Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Who the heck uses Raptr and Xfire?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/07/the-daily-grind-who-the-heck-uses-raptr-and-xfire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/07/the-daily-grind-who-the-heck-uses-raptr-and-xfire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/07/the-daily-grind-who-the-heck-uses-raptr-and-xfire/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Raptr
Every month or so, we hear from Raptr and Xfire publicists that such-and-such a game is now ranked number one on that platform and 80 bajillion people total are gaming while logged into said tracking service. And at least once a week, commenters will inform us that one MMO or another is pure fail because its Raptr numbers have trailed off, which is usually followed up with a "shut up; no one uses Raptr" or something similar.

I'm not saying social media is useless; I know it's a factor in predicting market penetration and even Kickstarter success. But I do have to wonder: Who the heck actually does use Raptr and Xfire? Do you? Do you know anyone who does? Is this a thing MMO players avoid because they can already spam their achievements inside games or using Twitter plugins? Do you use them to tell you how much you really play games? How useful do you think these platforms' data are in discussions about MMO numbers?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Who the heck uses Raptr and Xfire? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Feb 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgdaily-grindopinionraptrsocial-mediatdgthe-daily-grindxfireFri, 07 Feb 2014 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/the-anvil-of-crom-thanksgiving-leftovers-and-whats-new-in-hybo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/the-anvil-of-crom-thanksgiving-leftovers-and-whats-new-in-hybo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/the-anvil-of-crom-thanksgiving-leftovers-and-whats-new-in-hybo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - angry man banner
What's up, Age of Conan fans? Hopefully all of you had an overindulgent Thanksgiving (I'm picturing clusters of barbarians hunched around roaring campfires, gnawing the blackened meat off the bones of whatever game animal happened to pass by).

For my part, I spent the last couple of days avoiding work, gaining weight, and catching up on recent news from Funcom's Hyboria. I've been a bit distracted with various online shooters lately, but I always find myself coming back to AoC because of its unique fantasy world and rough-and-tumble themepark mechanics. Join me after the break for a few recent tidbits that piqued my interest.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Thanksgiving leftovers and what's new in Hyboria originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.13.1-patchage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-soundtrackaoc-unchainedcape-of-bottomless-thirstconandrinking-capef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhyboriainterviewknut-avenstroup-haugenknut-haugenmusicnews-roundupopinionroundupsavage-coast-of-turanscoresiegesiege-performancesoundtrackthe-anvil-of-cromxfireSun, 27 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wargaming.net dangling World of Warplanes alpha tester carrots]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/wargaming-net-dangling-world-of-warplanes-alpha-tester-carrots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/wargaming-net-dangling-world-of-warplanes-alpha-tester-carrots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/09/wargaming-net-dangling-world-of-warplanes-alpha-tester-carrots/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

World of Warplanes - P39
Think you've got the right stuff to be a World of Warplanes alpha tester? Well, you may have it, but you'll also need to have a strong stomach when it comes to installing third-party apps on your computer.

Wargaming.net has thrown open the application process for its upcoming World War II aviation MMO, and would-be testers will need to install both Overwolf and Xfire on their gaming rigs. A news blurb on the official World of Tanks website spills the beans, and Wargaming.net says that the aim of the test is to "discover how functional and comfortable these programs are for you."

In addition to the alpha tester position, the devs are also dangling some sort of "special award" carrot. We're not sure whether it's an in-game title, ability, or other perk, but we do know that simply signing up doesn't guarantee you access to the testing phase. There's also a questionnaire that needs filling out, and "those of you who [...] provide [the] most detailed and descriptive answers will be awarded with the chance to become alpha testers [for] World of Warplanes!"

MassivelyWargaming.net dangling World of Warplanes alpha tester carrots originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adwarealpha-testeralpha-testingappsbloatwarebriberyf2pfree-to-playoverwolfthird-party-appswargaming.networld-of-warplanesworld-war-2world-war-iiwowpww2wwiixfireFri, 09 Sep 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire offers prizes for playing Age of Conan]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/xfire-offers-prizes-for-playing-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/xfire-offers-prizes-for-playing-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/xfire-offers-prizes-for-playing-age-of-conan/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Xfire's latest giveaway is for Age of Conan players who are members of the Xfire AoC community. Not a member? You're welcome to join them and become eligible to participate in the Play 2 Win contest.

The drawing is divided into three tiers of time so even those who don't have much time to play can get in on the action. The three categories are one hour or more, 25 hours or more, and 50 hours or more. Xfire will draw five winners at random from each tier and give away some pretty nice loot both real and virtual: headsets, mice, in-game upgrade codes, and more.

Play 2 Win is going on now and lasts until May 29th, so you have plenty of time to join -- your membership is your contest entry -- and start playing to whichever tier you prefer. Check out the official rules, and good luck!

MassivelyXfire offers prizes for playing Age of Conan originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomplay-2-winxfireTue, 18 May 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Catch Rise of the Godslayer preview on Xfire]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/catch-rise-of-the-godslayer-preview-on-xfire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/catch-rise-of-the-godslayer-preview-on-xfire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/catch-rise-of-the-godslayer-preview-on-xfire/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you've been waiting for more information or a first look into Funcom's upcoming Age of Conan expansion, Rise of the Godslayer, then you're in luck! This Thursday, April 29th at 12:00pm Pacific (3:00pm Eastern / 9:00PM CET), they're planning on holding a special preview streaming event in conjunction with Xfire to give everyone an early look into the exotic new lands of Khitai.

"Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer is now very close to launch and we are very excited to share our view of the expansion with the world through Xfire," says Game Director and Executive Producer Craig Morrison.

All you'll have to do to catch the preview is to point your browser at the main Xfire site at the time mentioned above, sit back, and enjoy the tour. The game's developers will be taking players along as they adventure through some of the new content, offering a chance to see lands and sights as yet unexperienced. There is also a plan to do a question and answer session after the preview as well. If you've been waffling on picking up the expansion, it sounds like a great way to figure out if it belongs on your "must pick up" list -- or to ask any questions about Age of Conan that you may have.

MassivelyCatch Rise of the Godslayer preview on Xfire originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccraig-morrisonexpansionfuncompreviewrise-of-the-godslayerrotgxfireTue, 27 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Dominion dev tour streaming in live video at Xfire, December 17]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/16/eve-dominion-dev-tour-streaming-in-live-video-at-xfire-december/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/16/eve-dominion-dev-tour-streaming-in-live-video-at-xfire-december/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/16/eve-dominion-dev-tour-streaming-in-live-video-at-xfire-december/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


CCP Games and Xfire have teamed up for a live video broadcast this week, a guided developer walkthrough of the Dominion expansion for EVE Online. You can tune in on December 17th at 12:00pm PDT to view the video stream on Xfire's site.

The video broadcast coincides with a contest Xfire is running, details of which can also be found on the Xfire site. The prizes look good -- up to a year of EVE game time, an iPod Nano, and a Razer Naga mouse. Entering Xfire's "EVE 'til EVE" contest, which runs December 15-31, entails signing up to join their game community.

UPDATE: The video broadcast is cancelled due to technical difficulties. Instead there will be a live text chat at 12:00pm PDT (20:00 GMT/UTC) with CCP Soundwave and CCP Guard. You'll need Xfire installed to follow along, with "Chatteox" added to your friends list to check it out.

MassivelyEVE Dominion dev tour streaming in live video at Xfire, December 17 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescontestsdev-tourdev-walkthroughdominioneveeve-onlineeve-til-eveexpansionssci-fivideoxfireWed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What's to come in Rise of the Godslayer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/whats-to-come-in-rise-of-the-godslayer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/whats-to-come-in-rise-of-the-godslayer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/whats-to-come-in-rise-of-the-godslayer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Tigers, PvP, corruption, and more are coming with Age of Conan's next expansion, Rise of the Godslayer. Xfire has hosted a sneak peek live broadcast hosted by game director Craig Morrison and lead expansion designer Joel Bylos, and the two have shown off some of the inner workings of the expansion, including some of the changes and additions players will find.

We here at Massively were watching closely and taking notes, so if you didn't get the chance to watch the video then no worries! As we said before, we have your back and we're ready to take you headlong into the blood and corruption of Age of Conan's expansion.

Continue reading What's to come in Rise of the Godslayer

MassivelyWhat's to come in Rise of the Godslayer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbattlefieldclosed-betacraig-morrisondig-sitesexpansionexplorationfuncomjoel-byloskhitaimonster-aipreviewpvprise-of-the-godslayerscholars-of-chenghoshrinestamarain-tigersxfireMon, 07 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reminder: Rise of the Godslayer preview today at 3 PM ET]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/reminder-rise-of-the-godslayer-preview-today-at-3-pm-et/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/reminder-rise-of-the-godslayer-preview-today-at-3-pm-et/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/07/reminder-rise-of-the-godslayer-preview-today-at-3-pm-et/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's been a few days since we announced it, so we thought we'd be a kind website and drop you a friendly reminder that you can catch a preview of Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer today on Xfire at 3 PM.

Today's streaming preview will be composed entirely of features and areas from the new expansion, played by the developers themselves. The presentation will last about an hour and will be streamed entirely from the Xfire site, so no need to rapidly re-install Xfire if you're looking to watch. Just go to the page at a little before 3 PM, watch the video, and chat live with other viewers.

If you can't make it, don't feel like you're missing out! We'll be putting up a synopsis of what went on in the presentation after it ends to keep you in the loop. So don't fear, we've got your backs!

MassivelyReminder: Rise of the Godslayer preview today at 3 PM ET originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocdeveloper-previewfuncomlivepresentationpreviewrise-of-the-godslayerstreaming-videoxfireMon, 07 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan offers streaming expansion demo Monday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/04/age-of-conan-offers-streaming-expansion-demo-monday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/04/age-of-conan-offers-streaming-expansion-demo-monday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/04/age-of-conan-offers-streaming-expansion-demo-monday/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


If you're playing Age of Conan, the odds that you're looking forward to the upcoming Rise of the Godslayer expansion are... pretty much one to one. The news on the expansion has been fairly slow in coming since its announcement earlier this year, but it looks like we're due for a big burst of new information on Monday. Funcom has announced that the developers will be hosting a streaming demo of the game on December 7th via Xfire.

The demo, hosted by game director Craig Morrison and the expansion lead designer Joel Bylos, will begin at noon PST (3 PM for those of us on the other coast). Scheduled to last for an hour, it promises to cover both the content in the demo -- which is all slated to be new material -- as well as the expansion in general, which is targeted for release in the first half of 2010. Both the developers and their hosts at Xfire are excited about the chance to show off a live demo, and odds that the game's playerbase is excited are, again, probably one in one. So clear some time to catch the broadcast on Monday, and see what's in store for Age of Conan as it journeys into the eastern empire of Khitai.

[ via WarCry ]

MassivelyAge of Conan offers streaming expansion demo Monday originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccraig-morrisondemoexpansionsfuncomjoel-byloslive-deompreviewsrise-of-the-godslayerstreaming-demovideoxfireFri, 04 Dec 2009 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine and Xfire think you need a new computer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/turbine-and-xfire-think-you-need-a-new-computer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/turbine-and-xfire-think-you-need-a-new-computer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/turbine-and-xfire-think-you-need-a-new-computer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

They want to give you one. No, really. At the beginning of last week Xfire and Turbine announced that they were teaming up to offer prizes for joining the Xfire community and playing Dungeons and Dragons Online.

There's still time to get in on the contest. The requirements for entering are pretty easy: join the Dungeons and Dragons Online Official XFire Community and play DDO while signed into Xfire. The prizes are divided into four categories, and your prize category is determined by how many hours you play between now and November 2nd. Playing 50 hours puts you in the drawing for a 24-inch widescreen monitor and a new computer with a generous helping of bells and whistles or a shiny new graphics card. Playing 25 hours puts you in the prize category for a 23-inch widescreen monitor. If you're short on time, one hour of playtime will put you in a drawing for 1500 Turbine Points, and who doesn't love a virtual gift card?

In all 33 people will be chosen to win, so look here for details, here for those pesky rules, and here for the Xfire DDO community. Good luck!

MassivelyTurbine and Xfire think you need a new computer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitycontestcontestsddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineturbinexfireMon, 26 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Still time to enter the Xfire Age of Conan video contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/18/still-time-to-enter-the-xfire-age-of-conan-video-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/18/still-time-to-enter-the-xfire-age-of-conan-video-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/18/still-time-to-enter-the-xfire-age-of-conan-video-contest/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Like brutality, blood, buxom babes, or bizarre stunts? How about free stuff? Now what if we told you that your deft skill with creating and recording the first in Age of Conan could get you the second? Thought that might get your interest. It turns out our friends over at Xfire are currently holding a video capture contest that offers some really excellent prizes for the players who are able to catch video of some serious Age of Conan fun! The three categories are "Best PvP", "best death (or near-death)" and "misc" which could be any crazy thing you can come up with. (Another video like the horse punting people off bridges perhaps?)

While the contest started earlier this week, there's still lots of time to get an entry in and take a shot at winning some of the excellent prizes up for grabs, like the 120gb solid-state drive, the 6gig triple-channel RAM, and even lifetime subscriptions for Age of Conan! If you don't have video capture equipment, have no fear - apparently that's in the Xfire client. So if this sounds like something you'd like to take a shot at, why not head on over to the Xfire contest site and check out all the details. We're looking forward to seeing all the crazy videos people capture.

MassivelyStill time to enter the Xfire Age of Conan video contest originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccontestfuncompvpvideoxfireSat, 18 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan offers chat and prizes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/chat-with-the-age-of-conan-developers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/chat-with-the-age-of-conan-developers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/chat-with-the-age-of-conan-developers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


With the current 7-day free trial going for Age of Conan and DX10 working, eyes are starting to turn back to Funcom's brutal and bloody MMO set in Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age. If you've been on the fence about popping back in to play again, Funcom and Xfire have sweetened the deal for you with some really cool prizes for logging time in Age of Conan. You can log as little as one hour, or 50+ hours, depending on which package you'd like to take a try at. Some of the goodies up for grabs range from a free lifetime subscription to Age of Conan to cool gaming keyboards, to in-game items for your character.

Added to that, Funcom are holding an upcoming chat with the Xfire community on the 10th at 5pm EDT. As an added bonus for those who are interested in attending, they're offering five lucky winners who attend the chat a copy of Age of Conan, a free one-year subscription, and a pile of in-game goodies. So if you are enjoying the updated Hyborian homelands, head over to Xfire and get registered to win some gaming goodness.

MassivelyAge of Conan offers chat and prizes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocchatcontestfuncominterviewswagxfireMon, 06 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Expectations of quality?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/25/the-daily-grind-expectations-of-quality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/25/the-daily-grind-expectations-of-quality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/25/the-daily-grind-expectations-of-quality/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Yesterday, I had the opportunity to participate in the Xfire Debate Club, which was really quite cool. A lot of fantastic questions were asked, but one in particular struck me as more of a community question than just a question for those of us who were in attendance from the various media/gaming companies. That question was whether or not there was more of an expectation of quality from players of subscription games than there is from free to play titles. Most of us answered that it used to be the case, but with games like Guild Wars in the market, and other strong titles coming all the time, it seemed to be less and less the case. After all, if a game isn't quality, people won't stick around, most of us reasoned.

This morning, I wanted to come back and ask you, our Massively community, just what you thought about that? Do you feel that there's more of an expectation of quality in a subscription game, or do you also see free to play games moving into the quality space more and more, breaking down those expectations? Do you think that there will ever be a level playing field between subscription and F2P games? Why or why not?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Expectations of quality? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityfree-to-playperceptionsqualitysubscriptionxfirexfire-debate-clubWed, 25 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire free to play vs subscription MMO debate today]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/24/xfire-free-to-play-vs-subscription-mmo-debate-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/24/xfire-free-to-play-vs-subscription-mmo-debate-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/24/xfire-free-to-play-vs-subscription-mmo-debate-today/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you were a follower of the Xfire Debate Club before you'll be glad to hear that they're starting the Debate Club back up again, as of today. That's right, at 5pm EST / 2pm PST (22:00 GMT) today, you can join a group of MMO journalists, developers, and other industry insiders as we debate the ins and outs of free to play vs subscription models.

Some of the many points that will undoubtedly come up over the course of the Xfire debate are:
  • Free sounds good, but what are the trade-offs?
  • Does quality or quantity matter more?
  • Is one business model more sustainable than the other?
  • With Free 2 Play games becoming such a driving force, where do you see MMOs going in general?
I'll be there to speak as part of the Massively team, but we'll be fielding some questions from those who show up to participate as well. Among the other guests are Cody Bye from Ten Ton Hammer, Randall Price from ArenaNet, Arend Stührmann from CCP, Christian Wehrlin from Games Masters, Josh Sell from Aeria Games, Adam Mersky from Turbine, Fred White from YNK Interactive, and Tony Colafrancesco from MMO Life as special guest moderator.

With such a great group of panelists to debate this with, it should prove to be an interesting and lively discussion. So be sure to grab a copy of the Xfire client if you haven't already, and come by to discuss the future of MMOs with us!

MassivelyXfire free to play vs subscription MMO debate today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-merskyarend-stuhrmannchristian-wehrlincody-byefred-whitefree-to-playgamesmmommorpgrandall-pricesubscriptiontony-colafrancescoxfirexfire-debateTue, 24 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you use integrated voice chat?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/the-daily-grind-do-you-use-integrated-voice-chat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/the-daily-grind-do-you-use-integrated-voice-chat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/the-daily-grind-do-you-use-integrated-voice-chat/#commentsFiled under: ,

Integrated voice chat is becoming a default feature of many newer MMOs, and it's even been retrofitted into our older games, like EverQuest II and World of Warcraft. It's like power steering on a new car; you almost can't remember a time before it was standard. Games like Dungeons and Dragons Online were among the first to offer the feature, while others soon followed suit.

Personally, I find myself sticking with programs like Ventrilo or TeamSpeak to run my voice chat. Even in Lord of the Rings Online, I find myself turning off the IVC to use TeamSpeak with my kinship. So the important question here is: What do you prefer? Does integrated voice chat cause your game to lag, or any other performance problems? Do you just prefer Vent or TS (or Skype, or Xfire, etc) because you're used to it from before it became integrated? Let us know!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you use integrated voice chat? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiointegrated-voice-chatskypeteamspeakthe-daily-grindventrilovoice-chatxfireFri, 06 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire contest rewards you for playing Lord of the Rings Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/28/xfire-contest-rewards-you-for-playing-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/28/xfire-contest-rewards-you-for-playing-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/28/xfire-contest-rewards-you-for-playing-lord-of-the-rings-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Xfire and Turbine are teaming up to offer a Lord of the Rings "Play 2 Win" event. Gamers playing either the full game or its demo, and who've joined the Official Xfire Lord of the Rings Online Clan, are eligible to win prizes in the contest. The time you spend logged in determines your prize eligibility, if you're selected:

  • Gold Level Prizes (50 hours +): Ten winners each get a 6-month subscription, in-game Bree horse mount, and a LotRO t-shirt.
  • Silver Level Prizes (15-49 hours): Ten winners each get a 3-month subscription, and a LotRO t-shirt.
  • Bronze Level Prizes (under 15 hours): Ten winners each get a 30-day subscription.
The contest runs from January 28th to February 11th. You can check out the rest of the details of The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Play 2 Win Event on the official Xfire site.

MassivelyXfire contest rewards you for playing Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chatcontestcontestslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroprizesturbinevirtual-itemsvoicexfireWed, 28 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Raptr founder Dennis Fong discusses the importance of social networking]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/xfire-and-raptr-founder-dennis-fong-discusses-the-importance-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/xfire-and-raptr-founder-dennis-fong-discusses-the-importance-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/xfire-and-raptr-founder-dennis-fong-discusses-the-importance-of/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In the world of social networks for gamers, the competition is certainly growing, Starting with sites like Xfire and branching into more feature-rich services like gamerDNA, any new gaming social networking site would certainly have its work cut out for it.

During a recent interview with Obsessable, Raptr's founder Dennis Fong explains his company's vision in regards to providing more comprehensive features for social gamers. As a co-founder of Xfire, Fong understands gaming trends and the underlying social infrastructure of gamers. "We want to help people to know when their friends are playing games in realtime across multiple platforms." Fong says in the interview. "Our ultimate hope is that literally any platform that games are played on, if someone's playing on it and you're a user on that platform, then you'll know about it through Raptr." Read much more on Fong's vision with Raptr on his extensive interview with Obsessable.

MassivelyRaptr founder Dennis Fong discusses the importance of social networking originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dennis-fonggamerdnainterviewobsessableraptrsocial-networkingxfireWed, 10 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire's WotLK "Race to 80" contest registration extended until tomorrow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/xfires-wotlk-race-to-80-contest-registration-extended-until-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/xfires-wotlk-race-to-80-contest-registration-extended-until-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/05/xfires-wotlk-race-to-80-contest-registration-extended-until-t/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Ready! Set! Grind!

The folks at Xfire have announced a 2-day extension to their "Race to 80" contest for the upcoming World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. This contest will reward the first player to hit level 80 in Blizzard's newest WoW expansion, with a high-end gaming PC as the grand prize.

Haven't heard of this contest yet? Head on over to their official rules page to check out all the info you'll need and register before tomorrow for a chance at the grand prize. Not only will this be an exciting event for the contestants, but Xfire members will actually be able to watch the race, listen to the shoutcast and discuss the race in their dedicated chat rooms as it all unfolds.

MassivelyXfire's WotLK "Race to 80" contest registration extended until tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestlevel-80raceworld-of-warcraftwotlkwrath-of-the-lich-kingxfireWed, 05 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire's Age of Conan statistics eschew easy classification]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/xfire-age-of-conan-statistics-eschew-easy-classification/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/xfire-age-of-conan-statistics-eschew-easy-classification/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/xfire-age-of-conan-statistics-eschew-easy-classification/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's an interesting time for Age of Conan. On the surface, their monumental first month and record sales numbers give the appearance of a solid new contender in the MMO sphere. At the same time, the bug problems and vacuous end-game has reportedly left many players heading for greener pastures. Fanboys and detractors alike have been looking for some sort of indication of how the game is faring as it moves into its second month of operation. One metric that's been tossed about recently is the Age of Conan usage data for Xfire users over the past month.

On the surface, the numbers look less than optimistic. From a peak of about 80,000 player hours around the time of launch, the game is hovering around in the mid-30's this weekend. This data may be less than helpful for a number of reasons, however. For one, we don't have reliable trend data about how similar games like Lord of the Rings Online (which pulled in a quarter of the minutes played per day over the same period) have fared immediately post-launch, and we don't know how reliable a sample Xfire users actually are. Still, expect these numbers to continue to be bandied about as proof of one thing or another.

MassivelyXfire's Age of Conan statistics eschew easy classification originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomlaunchlord-of-the-ringsstatisticsusage-statisticsxfireSun, 06 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire to broadcast WoW's Sunwell Plateau raid live]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/xfire-to-broadcast-wows-sunwell-plateau-raid-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/xfire-to-broadcast-wows-sunwell-plateau-raid-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/xfire-to-broadcast-wows-sunwell-plateau-raid-live/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


This Wednesday at noon (EDT), Xfire will run a live broadcast of a raid in World of Warcraft's top instance -- the Sunwell Plateau. The raid will be performed by famous uberguild Nihilum, and the broadcast will run on the Dyyno technology.

This is the second raid broadcast by Xfire, but this time around advances in technology enable a higher number of viewers and better quality. Up to 4,000 people may tune in. Four different points of view will be provided -- those of a Warrior, a Hunter, a Druid, and a Warlock. The raid is expected to last between three and four hours. To watch, you'll have to head over to Xfire's website and install both the Xfire client and the Dyyno plugin.

What do you think, readers? Pro-level raiding as a spectator sport? Is that something you're actually intrigued by, or does it sound like a terrible waste of time? We're skeptical, but maybe we're just not as l33t as j00.

MassivelyXfire to broadcast WoW's Sunwell Plateau raid live originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbroadcastdruiddyynohunterlivenihilumraidraidingstreamingstreamssunwell-plateauvideowarlockwarriorworld-of-warcraftwowxfireMon, 23 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How easily can your account be hacked?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/how-easily-can-your-account-be-hacked/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/how-easily-can-your-account-be-hacked/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/how-easily-can-your-account-be-hacked/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You've probably heard the stories before. A friend's roommate's cousin once got his WoW account hacked. The hacker took all of his character's items and gold, and left a few naked, violated characters to fend for themselves. It conjures the same feelings as coming home to find your house has been broken into, or walking out to the driveway in the morning to find your car is gone.

There has been a recent phenomenon of hacked accounts lately, more than ever. WoW had a recent problem with Xfire, and several people got their accounts hacked. The leader of Rebel Rising [rawr], one of the top PvP guilds in Guild Wars just got their account hacked and the hacker disbanded the entire [rawr] alliance and deleted the guild. This is a guild that had worked for years to establish itself in the GW PvP community, including its very own tournament cup named after them. But the fact that it can all go away so easily, as it did from one hacker, makes us aware of the inherent dangers and vulnerabilities we face in this environment.

Continue reading How easily can your account be hacked?

MassivelyHow easily can your account be hacked? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 May 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guild-warshackedhacked-accounthackerprotectionrawrxfireTue, 27 May 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Welcome ArenaNet's newest Community Manager]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/welcome-arenanets-newest-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/welcome-arenanets-newest-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/08/welcome-arenanets-newest-community-manager/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In what seems a continuing stream of Guild Wars community news coverage by us in the past week, we have yet another tidbit concerning their newest Community Manager. Regina Buenaobra has taken the reins over at ArenaNet, after Gaile Gray was promoted within the company earlier this week.

Regina, also known as Brinstar over at her blog Acid for Blood, has been blogging about Guild Wars and other games for several years now. Before this recent move, she was the Community Manager for Xfire, so she does have experience in this context. She lists her main character as a Necromancer/Mesmer, which certainly gets her some cool points in our book. We wish her all the best in her new position and her new move from California to Washington.

MassivelyWelcome ArenaNet's newest Community Manager originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netarenanetcommunityguild-warsxfireTue, 08 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08 Highlights: The future of Virtual Worlds and the end of GDC08]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/gdc08-highlights-the-future-of-virtual-worlds-and-the-end-of-gd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/gdc08-highlights-the-future-of-virtual-worlds-and-the-end-of-gd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/02/gdc08-highlights-the-future-of-virtual-worlds-and-the-end-of-gd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


The Future of MMOs

The Future of MMOs panel liveblog

Team Massively was there to live blog one of the most anticipated panels of GDC08. On it were a few names you might have heard of, like Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert, Nexon's Min Kim, BioWare's Ray Muzyka, and Rob Pardo (who has apparently worked on some sort of popular fantasy game). We blogged a blow-by-blow account of the jabs, cuts, and parries from these Massive genre heavyweights.

Gallery: GDC08: The Future of MMOs

Continue reading GDC08 Highlights: The future of Virtual Worlds and the end of GDC08

MassivelyGDC08 Highlights: The future of Virtual Worlds and the end of GDC08 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareblizzardcryptic-studiosfuture-of-mmo-panelgdc08gdc08-highlightsgirl-scholarshipjack-emmetmin-kimnetdevilnexonraph-kosterray-muzykarob-pardosoevideo-capturevideo-recordingvoice-chatwil-wrightworlds-in-motionxfireSun, 02 Mar 2008 12:56:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Xfire's video capture beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-xfires-video-capture-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-xfires-video-capture-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/21/gdc08-xfires-video-capture-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We missed this story last month, but our intrepid on-the-ground crew at GDC has found it out for us: Xfire, the PC chat client/game launcher/social networking tool, has introduced a beta video capture module into their application. Taking a cue from sites and services like WeGame, they are using their own video codec (xfcodec, which unfortunately won't work with a few video applications yet), and letting you record video on the fly during any Xfire-enabled game. We're told that a future version will enable you to upload your videos directly to your Xfire profile.

As you can see above, despite YouTube's horrible compression, the video itself doesn't look too bad. And James Woodcock, who took this video, says that while the audio still has a few issues, the video quality before compression is "exceptional." Not everybody is thrilled -- the client can sometimes cause lag and drop frames -- but Xfire says they want to hear about any issues you have. Anyone tried it yet?

MassivelyGDC08: Xfire's video capture beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betacapturegdc08gdc08fanboylagqualityvideowegamexfireyoutubeThu, 21 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire notes slump in PC playtime, dubs it "Halo 3 effect"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/xfire-notes-slump-in-pc-playtime-dubs-it-halo-3-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/xfire-notes-slump-in-pc-playtime-dubs-it-halo-3-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/xfire-notes-slump-in-pc-playtime-dubs-it-halo-3-effect/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


If ever there was an industry prone to cannibalism, it would be the games industry. If gamers aren't playing one game, chances are it's because another game has captured their attention with its siren song. According to data by Xfire and reported by Gamesindustry.biz, hours played by subscribers to its service did not pick in October as expected. July and August are typically slow months for PC games, as many players take the rare opportunity to go outside and many also make the move to college during that period. But instead of rising again as the seasons changed, October numbers actually continued to fall. They've chosen to dub this the "Halo 3 effect," as Microsoft's hit shooter sent shock waves not just through the game industry, but through the larger entertainment business as well, reportedly stunting sales of moving ticket sales through that period as well.

Xfire has a subscriber base over 8 million strong, so while they might not be the perfect indicator of larger trends in the game industry, they're certainly one of the best representative samples available. World of Warcraft continued to dominate the overall numbers, with 332,139 hours played during October, beating out perennial PC favorites Call of Duty 2 and Counterstrike: Source. The rest of the MMO crowd ambled behind, with EVE Online being the second most popular massive game, followed by Lord of the Rings Online, Lineage II, and Star Wars Galaxies.

It makes you wonder what would happen if the rumored Halo MMO comes to fruition.

MassivelyXfire notes slump in PC playtime, dubs it "Halo 3 effect" originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evehalohalo-3hours-playedlineagelotropc-gameswowxfireThu, 15 Nov 2007 13:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Xfire chats with Hellgate devs, transcript online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/xfire-chats-with-hellgate-devs-transcript-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/xfire-chats-with-hellgate-devs-transcript-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/xfire-chats-with-hellgate-devs-transcript-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For those too busy trick or treating Wednesday night to make it to the chat with the Flagship Studios folks hosted by Xfire, a transcript has been made available online for your viewing pleasure. Word has it that it was the most popular chat session that Xfire has ever hosted, which is no surprise to us, because excitement for Hellgate: London has been off the charts. Among the things that stood out to us during the chat, which featured at least one developer in nearly every area of production, including art, sound, design, graphics, programming and more, was a heavy focus on future content.

One listener complained about the lack of visual diversity in the game, to which graphics programmer Amir Ebrahimi replied, "HGL's dynamic level technology was built with the idea that we'd be extending well into the future. As with any big-budget game today, building environments are costly in terms of man-hours. We've yet to tap the flexibility of our DRLG technology and you'll see more in the future. As we add more areas and tilesets, our designers will be able to mix and match to create new environments for your enjoyment."

The transcript runs over 8000 words in its entirety, so there's a lot of content in there for you hungry Hellgate fans.

MassivelyXfire chats with Hellgate devs, transcript online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flagship-studioshalloweenhellgate-londonHLinterviewtranscriptxfireFri, 02 Nov 2007 15:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Your chance for a live chat with Hellgate developers on Halloween]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/your-chance-for-a-live-chat-with-hellgate-developers-on-hallowee/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/your-chance-for-a-live-chat-with-hellgate-developers-on-hallowee/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/your-chance-for-a-live-chat-with-hellgate-developers-on-hallowee/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


If you're anticipating Hellgate: London amidst its recent controversy, and want to find out more about the game, why not just ask the developers? 1UP.com has posted news that Xfire is hosting a live chat with a team from Hellgate developer Flagship Studios. Listed on the Xfire site, the developers participating in the event will be:
  • Bill Roper, CEO Flagship Studios
  • Aletheia Simonson, Art Producer
  • Bill Manegold, Game Programmer
  • Amir Ebrahimi, Graphics Programmer
  • Guy Somberg, Audio and Gameplay Programmer
To be in with a chance to talk to them, visit Xfire's website and enter your email address. If you're lucky enough to be selected, you'll receive an email from Xfire giving you the details of the chat. It is scheduled for 6pm EDT on October 31st, which as 1UP notes, is the actual release date of Hellgate: London, so chances are if you're a die-hard fan, you will have already been playing the game all day. Oh, and I guess October 31st is Halloween too.

MassivelyYour chance for a live chat with Hellgate developers on Halloween originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill-roperbreakingchatdev-chatdeveloper-chatdevelopersflagshipflagship-studioshalloweenhellgatehellgate-londonlive-chatoctober-31stxfireMon, 29 Oct 2007 20:44:00 EST