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[MMO Mechanics: MOBAs vs. MMO battlegrounds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/18/mmo-mechanics-mobas-versus-mmo-battlegrounds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/18/mmo-mechanics-mobas-versus-mmo-battlegrounds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/18/mmo-mechanics-mobas-versus-mmo-battlegrounds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

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It may feel as if MMOs have always existed as a core part of our gaming repertoire, but the genre made its indelible mark on the industry just over a decade ago. MMO titans like World of Warcraft, EVE Online, and City of Heroes shaped the mechanics we now use as markers and basic standards for the quickly growing genre, and those mechanics have been reiterated and reforged by the countless additions to the MMO clan that we know and love today.

This new MMO Mechanics column aims to navigate the mechanical minefield that is the modern MMO through in-depth opinion pieces, comparative analysis, and a little bit of Irish wit, starting with a peek at what distinguishes MMO PvP battlegrounds from Massively Online Battle Arenas.

If women are from Venus and men are from Mars, MMOs and MOBAs must be from different galaxies altogether. Despite the similarities between MMO PvP arenas and MOBA matches, the two take very different approaches to progression, persistence, and matchmaking. This leads to two very separate yet equally engaging ways to test the mettle of your character against the might of a human opponent.

Continue reading MMO Mechanics: MOBAs vs. MMO battlegrounds

MassivelyMMO Mechanics: MOBAs vs. MMO battlegrounds originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Dec 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionanetarenanetbalancebattle-for-graxiabattlegroundbattlegroundsblizzardblizzard-entertainmentccpccp-gamescity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcolumncovcoxcrossoverdotae-sporte-sportsesportseveeve-onlinef2pfairnessfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgame-designGame-Mechanicsgodgodsgraxiaguild-wars-2gw2hi-rez-studiosleague-of-legendslolmechanicsmmo-mechanicsmobamoba mechnicsmobamechnicsMOBAsncsoftparagonparagon-studiospetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroisandboxsci-fismitesuperherosuperheroesthird-persontina-laurowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 18 Dec 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/09/not-so-massively-lols-e-sports-controversy-dota-2s-matchmaki/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/09/not-so-massively-lols-e-sports-controversy-dota-2s-matchmaki/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/09/not-so-massively-lols-e-sports-controversy-dota-2s-matchmaki/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The MOBA e-sports community was enraged this week when it was reported that professional League of Legends players participating in the 2014 championship series had been barred by contract from livestreaming competing games. The list of competing games included the entire Blizzard lineup and practically every MOBA, including several that no longer exist. Dota 2 gave players an inside look at its upcoming matchmaking revamp, which introduces a new Ranked Matchmaking system. And SMITE revealed details of its versatile new mage character Nu Wa, Guardian of Heaven.

Diablo III beta testers put together videos of some of the new monster affixes in the game's upcoming expansion, including an inventive Wormhole modifier that essentially lets the elite monster teleport players. Path of Exile's new dueling and PvP tournament features have been delayed until after patch 1.0.3, and developers briefly showed a new tower zone that will come at the end of the game. Star Citizen hit the $34 million mark this week, unlocking a new smuggling ship and locking in future plans for a strange new solar system with a black hole instead of a star. And Elite: Dangerous retired its early backer rewards ahead of today's web store relaunch.

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively Tribes' controversy on Reddit, new MOBA Strife, and Dota 2 World Championship
Controversy struck the Tribes: Ascend community this week as developer Hi-Rez Studios shut down the game's forum and told players to go to Reddit instead. Threads erupted on the third-party site asking for official Hi-Rez accounts to be banned from /r/Tribes. Dota 2's World Championship tournament got underway this week as top competitive teams from around the world fought for a slice of The International's $2.8 million US of prize money. And it looks like Heroes of Newerth has a companion on the way, as developer S2 Games recently revealed its new and potentially more casual MOBA Strife.

In a new video devblog, Elite: Dangerous creator David Braben discussed plans for ship passengers and luxury cruise liners in the upcoming space sandbox game. Diablo III Community Manager Grimiku hinted that developers are looking into the possibility of adding an official self-found mode, and Blizzard announced its plans for Gamescom 2013. Path of Exile wrapped up the end of its third season of race events and announced that seasons four and five are already in the planning stages. And Star Citizen's weekly updates focused on the upcoming Hangar module.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Hi-Rez Reddit controversy, new MOBA Strife, and Dota 2 World Championship

MassivelyNot So Massively: Hi-Rez Reddit controversy, new MOBA Strife, and Dota 2 World Championship originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Aug 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Australian League of Legends players have been celebrating the opening of a new Oceanic server, and developers outlined the path European and North American players can take to get into the competitive scene. The prize pool on Dota 2's world championship tournament has now risen to over $2.4 million US with a month still to go until the event. And indie MOBA Rise of Immortals officially closed its doors and shut down this week.

Mobile MOBA Heroes of Order and Chaos released a new update with a steampunk 5v5 map and two new heroes. SMITE revealed its next big update, which includes new consumable teleport items, Conquest map overhauls, and cosmetic upgrades for several characters. And if you've ever had a hard time picking from Heroes of Newerth's massive roster of characters, a new filter system introduced in the latest patch will let you filter our characters by role or even pick random characters from your favourites.

Star Citizen became the most popular crowdfunded project of all time during its 24-hour livestream event, reaching almost $12 million US. Blizzard released a blog post reminding Diablo III players that it issues bans for botting, exploiting, and using any third-party software to modify how the game plays. And Firefall's Mark Kern sparked an intense debate by stating that he thinks World of Warcraft has "killed a genre."

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL comes to Australia, D3 bans botters, and Star Citizen's 24-hour livestream

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL comes to Australia, D3 bans botters, and Star Citizen's 24-hour livestream originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Jul 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively MOBA closures, docking in Elite, and D3 at E3
Fans of indie MOBA Rise of Immortals were disappointed to learn that the game's recent relaunch has been a failure and developers have been forced to close the doors at the end of the month. Third-person SMITE is seeing more success with its own open beta, and this week it added new character Athena, the God of Wisdom. League of Legends announced its plans for DreamHack Summer 2013, and Machinima published an incredible documentary about famed tournament team Counter Logic Gaming.

Blizzard revealed this week that Diablo III will be coming to the XBox 360 on September 3rd along with the previously announced PS3 release. Path of Exile gave all players a free passive skill reset with patch 0.11.0 this week and officially started its first ever four month long Anarchy and Onslaught leagues.

David Braben discussed seamless docking transitions in a new Elite: Dangerous progress diary video this week and took on board outside investors to bolster its existing budget secured through crowdfunding. Star Citizen showed how its towering budget will be put to use with a video tour around the cramped studio that developers hope to move out of soon in search of a larger office space.

Continue reading Not So Massively: MOBA closures, docking in Elite, and D3 at E3

MassivelyNot So Massively: MOBA closures, docking in Elite, and D3 at E3 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jun 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's birthday, and Star Citizen's new website
Dota 2 celebrated the incredible sales of its world championship interactive compendium with free gifts for all players; the compendium has now sold over 266,000 units, raising the prize fund in The International to over $2,000,000 US. Third-person MOBA SMITE has recently entered the competitive tournament scene with two new weekly $1,000 tournaments. Rise of Immortals also announced its first competitive tournament since the Battle For Graxia update and revealed details of its hilariously-named ranged centaur character Murderhoof.

League of Legends revealed the new custom item set feature coming in Patch 3.7 and published a new champion spotlight video on classic ranged carry Ashe. Guardians of Middle-Earth also released its latest paid DLC character, The Mouth of Sauron, based on a character who was originally cut from the cinematic release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Diablo III celebrated the first anniversary of its release on May 15th with anniversary livestreams and a magic-find bonus for all players. The latest patch also raised the increments in which money can be sold on the Real Money Auction House to ten million in response to massive oversupply. Path of Exile revealed details of its upcoming Patch 0.1.1.0 that will add new party loot options and other features, and Star Citizen showed off its new website with a special e-commerce section in which players can buy ships for cash.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's birthday, and Star Citizen's new website

MassivelyNot So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's birthday, and Star Citizen's new website originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen paytowin debate, and MOBA news
Diablo III was hit with yet another exploit this week as players discovered a way to duplicate gold via a bug in the auction house. Blizzard responded by shutting down the auction house but did not perform a server rollback to reverse the damage. Star Citizen clarified its stance on the lifetime insurance available to veteran backers amidst debate over whether it gives early adopters an unfair advantage over other players. Path of Exile also released a new Letters of Wraeclast lore feature in its latest update, and MechWarrior Online's update 15 added a new Misery mech.

Dota 2 began preparations for its biggest world championship tournament yet with the release of a new Interactive Compendium that players can use to stay up to date with the matches. Rise of Immortals has now officially launched its Battle For Graxia revamp, and Infinite Crisis officially entered closed beta this week with the release of new champion The Joker. Finally, Smashmuck Champions released its hilarious new community-designed champion that's half platypus and half unicorn.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Details of this year's $1,600,000 US Dota 2 world championship have been released ahead of next month's qualifiers for the remaining three competitor spots. Heroes of Newerth began gearing up for its own tournament at DreamHack Summer 2013 with details of a qualifier tournament to determine which teams will face off at the event. Team Stay Green may be in with a chance if it enters, as the group just took home $32,000 US following a decisive win in the HoNTour grand finals.

A new Diablo III exploit that allowed Witch Doctors to farm XP by repeatedly killing their pets was discovered this week and promptly hotfixed. Riot Games released spotlight videos for newly revamped League of Legends champions Trundle and Sejuani, and CLG pro gamer Peter "Doublelift" Peng discussed his challenging road to success and heartbreaking family issues in a fantastic short documentary for Machinima.

Turbine released details of two new Infinite Crisis champions this week with video spotlights on hulking brute Doomsday and the gadget-wielding Gaslight Batman. Russian success Prime World let press into the English language beta for a first look at its castle-building and MOBA style gameplay. Rise of Immortals geared up for the official launch of its Battle For Graxia game overhaul with the addition of a new reputation system. And Star Citizen developer Chris Roberts revealed that he's been holding off on accepting investor deals because of the success of the game's crowdfunding campaigns.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's latest exploit, and city-building with Prime World

MassivelyNot So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's latest exploit, and city-building with Prime World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you've been following the development of upcoming crowdfunded sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen with interest, Massively has a brand-new column you might enjoy. The Diablo III test realm hinted at upcoming boosts to life regeneration and the damage output of a few spells, but Blizzard also suggested that a nerf to the Wizard Archon Form might be on the way. Path of Exile started its second season of race events, with over 200 events to take part in and massive prizes to be won.

Third-person MOBA SMITE added the 34th god to its roster this week with acrobatic assassin Ne Zha entering the fray, and Guardians of Middle-Earth released new DLC character Kili the Dwarf. Rise of Immortals added support for game replays and introduced and interesting new White Knight feature that lets players take over from characters who have disconnected or quit in the middle of a game.

Heroes of Newerth announced a huge upcoming balance patch that may finally get rid of the paid-for early hero access and promises to rebalance much of the game's expansive roster of characters. Dota 2's streamlined abuse report update backfired when players discovered they could use the report feature itself to abuse other players. And Firefall may finally be edging toward release with the announcement of a date for the start of open beta.

Continue reading Not So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abuseaction-mmoaction-rpgArmillary-Sashbalance-patchbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dwarfe-sporte-sportseaearly-accessesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfire-batsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhonhon-tourkilileague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmeldingmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayerne-zhanewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropen-betapatchpatchespath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpray-of-frostred-5-studiosreplayriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fistar-citizenterrauniverse-ringvalvevideowarner-broswhite-knightwhite-knight-queuewitch-doctorwizardwrath-of-the-lich-kingxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Path of Exile continued upgrading its servers to cope with the increasing load of new players following its open beta release, closing the servers for three hours this week to add several new database servers. Massively exclusively revealed Blacklight: Retribution's new Safehold and metro maps, and Firefall developer Red 5 Studios explained its development plans for the next quarter.

Rise of Immortals released a spotlight video on its new long-range mage immortal Undine, while Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its latest two DLC characters Radagast the Brown Wizard and Glóin, father of Gimli.

League of Legends made some balance changes to its Honor system, which rewards players for being nice to each other. Riot also talked to some of Season 3's newest competitive players about what being a professional gamer means to them. Dota 2 finally got its long-awaited team matchmaking system this week, and community broadcaster Beyond The Summit launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for full-time tournament broadcasting.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding

MassivelyNot So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoantisocial-behaviorbattle-for-graxiabeyond-the-summitblacklightblacklight-retributionbroadcastersbroadcastingcompetitive-gamingconsolediablodotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgimligloingraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshonorhonor-systemleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmetromicrotransactionsmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosnewsnot-so-massivelynsmpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvppweradagastred-5-studiosretributionriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uproundupSafeholdserverserver-downtimeserversteam-matchmakingtournamenttournamentsundinevalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Open betas, antisocial players and graphical overhauls]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/not-so-massively-open-betas-antisocial-players-and-graphical-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/not-so-massively-open-betas-antisocial-players-and-graphical-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/not-so-massively-open-betas-antisocial-players-and-graphical-o/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Path of Exile entered open beta this week as a peak of 56,700 simultaneous players piled into the servers to check the game out. Open beta brought with it the final character wipe, so for all intents and purposes, the game has now released. Upcoming first-person MOBA SMITE similarly opened its doors to the public last Thursday and released a series of new gameplay updates and graphical overhauls.

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgaiantisocialantisocial-behaviorbanbansbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-all-starsblizzard-dotablizzard-entertainmentchampionchampion-spotlightchampionscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dotabuffe-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesharassmentheroheroesheroes-of-newerthhonlaunchlaunchesleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpatchpatch-3.0path-of-exilepermanent-banpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespoepvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesStunnedandSlayedthreshundinevalveVeigodxvideoMon, 28 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Jay Wilson steps down, layoffs at Gas Powered Games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/21/not-so-massively-jay-wilson-steps-down-layoffs-at-gas-powered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/21/not-so-massively-jay-wilson-steps-down-layoffs-at-gas-powered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/21/not-so-massively-jay-wilson-steps-down-layoffs-at-gas-powered/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Gas Powered Games laid off 80% of its workforce this week as the studio's future became uncertain. CEO Chris Taylor revealed that if his Kickstarter campaign for new action RPG Wildman fails, the company will have to close its doors. Jay Wilson stepped down as Diablo III's Lead Game Designer to move on to other projects but assured players that the game will continue to be regularly updated. With less than a week to go until Path of Exile opens its doors to the public, two Massively freelancers recently tried the game and delivered their verdicts.

Rise of Immortals released its new All Random All Mid game mode that promises short casual matches, while Dota 2 revealed its new Least Played mode that forces players to pick heroes they ordinarily avoid. Heroes of Newerth's new ranged agility hero, Bushwack, hit the servers last Friday, and League of Legends announced early details of its upcoming support champion, Thresh. For those who've ever wanted to get into competitive League of Legends gaming, Riot Games also published an infographic this week showing the path to this season's competitive championship tournament.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Jay Wilson steps down, layoffs at Gas Powered Games

MassivelyNot So Massively: Jay Wilson steps down, layoffs at Gas Powered Games originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The League of Legends North American online qualifiers took place this weekend, with 32 teams competing for just eight spots in the upcoming offline qualifiers in Los Angeles. Dota 2's competitive tournament scene suffered a setback when tournament website joinDOTA had its YouTube account and channel inexplicably closed. Rise of Immortals is gearing up for its first official tournament, and Guardians of Middle-Earth has $5,000 up for grabs in its first console MOBA e-sports cups.

The Kickstarter campaign for Elite: Dangerous blasted through its goal in the final two days thanks to a huge wave of last-minute pledges. Off the back of the popularity of its own crowdfunding campaign, action RPG Path of Exile upgraded and battle-tested its servers to handle over 50,000 concurrent players.

Upcoming MOBA Sins of a Dark Age aims to add a twist to the modern MOBA with randomly spawned Realm Quests that add another tactical level to the standard 5v5 gameplay. Finally, Blizzard highlighted several player-made videos this week showing some of the optimum Diablo III farming routes for players on the race to paragon level 100.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Cash prize MOBA tournaments and crowdfunding success!

MassivelyNot So Massively: Cash prize MOBA tournaments and crowdfunding success! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgAlkaizerbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabencashCash-Prizescash-tournamentcompetitive-gamingconsolecrowdfundingd3david-brabendiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseliteesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesironcladironclad-gamesleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerparagonparagon-levelpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpreal-questsriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fisins-of-a-dark-ageTobiWanKenobitournamentvalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: End of the year (and not the world) edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III players are sure to have mixed feelings this week as Blizzard announced that 1v1 dueling will be released in the new year but that the anticipated arena and team deathmatch gameplay has been scrapped. Path of Exile revealed the impressive winning entries in its recent fan art competition and has ended the year on a high note by winning the IndieDB Players Choice Upcoming Indie Game 2012 award.

SMITE celebrated the end of the Mayan calendar (and not the world) with the release of its new Mayan god Xbalanque, and Rise of Immortals gave its old immortal Kaos a graphical facelift. Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its second DLC pack based on The Hobbit, introducing Thorin Oakenshield and Great Goblin as playable characters. Bloodline Champions may not be having a very good end to 2012 as its Russian servers are set to close in the new year, and Heroes of Newerth player stonefain ushered in the new year by finishing off his 21-video Tip of the Day series.

Continue reading Not So Massively: End of the year (and not the world) edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: End of the year (and not the world) edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingconsoled3deathmatchdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotaduelinge-sporte-sportsend-of-the-worldesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygraxiagreat-goblingrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhonjay-wilsonkaoslord-of-the-ringslotrmayanmayan-calendarmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvprise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrussiarussians2s2-gamesserverserversshutdownstonefainstunlockstunlock-studiosteam-deathmatchthorin-oakenshieldtip-of-the-daytipstips-and-tricksvideowarner-brosXbalanquexboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Of Hobbits and space ships]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/17/not-so-massively-of-hobbits-and-space-ships/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/17/not-so-massively-of-hobbits-and-space-ships/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/17/not-so-massively-of-hobbits-and-space-ships/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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David Braben released a new update on the development of upcoming sci-fi sandbox game Elite: Dangerous, while the success of the game's Kickstarter campaign still remains uncertain. Star Citizen's developers revealed several of the game's ships; developer Chris Roberts made the bold claim that the studio will "compete with any AAA game out there."

To celebrate the recent cinema release of The Hobbit, console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its Hobbit-themed DLC that lets you play as Bilbo Baggins and includes a new playable map of The Shire. Dota 2 revealed its own new DLC with the impressive winners of its fan-designed hero skin contest and passed the 200,000 peak concurrent user mark despite still being officially in beta. Likewise, despite having just entered beta itself, Rise of Immortals announced that its first official winter tournament is scheduled for next month. League of Legends also celebrated the winter holiday with an adorable gingerbread baking contest.

Blizzard has been catching some flack for the lack of promised PvP features in Diablo III, and now it looks as if we won't even be getting information on the patch until next year. Blizzard has also unofficially got a version of the game running on non-PC hardware, which could signal a possible upcoming console release. Path of Exile continued to gear up for its January release with load-testing events and a series of new ladder events. And Torchlight II's developers round out the year with a look back at the game's development and some hints as to what might come next for the franchise.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Of Hobbits and space ships

MassivelyNot So Massively: Of Hobbits and space ships originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgbattle-for-graxiabattlenetbilbobilbo-bagginsblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabenccpccp-gameschris-robertscloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoleconsolesd3david-brabendiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseliteelite-dangerousesportesportseveeve-onlinef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshobbithobbit-gamehobbitsjay-wilsonkickstarterleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamessandboxsci-fispacespace-shipsspaceshipsstar-citizenthe-hobbitthe-shirevalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Everyone wants PvP arenas and tournaments]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/10/not-so-massively-everyone-wants-pvp-arenas-and-tournaments/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/10/not-so-massively-everyone-wants-pvp-arenas-and-tournaments/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/10/not-so-massively-everyone-wants-pvp-arenas-and-tournaments/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III's lead game designer Jay Wilson raised a few eyebrows this week with a retraction of his previous statement about an upcoming blog on PvP arenas, stating that complications have once again delayed the feature. Livestreamer Kripparian took a break from the world of Sanctuary to try Path of Exile's PvP arena system, which is due to go live with the start of open beta. The open beta date has also unfortunately been pushed back from December to January 24th to allow for the holiday season.

Dota 2's focus on competitive PvP tournaments continued this week with an interesting experiment in selling virtual tournament tickets bundled with exclusive cosmetic items. If successful, the new system could be used to organically fund player-run competitive tournaments. Heroes of Newerth's competitive players know every trick in the book, and in an interesting new video series, one player aims to reveal many of them in the run-up to Christmas.

League of Legends released its new support hero, Nami, the Tidecaller, and detailed the massive changes coming to the game to keep competitive season three fresh. Upcoming MOBA Prime World discussed its talent system, which merges active spells and passive bonuses with a collectable card game mechanic, and Rise of Immortals celebrated its impending re-release with its new immortal Ustat.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Everyone wants PvP arenas and tournaments

MassivelyNot So Massively: Everyone wants PvP arenas and tournaments originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III lost to Skyrim at this year's Golden Joystick awards, but it was named as a runner-up in two categories. Blizzard also reduced the difficulty of increased Monster Power levels this week by about 25%, and one player managed to design an insane Barbarian build capable of dealing 2.6 million damage per second. Path of Exile followed up with the fourteenth crazy character build in its Build of the Week series, and the devs revealed that the New Zealand government has not provided any support for the game.

League of Legends was voted the runner-up for the Golden Joystick Best MMO award despite the fact that it's not an MMO. Developers revealed some interesting updates for the game's 3v3 Twisted Treeline battleground, and officially released a new champion named Elise the Spider Queen. Heroes of Newerth revealed its own new hero this week, an adorable support character called Pearl the Bubble Mage.

Dota 2 added classic hero Centaur in this week's beta update, and Rise of Immortals published some more details of its upcoming Battle for Graxia revamp. Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its newest combatants this week, fearless warrior Éowyn and ruthless Orc warlord Mozgog. Finally, Blacklight: Retribution raised its level cap to 40 in preparation for the upcoming Evacuation update.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Golden Joysticks, new heroes, and insane character builds

MassivelyNot So Massively: Golden Joysticks, new heroes, and insane character builds originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MOBA Rise of Immortals revealed details of its massive Battle For Graxia relaunch this week and made all immortals free to play until the patch arrives. The finals of Dota 2's world championship tournament The International took place this weekend, with last year's winner Na'Vi facing off against Chinese team Invictus Gaming in the final to fight over the $1,000,000 US grand prize. League of Legends' incredible $5,000,000 US competitive season is now just over a month from completion, with regional championships leading up to a spectacular $2,000,000 grand final in October.

Torchlight II fans were treated to hands-on gameplay demos and a final release date this week at PAX 2012 while Firefall used the event to announce its pre-purchase founder packs. Upcoming action RPG Path of Exile released details of patch 0.9.12 and showed off a hilarious unarmed fighter build nicknamed "Mike Tyson." Diablo III developers weighed in on a puzzling stat discrepancy this week, and Blacklight: Retribution launched a new video podcast series digging into all the game's new updates, maps, and items. Finally, upcoming console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth revealed four new characters this week: Sauron, Hildifons, Arathon, and Runsig.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Million-dollar tournaments, PAX 2012, and the Battle for Graxia

MassivelyNot So Massively: Million-dollar tournaments, PAX 2012, and the Battle for Graxia originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox title image
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.

Every now and then, a game comes out of nowhere with such incredible financial success that it causes the games industry to completely lose perspective. All it takes is one game to start raking in the millions for developers, publishers and investors to stumble around with dollar signs in their eyes for years to come. Innovation grinds to a halt and everyone starts blindly copying whichever game just hit the jackpot. It's like some huge industry-wide superstition takes over and convinces people that if they do the same dance the same way, it'll rain again.

World of Warcraft has consistently had this effect since shortly after its launch in 2004. To this day, several studios per year excitedly announce yet another fantasy MMO that lifts its entire feature set and every gameplay mechanic wholesale from World of Warcraft as if it were a model for automatic success. The same thing is happening again in online gaming today, not from MMOs but from MOBAs, a new genre based on the competitive gaming classic DotA. Developers are still chasing the massive money made by yet another hugely successful game, and this time it's League of Legends.

Continue reading The Soapbox: League of Legends is the new World of Warcraft

MassivelyThe Soapbox: League of Legends is the new World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionanetarenanetbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscargo-cultconsoledemigoddotadota-2e-sporteaelectronic-artsesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgame-developmentguild-warsgwheroes-of-newerthhonindieinnovationkiz-studiosleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmmo-industrymobamonolithmonolith-studiosmythicmythic-entertainmentncsoftnyphuropinionpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkps3psnpvprantrantsriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroirtsrvrs2s2-gamessmashmucksoapboxstardockstunlockstunlock-studiosthe-soapboxvalvewarwarcraftwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswarner-broswohworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-heroesxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: DreamHack Summer 2012 edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/not-so-massively-dreamhack-summer-2012-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/not-so-massively-dreamhack-summer-2012-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/18/not-so-massively-dreamhack-summer-2012-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

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This weekend was DreamHack Summer 2012, during which the MOBA world got together to run some awesome tournaments with huge cash prizes. Heroes of Newerth set the tone for the event with the biggest prize pool at DreamHack: a whopping $60,000. In addition to a standard tournament, S2 Games held the first ever Mid Wars tournament and invited amateur players to battle against the professionals. Bloodline Champions made its usual grand showing with its own packed tournament, and Dota 2 ran the massive $57,000 Corsair Vengeance tournament.

League of Legends continued the trend with its own $40,000 tournament and announced that Greece will get a fully voice-localised game client in the near future. Rumours of gold duplication in Diablo III continue to spread this week despite a lack of hard evidence behind the claims, and legislators in South Korea proposed a new law that will make the real money auction house illegal in that country. Path of Exile started a new community character build showcase to demonstrate the upcoming game's incredible customisation system. Finally, Blacklight Retribution showed off its interesting new Kill Confirmed game mode, while Rise of Immortals released its official Kreed immortal spotlight.

Continue reading Not So Massively: DreamHack Summer 2012 edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: DreamHack Summer 2012 edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III has been taking on player feedback this week with the announcement of item drop rate and gameplay changes coming in the upcoming 1.0.3 patch. In a hotfix this week, Tyreal's damage was nerfed to stop players from using him to farm risk-free, and several easy gold-farming spots were heavily nerfed in an effort to curb botting. Path of Exile is also taking notice of player feedback to Diablo III, releasing new multiplayer loot reservation and public game systems.

Dota 2 announced that a limited number of tickets to watch its upcoming tournament The International will go on sale tomorrow for $49.99 each. Heroes of Newerth revealed its new tanky melee initiator Ravenor, and Rise of Immortals released new immortal Kreed along with some much-needed gameplay overhauls. League of Legends' European password database was hacked this week; Riot Games reccomends that all players reset their passwords. The Draven patch also went live this week, adding the new champion to the game and bringing nerfs for Ahri, Darius, Graves and Urgot. Finally, we got our first taste of upcoming MOBA Guardians of Middle Earth's gameplay at E3.

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL database hack and Diablo III updates

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL database hack and Diablo III updates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's no shortage of MOBA news this week, as Valve announced that Dota 2 will be free-to-play and Warner Bros. unveiled its new Lord of the Rings-themed MOBA, Guardians of Middle Earth. League of Legends ran its first invitational player-vs.-developer tournament in Las Vegas this week and released details on upcoming champion Draven, the Glorious Executioner. Heroes of Newerth published its first community-driven balance patch, and Rise of Immortals announced details on upcoming melee mage Kreed.

Diablo III faced its worst week of server stability yet, with sporadic auction house availability and frequent unscheduled maintenance periods lasting several hours each. Some players have been reporting success in getting a refund for the game, and Blizzard's Korean office was even raided by officials when the company declined to give refunds in that country.

The Path of Exile team announced that the game will be entering open beta in mid-August and that once the game is in open beta, characters will not be wiped. Red 5 Studios unveiled a new Firefall manga, written by Ender's Game author Orson Scott Card, which the company will be releasing online completely free.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Free Firefall manga, MOBA news, and D3 server woes

MassivelyNot So Massively: Free Firefall manga, MOBA news, and D3 server woes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well-known World of Warcraft guild Method secured a world first kill on Diablo III's Skeleton King in inferno mode just a few days after launch but was beaten to the game's completion by a single person. Players have been in outrage all week as server instabilities and login difficulties plagued the game's launch.

League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Darius this week and announced huge client updates that seem set to double the game's frame rate. Blacklight: Retribution released a new Netwar game mode, combining capture the flag and control point gameplay. Heroes of Newerth released its new support hero Riftwalker, Dota 2 released classic hero Treant, and Rise of Immortals took a close look at melee damage-dealer Tzai. Upcoming MOBA Smite will be entering closed beta at the end of the month, and Torchlight II's beta will soon end for the last time.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta

MassivelyNot So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III became potentially the most pre-ordered PC game in history this week, breaking both Blizzard's personal pre-order records and online retailer Amazon's. The game is set to launch at midnight tonight, unlocking physical copies and digital installers. Diablo-inspired free-to-play dungeon crawler Path of Exile approaches its own launch this week with the release of its penultimate version 0.9.9 patch.

League of Legends announced its upcoming MSI Beat IT tournament at DreamHack Summer 2012, with a prize fund of $40,000 US and a series of public online qualifiers. Bloodline Champions revealed its own $10,000 DreamHack tournament, with open in-game qualifiers scheduled for next weekend. Valve announced details of the second Dota 2 world championship, a series that started with last year's $1.6 million US tournament.

Blizzard settled its lawsuit with Valve this week, renaming Blizzard DOTA to Blizzard All-Stars but securing the continued non-commercial use of the DotA name for the fan community. Heroes of Newerth released its incredibly successful new Midwars game mode, and Rise of Immortals put forth its official immortal spotlight for new immortal Nauria.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With just over a week to go until Diablo III is released, Blizzard revealed the final details of the real money auction house, released some fantastic new class wallpapers, and launched a TV advertising campaign. Meanwhile, Torchlight II showed off the impressive final result of its earlier armour design contest and encouraged players to produce armour mods when the game is released.

Heroes of Newerth released a brand-new community-inspired MidWars game map this week to lend official support to the popular unofficial game mode. League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Varus with a full run-down of his abilities and a great art spotlight video. Dota 2 fixed some bizarre bugs and introduced classic hero Phantom Lancer. Rise of Immortals revealed details of its upcoming immortal Nauria, the Angel of Agony. Finally, Wrath of Heroes announced the controversial addition of health potions to its microtransaction store.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week, League of Legends revealed plans to buff support tanks in the Varus patch and change several ability power items. Riot also plans to buff Master Yi and nerf Ryze's ability to tank and deal damage at the same time. Dota 2 released an updated user interface designed to take all the pain out of using the courier, and Bloodline Champions revealed its massive $10,000 DreamHack Summer 2012 tournament.

Diablo III revealed the Witch Doctor this week, giving Diablo II necromancer fans a peek at the closest replacement they'll get in the upcoming title. Blizzard's Jay Wilson also confirmed that PvP arenas will be released long before the end of the year. Heroes of Newerth released its new support hero Ellonia, an ice mage whose abilities focus around a stacking slow debuff. Rise of Immortals released a new immortal spotlight video on popular area-effect damage-dealer Netheurgist and encouraged players to start guilds with a contest to win 1,000 prestige points for every guild member.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Hero spotlights and Diablo III confirms PvP arenas in 2012

MassivelyNot So Massively: Hero spotlights and Diablo III confirms PvP arenas in 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III's open beta weekend was a huge success, giving developers the chance to stress test the servers that will be used when the game goes live in just over three weeks. Torchlight II teased fans this week with the release of its official opening trailer, which picks up the story from the end of the first game. Web series Extra Credits ran a special episode this week discussing Firefall's plan to let players work together to push back the map boundaries and unlock new content.

Rise of Immortals rolled out a new guild system in this week's patch and released its new area-effect tank immortal, Shard. Dota 2 added classic hero Brewmaster to the beta roster, and Bloodline Champions began preparing patch 2.4 with its new healer bloodline, Dryad. Wrath of Heroes released a hero spotlight video on melee fighter Bax Dreadtoof, and League of Legends highlighted some awesome fan-made art.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With just less than a month until Diablo III hits the shelves, Blizzard released another 275,000 beta keys into the wild. The share meter on the game's social media microsite also reached 30% this week and unlocked the first three pieces of exclusive content. Meanwhile, Path of Exile celebrated an incredibly successful pre-order campaign, netting over $200,000 in just six days and selling 13 of its $1,000 diamond packages.

In the land of MOBAs, League of Legends looked back on PAX East this week and celebrated some of the incredible costumes that fans turned up in. Dota 2 fixed a few behavioural problems with bots, added the ability to skip straight to kills in a game replay, and brought back the popular Random Draft game mode. Bloodline Champions revealed its new bloodline Dryad, and Rise of Immortals revealed its new crystalline tank immortal Shard. Heroes of Newerth released its third ranged agility hero in a row this week, the unfortunately named Artillery.

Continue reading Not So Massively: PAX East, D3 unlocks, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: PAX East, D3 unlocks, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With five weeks left until Diablo III launches, Blizzard started its pre-launch marketing campaign this week with a new series exploring each of the five classes. This week kicks off with a preview of the Demon Hunter. Meanwhile, Torchlight II revealed details of a new charge bar mechanic designed to keep a rapid pace of action, and dungeon crawler Path of Exile started gearing up for release with some tempting pre-order packages.

Penny Arcade made a guest appearance in League of Legends this week with a special comic introducing upcoming champion Varus. Riot also revealed the next champion due for release, armoured spectral warrior Hecarim. Rise of Immortals got the Penny Arcade treatment this week too when joke character Karapyss the Crabomancer was actually released. Bloodline Champions launched an Easter egg painting contest this week and asked players whether grades should be reset for the current competitive season.

Blacklight: Retribution officially launched this week and celebrated with the release of its first new gun, the heavy assault rifle. Finally, Wrath of heroes released its first hero spotlight video this week, introducing hybrid damage-dealer Nethys.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter

MassivelyNot So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's that time of year again when we all forget to check our calendars and get suckered into believing outrageous April Fool's gags. This week's Not So Massively is a blend of yesterday's joke posts and the week's real news from games that aren't quite MMOs. League of Legends announced a joke 3-D mode, released the winners of the I Heart LoL contest, and delved into the game's North American playerbase as part of the ongoing world tour. Dota 2 added classic hero Lone Druid this week, and Firefall revealed its plans to scale up the beta soon.

Heroes of Newerth launched a new art contest and released its new mobile ganker Blitz, while Bloodline Champions laid on the April Fool's mischief with its Catch the Ranid game mode announcement and plans for a tournament with cheeseburgers for prizes. Rise of Immortals joined in the festivities with the announcement of its new immortal Karapyss the Crabomancer.

Blacklight: Retribution explained its datanode system and released a new troll face taunt, and Diablo III teased players with its joke Zergotchi authenticator. Diablo fansite Diablofans revealed changes to the upcoming game's Inferno mode and wrote a great April Fool's joke about releasing on the Wii. Path of Exile took a step closer to launch with a public stress test this weekend, and Torchlight II revealed the game's pets and announced that the latest build of the game will be playable at PAX East.

Continue reading Not So Massively: April fool's edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: April fool's edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The big announcement we've all been waiting for has finally arrived: Diablo III has a release date! This week the beta was wiped to prepare for launch, and Blizzard's Jay Wilson responded to questions about the cash auction house in hardcore mode. Competing title Path of Exile continued development toward its own release, and Torchlight II gave players a unique look under the hood of the game with a breakdown of item drop statistics. Runic Games congratulated the Diablo team on its release date announcement and published an open letter to fans urging them to just wait a little longer for their Torchlight fix.

In MOBA news, League of Legends revealed its next champion, Lulu, and explored the game's rapidly growing German community. Dota 2 added classic DotA hero Shadow Demon and performed some much-needed tweaks to bots, and Rise of Immortals released the official Azcadelia immortal spotlight. Heroes of Newerth released Gunblade, an original ranged agility carry hero that was been met with some strong disapproval in the community. Blacklight: Retribution's open beta updates continued this week with the release of its Vertigo map, a battleground set in the roofspaces of a sprawling industrial complex.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's competitors speak up and LoL reveals Lulu

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's competitors speak up and LoL reveals Lulu originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgauction-houseAzcadeliabattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadungeon-crawlere-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgermangermanygothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesgunbladehardcorehardcore-modehcheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslollulummofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespoepvppweriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsrmahrmtroiround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamesshadow-demontorchlightvertigovideoMon, 19 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: D3 launches European beta and HoN celebrates 100th hero]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/not-so-massively-d3-launches-european-beta-and-hon-celebrates-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/not-so-massively-d3-launches-european-beta-and-hon-celebrates-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/not-so-massively-d3-launches-european-beta-and-hon-celebrates-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

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League of Legends announced a new photo contest this week and continued its world tour series with a look at the game's French playerbase. Fans have also been preparing for the Intel Extreme Masters world championship. Dota 2 implemented a new co-op matchmaking mode that pits players against bots, and the studio released classic hero Atropos, the Bane Elemental.

The Diablo III beta grew significantly this week with the first round of European invites making its way to potential players. Blizzard confirmed that a big game announcement is almost here and discussed its recent layoff of over 600 employees. Blacklight: Retribution celebrated its open beta this week with a new an impressive new trailer filmed with entirely in-engine footage.

Heroes of Newerth celebrated its 100th hero this week with the gripping intelligence hero Kinesis, who deals massive damage by hurling trees and creeps at foes. Rise of Immortals released its spotlight on Kaos and revealed details of upcoming immortal Azcadelia.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3 launches European beta and HoN celebrates 100th hero

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3 launches European beta and HoN celebrates 100th hero originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgatroposAzcadeliabanebattlenetbeta-invitesbeta-keysblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportsesportesportseuropeeuropeanf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfrancefree-to-playfrenchgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonIntel-Extreme-Mastersintelemkaoskinesisleague-of-legendslolmmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvppweriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamestrailervideoMon, 05 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III expectations, polishing Torchlight II]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-expectations-and-polishing-torchli/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-expectations-and-polishing-torchli/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-expectations-and-polishing-torchli/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

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This week Diablo III's Bashiok caused a stir over a cheeky forum post asking a fan to lower his expectations of the upcoming title. He continues posting rampantly to the forum this week to defend recent game design decisions. Dota 2 delivered its first test build using its new deployment system, and Gaming With Gizmoh raised over $1,000 US for Child's Play with a 24-hour marathon of the beta. League of Legends took a look at its Filipino playerbase, while Heroes of Newerth was struck by a massive exploit that saw the European servers taken offline for days.

Web show Extra Credits teamed up with Red 5 Studios to offer its support for the studio's ambitious development plans for Firefall. The month-long Blacklight: Retribution open beta started today, with the introduction of three beta events with prizes and a new video tutorial for the Heavy Metal map. Rise of Immortals celebrated its first anniversary of unveiling the game to the public this week and offered a sneak peek of its creepy new Immortal Azcadelia. Finally, Torchlight II developer Patrick Blank talks about polishing content and delivers an update on where the team is in development.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III expectations, polishing Torchlight II

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III expectations, polishing Torchlight II originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbashiokbattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpatrick-mackeyperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvppwered-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamessteamvalvevideozombie-studiosMon, 27 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III's rune system and new MOBA heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/not-so-massively-diablo-iiis-rune-system-and-new-moba-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/not-so-massively-diablo-iiis-rune-system-and-new-moba-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/not-so-massively-diablo-iiis-rune-system-and-new-moba-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

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League of Legends discussed the Chinese community this week as part of its World Tour series. Dota 2 delivered three weeks worth of beta updates at once, including a new single draft game mode and matchmaking system. Heroes of Newerth released its latest hero this week, the fire-breathing dragon Draconis, who has massive farming capabilities. Rise of Immortals launched its latest immortal Kaos, a seemingly mortal US Marine lost in the game's fantasy land.

Diablo III took another step toward release this week by finalising a replacement for the scrapped rune stone system and cutting socketable runes from the list of potential features at the same time. Torchlight II teased players with six new screenshots, and Path of Exile discussed the design process behind the game's unique items. Finally, Blacklight: Retribution announced its public open beta, which is due to start next week.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's rune system and new MOBA heroes

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's rune system and new MOBA heroes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgbattlenetbetablacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadraconise-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheroheroes-of-newerthhonimmortalkaosleague-of-legendslolmmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropen-betapath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespoepvppweriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrunerunesrunestonerunic-gamess2s2-gamesskillstl2torchlight-iivideoMon, 20 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Why are all these games still in beta?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/not-so-massively-why-are-all-these-games-still-in-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/not-so-massively-why-are-all-these-games-still-in-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/not-so-massively-why-are-all-these-games-still-in-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

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Dota 2 revealed its latest hero, Clinkz the Bone Fletcher, in this week's beta patch, while the Realm of the Titans beta was rudely interrupted by a security breach that saw thousands of passwords stolen. Blacklight: Retribution's fourth beta phase is now underway, and we have beta keys for those of you who haven't managed to get into it yet. Bloodline Champions celebrated the two-year anniversary of its first beta test this week, and developers revealed details of upcoming bloodline Headhunter.

League of Legends spilled the beans on its brand-new psychotic yordle champion Ziggs, the Hexplosives Expert, this week with a full gameplay reveal, art spotlight and patch preview. Diablo III seems slightly nearer to release this week with the news that Blizzard has cancelled BlizzCon 2012 in order to focus on getting the game to release as soon as possible. Heroes of Newerth player Fatmilk set a new world record by playing the game for 76 hours straight and raised pver $3,700US for charity as a result. Finally, the Rise of Immortals developers discussed the latest immortal, Ukkonen, and other topics in the first part of a new developer podcast series.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Why are all these games still in beta?

MassivelyNot So Massively: Why are all these games still in beta? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgaeria-gamesbattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvppweriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesstunlockstunlock-studiosvalvevideoMon, 30 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: New hero edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/not-so-massively-new-hero-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/not-so-massively-new-hero-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/not-so-massively-new-hero-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

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League of Legends revealed this week that 5% of Taiwan is now playing even though the game only launched there six months ago. We also got an in-depth look at new jungling tank champion Sejuani with a new champion spotlight video. Heroes of Newerth released its own new hero this week with ranged intelligence hero Gravekeeper, and Bloodline Champions teased fans with upcoming bloodline Headhunter.

The Diablo III beta saw some big changes this week to bring the gameplay back into the spirit of its predecessor, Diablo II. Wrath of Heroes began gearing up for its fifth beta session later this week, while Blacklight: Retribution explored the fine art of stealing your enemy's hardsuit in a new video release. Firefall announced its condemnation of the Stop Online Piracy Act this week, adding its name to the list of opposition to the proposed legislation. Finally, Rise of Immortals got a make-over this week with a brand-new logo, launcher and login screen.

Continue reading Not So Massively: New hero edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: New hero edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbattlenetbiowareblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygravekeeperheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmmofpsmobamultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvppweriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesSejuanisteamstunlockstunlock-studiosvideowarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesMon, 23 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: LoL talks Sejuani, D3 drops cash AH in Korea and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/not-so-massively-lol-talks-sejuani-d3-drops-cash-ah-in-korea-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/not-so-massively-lol-talks-sejuani-d3-drops-cash-ah-in-korea-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/not-so-massively-lol-talks-sejuani-d3-drops-cash-ah-in-korea-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

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This week, League of Legends revealed its upcoming tank champion Sejuani, a barbarian from the north who rides a boar and fights with the power of frost. Champion Jax was also completely remastered as part of the Sejuani patch, with his reliance on the dodge skill removed. Rise of Immortals released a champion spotlight on ranged damage-dealer Nyssus, and Firefall released a video of hilarious outtakes from last week's cosplay programme video.

The big news is that Diablo III has finally solved its dispute with the South Korean rating agencies by removing the cash auction house in that country only. Bloodline Champions celebrated its first birthday, and Heroes of Newerth's HoNWars tournament fired up its second season with a $10,000 prize pool. Blacklight Retribution talked tactics in its latest developer diary, highlighting tactical use of the HRV that lets you briefly see enemies through walls. Finally, the latest Wrath of Heroes beta has been extended until tomorrow morning, and End of Nations talked capture points in a new Warfront video devblog.

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL talks Sejuani, D3 drops cash AH in Korea and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL talks Sejuani, D3 drops cash AH in Korea and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbattlenetbiowareblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonjaxleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesSejuanistunlockstunlock-studiostrion-worldsvideowarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesMon, 16 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Hints of a Diablo III release date and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/not-so-massively-hints-of-a-diablo-iii-release-date-and-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/not-so-massively-hints-of-a-diablo-iii-release-date-and-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/not-so-massively-hints-of-a-diablo-iii-release-date-and-more/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

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League of Legends kicked off the competitive year with the closing of 2011's final event and showed off some hilarious fan-made videos this week. Firefall continued its cosplay program video series with the inclusion of Hollywood actor Lee Reherman, and we finally got to see the finished mech suits for the game's signature characters Mourningstar and Typhon.

Has Diablo III's release date been accidentally leaked? This week we saw compelling evidence to suggest that the highly anticipated title has finally got a release date -- and it's not far away! Heroes of Newerth fans foamed at the mouth with Patch 2.5.4's introducing a potentially overpowered new hero but none of the crash fixes or balance tweaks the game desperately needs. Rise of Immortals announced the winners of its holiday competition and released a new spotlight on Ichorr. Finally, Wrath of Heroes announced the next stage of its ongoing beta, which is scheduled to begin this week.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Hints of a Diablo III release date and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: Hints of a Diablo III release date and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's Christmas time, and what better way is there to celebrate than to smash some internet people to bits in your favourite MOBA? League of Legends leads the charge with a gift of 450 RP delivered to every nice player who hasn't been banned in the past two months, and it shows off upcoming champion Victor the Machine Herald. Heroes of Newerth gives all players two free Christmas alt avatars and has a limited-time offer to buy a pack containing every previously released hero for just $10.

Rise of Immortals takes part in Steam's Great Gift Pile promotion that gives you the chance to win discount coupons or free Steam games, and it releases an immortal spotlight on Kavashiir. CrimeCraft: Gang Wars also offers players a Steam prize for playing its festive Snow Brawl game mode. Firefall clarifies the beta process and reminds fans that the game will be "done when it's done," and Torchlight developer Runic Games announces a new armour design contest. Finally, of all the intellectual properties to be made into an online game, did you ever think Doctor Who would make the list? BBC Worldwide has released an open preview of Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, a team-based puzzle game by the makers of Puzzle Pirates and Spiral Knights.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts

MassivelyNot So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assistsbbcbbc-worldwidebrowsercompetitioncompetitive-gamingcontestcrimecrimecraftcrimecraft-gangwarsdotadr-whodr-who-worlds-in-timedungeon-crawlere-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfreefree-to-playheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmobanewsnot-so-massivelynsmpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvpred-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprunic-gamess2s2-gamessteamthree-ringsthree-rings-designtorchlighttorchlight-iivideoviktorMon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Win free Steam games with Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/win-free-steam-games-with-spiral-knights-and-rusty-hearts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/win-free-steam-games-with-spiral-knights-and-rusty-hearts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/win-free-steam-games-with-spiral-knights-and-rusty-hearts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

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If you've been checking out this year's Christmas Steam sales, you'll undoubtedly have seen the Great Gift Pile giveaway. By completing various game achievements and objectives, Steam users unlock prizes that can be anything from a lump of coal to discount vouchers or even a full copy of any game on Steam. There are reports of people winning massive prizes like Skyrim or the Valve complete pack, and even if you just get a lump of coal, it's still a valuable prize; seven lumps can be exchanged for a new random prize, and those left over at the end of the holiday event will count as tickets in a lottery to win a copy of every single game on Steam.

While many of the achievements require the purchase of cheap indie titles, there are several ways to get your hands on a gift from the great pile absolutely free. Checking your Steam inventory page and trading any item with another user will get you two free gifts, and joining the 2011 Holiday Group will net you a third. Two more prizes can be collected by completing the Son of a Nutcracker! achievement in Spiral Knights and the All I Want for Christmas is Sewers achievement in Rusty Hearts, both of which are free-to-play MMOs available through Steam.

Skip past the cut for details on how to beat the Steam gift achievements for Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts, including full walkthrough videos.

Continue reading Win free Steam games with Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts

MassivelyWin free Steam games with Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementachievementsaction-mmoall-i-want-for-christmas-is-sewersanimef2pfantasyfreefree-to-playgiftsgreat-gift-pileguidenewsperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentprizespvppwerise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprusty-heartsson-of-a-nutcrackerspiral-knightssteamthe-great-gft-pilethree-ringsvalvevideowinMon, 26 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST