Massively

GTA Online riches available for cash

MJ Guthrie — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, Business Models, Economy, MMO Industry, News Items, Consoles, Sandbox

Players looking forward to Grand Theft Auto Online, available on October 1st, are probably already contemplating ways to get and spend their in-game funds for the myriad of customization goodies within the persistent world of Rockstar Game's GTA5's multiplayer mode. Well there's a new addition to the acquire list: microtransactions.

Eurogamer.net shares a find that was first caught on Reddit, namely a publicly viewable XML file on the game's online store that shows in-game cash cards in denominations of $100K, $200K, $500K, and ~~$1.5M~~ $1.25M for purchase with real-life cash along with a description inviting players to solve their in-game money problems by buying these packs. The prices for these cash cards, however, are not stated. The same file shows items from the special and collector's editions, indicating that this exclusive content may also be made available to all for purchase later.

[Thanks Potaco for the correction.]

GTA Online riches available for cash originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Sep 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions

Jeremy Stratton — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Economy, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-Play, Runes of Magic, The Soapbox

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.

The ArenaNet post about microtransactions in Guild Wars 2 reveals that the "gems" currency will be bought with real money and be available for purchase with in-game gold in GW2. But people seem to have forgetten that Runes of Magic's cash shop operated this way three years ago. I've been playing RoM since closed beta, and the cash shop is one of the reasons RoM is so different from other F2P MMOs of its era.

Frogster eventually removed the ability to buy diamonds with gold because of fraud, so I'm curious to see how ArenaNet handles that issue. My time in RoM has shown me that there are other issues involved here, issues of security, players gaming the system, botting, and pay-to-win debates. In other words, there's more at stake here than whether cash shops sell gear or items toward gaining power.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions

The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: Biting the bullet

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 02 May 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea

I want to make a proposal that Runewaker, Frogster and all the powers that be strip away any semblance of forcing players to dig out their wallets while playing Runes of Magic. I haven't played as many free-to-play MMOs as Massively's Beau Hindman, but I have played a good many of them. I'm sure, by now, many players have experienced at least one. If you haven't, then you really should read Beau's columns... or Rubi's or Justin's. Heck, I think everyone here at Massively has experience with F2P MMOs and provides valuable input. Go read up on terms like hybrid, pay-to-play, pay-to-win and the many discussions that have come and gone covering the different F2P business models. I'll wait. Back? Good. Let's get crackin'.

RoM uses a traditional cash shop. It's not a hybrid like Lord of the Rings Online or Dungeons and Dragons Online. It's entirely run on a cash shop, like Perfect World International, Allods Online, or Zentia. But one difference I see with RoM's traditional cash shop is that it encourages players to exchange real cash for in-game gold. Other MMOs have allowed this, but usually it's not integrated. Exchanges are often terribly lopsided and see players charging other players ridiculous amounts of in-game currency for a cash-shop item that cost a few bucks. Cold, hard cash has become a seamless part of RoM's in-game economy. Real cash has taken on a balanced pricing-scale for items because money can be injected into the MMO. It can then be changed into gold to buy anything. A player's real money has not only been integrated into the game but become balanced in the same way any game-item is.

This is only one unique aspect of RoM that could allow for the removal of any perceived pressure to spend in the cash shop to fully enjoy the entire game. RoM already has a great system in which you can experience everything by sacrificing more time, but I think Runewaker and Frogster could do more. I say blow the doors wide open. Give players every little bit that RoM has to offer. It would be like dropping the monthly fee on a subscription-based MMO. I'll tell you how and why after the break.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Biting the bullet

Lost Pages of Taborea: Biting the bullet originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cryptic is offering relief from tax-time woes

Larry Everett — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Super-hero, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Champions Online

Cryptic, the maker of your favorite MMO Star Trek Online and the infamous Champions Online, has decided that this year's tax refund is insufficient. In the interest of giving you some relief, Cryptic is offering a 20%-off-everything sale on the C-Store items for STO and CO, meaning everything from now until Monday, April 18 at 1 p.m. EDT will cost 20% fewer Atari tokens. Those Elemental A-Symmetry Tights you have been staring at can now be yours for 380 tokens, and don't forget The Original Series bundle for your Star Trek Online ship and crew -- that only costs 1400 Atari tokens. For those looking to finally make a commitment to either or both of these games, this Tax Relief sale includes life-time subscriptions for Star Trek Online and life-time gold memberships for Champions.

To find out where you can spend more of your tax refund -- or tomorrow's paycheck -- glide on over to the C-Store before 1 p.m. on Monday -- ooh! A Bajoran Militia costume pack!

Cryptic is offering relief from tax-time woes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: F2P and microtransactions at GDCO

Beau Hindman — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Economy, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Free for All

Last week I wondered about how free-to-play would be discussed at GDC Online. After attending the event -- it was all a blur -- and listening back to my audio notes, it seems that free-to-play has reached some sort of level as a standard pricing option for a modern world. It could have been the fact that many of the developers at the event are making browser-based, iPhone or Facebook social games, but the word "subscription" came up rarely.

Blended models seemed to be the runner-up. It appears that all the older companies -- the Turbines, SOEs and other western companies -- just cannot let go of that sweet, sweet subscription cash-flow. Can you blame them? It's a good deal for many, and it could be argued that without that subscription, many players would be turned off.

Does all this talk of free-to-play and microtransactions signify some sort of change in quality or style of game? No, not really. It's my argument that things are different in only one way: quality has gone way, way up.

Continue reading Free for All: F2P and microtransactions at GDCO

Free for All: F2P and microtransactions at GDCO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDCO 2010: UTV True Games wows with three new titles

Beau Hindman — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, Previews, PvP, PvE, Free-to-Play, Browser, Interviews (Massively's), Hands-On (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage)

One of the most thrilling aspects of this job is visiting game studios. It's essentially like stepping into a toy factory, complete with strange noises and funny personalities. Nerf guns are a staple, and each desk or station is decorated with all types of toys, posters, and other trophies from Nerd-dom. UTV True Games is no different, so when we were asked to sit down with three (count 'em, three) different teams to preview some new titles, we knew we were in for a good time.

Of course, our professionalism prevented us from actually clapping and going "sqqquuueeeee!" every time a new product was shown, but it's very possible that the teams would not have cared anyway. So what did we see? What do we have to look forward to from the same people that brought us Mytheon? Well, click past the cut and let's take a look!

Continue reading GDCO 2010: UTV True Games wows with three new titles

GDCO 2010: UTV True Games wows with three new titles originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition

Greg Waller — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Waging WAR

This week Waging WAR rides the double rainbow of gameplay customization via downloadable content and takes a cursory glance at the RvR packs being teased by the folks behind the development of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Let's follow along and see what Greg can unleash this time.

It is difficult to talk about the future of WAR right now. Not because it doesn't have a future, but because the availability of information regarding it is not exactly easy to find. Actually, information on the future of WAR is all but non-existent, surrounded by controversy on all sides, and steeped in rumor, speculation, assumption and misinformation. The best I can put together is that we, as players, can look forward to some sort of set of three different "RvR Packs" allowing us to "customize" our gameplay experience moving forward. The packs have been called "Power," "Progression," and "Personality." What exactly each contains is a mystery, although the few talking points I was able to find regarding these RvR packs are speculatively disappointing at best. Although Carrie, Andy, and anyone else involved with the Mythic development team have said time and time again that they are not discussing moving toward the free-to-play business model, what they're proposing with these customization packs looks suspiciously like the item shop established by Turbine, implemented in Dungeons & Dragons Online and soon in Lord of the Rings Online as well. V.I.P. membership, anyone?

Although concrete information is scarce and difficult to find, let's take a look at the most commonly referenced points of interest after the break.

Continue reading Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition

Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Why I play free-to-play

Jeremy Stratton — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Free for All

I hid in waiting under a soggy sheet of cardboard for the past three days with stale Cheetos as my only nourishment. I had but a single target, who finally exited his house with bleached skin, a red fuzzy head and blurry eyes. As he stood at his front door trying to shoo away the sun like a vampire, I made my move. At last, I thought, Beau's spirit hood will be mine.

By the time I was well into a Keanu Reeves-style flying scissor-kick, I realized an important tactical error. It wasn't the horror-filled eyes of a man who had spent too much time indoors staring at a computer screen that I was looking into, but the fierce come-get-some eyes of a teenager with spiky, dyed hair who was practicing his karate moves.

Had I thought beyond simply looking cool as I made my attack, I would have realized I spent every ounce of energy I had to pull off the insane leap-kick that actually looked more like what you'd expect: a tired, wet, dirty, malnourished geek hop-skipping and shouting gibberish through a yard with a piece of cardboard stuck to his back. The three-day diet of stale Cheetos did not give me enough fuel to defend myself from the brutal pummeling that the pint-sized Bruce Lee gave me.

It turns out Beau lived in the house next door. He had seen my wild display and subsequent beating, so he came out to help me. He invited me into his house to let me clean myself up, extolled the dangers of trying to live out movie fantasies, and offered to let me write his column for a week. It wasn't a spirit hood, but it was a very nice gesture. The dog-shaped cookies were a nice gift too, although I don't know why he snickered every time I ate one.

No. The above tale really didn't happen, but Beau is letting me write his column today so I can tell you why I love to play free-to-play MMOs.

Continue reading Free for All: Why I play free-to-play

Free for All: Why I play free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Captain's Log: Per-character C-Store services ruin everything ever

Ryan Greene — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Geez louise! It's time for another installment of your favorite Thursday Star Trek Online column, Captain's Log. Despite the lovely weather, the final volume of awesome, that crazy-good movie and a parasailing donkey, everyone seems to (still) be talking about one thing: the C-Store!

In last week's Captain's Log, we glanced at micro-transactions in STO on our way to discussing the game's future in an increasingly freemium world. Readers had plenty of comments to share ... and that was before Cryptic Studios dropped a hydrogen bomb in the form of new per-character services. Players erupted late last week, and the flames are still burning in a forum thread more than 115 pages long.

I would be remiss to gloss over the controversy, so let's examine why folks are so upset at Cryptic this time. It's not as if much else is happening in the pre-patch lull, amirite?

Continue reading Captain's Log: Per-character C-Store services ruin everything ever

Captain's Log: Per-character C-Store services ruin everything ever originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Assumptions based on assumptions

Beau Hindman — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Darkfall, Business Models, Culture, Economy, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Comics, Casual, Kids, Free for All

I decided to write this article based on a nagging feeling. It's not something I would normally look into, being that the questions I have are not that easy to ask, or not that easy to clarify. But, as I sink deeper and deeper into the world of international websites, games and toys, I always find certain attitudes pop up during my conversations about my findings. Perhaps it is because I am used to the sights, sounds and styles of free-to-play titles, and have learned to look beyond some of the long titles and odd descriptions. I no longer see games divided into groups and sub-groups.

When hearing the complaints about "foreign" games, I rarely see the counterbalance to the comments. If "Asian" games are grindy, that would mean that North American games are not? If free-to-play games "force" you to spend money, then that means that North American subscription titles do not? The descriptor "free-to-play" is accurate, nine times out of 10, yet there seems to be an issue with using that term, because at some point the player might need to spend money to go at a pace she wants to.

In fact, I am confused by the constant use of the words free-to-play to describe, essentially, a class of game. Where is the counterbalance to that? Does that mean that all subscription games are from a different world of higher quality?

Continue reading Free for All: Assumptions based on assumptions

Free for All: Assumptions based on assumptions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the wheel with Need For Speed World

Ryan Greene — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Events (Real-World), New Titles, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Need for Speed World

Vroom vroom! I want to tell you to warm up your engines and place your hands at 10 and 2, because Need For Speed World is just about ready to burn some asphalt and squeal some rubber. Too bad I couldn't car-metaphor my way out of a wet paper bag. But I can tell you this: EA's free-to-play racing MMO is awesome fun. And it's almost here.

I sat down Wednesday with Adam King, EA product manager, and a copy of NFSW, which opens July 20 with a pre-order head start before going fully live July 27. King gave me a chance to look under the engine, punch the tires and take the game for a twirl -- car metaphors, agh! -- so follow me past the jump for my impressions of the game, plus some hints about what to expect in the first major content update.

Continue reading Behind the wheel with Need For Speed World

Behind the wheel with Need For Speed World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: The cash shop

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Free-to-Play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea

I'm really looking forward to the coming weeks in Runes of Magic. I'm shopping around for a new guild to partake of siege wars and other guild goodness. I'm also planning to throw some funts or maybe even a macaroni toward the Item Mall. I've spent money on RoM before, but most of it went toward decorating my house, customizing the look of my equipment, or extra storage chests. This time around, it's all about beefing up my attributes and jumping into more content.

I need to alleviate that trudging-through-mud feeling I'm getting from the leveling curve while prepping for some dungeon action. It will be win-win for everyone. I'll be having more fun by opening up new aspects of gameplay and you'll get to read all about it. First thing I need to do though is speed up some armor-enhancing to boost my ability to kick some butt. Since I'll be doing all of this shopping, I thought I'd cover my opinions on how Frogster handles the Item Mall.

Click past the break -- free of charge -- to see my opinions on pricing, what types of items you can get and how it will affect your gaming.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: The cash shop

Lost Pages of Taborea: The cash shop originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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APB's lead designer discusses pricing model

Jef Reahard — Sun, 09 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, All Points Bulletin, Crime

Kotaku has an interesting article regarding the recently announced pricing options for Realtime Worlds' All Points Bulletin. The urban crime MMORPG made waves late last month with their unique access model that allows gamers the ability to purchase time blocks in certain sections of the game world in addition to the traditional all-encompassing monthly access fee.

E.J. Moreland, APB's lead designer, draws a distinction between players that are likely to prefer the game's gunplay versus those that will be more interested in the socialization options in the game, which are considerable. "With the social district there is a compelling investigation to be made into making the social district entirely free to play, building that out to be a stand alone. There is going to be two kinds of audiences in APB: People who want to play the action game and think it's cool and then people for whom customization is the driver," he says.

Moreland goes on to state that the Realtime Worlds team is planning on adding to the social game in short order, beginning with player housing. Check out the full article over at Kotaku.

APB's lead designer discusses pricing model originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: When does RMT cross the line?

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Economy, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind

This question was posed yesterday by Saylah at the Mystic Worlds blog, and we couldn't help but wonder the same ourselves. When RMT or micro-transactions are first introduced as a business model for a game, the claim is always that these items for sale are not detrimental to the actual gameplay itself. They're cosmetic, or they aid your character with convenience items like extra bag space or a faster mount. But as Saylah points out, Runes of Magic has introduced crafting items to their Item Shop recently. This allows players to purchase bundles of resources for crafting, which gives an advantage towards things like guild castles. "My first reaction is to suspect that the massive grind in this area is intentional to encourage the purchase of the resources now available in the Item Shop," she says.

So what do you feel is going too far in RMT purchases? Is selling crafting resources too much, or would you only raise an eyebrow at the sale of overpowered weapons in an RMT shop? With the popularity of micro-transactions, do you think developers will edge closer and closer to that line to see what they can get away with? Let us know your thoughts!

The Daily Grind: When does RMT cross the line? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Accessing the Runes of Magic Item Shop

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Economy, New Titles, Runes of Magic

With the official launch date still about 2 months away, Runes of Magic seems to be ahead of schedule with their features. While the open beta is sailing along nicely, we get word of the game's Item Shop opening to the masses.

According to the official press release, the Runes of Magic Item Shop is now open for those players who want to "achieve their goals in the game world faster." They've compiled a handy guide to the Item Shop and the Diamond currency system, which should help any players who are new to the game, or new to RMT in general. You can also keep an eye on the latest items added to the shop, which usually include items such as special potions, jewels, pets and mounts. Check out the complete press release after the cut below.

Continue reading Accessing the Runes of Magic Item Shop

Accessing the Runes of Magic Item Shop originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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True Games Interactive interview discusses Mytheon MMO

James Egan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Interviews, Lore, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play

The fantasy genre reigns supreme in the MMO industry, but even die-hard fantasy enthusiasts have to admit though... there's a lot of it out there in the MMO space. A new twist on fantasy, in the form of myth, could be a breath of fresh air for gamers looking for a different type of setting. At least, Petroglyph and True Games Interactive are banking on this with Mytheon, their in-development MMO title. Rather than conjuring up a brand new setting, Mytheon looks back to real world mythology and crafts a game around it. The game's introduction makes reference to the Greek Pantheon and Norse mythology, highlighting the core struggle in the game: the time of the Gods is ending, as decreed by the Fates, and it's time for humankind to live on its own terms.

Mytheon will be be a game that will have solo, group, and PvP gameplay modes, with elements of 'real-time combat and extensive customization features', according to John Callaham at Massively's sister site, Big Download. The game will center around Power Stones which fuel or unlock powers and abilities in Mytheon; the title's three character classes will be attuned with certain types of Power Stones, allowing for abilities such as summoning and healing. Callaham recently had a chance to interview the Director of Product Development at True Games Interactive, Peter Cesario, about what we can expect from Mytheon. Cesario discusses the decision to go with the micro-transaction business model, and how combining the elements of action, strategy, and roleplaying in Mytheon creates "a whole new genre unto itself."

True Games Interactive interview discusses Mytheon MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Agency opts for in-game advertising instead of monthly fees

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Economy, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, The Agency, Spy

In a recent interview with Kikizo, Sony Online Entertainment's Kevin O'Hara revealed that the upcoming spy MMO The Agency will not incorporate the traditional monthly subscription model, but will instead turn to in-game ads and micro-transactions.

"We're acutely aware that shooter players are not used to paying monthly fees, so I doubt we'll go for an outright $15 a month, which works on some of our other projects. So we're checking out Free Realms to see how they're going to do with their micro-transactions, and we might incorporate some of that. We'll definitely have some ad revenue models. The Agency's the perfect place for some in-game product placement," O'Hara stated in the interview.

The Agency opts for in-game advertising instead of monthly fees originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petroglyph Games speaks about their new MMO

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Business Models, Interviews, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, MMORTS

Not long after the first official announcement concerning the partnership of Petroglyph Studios and True Games to develop a new MMO, we now get treated to an interview with company co-founder Joe Bostic. In this interview, we learn about some of the company's plans for their new MMO, and how it will be different than every MMO we've seen thus far.

If you're wondering why this is such big news at the moment, let us remind you that Petroglyph studios are the developers of Star Wars: Empire at War and Universe at War. This in itself leads the logic-minded individual to believe that their MMO project may have an RTS flavor, although Mr. Bostic neither confirms or denies this in his interview. They do mention the fact that this game will be based on a micro-transaction business model, and they will begin releasing early-stage testing opportunities for players to get involved in the development process.

Petroglyph Games speaks about their new MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microtransactions, the NCcoin of the realm

Jonathan Northwood — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST

With all of the discussion about in-game advertisements going on, I thought I'd bring your attention to something else NCsoft is using to provide additional services in-game. Now whether you believe Exteel is a MMO or not, it's the flagship for NCsoft's micro-transaction model using NCcoin, and it's a great way to see if the model's going to work before potential roll-out to other titles. "But Jon," you might ask, "what is NCcoin?" Well, let me 'splain.

NCcoin is a dollar-per-penny in-game transaction process that allows you to purchase in-game equipment, upgrades and enhancements using real-world coinage. Unlike gold farming schemes, however, this isn't a third party asking you to spend $59.99 for 60 million influence. NCcoin is currently available in 100, 500, 1000 and 2000 denominations, and for that you pay $1, $5, $10 or $20, respectively. According to NCsoft NA president Chris Chung, "NCsoft's goal is to bring more and more people into the online gaming market, and part of achieving that goal is to continue to diversify how customers can pay and play."

Microtransactions, the NCcoin of the realm originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor Mill: Fury bombed - Massive layoffs at Auran imminent [updated]

Matt Warner — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Fury, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items

[updated: 11:55PM PST] The rumors regarding the layoffs have been
confirmed by IGN in this interview with the CEO of Auran Games.

Another one bites the dust? Angry Gamer reports that a reliable anonymous source close to Australian based Auran has told them staff layoffs are imminent and that Fury may be outsourced to China. "Fury was a financial disaster, it lost Auran a lot of money."

No kidding. This news is not in the least-bit surprising considering Fury is in-the-running for worst MMOG of the year. Fury is more proof that not all RMT (real money trade -- micro transactions) based MMOs in the Western market strike it big as some developers so often pronounce. I believe Fury is dying, maybe you want to check the game out in case it does take a final dirt-nap. If you are interested in the last update to the game you can find the details over on the official Fury website. Any Fury players here disappointed over the news or good riddance?

Rumor Mill: Fury bombed - Massive layoffs at Auran imminent [updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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