Massively

E3 2013: Infinite Crisis super-punches MOBA flaws

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, Interviews, Previews, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), MOBA

Are you Marvel or DC? Turbine's hoping that you are partial to the latter, especially considering that the studio wants to rope you in with its DC superhero-themed game, Infinite Crisis. Over a hearty lunch of Kryptonite stew and Flash fries at E3, Massively's Jasmine Hruschak spoke with Creative Director Cardell Kerr, Director of Digital Communications Adam Mersky, and Executive Producer Jeffrey Steefel about the title's development and the IP's fit as a MOBA.

Infinite Crisis draws upon DC's entire multiverse for its inspiration. For non-comic book geeks, the multiverse consists of several often-interacting universes that feature different versions of the same places, superheroes, and events. Ergo, the Batman you know from our world also might have a steampunk alter-ego in the multiverse, or the virtuous Green Lantern of earth might have a post-apocalyptic counterpart as the Atomic Green Lantern. Infinite Crisis takes these heroes from all over the multiverse and tosses them together to see what happens. Hint: It ain't puppy dogs and sunshine parades.

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E3 2013: Infinite Crisis super-punches MOBA flaws originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infinite Crisis shows off the Coast City map

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, Trailers, Video, New Titles, MOBA

Turbine has released a brand new trailer for its closed beta MOBA, Infinite Crisis. This trailer shows off the game's Coast City map, featuring a two-lane-style layout with a top and bottom lane crammed with turrets and an important middle area known as The Wastes.

The map also features control points known as Power Relays that enable a team to gain the patrol view advantage of The Wastes.

You can see the entire Coast City trailer just after the jump.

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Infinite Crisis shows off the Coast City map originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Rounding up May's superhero news

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, News Items, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Marvel Heroes, Champions Online, DC Universe Online, A Mild-Mannered Reporter, Infinite Crisis

Today marks the start of a new format for A Mild-Mannered Reporter, but it's a natural segue because this is what I'd be doing anyway. Yes, it's time for a roundup of news, and over the past month, most of the news has been about two superheroic games hitting the "action" button until it falls off. It's all about Marvel Heroes and Infinite Crisis, in other words.

Not that these are the only two games that have been doing things, mind you. Both Champions Online and DC Universe Online have brought out some new content, although the volume differs. But the biggest waves are being made by games emphasizing the punching of villains with extreme prejudice. Or the punching of heroes; it's a fine line.

The point is that there is no finer time to round up superhero news, especially with the return of ComicsAlliance. So let's move on to the roundup, taking it point by point.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Rounding up May's superhero news originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infinite Crisis celebrates closed beta with The Joker

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 08 May 2013 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Video, New Titles, MOBA, Infinite Crisis

Turbine's Infinite Crisis is launching into closed beta today, and to help celebrate, the team has released a new Champion Profile to spotlight The Joker's involvement in the highly anticipated DC Comics-based MOBA.

We've seen everyone from Cesar Romero to Heath Ledger play the part of The Joker, but that evil grin is always there to remind us of just how warped this character really is. In the game, The Joker is equipped with explosive dolls and boxing glove-adorned rocket launchers to keep you on your toes.

Be sure to check out the highlight video featuring The Joker just after the jump, and sign up for closed beta if you haven't already.

[Source: Warner Brothers press release]

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Infinite Crisis celebrates closed beta with The Joker originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 May 2013 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony invests in cloud-streaming with purchase of Gaikai

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous

The gaming cloud company Gaikai, which partnered with Warner Bros. Interactive last March to stream an hour of gameplay in two different AAA games and more recently was in the news for partnering with En Masse to offer an instant streaming version of TERA's demo, was just acquired by Sony for the sum of $380 million.

What does this mean for the company with numerous games across different platforms? Sony Computer Entertainment President Andrew House explains that the company "will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices."

For more insight into the realm of cloud-streaming MMOs, check out Massively's look at Gaikai and browser-based gaming.

Sony invests in cloud-streaming with purchase of Gaikai originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Brendan Drain — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Comics, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Firefall

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

Not 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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LotRO and DDO coming to a cloud near you

Brianna Royce — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Business Models, Launches, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser

Cloud-based gaming service Gaikai, Inc. and Warner Bros. Interactive have just announced a plan to stream Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online gameplay via browser. Players will be able to feed their impulse gaming by hopping into both hybrid free-to-play MMOs without any lengthy downloads or huge installations. According to a press release distributed today,

Gamers can try The Lord of the Rings Online now, with Dungeons & Dragons Online to follow soon [...] via a simple one-step registration process that will provide them instant access to try the full version of the award-winning, free-to-play massively multiplayer experiences.

A Turbine FAQ further clarifies that this service provides only one hour of gameplay. [Thanks to reader Mr. Angry for the heads up.]

This marks the first MMO streaming Gaikai will have undertaken; its streaming portfolio includes non-MMO games like Spore, Mass Effect 2, and The Sims 3.

[Source: Warner Bros. and Gaikai, Inc. press release]

LotRO and DDO coming to a cloud near you originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Is Pottermore the upcoming Harry Potter MMO?

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: New Titles, Rumors, Miscellaneous

The Harry Potter fan base was abuzz yesterday as a mysterious new website was launched. The site itself is rather bare, merely sporting the words "Pottermore: Coming Soon" and J.K. Rowling's signature underneath, but there's reason to believe that this may be connected to an online game.

It gets interesting when you look at Pottermore's trademark page, which lists the trademark as being owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and describes the product as follows:

Providing multiple-user access to a global computer information network; providing on-line chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for transmission of messages among users in the field of general interest; providing on-line communications links which transfer the web site user to other local and global web pages; providing on-line facilities for real-time interaction with other computer users concerning topics of general interest.

The Guardian notes that Pottermore could stand for "Potter Multiplayer Online Role-playing Experience," among other things. An editor at HPANA was one of the few to get a glimpse of the full site, commenting, "It is breathtaking in scope, detail and sheer beauty." Meanwhile, on YouTube's JKRowlingAnnounces channel, a timer is counting down to an announcement as to why "the owls are gathering" sometime on the 23rd.

Of course, a Harry Potter MMO has been heavily rumored for some time now, perhaps in association with Turbine (which is owned by WB). It's a tenuous connection but a possibility as well, so we'll be keeping our eyes on the site to see what transpires!

[Thanks to reader Alen for the tip!]

Rumor: Is Pottermore the upcoming Harry Potter MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, The Matrix Online, The Game Archaeologist

It's not every year that a movie comes along that captures the pop culture zeitgeist so powerfully and so quickly as The Matrix did. I recall lugging a few college friends along to see this in 1999 -- having heard only a few sparse details about it beforehand -- and coming out of the theater feeling as if we we'd been electrified. The bold mix of science fiction, martial arts, philosophy, action, and leather ensembles became the smash hit of the year, and a franchise was born.

And while we had great hopes that this would be this generation's Star Wars, The Matrix ultimately proved to be a lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon, impossible to recapture once unleashed. Sequels, animated shorts, video games, comic books -- none rose to the height of the original film, and eventually the franchise petered out.

During this period, an odd duck of an MMO was born: The Matrix Online. When you think about it, an online virtual world where people log in and fight against programs was a really short hop from the movie series. MxO, as it was abbreviated, was an audacious game with unique features, story-centric gameplay and a sci-fi bent in a field of fantasy competitors, and while it only lasted four years, it was enough to make a huge impression for its community.

So by popular demand, this month we're going to revisit the 1s and 0s of The Matrix Online to see just how deep the rabbit hole (and well-worn cliche) goes -- and what made this game stand out!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights

The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Why a Harry Potter MMO makes sense

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

The idea of a Harry Potter MMO is hardly a new one at this point -- we've even speculated on it around Massively for years now. Rumors and wishful thinking have brought up this hypothetical MMO time and again, and for good reason: It simply makes sense.

In fact, the more you think about it, the more surprising it is that we haven't heard official word of a Harry Potter MMO by now. After doing some poking around, the most likely suspects to take on this project would either be Warner Bros. (which owns the rights to the franchise) or Electronic Arts (which purchased a license from WB to make the movie video games). Both companies have MMO studios at their command -- Turbine, BioWare, Mythic -- and both have the resources to make it happen.

So why does Harry Potter make perfect sense for MMO-adaptation? Hit the jump and I'll run you down the top 10 reasons! And if you post a positive comment after this column, I'll add five points to the house of your choice (go Hufflepuff!).

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Why a Harry Potter MMO makes sense

The Perfect Ten: Why a Harry Potter MMO makes sense originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DC Universe Online: Launch-day roundup

Larry Everett — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Galleries, Screenshots, Events (Real-World), Launches, New Titles, DC Universe Online

Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the launch of DC universe Online! Hopefully, you've already pre-ordered the game and have the loadscreen in front of you right now. If not, perhaps you will soon.

When the game was first announced back in July of 2008, Sony Online Entertainment CEO John Smedley said, "I think for the first time, people are going to feel like there's a superhero game that makes you feel like a superhero." Many fans agree. DCUO is one of the first MMOs to use action-game mechanics; it also boasts physics that allow you to interact with the environment. Its character creation screens allow you to build a character intended to be modified as the game progresses. And most importantly, DCUO is the first MMORPG to be launched for both the PlayStation 3 and the PC at the same time.

After the break, we've rounded up some of the best articles, videos, and images to bring you up to speed for today's launch of the game. Massively is also dedicating two new features to this particular game. On Saturdays, the Alter-Ego column will cover the ins and outs of this explosive title. Then on Wednesdays, Massively TV will host a video livestream of the adventure of our DCUO superhero. The game is breaking new ground in the genre. Trust us when we say that we want to be there for every minute.

Continue reading DC Universe Online: Launch-day roundup

DC Universe Online: Launch-day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crack a few eggheads on DC Universe Online's Oolong Island

Larry Everett — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Trailers, Video, New Titles, News Items, DC Universe Online

DC Universe Online, Sony Online Entertainment's new action-MMO, has produced one more video to tempt you into joining the heroes of Gotham and Metropolis before tomorrow's launch.

Today, DCUO showcases Oolong Island, a virtual hive of mad scientists and living metal men. Dr. T. O. Morrow conducts his evil experiments on the secret island base -- well, it's not so secret now. But that's not all! T. O. Morrow is just a puppet. The true mastermind is that awful orb, Chang Tzu. Tzu will use all his tyrannical technology to try to overpower you and your friends. The action-packed video raises many questions, but most importantly, it asks: How many takes did Chris Cao, the Game Director and narrator for the video, go through until he was able to say "robotic, super-egg mastermind" with straight face?

Get all your ordering information from the DC Universe Online official website.

Continue reading Crack a few eggheads on DC Universe Online's Oolong Island

Crack a few eggheads on DC Universe Online's Oolong Island originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DC Universe Online sets pricing and new launch date

Larry Everett — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Launches, New Titles, DC Universe Online

After a much needed push-back from the original launch date of November 2nd, Sony Online Entertainment has set a new launch date for DC Universe Online. We announced a rumored launch-date move yesterday. And today, SOE has confirmed that its new action-MMO will launch on January 11th, 2011. Game Director Chris Cao sent along this statement: "Creating DC Universe Online has been a massive undertaking, and we're excited to be that much closer to launch. We're grateful to our beta players for providing us invaluable feedback in these final stages that has enabled us to put the finishing touches on a fun and exciting experience when the game launches in January."

The superhero game will launch simultaneously on the PC and Sony PlayStation 3 with the MSRP of US$49.99 and US$59.99 respectively. Purchase of the game grants one month free, after which a subscription costs US$14.99 monthly. PC customers will be able to take advantage of a US$29.99 StationAccess subscription which allows access to all current SOE games.

Don't miss our launch-announcement interview with the DCUO creators coming soon!

DC Universe Online sets pricing and new launch date originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Enedwaith Exploration Expo

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, Previews, Free-to-Play, The Road to Mordor

E3 is always an exciting time full of announcements, reveals and hundreds of journalists attempting to leech every last drop of information from crafty studios. It's pretty much insane, and if your head isn't exploding from all of the news, trailers, screenshots and surprises, then I'm going to have to ask you to hand in your gamer card.

For Turbine, this year's E3 has been a crucial moment in the company's history. Not only are we seeing them under the Warner Bros. banner in public, but they had to step up and both defend and build off of the revelation of Lord of the Ring Online's new business model. They were smart not to save the announcement itself for E3, because the gaming public and the press needed a bit of time to both digest the news and get past the initial emotional reaction so they could bring the studio thoughtful questions. Turbine's undoubtedly enjoying its fair share of press coverage at E3 because of this, and that's saying something considering all of the other heavy-hitters like Star Wars: The Old Republic, Final Fantasy XIV and Warhammer 40K that are making appearances.

No matter what your feelings are on the F2P model, Turbine's got a lot more for LotRO gamers than just that -- in fact, they've been bombarding us with so much good new stuff that it's hard to know where to start. So let's take a quick tour through 10 exciting additions and updates to the game that they've revealed.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Enedwaith Exploration Expo

The Road to Mordor: Enedwaith Exploration Expo originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warner Brothers signs distribution deal for LEGO Universe

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, LEGO Universe

Warner Brothers' acquisition of Turbine back in April was big news, but they're not done venturing into MMO territory quite yet.

LEGO and Warner Brothers announced today that they have signed a distribution partnership agreement for LEGO Universe. Under the terms of the agreement, Warner Brothers will have exclusive retail distribution rights for the game outside of LEGO channels.

LEGO Digital Vice President Henrik Taudorf Lorensen feels that the Warner Brothers name is a good one to put behind LEGO Universe: "WBIE has tremendous reach as one of the industry's largest full-scale games publishers, which will enable LEGO Universe to access a broader audience of kids and families interested in online gaming."

LEGO Universe is currently in closed beta.

Warner Brothers signs distribution deal for LEGO Universe originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warner Bros. appoints Turbine's new boss

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO Industry

Ever since hearing the news of Turbine's acquisition by Warner Bros. last month, players have been anxiously awaiting a sign of how this might affect Asheron's Call, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online. While answers are still in short supply, now we know who Turbine answers to: Jeff Junge.

Junge was named Senior Vice President of Online Games and Digital Games Platforms by Warner Bros., a new position for the company. He was a key player in the purchase of Turbine, and will now be Turbine's direct boss. Junge has had a lot of influence within Warner Bros. as they moved into the games industry -- he convinced them to invest in OnLive, and led the initiative to purchase other game studios, such as Rocksteady Games and Midway Games.

As one of the largest independent MMO studios is folded into the WB umbrella, we will continue to keep a close eye on the direction Junge and WB will take Turbine in the future. You can read the full press release here.

Warner Bros. appoints Turbine's new boss originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are MMOs becoming too big-budget?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind

When it came out that Warner Bros had purchased Turbine Entertainment, the incident was not always received with smiles, but very few players were surprised. Trends have been set for big titles, budgets have been released, and they paint a picture of games that are further and further removed from the fairly low-cost initial developments that started the industry. Star Wars: The Old Republic could well be one of the most expensive games ever, judging by their alleged expectations for subscribers.

And while all this money produces some gorgeous games, we've seen what happens when a game launches without the numbers to support it. Expectations about performance rise, and the battle for dominance in the MMO market is no little affair -- Electronic Arts, Sony, NCsoft, Square-Enix, and now Warner Bros are throwing quite a bit of money into the ring.

So what do you think about the growing budgets and stakes being thrown into our favorite genre? Is it a good thing that results in better overall games? Or is it choking out smaller studios that have to compete with games that can afford a much larger staff and development team?

The Daily Grind: Are MMOs becoming too big-budget? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine purchased by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Asheron's Call, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO Industry

In news that rocked us back on our heels, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just announced the purchase of Turbine Inc. Previously the largest privately-owned MMO studio in North America, Turbine is now a member of the Time-Warner family. This means that Asheron's Call, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online have been folded into this deal. This comes after a Warner Bros. spending spree, in which they picked up TT Games, the assets of Midway, and a majority stake in Rocksteady Studios.

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Turbine purchased by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talk with DC Universe Online's team this Sunday

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Events (Real-World), Interviews, News Items, DC Universe Online

If you're a fan of the upcoming DC Universe Online and wish there were ways to be more directly heard by the developers -- or to hear more directly from the developers -- your ship has just come in. This Sunday, the developers are holding a special live chat via Facebook, allowing fans the opportunity to talk with them and get updates on the status of the game straight from the source. Game director Chris Cao, senior producer Wes Yanagi, creative director Jens Andersen, and art director Mark Anderson will all be available for questions or speculation.

The best part? All you have to do is become a fan on the official DC Universe Online fan page (again, on Facebook) to take part in the chat. Running from 6 PM to 9 PM EST (3 PM to 6 PM PST), it should be a great opportunity to chat with developers about the state of the game and how it's coming along. So mark the spot down on your calendars, and keep your eyes on the fan page for more details on connecting as the event arrives.

Talk with DC Universe Online's team this Sunday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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