrantssalessoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 15 Oct 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Trion hopes you'll pre-order some Defiance DLC along with your Defiance pre-order]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/trion-hopes-youll-pre-order-some-defiance-dlc-along-with-your-d/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/trion-hopes-youll-pre-order-some-defiance-dlc-along-with-your-d/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/05/trion-hopes-youll-pre-order-some-defiance-dlc-along-with-your-d/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Trion hopes you'll preorder some Defiance DLC along with your Defiance preorder
Trion has yet to release its sci-fi shooter TV tie-in called Defiance, but the firm is already trotting out pricing plans for season pass DLC content.

A company press release mentions five DLC packs "rolling out after launch" which are now available for pre-purchase in a $39.99 bundle. Trion says that this represents a 20% savings over the suggested retail price of $9.99 per pack, which begs the question of whom exactly suggests the retail prices that generous game companies subsequently discount.

In any event, Defiance is slated to launch on April 2nd. You can of course pre-order it, and if you're feeling especially impatient, you can now pre-order its DLC too. The packs will provide a new playable alien species, additional weapons, vehicles and missions, a lock box, and more.

[Source: Trion press release]

MassivelyTrion hopes you'll pre-order some Defiance DLC along with your Defiance pre-order originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arkark-hunterarkfallbusiness-modelsdefiancedefiance-dlcdlcfacepalmfpsgreedmmofpspre-order-dlcpvpsci-fisyfytransmedia-synergytriontrion-worldstvxboxTue, 05 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pony up $25 for TERA's new Night Mare mount]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/pony-up-25-for-teras-new-night-mare-mount/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/pony-up-25-for-teras-new-night-mare-mount/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/pony-up-25-for-teras-new-night-mare-mount/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

TERA - Night Mare cash shop mount
Remember when everyone was a lot of gamers were outraged that Blizzard dared to charge 25 bucks for a cash shop item in a subscription game?

Well, times have changed, folks, because now such behavior is generally expected. Sony Online Entertainment jumped on the bandwagon shortly after the sparkle pony tipping point, Funcom followed suit, and dozens of other companies have done the same in recent years. The newest member of the double-dippers club is En Masse, which is offering up a fiery-hooved TERA Night Mare steed for $24.99.

Frugal players can take solace in the fact that their half-the-price-of-the-whole-game mount is available to all the characters on their account, and you can read further details about the beast at the official TERA website.

MassivelyPony up $25 for TERA's new Night Mare mount originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studioscash-shopdouble-dipperdouble-dippersdouble-dippers-clubdouble-dippingen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasygreednight-marenightmaresparkle-ponysparkle-pony-night-mareteraTue, 26 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Games-as-a-service sucks for the consumer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/the-soapbox-games-as-a-service-sucks-for-the-consumer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/the-soapbox-games-as-a-service-sucks-for-the-consumer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/the-soapbox-games-as-a-service-sucks-for-the-consumer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Diablo III's auction house
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

MassivelyThe 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]]>action-rpgbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbusiness-modelscall-of-dutycall-of-duty-elitecash-shopchanging-the-definition-of-gamesconsumer-psychologyconsumer-valued3developer-entitlementdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidrmeditorialentitlementevilfantasyfeaturedgaikaigames-as-a-servicegames-as-a-service-sucksgames-as-a-service-sucks-for-gamersgames-as-a-service-sucks-for-the-consumergothic-fantasygreedgreed-is-goodid-softwaremetricsmmo-industrymobile-gaming-sucksmoving-the-goalpostsmultiplayeronline-multiplayeronliveop-edopinionoriginproduct-vs-servicepublisher-entitlementrantrantsrecurring-revenueroguelikerpgsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsocial-gaming-suckssteamthe-soapboxtim-willitsvaluevalveTue, 29 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: The real damage of botting, in the words of a botter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/free-for-all-the-real-damage-of-botting-in-the-words-of-a-botter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/free-for-all-the-real-damage-of-botting-in-the-words-of-a-botter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/free-for-all-the-real-damage-of-botting-in-the-words-of-a-botter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

RuneScape screenshot
I received an interesting email from someone the other day, someone who wanted to let me in on the lifestyle of a botter. Frankly I was a little embarrassed for the guy since he seemed to believe me to be naive about the entire process. The truth is that I have met plenty of shady characters and heard stories that would make your eyes bug out of your head. I've heard these stories from the developers and players themselves. There truly is some nasty stuff going on in MMO gaming.

The saddest thing is that cheaters honestly think that what they do cannot possibly result in much harm for the game they are botting in, cheating at, or hacking up. It's sad because the truth is that a cheater, as one person, might not have much of an impact on the game. Add up several thousands of these scam artists and the results are mindboggling. Drive by your local dump to see just how much trash can pile up, one person at a time.

I want to shine some light on just how damaging botting can be. Click past the cut.

Continue reading Free for All: The real damage of botting, in the words of a botter

MassivelyFree for All: The real damage of botting, in the words of a botter originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbotbotsbottersbottingf2pfeaturedffa-pvpfree-for-allfree-to-playftpgold-farminggreedhackershackingjagexmark-gerhardrunescapeWed, 02 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/the-soapbox-subs-and-cash-shops-two-great-tastes-that-taste-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/the-soapbox-subs-and-cash-shops-two-great-tastes-that-taste-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/the-soapbox-subs-and-cash-shops-two-great-tastes-that-taste-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Lion dislikes sub + cash shop
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.

Hoo boy, The Secret World. On the one hand, I was really looking forward to it. On the other hand, it's now joined the likes of EVE Online, pretty much every Sony Online Entertainment title ever made, Star Trek Online, Champions Online, and Funcom's own Age of Conan in my personal double-dipping doghouse.

Yeah, The Secret World is going to have a subscription model (hooray) and a cash shop (boo, hiss, and zomgwtf). This should surprise no one, really, since game industry devs have been going all Gordon Gekko on us for a while now, but it was nonetheless a disappointing reveal on several levels.

Equally disappointing are the folks who defend the subscription-plus-cash-shop model and erroneously refer to it as an example of consumer-friendly choice.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Subs and cash shops - Two great tastes that taste awful together originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelscash-shopchampions-onlinechoiceconsumer-choicecostcryptic-studiosdouble-dippingeconomicseveeve-onlineevilf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgordon-gekkogreedgreed-is-goodjeff-strainmarketingmmo-industrymoneyopinionplayer-choicesecret-worldsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-trek-onlinesub-plus-cash-shopsubscriptionsubscription-basedsubscription-modelsubscription-plus-cash-shopthe-secret-worldthe-soapboxtswused-car-salesmenTue, 30 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Explore Faxion Online's seven deadly sins]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/explore-faxion-onlines-seven-deadly-sins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/explore-faxion-onlines-seven-deadly-sins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/11/explore-faxion-onlines-seven-deadly-sins/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Does the angel on your right shoulder take a lot of union-approved time off, so much so that you end up listening to the devil on your left shoulder more often than not? Then Faxion Online has a temptation that's right up your alley -- seven sinful zones, each revolving around one of the classic seven deadly sins.

Taking heavenly and hellish themes with a strong dose of humor, Faxion Online's world becomes a literal battleground for the soul. By taking each of the deadly sins and turning them into a zone to be fought over and conquered, Faxion has created a unique twist on the genre. If the forces of heaven take over a zone, it turns nicer, and if the forces of evil are triumphant, then there will be hell to pay.

UTV True Games' Frank Lucero says that the PvP over these areas will keep players transfixed: "These zones offer all of the competitive combat play that players desire including PVP, innovative territory control and an ability ranking system that will keep players engaged in the timeless struggle of good vs. evil."

Hit the jump to read up on Faxion's themed zones and see for yourself what your sins have wrought!

Continue reading Explore Faxion Online's seven deadly sins

MassivelyExplore Faxion Online's seven deadly sins originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angelenvyfaxionfaxion-onlinefrank-lucerogluttonygreedheavenhelllimbolustpridepvpseven-deadly-sinssinslothUTVutv-true-gameswrathzoneTue, 11 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which of the deadly sins have you committed in MMOs lately?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/the-daily-grind-which-of-the-deadly-sins-have-you-committed-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/the-daily-grind-which-of-the-deadly-sins-have-you-committed-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/the-daily-grind-which-of-the-deadly-sins-have-you-committed-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


You know the seven deadly sins, right? The "Devil's Most Wanted" that pop up in Morgan Freeman movies from time to time? If nothing else, the seven deadly sins are an instructional list of words like "sloth" that nobody uses on a daily basis.

Since we tend to take our real-world failings into virtual space, it stands to reason that our bad habits follow as well. So which of the seven deadly sins have you committed in MMOs as of late? Let's run down the list:

  • Wrath: Have you wigged out on your guild, engaged in nerd rage, or cussed out your PUG?
  • Greed: Are you never satisfied with your wealth and gear, but always need more, more, more?
  • Pride: Do people know you as "that player who's always waving around his or her e-peen"?
  • Lust: If there's a naked elf dancing on a mailbox, do you stop to look -- and take screenshots?
  • Sloth: Are you too lazy to get off your butt and finish that major project in game that you've been putting off?
  • Envy: Do you constantly find yourself on edge because other players have the cool uber-loot that you lack?
  • Gluttony: Have you played a little too much -- OK, way too much -- when you know you have other things to be doing?
Confess, my child. Confess and clear your virtual soul!

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which of the deadly sins have you committed in MMOs lately? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cultureenvygluttonygreedlustmorgan-freemanopinionpridesevenseven-deadly-sinsslothtdgthe-daily-grindwrathWed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Being in it for the money]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/being-in-it-for-the-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/being-in-it-for-the-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/being-in-it-for-the-money/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We might fight a lot of enemies in our MMOs, but a number of players will agree that there's one enemy that is bigger than anything else: the company that makes the game. Blizzard, Square-Enix, Funcom, Bioware -- according to this branch of the playerbase, they don't care at all about the people playing their game. All they're concerned about is making money. They just want to get your money by any means necessary.

However, the people who claim that say that like it's a bad thing.

Nobody ever smiles and says "boy, I'm sure glad Sony Online Entertainment is in this for the money." Oddly enough, when you start to think about it, the fact of the matter is that it's not only transparent that these companies are in it for the money, it's a good thing. We should be happy that most of these companies are there to get our money by any means necessary.

Continue reading Being in it for the money

MassivelyBeing in it for the money originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allodsallods-onlinebiowareblizzardchampions-onlinecity-of-heroescocohcontent-costddodevelopment-costdungeons-and-dragons-onlinefallen-earthfefeaturedfuncomgreedin-it-for-the-moneyjack-emmertmicrotransactionsmoneysquaresquare-enixThu, 21 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO MMOnkey: The greed game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/19/mmo-mmonkey-the-greed-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/19/mmo-mmonkey-the-greed-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/19/mmo-mmonkey-the-greed-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Take a look at the world around you.
Tell me, why is there so much need?
Because of greed.
Because of greed.

Damien Dempsey, "Celtic Tiger"
(From the album Seize the Day)

Greed. Countries go to war so that the powerful can take land, gold, oil from the weak, can kill them and take their stuff. Greed. The richest 1% of the population of the United States control over 30% of the country's wealth as they clamor for and are given massive tax cuts by the government while, by the government's own estimates, roughly 12.5% of its citizens live in poverty. Greed. Corporate executives with multimillion dollar salaries lie, cheat, steal and commit fraud as they gut their companies and destroy the jobs, lives, retirement funds and futures of their employees. Greed.

No matter how much they have, they want more. No matter how little you have, they want more. Greed. It infests our countries, our governments, our corporations and businesses. It infests our favorite MMOs.

Continue reading MMO MMOnkey: The greed game

MassivelyMMO MMOnkey: The greed game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredgeargreedjoystiqfeatureslootworld-of-warcraftThu, 19 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST