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[Win part of a $50,000 pool at Guild Wars 2's PAX East tournament]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/19/win-part-of-a-50-000-pool-at-guild-wars-2s-pax-east-tournament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/19/win-part-of-a-50-000-pool-at-guild-wars-2s-pax-east-tournament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/19/win-part-of-a-50-000-pool-at-guild-wars-2s-pax-east-tournament/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

gw2
Fancy yourself a not-half-bad PvP player? Are you keen on the notion of winning enough money to avoid work or school for a year so that you can concentrate on MMO gaming? Then step right up to Guild Wars 2's World Tournament Series Championship at PAX East next spring, where the winners will dip into a $50,000 prize pool.

The tournament will take place on March 7th, 2015, at the gaming convention in Boston. Players from several countries are welcome to face off against each other, although teams will have to compete and win in earlier qualifiers to make it to the championship. You'll have to be at least 18 and from the US, Canada, Mexico, or the EU to participate. A cool perk of making it to the championship is that ArenaNet will foot the bill for teams' airfare, hotel, and a per diem.

MassivelyWin part of a $50,000 pool at Guild Wars 2's PAX East tournament originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Dec 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At PAX East 2014
WildStar developer Carbine Studios made a special donation at PAX East this year that included a $10,000 check and a 50,000-piece LEGO Rocket House that will be auctioned off for the Child's Play charity.

The rocket house LEGO sculpture stands three feet tall and four feet long and was created by LEGO artist Mariann Asanuma specifically for the charity. The sculpture will be auctioned off at the annual Child's Play Dinner later this year with all proceeds going towards partner hospitals and facilities.

"We wanted to not only find a fun way to bring a small piece of WildStar to life, but also see the efforts go to a good cause," said Mona Hamilton, vice president of brands, Carbine Studios. "Child's Play is a wonderful charity doing really great things with the gaming industry and we're looking forward to seeing the result of the auction later this year. It was also important for us to say thanks by giving back to the Boston community; they've been great to us over the years at PAX East."

You can check out a video of the LEGO sculpture being assembled just after the jump below.

[Source: Carbine press release]

Continue reading WildStar dev donates LEGO sculpture to Child's Play charity

MassivelyWildStar dev donates LEGO sculpture to Child's Play charity originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Parting is such sweet sorrow for another month or so.
My performance on the dance floor during PAX East 2013's WildStar party is the stuff of dark legends (in my mind, anyway), but it was not replicated this year. Indeed, when I tried to get into this year's WildStar community party, the entranceway was inaccessible due to the sheer mass of people. As I naturally handle crowds about as well as a Mechari handles knock-knock jokes, I opted to turn around and go back to my hotel room.

There was a Ghostbusters marathon on, so it was still kind of awesome.

This did not, however, mean that the convention was devoid of interesting stories; it just was devoid of stories in which I sustained injuries greatly impacting my normal hiking routes. So let's talk about what things really stuck out in my mind through the whole con. For my money, that comes down to the focus on the endgame and a really stupid statement. Where to start?

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: In which no WildStar injuries happened

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: In which no WildStar injuries happened originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Apr 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While last weekend saw a surprising lack of noteworthy announcements at PAX East 2014, one panel gathered several industry veterans to answer a not-so-simple question: How does the future look for the MMO industry as a whole? The panel, titled Next Generation MMO Games: What's Next for Multiplayer Trends?, featured Ian Fisher (Director of Design, Robot Entertainment), Stephen Frost (Game Design Producer, Carbine), Dave Georgeson (Director of Development, SOE), Kjartan Pierre Emilsson (Principal Game Designer, CCP), and Stephen Johnston (President, Guild Launch) in a roundtable discussion about where MMOs have been and where they're headed. While panelists agreed that there is a huge barrier to entry when funding, developing, and launching a new MMO, their outlook was positive overall, and in general they believe there is still plenty of room for growth in the industry.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: The future looks bright for the next generation of MMOs

MassivelyPAX East 2014: The future looks bright for the next generation of MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Apr 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Like many players, I have very mixed feelings about the garrisons being added to World of Warcraft's latest expansion, Warlords of Draenor. At this year's PAX East, I sat down with Blizzard Entertainment to discuss the feature, and the studio reps explained garrisons as a way for Blizzard to bring a bit of Warcraft into the WoW universe. As a fan of WarCraft 3, I left the interview feeling hopeful and excited. But the more I thought about it, the more I began to worry that garrisons will boil down to one of three things: an expanded version of Mists of Pandaria's farms, a new daily quest hub, or just another time-sink that will keep players isolated from one another.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Can World of Warcraft's garrisons live up to the hype?

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Can World of Warcraft's garrisons live up to the hype? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX East came and went last weekend, and as we do most years, the Massively writers got together to discuss the highlights and the disappointments of the con. Join the conversation -- what did you think was the best (and worst) MMO or reveal at PAX?

Continue reading The Think Tank: Thoughts on PAX East 2014

MassivelyThe Think Tank: Thoughts on PAX East 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Apr 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To fight monsters we created monsters.
Do you want to go to war in WildStar? Then you're going to want a stronghold. No, that's not right, you're going to want a fortress. You're going to want a fortification that makes others quake in terror. And then you're going to want to drop that fortification down on your enemy's front lawn and claim their territories while laying waste to their fortifications.

Welcome to Warplots. They're the game's answer to player-made fortresses and high-end battlegrounds all at once. More specificially, they're team-based 40 vs. 40 maps that drop you into a race to tear down your enemy. At either end sits the carefully constructed fortress held by each team, in the middle sit resource nodes, and both sides are pushed together to be the last side standing or the one putting a fortress back together post-battle.

Want to know more? That's a good thing. Take a look at the typical WildStar trailer past the cut, and then let's talk details.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: WildStar shows off Warplots at last

MassivelyPAX East 2014: WildStar shows off Warplots at last originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Apr 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the first time that a rough pre-alpha build has excited me so deeply.
A lot of what I see in the MMO industry is fairly predictable. That's not an insult; it's just that most of the new games you see are either a result of elegant mechanics solving a problem that's always been there or a new take on an old system, and that's OK. There's nothing wrong with taking old favorites and refining them. But then I see something like Upsilon Circuit and I wind up being completely blown away because the very idea is a fundamental rewriting of how we understand MMOs.

Upsilon Circuit is a new game currently in very early development from indie studio Robot Loves Kitty (of Legend of Dungeon fame), and when I say early, I do mean early. The animations are rough, the build is very much in a proof-of-concept stage rather than a fully playable state, and none of that matters. The game is the love child of Twitch Plays Pokémon, the Hunger Games, and Diablo III, a game that not only encourages streaming but demands it while interacting with the audience

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Upsilon Circuit is an MMO like no other

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Upsilon Circuit is an MMO like no other originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Also accepted: Tumblr reaction GIFs.
If you're a Guild Wars 2 fan, we all know what you're excited about today. After a year(ish) of small incremental patches and living story, the game is rolling out a big patch full of features appropriately dubbed the Feature Pack. It's not new content, but it's a lot of big bonuses and improvements to the ways that players already play the game's existing content. And we got to see a bit of it in action at PAX East.

Some of the information about how these features will work has already been discussed, but not everything, and seeing all of the improvements in action definitely gave a sense of tangible change not visible in development blogs. It's part of a shift in ethos for the development team, as well; rather than trying to roll out changes along with Living Story updates, ArenaNet is implementing a big set of improvements at once to make the whole update feel meatier.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Guild Wars 2 on the Feature Pack and beyond

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Guild Wars 2 on the Feature Pack and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Apr 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NSM
Welcome back to No So Massively, where every Monday we round up the highlights from the past week in the world of MOBAs, roguelikes, MMOTCGs, and other games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Heroes of the Storm's new heroes, Dawngate's beta launch, and Diablo III's latest patch

MassivelyNot So Massively: Heroes of the Storm's new heroes, Dawngate's beta launch, and Diablo III's latest patch originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a game about space shooters shooting space in space.
Star Citizen's backers have been waiting to see the game's dogfighting module in action for quite some time now, and it finally happened just before PAX East 2014. Unfortunately, it also wound up having some technical difficulties right at the beginning, which wasn't exactly what anyone had in mind when showing off the whole thing in action. It wasn't quite as bad as having the computer running the module burst into flames and die, but it was bad.

Do the developers regret it? Not a chance. We got a chance to sit down and talk to Squadron 42 producer Erin Roberts and were told, in no uncertain terms, that even hitting technical hiccups like that don't make a more private development cycle feel better. In a way, having the development cycle be so public actually makes technical hurdles less problematic for the company when they're encountered because the language is in place to keep a meaningful dialogue going with the fans.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Erin Roberts on Star Citizen's development

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Erin Roberts on Star Citizen's development originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Apr 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is the sort of stuff that got me excited for the game in the first place.
WildStar is being released in about a month and a half. It feels as if it's been forever since the game first revealed its announcement trailer. Now we've finally got a release date in sight, and the last few features for the game are being revealed to the public. It's one of the last chances that we'll have to talk about the game before it releases.

On the last day of this year's PAX East, I had a chance to sit down with executive producer Jeremy Gaffney to chat a little bit more about the game before it launches. While the game has gone gold and the discs are being manufactured, the team is still refining and improving the game and plans to do so up until the day of launch. That meant talking about the endgame, the development process, and the changes that have been made already in the most recent stages of beta.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Pre-launch words with WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Pre-launch words with WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Apr 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzness
At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

Massively took on the wilds of PAX East 2014 this weekend. Here's what we've seen so far:
PAX East 2014: WildStar's panel was all about the endgame
PAX East 2014: First impressions of Warlords of Draenor
PAX East 2014: Landmark's current tools and future crafts
PAX East 2014: The Repopulation's Josh Hall on the future of the game
PAX East 2014: Hands-on with Infinite Crisis
PAX East 2014: State of Decay eyes multiplayer, stays offline
PAX East 2014: Guns of Icarus Online's expanding environment
PAX East 2014: PlanetSide 2's Matt Higby on weekly updates
PAX East 2014: Hearthstone reveals Naxxramas single-player adventure
PAX East 2014: Star Citizen and the DFM are 'more than just PvP'
There's more to come over the next few days. Read on for the rest of this week's top stories!

Continue reading MMO Week in Review: PAX East 2014

MassivelyMMO Week in Review: PAX East 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Apr 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Soundtrack by Blondie.
I don't know what Superman's problem is, man. I was expecting my confrontation with Doomsday to be something epic, something horrifying, but instead it turned into a pretty standard affair. Grab him with my enormous telescoping force arm, yank him over, slow him, then put up a shield while I beat the stuffing out of him. Seriously, I can only assume that Last Son of Krypton's death was largely a result of his desire for a vacation.

Of course, soon thereafter I fell victim to the eternal nemesis of Green Lantern -- enormous red-hued turrets surrounded by support drones. But I did all right.

MOBAs are not really my cup of tea, but superheroes are in a big way. I hadn't gotten a chance to play Infinite Crisis before now, but on the show floor at PAX East this year, I was given the chance to sit down and get a coaching session from one of the more experienced members of the team while I smashed heads. So I picked up Atomic Green Lantern and walked in fully expecting to fail left and right. To my pleasant surprise, the whole thing played out much better than I had expected, making excellent use of the license and providing a fun match all around.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Hands-on with Infinite Crisis

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Hands-on with Infinite Crisis originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Apr 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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State of Decay campaign ending
Now that PAX East is winding down, it seems as good a time as any to take stock of the news coming from this year's convention. On a personal level, I was excited to hear about the (eventual) MMOification of one of my favorite games. I also enjoyed catching up with Guns of Icarus, an indie title already holding its own and with its eyes on a larger persistent world prize.

What about you, Massively readers? Did you glean any useful nuggets from PAX East or perhaps rediscover a game you'd not thought about in a while?

Massively's on the ground in Boston during the weekend of April 11th to 13th, bringing you all the best news from PAX East 2014. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, Landmark, or any MMO in between, we aim to have it covered!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Did you reconnect with any games thanks to PAX East? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Apr 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I know we're fleeing from zombies, but would you guys like to hit Burger King on the way? Maybe... no? All right.
The ground is fairly littered with zombie games of some sort these days. That isn't meant as a mark against Undead Labs' State of Decay, but it does raise questions of focus. How do you make a zombie game more unique? According to the studio's Jeff Strain at this year's PAX East, you focus upon building at the community level rather than individual survival. While games like DayZ focus on the personal, State of Decay is much more focused on the idea of putting society as a whole back together and trying to accumulate resources and structures for survivors as a whole.

Of course, most of our readers are more interested in what comes next, specifically Class4. That's the proposed sequel to State of Decay, previously codenamed Class3; it's meant to be a full MMO according to previous statements, a game in which you can worry about rebuilding not just a local community but the world as a whole. And Undead Labs certainly isn't hurting for talent that's familiar with online games, especially with the acquisition of ArenaNet co-founder Patrick Wyatt in January. So what's happening?

Continue reading PAX East 2014: State of Decay eyes multiplayer, stays offline

MassivelyPAX East 2014: State of Decay eyes multiplayer, stays offline originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Apr 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If I don't look at you, you can't shoot me out of the sky! I think? Those are the rules, right?
PAX East taught me that I am apparently not the right person to pilot a ship in Guns of Icarus Online. In my defense, I was trying to do what my ship was designed to do. The co-op mode on display is all about delivering supplies to a final point on a map, and I was flying the fast scoutship. So I figured, why bother slowing down? Why not just jink left and right and avoid anything in my way?

As it turns out, the reasons to not do that are quite simple: The boss encounter at the cargo dropoff requires two people, and you need to actually retain control of the point rather than just wing to it at full speed. So I may have sent my ship crashing to the ground in a tumble of burning wood and broken steel. (By "may have" I of course mean "I definitely did this.")

This isn't a failing on the part of the game, just a failing on my part for trying to bull-rush through something. But it's still fun; the game gives players a variety of things to do while they're busy crewing the various stations across the ship. And it's just one place the developers are going with the game.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Guns of Icarus Online's expanding environment

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Guns of Icarus Online's expanding environment originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Apr 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you not entertained?
If you're looking for Kickstarter success stories, The Repopulation definitely qualifies. While the game hasn't yet been released, it's managed to run not one but two successful campaigns looking to fans for funding, and it's managed its development carefully to keep itself on track for release. The game feels like a well-managed professional affair. And it's been a bit more quiet, but that comes down largely to the focus on getting the game out of its current alpha state and into its first beta.

At this year's PAX East, I sat down to talk with Josh Hall, one of the core team members on the project, about where the game is in development and what it's heading for in the next few months. While the final alpha stage has taken slightly longer than originally planned, the team is on track for launching the first beta phase at some point over the summer, and it's eyeing further release plans.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: The Repopulation's Josh Hall on the future of the game

MassivelyPAX East 2014: The Repopulation's Josh Hall on the future of the game originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Apr 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>above-and-beyondabove-and-beyond-technologiescommunityconconventioncrowdfundingdevelopmentdevelopment-featursearly-accesseventevent-coverageeventsexpofeaturedfundinginterviewinvestmentjosh-hallkickstartermassively-event-coveragepaxpax-2014pax-eastpax-east-2014penny-arcade-exporepopulationsandboxsci-fithe-repopulationSat, 12 Apr 2014 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014: PlanetSide 2's Higby on weekly updates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/12/pax-east-2014-planetside-2s-higby-on-weekly-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/12/pax-east-2014-planetside-2s-higby-on-weekly-updates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/12/pax-east-2014-planetside-2s-higby-on-weekly-updates/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The influx is coming.
It's been three months since PlanetSide 2 started updating once every week, if you don't count one update that was pushed back simply because it wasn't quite ready. As creative director Matt Higby put it to me at this year's PAX East, the schedule comes second to making sure that every update is the best it can be. But it's still been quite a ride, and it means that the game has kept up a schedule that's astonishingly fast.

More than a year out from launch, Higby has a lot to say about the game's development process as well as the updates it's already undergone. It's not an unmitigated success story, but it's filled with a lot of lessons and improvements. And like any MMO, the game's development is far from finished. In PlanetSide 2's case, it's a complex process that requires supporting new players, veterans, casual gamers, and professional gaming, sometimes in unconventional fashions.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: PlanetSide 2's Higby on weekly updates

MassivelyPAX East 2014: PlanetSide 2's Higby on weekly updates originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Apr 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Any pun based on the sky being the limit will sound cheesy, but eh.
We've all seen what gamers are capable of making in Minecraft. A quick search online turns up replicas of everything imaginable, sublime works of art, even inexplicable cat fountains. According to Dave Georgeson, this is exactly what led to the creation of Landmark, and by his own admission the development team owes Notch a Christmas card solely because of that. Without that limitation, Landmark wouldn't be what it is now, nor would it be developing into what it will eventually be.

At this year's PAX East, Georgeson explained to me that as much fun as Minecraft is, it lacks something crucial: a way for players to see all of these creations. Landmark, by contrast, is designed from the ground up not just to allow that sort of interaction but to actively encourage it. And that's only the beginning; the game's current status as a sort of super-Minecraft is the simplest core expression of the game's promise. By the time it's done, the whole point is to make a game that can be anything, a game for all seasons and tastes.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Landmark's current tools and future crafts

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Landmark's current tools and future crafts originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Apr 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetasconconventiondave-georgesondevelopmenteq-next-landmarkeqn-landmarkeqnleventevent-coverageeventseverquest-next-landmarkexpofantasyfeaturedinterviewinterviewslandmarkmassively-event-coverageongoing-developmentpaxpax-2014pax-eastpax-east-2014penny-arcade-expopreviewpreviewssandboxsoesony-online-entertainmentupcoming-featuresSat, 12 Apr 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014: WildStar's panel is all about the endgame]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/11/pax-east-2014-wildstars-panel-is-all-about-the-endgame/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/11/pax-east-2014-wildstars-panel-is-all-about-the-endgame/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/11/pax-east-2014-wildstars-panel-is-all-about-the-endgame/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Maybe get a pet?
So what happens when when you reach the end of WildStar?

You've got a while to think about it, obviously, the game isn't even out just yet. But it's an obvious concern. People are going to hit the level cap, and what are they going to be doing then? Staring at the walls, singing songs, perhaps clawing desperately at the metaphorical walls in the hopes of getting the next major patch somewhat sooner?

According to the WildStar panel at PAX East, the development team is hoping to launch with a fairly robust endgame no matter what you're hoping to do. The panel went through pretty much every part of the game, from items to PvP to solo story questing, all of which is intended to work together to create an environment wherein you don't run out of things to do and don't find yourself forced out of what you find fun. How well it will work remains to be seen, but there's certainly a lot on the table to start with.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: WildStar's panel is all about the endgame

MassivelyPAX East 2014: WildStar's panel is all about the endgame originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Apr 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hearthstone
Hearthstone is planning to revisit one of Azeroth's most notorious locations in the card game's first single-player adventure: Curse of Naxxramas.

Blizzard announced at PAX East that a new single-player mode for the game will be coming "soon" starting with a romp through the necropolis of Naxxramas. In it, players will journey through five wings of a dungeon, accumulate new cards, and fight bosses with their own unique abilities. Thirty new cards and nine class challenges will come with the adventure as well as a Naxxramas-themed game board.

Once it's released, Curse of Naxxramas will slowly unlock its wings over the course of five weeks. The first wing will be free, with the remaining four requiring purchase. It will release on all platforms simultaneously.

Massively's on the ground in Boston during the weekend of April 11th to 13th, bringing you all the best news from PAX East 2014. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, Landmark, or any MMO in between, we aim to have it covered!

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Hearthstone reveals Naxxramas single-player adventure originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardccgccgmmoconconventioncurse-of-naxxramaseventevent-coverageeventsexpansionexpohearthstonemassively-event-coveragenaxxramaspatchpaxpax-2014pax-eastpax-east-2014penny-arcade-expopreviewtcgtcgmmotrading-card-gameupdateFri, 11 Apr 2014 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014: First impressions of Warlords of Draenor]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/11/pax-east-2014-first-impressions-in-warlords-of-draenor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/11/pax-east-2014-first-impressions-in-warlords-of-draenor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/11/pax-east-2014-first-impressions-in-warlords-of-draenor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

One thing I'll definitely give Blizzard, they do a great job of modeling slope-browed drooling ogres. I don't know if that is exactly a compliment.
The biggest problem that Warlords of Draenor is facing right now is one of first impressions.

This isn't a mark against World of Warcraft so much as it's the nature of the beast. I wrote a while back about how World of Warcraft can't really be back, all things considered; it's too firmly a part of the establishment to ever shake the image that it's created over the past several years. You know what it is. You know how it plays. Odds are good that you've played it.

Warlords of Draenor also features no new races, no new classes, no overhaul of the talent system, and in the build I got to play, very few of the new models. That's where the first impression problem crops up. A lot of the things that are being baked into the expansion just don't show up at first glance. That isn't to say that the first glance is bad, just that it overwhelmingly sends the message of "this is still World of Warcraft; no need for elaboration."

Continue reading PAX East 2014: First impressions of Warlords of Draenor

MassivelyPAX East 2014: First impressions of Warlords of Draenor originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Citizen: We're more than just PvP!
Chris Roberts took the stage at a backer-only pre-PAX event in Boston last night to show off some of Star Citizen's alpha dogfighting footage. Despite a few technical glitches, fans were able to get an extended glimpse of the game's first playable module, which Roberts said will likely release in a month or so.

The dogfighting module will be presented as part of the in-universe fiction and thus will take the form of a space sim called Arena Commander which released to gamers in the year 2944. Players will load into the DFM through their pre-existing hangar module where they'll choose between five alpha game modes: Free Flight, Battle Royale, Squadron Battle, Capture the Core, and Vanduul Swarm (basically a horde mode). Cloud Imperium is including leaderboards and plenty of stats which will show up both on Star Citizen's web-based player and organization profiles as well as in the finished game.

The upcoming module will also feature co-op capabilities along with PvE AI. "At the end of the day, for me, it's not all about combat," Roberts explained, "so if [combat's] not your thing you don't have to worry about it."

Click past the cut to watch the full livestream.

Continue reading PAX East 2014: Star Citizen and the DFM are 'more than just PvP'

MassivelyPAX East 2014: Star Citizen and the DFM are 'more than just PvP' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Apr 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX East
Massively will be on the ground in Boston at this year's PAX East, which officially starts on Saturday. We'll be scurrying all over convention land to check out WildStar, Landmark, EVE Valkyrie, Warlords of Draenor, Guild Wars 2, Star Citizen, The Repopulation, PlanetSide 2, Guns of Icarus, State of Decay, and Infinite Crisis, among others. A few big MMO studios won't be present, of course; I think everyone will grok why ZeniMax Online might be a bit too busy for another con just now. But big guns like Carbine and SOE and Blizzard will all be in attendance at the first gamer-centric rather than media-centric con of the year.

So what are you looking forward to seeing out of PAX?

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: What do you hope to see at this year's PAX East? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Apr 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar
If the Venn diagram of your interests overlaps at "loves LEGO" and "looking forward to WildStar," then boy howdy will PAX East appeal to you.

Carbine Studios has commissioned a LEGO artist (yes, that is a real thing) to create a massive 50,000-piece rocket house for PAX East's main lobby. This ship will be donated to Child's Play with $10,000 after the convention, and a smaller version of the LEGO rocket house will be given away to one fan who pre-orders WildStar while there.

WildStar will be at booth #562 during the show.

[Source: Carbine Studios press release]

MassivelyWildStar LEGO rocket house landing at PAX East originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Apr 2014 15:30:00 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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EVE Valkyrie
Ready to hop on the virtual reality hype train? Make sure you stop by the Oculus spread at this year's PAX East, as the company behind the Rift headset is partnering with CCP to bring you some hands-on time with EVE: Valkyrie.

PAX East happens in Boston from April 11 through April 13. If you can't make it, don't worry because we'll be there with silly goggles on our head.

MassivelyPlay EVE: Valkyrie on the Oculus Rift at PAX East originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Citizen Void Alpha Terra concept art
Feel like you're not getting enough info on Star Citizen's development progress? Cloud Imperium chairman Chris Roberts has penned an epically long update that's now live on the game's website. "The concept is simple -- a high level monthly production progress report from the various teams from around the world working on Star Citizen," he writes.

Those teams include a whopping 212 developers, which Roberts says is more people than typically work on a triple-A console title and which makes SC the largest space sim project in history. In terms of alpha progress, Roberts says that CIG will unveil the long-awaited dogfighting module at a special backer-only pre-PAX event. It will be playable "shortly after PAX."

There's much more to the post, including updates from all of CIG's studios, so grab your favorite beverage and click through the links below to get caught up.

Massively212 devs are working on Star Citizen, dogfighting launch 'shortly after PAX' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2014 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>212212-developerschris-robertscig-updatecloud-imperiumcloud-imperium-gamescloud-imperium-studio-updatecrowdfundingdfmdogfighting-moduleinternet-spaceshipskickstartermonthly-updatepaxpax-2014pax-eastpax-east-2014sandboxsci-fispaceshipstar-citizenstar-citizen-212star-citizen-monthly-updatestar-citizen-studio-updateTue, 04 Mar 2014 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014 is sold out]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/pax-east-2014-is-sold-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/pax-east-2014-is-sold-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/11/07/pax-east-2014-is-sold-out/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Same as it ever was.
PAX East sold out, man. It totally sold out. We're not trying to wax poetic here; it has literally sold out. No, we are not using the new meaning of "literally" from the Oxford English Dictionary. It has completely sold out; you cannot buy any more tickets. It sold out.

What did you think we meant?

The convention is slated to start on April 11th of next year, but there are no longer any badges available for the event. So if you haven't already purchased one, we're sorry, but at least you'll be able to save some money. And as always, we'll be doing our best to elbow through the throngs to bring you coverage of MMO news from the show floor.

MassivelyPAX East 2014 is sold out originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Nov 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityconventionscultureeventsgaming-conventionsnewsnews-itemspaxpax-eastpax-east-2014real-world-eventsThu, 07 Nov 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2014 tix now on sale]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/23/pax-east-2014-tix-now-on-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/23/pax-east-2014-tix-now-on-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/10/23/pax-east-2014-tix-now-on-sale/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

PAX East 2014 tix now on sale
Save the date, PAX fans. Well, actually, save two dates. The first is April 11, 2014, which is when the next iteration of PAX East officially throws down. The second date is today, and that's when tickets officially go on sale.

As of press time, three-day badges are gone, but single-day passes are still available. PAX East 2014 runs from April 11 through April 13, 2014 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

MassivelyPAX East 2014 tix now on sale originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Oct 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consconventionspaxpax-2014pax-eastpax-east-2014pax-ticketspax-tixWed, 23 Oct 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: The consequences of kids at conventions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/mmo-family-the-consequences-of-kids-at-conventions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/mmo-family-the-consequences-of-kids-at-conventions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/mmo-family-the-consequences-of-kids-at-conventions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

MMO Family The consequences of kids at conventions
As I wound down my time at PAX East recently, I couldn't help but notice how different this convention was compared to when I went a couple of years ago. Yes, the exhibition floor was bigger, and there were many more in attendance, but the overall feel was different as well, and part of that was the increased presence of children.

We normally don't think of a video game convention as a family activity, and yet the fact that so many adults brought their children is telling. And whether you agree with it or not, there's something to be learned from the presence of kids at game conventions.

Continue reading MMO Family: The consequences of kids at conventions

MassivelyMMO Family: The consequences of kids at conventions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualchildrenchildrens-mmosconconventioneventevent-coverageeventsexpofamilyfamily-friendlyfeaturedkid-friendlykidskids-and-game-conventionskids-gameslegomassively-event-coverageminecraftmmo-familyopinionpaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-exposoe-liveWed, 03 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaderboard: Which convention reveal excited you the most?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/leaderboard-which-convention-reveal-excited-you-the-most/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/leaderboard-which-convention-reveal-excited-you-the-most/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/leaderboard-which-convention-reveal-excited-you-the-most/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Elder Scrolls Online concept art
So March's gaming convention madness is in our rearview mirror (although some coverage is still trickling in during the early part of this week). There were plenty of big reveals and plenty of smaller details, too, and chances are there was something that caught your eye from our GDC and PAX East coverage over the past two weeks.

For today's Leaderboard, let's pit a few of the noteworthy reveals against one another to see which game excited the Massively commentariat the most. Vote after the cut.

Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Which convention reveal excited you the most?

MassivelyLeaderboard: Which convention reveal excited you the most? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conconferenceconventioneventevent-coverageeventsexpogame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2013gdcgdc-2013massively-event-coveragepaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-expoMon, 01 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Week in Review: GDC 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/week-in-review-gdc-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/week-in-review-gdc-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/week-in-review-gdc-2013/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dragon's Prophet
At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

This week, we're building on our PAX East 2013 roundup from last Sunday to present even more of our PAX coverage combined with what we've released so far from our GDC 2013 recon. Dragon's Prophet demo? Check. How F2P saved SWTOR? Yeppers. Infinite Crisis hands-on? Roger that. Star Citizen's crafting system reveal? Yup, nabbed that too. All that and the rest of Massively's top MMO stories from the past week await beyond the break.

Continue reading MMO Week in Review: GDC 2013

MassivelyMMO Week in Review: GDC 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2013gdcgdc-2013joystiqmassively-event-coveragemassively-metametapaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-exporounduptop-storiesweek-in-reviewweekly-recapweekly-roundupwow-insiderSun, 31 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: EVE's Odyssey expansion could be incredible]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/eve-evolved-eves-odyssey-expansion-could-be-incredible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/eve-evolved-eves-odyssey-expansion-could-be-incredible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/eve-evolved-eves-odyssey-expansion-could-be-incredible/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
When EVE Online's upcoming Odyssey expansion was officially announced last week at PAX East, the anticipation from players was almost palpable. Odyssey aims to follow in the footsteps of 2009's blockbuster Apocrypha expansion by revamping the exploration system and filling the void of space with thousands of new hidden treasures. We've been promised new ships, a new scanner mechanic with sleek new UI and additional functionality, and a rebalancing of industrial resources across the game.

Though CCP is saving most of the expansion reveals for next month's EVE Fanfest and beyond, we can make some fairly educated guesses on what the expansion will contain from the press release and teaser site. It's pretty much a given that we'll get some kind of new exploration ship, and there's pretty strong evidence that moon minerals will be changing somehow. We're also almost guaranteed to get new faction battlecruisers, and the evidence is mounting that Jove space may finally be about to open for exploration.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the evidence for Jove space finally opening, explain why we desperately need a new scanning system, and make some educated guesses on what else the Odyssey expansion might contain.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: EVE's Odyssey expansion could be incredible

MassivelyEVE Evolved: EVE's Odyssey expansion could be incredible originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot -- WildStar
Everyone at the completely fictional Massively office seems to have some kind of schoolgirl crush on Carbine Studios' quirky upcoming sci-fi title WildStar, and I can understand why. The setting is fresh, melding some aspects of our favorite sci-fi properties (cough Firefly cough) with a a healthy dose of fantasy and a not insignificant amount of witty comedy, and the list of features the game boasts is rather extensive. I mean, did you even see that housing trailer? Holy wow, guys.

In spite of all of that, though, I was still a little cautious about giving in to the hype. After all, I'm sure there's not an MMO fan in existence who hasn't gotten super excited about a game and become a devoted fanboy only to have his hopes and expectations shattered when the game didn't live up to the hype. So I let myself be excited, but reservedly so, until I could get my hands on the game for myself to complement Eliot's earlier PAX hands-on with the game. As it so happens, on the last day of PAX East, I got to do just that. Though it was only a short 25-minute demo (thank goodness -- otherwise the lines would have circled the convention center), I think I was able to get a pretty solid idea of what we can expect from WildStar, and let me tell you right now, we can expect some great things.

Continue reading PAX East 2013: A second hands-on with WildStar's Draken Stalker

MassivelyPAX East 2013: A second hands-on with WildStar's Draken Stalker originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosconconventioneventevent-coverageeventsexpofeaturedhands-onmassively-event-coveragencsoftpaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-expopreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwsSat, 30 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: PAX East wasn't for us]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/the-mog-log-pax-east-wasnt-for-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/the-mog-log-pax-east-wasnt-for-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/the-mog-log-pax-east-wasnt-for-us/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It also apparently was not for my ankle. That story is relayed elsewhere.
Last week I promised to bring you all of the hard-hitting coverage of Square-Enix's presence at PAX East 2013 as it pertained to Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV. So here's that coverage: Both games still exist.

We good? Great. I'll spend the next nine hundred words or so discussing cats, then. Seriously, if you've been following this site or this column, you know everything from PAX East already.

Of course, all of this underscores what I see as a simple fact: PAX was not meant for fans of Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV. If you scan fansites and this site for coverage, you would not be blown away by any of this information, and that's fine. It's not actually for you, and I'm going to go ahead and say that it really shouldn't be for you because it would just be preaching to the converted.

Continue reading The Mog Log: PAX East wasn't for us

MassivelyThe Mog Log: PAX East wasn't for us originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conconsoleconsolesconventioneventevent-coverageeventsexpofantasyfeaturedffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivmassively-event-coveragemog-logopinionpaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-exposquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logSat, 30 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2013: Hands-on with Marvel Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/pax-east-2013-hands-on-with-marvel-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/pax-east-2013-hands-on-with-marvel-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/pax-east-2013-hands-on-with-marvel-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PAX East 2013 Handson with Marvel Heroes
Gazillion Entertainment made a splash at PAX East, arriving with the big announcement that Marvel Heroes will be launching on June 4th. In addition, the team gave new details about endgame content, PvP, and special "ultimate powers" for each hero.

During the convention, Massively had a chance to sit down with VP of marketing Leo Olebe and CEO David Brevik to get a look at the state of the game, including some brand-new content that the devs have just added to Marvel Heroes. What did we see during our hands-on with the game? Let's just say that rampaging dinosaurs and "Hulk Smash" were but the tip of the iceberg.

Gallery: Marvel Heroes

Continue reading PAX East 2013: Hands-on with Marvel Heroes

MassivelyPAX East 2013: Hands-on with Marvel Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionaction-mmoconconventiondave-brevikeventevent-coverageeventsexpof2pfeaturedfree-to-playgalleriesgallerygazilliongazillion-entertainmenthands-oninterviewinterviewsleo-olebemarvelmarvel-heroesmarvel-universemarvel-universe-onlinemassively-event-coveragemuopaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-expopreviewpreviewsscreenshotscreenshotssecret-identitysuperherosuperheroesThu, 28 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2013: SOE's Linda Carlson on the state of the community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/pax-east-2013-soes-linda-carlson-on-the-state-of-the-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/pax-east-2013-soes-linda-carlson-on-the-state-of-the-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/pax-east-2013-soes-linda-carlson-on-the-state-of-the-community/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Guild Counsel SOE's Linda Carlson on the state of the community
How many times have you found yourself asking, "Why won't the devs just listen?!" For any loyal MMO fan, it can be extremely frustrating to see feedback seemingly get ignored, and sometimes it feels as if there's a huge wall separating the fans from the developers.

Linda Carlson, SOE's Director of Global Community Relations, spoke with Massively at this year's PAX East to talk about SOE's efforts to break down that wall and improve the relationship between players and developers into something that's more collaborative, rather than contentious. Whether you're the most loyal SOE fan or someone who's vowed never to play another SOE game, you might be surprised at what she has to say.

Continue reading PAX East 2013: SOE's Linda Carlson on the state of the community

MassivelyPAX East 2013: SOE's Linda Carlson on the state of the community originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicecommunityconconferenceconventiondave-georgesoneqeqiieventevent-coverageeventsexpofeaturedfree-realmsgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2013gdcgdc-2013guildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguildsinterviewinterviewsjohn-smedleyleadershiplinda-carlsonmassively-event-coverageopinionpaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-exposoethe-guild-counselThu, 28 Mar 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2013: How video games can save education]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/pax-east-2013-steve-swink-says-video-games-can-save-education/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/pax-east-2013-steve-swink-says-video-games-can-save-education/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/26/pax-east-2013-steve-swink-says-video-games-can-save-education/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

PAX East 2013 Steve Swink says video games can save education
Quick! Choose the statement that best describes your high school education:
  • A) School prepared me perfectly for everything I would experience once I got out into the real world.
  • B) I feel that high school had one or two useful things to offer but otherwise was pretty useless.
  • C) I feel that high school was completely pointless and had no bearing on my life today.
If you picked B or C, you're in good company, based on the audience panel on games and education at this year's PAX East. During the panel, game developer and teacher Steve Swink gave a talk about both the state of education today and how video games can play a role in saving it.

Continue reading PAX East 2013: How video games can save education

MassivelyPAX East 2013: How video games can save education originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlantis-remixedbill-and-melinda-gates-foundationconconferenceconventioneventevent-coverageeventsexpofeaturedmassively-event-coveragepaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-expoquest-atlantissteve-swinkvideo-games-and-educationTue, 26 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST