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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Ragnarok Online celebrates 10 years with content update 14.2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/ragnarok-online-celebrates-10-years-with-content-update-14-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/ragnarok-online-celebrates-10-years-with-content-update-14-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/07/ragnarok-online-celebrates-10-years-with-content-update-14-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ragnarok Online celebrates 10 years with content update 142
To help celebrate 10 years as an MMO, Ragnarok Online is breaking out with a new update entitled 14.2 Eclage.

This sequel to 2011's Bifrost update introduces new maps, dungeons, foes, equipment, and a continued questline from 14.1. An in-game festival helps celebrate the 10th anniversary with players completing mini-games for prizes.

To join in the festivities, head over to the official site to sign up.

[Source: WarpPortal press release]

MassivelyRagnarok Online celebrates 10 years with content update 14.2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-yearanniversaryeclagepatch-14.2ragnarok-onlinewarpportalFri, 07 Jun 2013 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's birthday, and Star Citizen's new website]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-birthday/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpganniversaryanniversary-eventashebattle-for-graxiabattlenetbirthdayblizzardblizzard-entertainmentCompendiumcompetitive-gamingconsolecustom-item-setCustom-Item-Setsd3dawngatediablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgaslightgodgodsgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthinfinite-crisisInteractive-Compendiumisisjokerleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmouth-of-sauronmultiplayermurderhoofnewsnot-so-massivelynsmone-yearone-year-anniversaryonline-multiplayeropinionpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgskarasmitethe-jokerthe-mouth-of-sauronthird-personvalvevideovideoswarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 20 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Maplestory celebrates eight years with events]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/maplestory-celebrates-eight-years-with-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/maplestory-celebrates-eight-years-with-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/maplestory-celebrates-eight-years-with-events/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Maplestory celebrates eight years with events
Do you remember what you were doing eight years ago? Nexon does. It was introducing the 2-D fantasy MMORPG game MapleStory to North America. Since then, the game has grown with plenty of content from new characters (like Kanna and Hayato) to extensive character customization options.

To celebrate this eighth anniversary, Maplestory is holding a number of events for players to enjoy, including daily eighth anniversary coin giveaways to all players level 10 and above, and special XP bonus events and hot-days throughout the month. Special celebration boxes containing in-game items will also drop off defeated mobs.

As for going into the ninth year, NA Producer Teddy Kim stated, "We have a dedicated and engaged group of players, and we appreciate the loyalty and passion they have for MapleStory. We are committed to continuing to deliver the best content to our players to keep the adventures rolling."

[Source: Nexon America press release]

MassivelyMaplestory celebrates eight years with events originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryanniversary-eventsf2pfantasyfree-to-playmaplestorynexonnexon-americanexon-koreaTeddy-KimFri, 17 May 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wargaming celebrates 15 years with new World of Tanks tournament]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/wargaming-celebrates-15-years-with-new-world-of-tanks-tournament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/wargaming-celebrates-15-years-with-new-world-of-tanks-tournament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/wargaming-celebrates-15-years-with-new-world-of-tanks-tournament/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Wargaming 15th anniversary event
You may be familiar with Wargaming through the development studio's wildly successful game World of Tanks, but did you know that the company has been around for 15 years and has developed almost a dozen other games?

To help celebrate this special 15th anniversary, Wargaming has announced a global World of Tanks tournament that will see winning teams from Europe, North America, Russia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, China, Vietnam, and more represent their regions with an all-expense-paid trip to the World of Tanks studio in Minsk, Belarus.

The tournament will be a traditional 7 v 7 format and will run from May until the end of June. Check out the Wargaming site for more info.

MassivelyWargaming celebrates 15 years with new World of Tanks tournament originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryf2pfree-to-playhistoricalpvptanktankstournamentwarwargamingwargaming.networld-of-tankswotThu, 16 May 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Allods Online pops the cork on its second anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/allods-online-pops-the-cork-on-its-second-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/allods-online-pops-the-cork-on-its-second-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/allods-online-pops-the-cork-on-its-second-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Allods Online pops the cork on its second anniversary
Considering how long Allods Online was launched-but-not-officially-launched, we think it's slightly inaccurate to acknowledge gPotato's claim that this is the title's second anniversary. Still, any excuse for a party, right? Starting today, Allods Online is featuring plenty of events, giveaways, and store sales to mark the occasion.

Active players have another shot at taming a free grey wolf or earning a "Noble Hero" costume set during the anniversary. There's also a few special NPCs who will be accepting anniversary coins in exchange for an array of special goodies. If you're of a mind to spend some money, all of the item shops wares are available for 20% off through the 13th.

GPotato is also giving veteran players 250 premium crystals and an anniversary gift package for those who have been in the game prior to today. The anniversary event goes from now until June 10th.

MassivelyAllods Online pops the cork on its second anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2nd-anniversaryallodsallods-onlineanniversaryanniversary-eventastrum-nivaleventf2pfantasyfree-to-playgala-netgiveawaygpotatoin-game-eventmail-ru-gamesmail.ru-gamesmailru-gamessalesecond-anniversaryFri, 10 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/eve-online-smashes-pcu-record-during-anniversary-celebrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/eve-online-smashes-pcu-record-during-anniversary-celebrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/eve-online-smashes-pcu-record-during-anniversary-celebrations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations
Sci-fi MMO EVE Online has seen phenomenal success recently, from breaking through the 500,000 subscriber boundary to successfully relaunching in China. The game officially turned ten years old today, and CCP celebrated the occasion with events and gifts for all current subcribers. The part-jovian Gnosis battlecruiser was given to every subscribed account at midnight last night and can be claimed before the end of the month, and players logging in yesterday or today will have found a whole slew of bonus gifts.

EVE smashed its previous Peak Concurrent User total during the festivities by a clear margin, replacing 2011's record of 63,170 with a new figure of 65,303 players logged in simultaneously. Part of the reason for the record was the huge number of player-run events taking place that evening, such as the ever-popular Flight of a Thousand Rifters. The event saw almost 2,500 players join together to take down player Marlona Sky's expensive supercarrier. Most of the participants were in small frigates like Rifters and ended up being easy prey when a nullsec sniper Loki fleet turned up. The event was nevertheless a massive success and huge fun for those involved. Continue reading for a gallery of screenshots from the event and video footage from player Scott Manley.

Continue reading EVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations

MassivelyEVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryccpccp-gamesemergent-gameplayeveeve-onlineflight-of-a-thousand-riftersgnosisinternet-spaceshipsmarlona-skypvprifterrifterssandboxsci-fiscott-manleyspreadsheets-onlineten-year-anniversaryten-yearsthousand-riftersMon, 06 May 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Ten years of EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/eve-evolved-ten-years-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/eve-evolved-ten-years-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/eve-evolved-ten-years-of-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved Ten years of EVE Online
Tomorrow marks a huge milestone in MMO history as sci-fi sandbox EVE Online officially turns ten years old. Released by a tiny icelandic development studio whose only previous release was a board game featuring Reykjavik's favourite cross-dressing mayor, EVE has slowly grown over the past decade to become one of the industry's biggest and most stable subscription titles. Following 2011's monoclegate scandal that led to around 8% of players quitting and CCP Games shedding 20% of its employees, this year saw EVE Online climb to new heights as it regained the playerbase's confidence and smashed the 500,000 subscriber barrier. As a special side-note, the EVE Evolved column also turned five years old last week; it has now officially been running for over half of EVE's lifetime.

The past year has been remarkably successful for CCP, with both of the year's EVE expansions being extremely well received and console MMOFPS DUST 514 finally starting to take shape. The Inferno and Retribution expansions fixed a staggering number of small issues that were broken in the game while also making big changes to bounty-hunting, piracy, and PvP across the board. We also saw huge emergent events like the Battle of Asakai, a $6,000 ship kill, and the five trillion ISK faction warfare exploit this year. With DUST 514 officially launching in just over a week on May 14th and players fired up about the upcoming Odyssey expansion, the future's looking bright for EVE Online as it heads into its second decade.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at some of year's top EVE stories, stories that touched real life, and what the future holds for EVE's second decade.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Ten years of EVE Online

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Ten years of EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6000-dollarsanniversaryanniversary-eventbounty-huntingcapsuleerccpccp-gamesconsolecrimewatchcynocyno-vigildeaddeathdecadedustdust-514eveeve-evolvedeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-sourceexpansionexpansionsexploitfaction-warfarefanfestfeaturedfpsinfernointernet-spaceshipsinterviewinterviewskillkillmailkillmailslibyammofpsnuke-them-from-orbitodysseyopinionpiracyplaystationplaystation-3ps3pvpretributionsafetysandboxsci-fisean-smithsecond-decadeship-killshooterspreadsheets-onlineten-year-anniversaryten-yearsten-years-oldthe-second-decadetrailervideovigilvile-ratweapon-safetySun, 05 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online celebrates 10 years of smuggling, intrigue, and the magic of teamwork]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/eve-online-celebrates-10-years-of-smuggling-intrigue-and-the-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/eve-online-celebrates-10-years-of-smuggling-intrigue-and-the-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/eve-online-celebrates-10-years-of-smuggling-intrigue-and-the-m/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE
There ain't no party like an EVE Online 10-year anniversary party because an EVE Online 10-year anniversary party uses Facebook "likes" to unlock in-game gifts and fireworks.

No, really.

Every "like" that EVE Online's Facebook page receives will help unlock free gifts for players and hourly firework drops. The gifts will be handed out after downtime on Sunday the 5th of May. There will also be an attempt to break the current PCU record, so the park your accounts and enjoy the display. To keep you entertained, there will be two "Hunt a Dev" roams, prizes, and oodles of player events. You can check out all the details on the official page.

MassivelyEVE Online celebrates 10 years of smuggling, intrigue, and the magic of teamwork originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-year-anniversaryanniversaryccpccp-gameseveeve-onlineinternet-spaceshipssandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlineFri, 03 May 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrating Guild Wars' 8th anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/celebrating-guild-wars-8th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/celebrating-guild-wars-8th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/celebrating-guild-wars-8th-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Guild Wars
Today is Guild Wars' eighth anniversary. Depending on which tradition you follow, I should be getting the game either bronze, salt, linens, or lace as a gift. Since I don't happen to have any of those handy, I'd like to reflect upon the rich life that Guild Wars has led so far. The game didn't start out with all of the neato features that it has now, so I'd like to look a bit at its evolution over time. I can't hit every update ever, but I thought we'd take a stroll down memory lane and look at some of the key moments in the game's life.

Continue reading Celebrating Guild Wars' 8th anniversary

MassivelyCelebrating Guild Wars' 8th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetanniversaryarenanetbuy-to-playembark-beacheye-of-the-northfactionsfantasyfeaturedgame-mechanicsguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-factionsguild-wars-nightfallguild-wars-propheciesgwgw1gw2hard-modehistoryncsoftnightfallopinionpatchpatchespropheciessorrows-furnaceupdateupdateszaishenzaishen-challengeSun, 28 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-online-second-decade-collectors-edition-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-online-second-decade-collectors-edition-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-online-second-decade-collectors-edition-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed
Moments ago at EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest, CCP revealed plans for its Second Decade Collector's Edition box. EVE never really had a proper collector's edition, and the tenth anniversary of the game is the perfect opportunity to release one. The box will come with an awesome physical Rifter model that doubles as a USB hub, a CD of the tenth anniversary EVE symphony from this year's Fanfest, and a series of codes to redeem to cosmetic items in EVE Online and DUST 514. The box is due for release in October 2013 and on the EVE store and Amazon and can be pre-purhased right now for $149.99 (€149.99 for those in Europe).

Cosmetic upgrades for EVE include a new golden pod skin that applies permanently to one character, some new bloodline-based in-game clothing, and several collector's edition ships. Players will get a five-run blueprint copy of the tenth anniversary Gnosis battlecruiser and a re-skinned red Tash-Murkon Magnate, and pre-purchasers will get a bonus Nefnatar Thrasher. DUST 514 items include a set of permanant Amarr templar drop suits and weapons with the same stats as normal items but lower skill requirements.

Continue reading EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed

MassivelyEVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d-modelsamarranniversarybreakingcollectors-editiondecadedropsuitsdustdust-514eveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eve-symphonyeventevent-coveragefanfestgnosisicelandmassively-event-coverageNefnatarnefnatar-thrasherorchestrarekyjavikriftersecond-decadesymphonytash-murkontash-murkon-magnatetemplartemplar-dropsuitthrasherusbusb-hubSat, 27 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Fanfest 2013 day two World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift
EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest promised to be its biggest yet, with over 1,400 players packed into Iceland's Harpa convention centre to find out the latest on EVE Online, DUST 514, and World of Darkness. The first day focused mainly on DUST and its link with the EVE universe, but today the focus largely switched back to internet spaceships. There were plenty of roundtable discussions, and the CSM and Alliance panels were as awesome as ever, but it was the EVE Keynote that really blew the crowd away.

The day got off to a good start with the highly anticipated World of Darkness talk. Most fans were probably expecting to see more airy game design ideas and another shiny trailer, but this year CCP just came out and put all its cards on the table. We saw that the game is still firmly in pre-production, with much of the previous work going into developing the engine and cool content creation tools and shaders. While I was initially disappointed at the lack of gameplay progress or shiny cinematics, I found this approach of being open and direct with fans very refreshing. As I told WoD art director Thomas Holt, honest beats shiny every time.

Read on for a full run-down of the EVE reveals from the second day of EVE's tenth anniversary Fanfest, including in-depth details of the Odyssey expansion's features.

Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift

MassivelyEVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryarchaeologyarcheologyccp-soundwavediscovery-scannereveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coverageevtfanfestfeaturedgraphicshackinghilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-veigar-peturssonicelandisotopesjon-landerjump-effectjumpingkeynotemassively-event-coverageminingoculus-riftodysseyorepreviewpreviewsprobeprobesprobingpvepvprekyjavikscan-probesscannerscanningstarbase-fuelstargatestargatesten-yearsthomas-holtvideovideoswodworld-of-darknessFri, 26 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Players commemorate City of Heroes' 9th anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/players-commemorate-city-of-heroes-9th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/players-commemorate-city-of-heroes-9th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/players-commemorate-city-of-heroes-9th-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Players celebrate City of Heroes' 9th anniversary
While City of Heroes is no longer with us -- you might not have heard, sorry -- the spirit lives on in its former players' hearts. As this week would have been the ninth anniversary of the superhero MMO, the community has decided to celebrate by remembering all of the greatest aspects about it.

On the CoHTitan boards, the call has gone out for players to share specific City of Heroes favorite aspects over a seven-day 10-day span on Twitter. Each day has a particular theme, starting with ways that CoH innovated and going on to include favorite missions, unsolved plots, why players want the game back, and more.

"This isn't a time for negativity," the post's author writes. "This is about celebrating what was and what could have been. Join me in this celebration of love towards our beloved City of Heroes."

MassivelyPlayers commemorate City of Heroes' 9th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9th-anniversaryanniversarycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcohtitancommunitycovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedomncsoftninth-anniversaryparagonparagon-studiossuperherosuperheroestwitterFri, 26 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
About five years ago, on April 27th, 2008, I joined the Massively team and wrote the very first issue of the EVE Evolved column. Five years later, the column is still going strong and delivering its weekly dose of EVE Online to thousands of readers. I used to worry about running out of ideas to write about, but regular game updates and hilarious player shenanigans mean there's always something interesting going on in New Eden. When EVE hits its 10th anniversary in May, this column will have been running for just over half of the game's lifetime. In that time, I've written over 250 in-depth articles, guides, in-game stories and opinion pieces on EVE Online and a few on DUST 514.

As usual, I'll be celebrating this anniversary by rounding up this year's column highlights and giving away two 30-day Pilot's License Extensions to two lucky readers. To enter the competition, write a comment explaining which EVE Evolved articles from this year you liked best and what topics you'd like to see covered in the coming year. You will need an active EVE account to claim the prize, so be sure to include your character name in your comment if you want to be in with a chance. If you'd rather not give out your character name or don't have an EVE account but would like to give the game a go, you can sign up a new trial account and use the name of your new character.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the highlights from the column's fifth year!

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetanniversaryapocryphaasakaibaitingbounty-hunterbounty-huntingccpccp-gamesconsolecrimewatchcruisersdecadedustdust-514eoneveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsexplorationfeaturedfive-year-anniversaryfive-yearsfpsfrigatesgame-designguideguideshistoryhulkinfernolowsecmmofpsnyphurodysseyopinionopinion-piecepiracyplaystationplaystation-3ps3pvepvpretributionrisk-vs-rewardsandboxsci-fiship-fittingship-fittingsship-setupsshooterspeculationstoriesstorystorytellingthe-battle-for-caldari-primewormholewormholesSun, 21 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Happy sixth birthday, LotRO!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/the-road-to-mordor-happy-sixth-birthday-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/the-road-to-mordor-happy-sixth-birthday-lotro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/20/the-road-to-mordor-happy-sixth-birthday-lotro/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Road to Mordor Happy 6th birthday, LotRO!
Uh, seriously guys, it was just yesterday that I was celebrating the third anniversary of Lord of the Rings Online with you in this column. At least it felt like yesterday. Really, has it been six years already? I guess it must be. It just seems like time moves so rapidly in MMOs, especially ones you've been in for years.

Even if you don't count my first six months in the game prior to and after the game's launch, my current stint in LotRO is the longest period of time that I've ever played an MMO. It's been a little over three years now that I've been playing and covering this game for Massively, and my interest in it has yet to wane. That amazes me; just when I think I might burn out on it, I find something about LotRO to rekindle my interest and passion.

There's something special about this game world that I haven't found elsewhere, I've concluded. Perhaps it's the IP restrictions and continuity that makes Middle-earth more "real" to me than other virtual worlds. Maybe it's the sheer breadth of content or the goofy hats. I can't decide. But I'm happy to raise a glass to LotRO as it turns six and look back at some of my favorite moments over the years.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Happy sixth birthday, LotRO!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Happy sixth birthday, LotRO! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6th-anniversaryanniversaryexpansionf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionriders-of-rohanroad-to-mordorrorsixth-anniversarythe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 20 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars announces 8th anniversary event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/guild-wars-announces-8th-anniversary-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/guild-wars-announces-8th-anniversary-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/guild-wars-announces-8th-anniversary-event/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars announces 8th anniversary event
The eighth anniversary of the launch of Guild Wars is coming at the end of this month, and ArenaNet has announced the planned celebrations to run from April 22 through April 29.

Those fans who have been with the game for several years might recognize the familiar Shing Jea Boardwalk and Roller Beetle racing festivities, but don't forget to test out your dodgeball skills in the Dragon Arena and talk to Ceira over at Embark Beach for some goodies.

Those characters celebrating eight or more years in the game will be honored with a special in-game gift card that allows them to grab their choice of birthday gift boxes from years past.

Of course there's much more to the event than this, and you can read all about it at the official announcement page and look for our own anniversary article celebrating 8 years of Guild Wars coming soon.

MassivelyGuild Wars announces 8th anniversary event originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetanniversaryarenanetbirthdayeightfantasyguild-warsgwncsoftroller-beetle-racingshing-jea-boardwalkMon, 15 Apr 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO rewards dedicated players for the game's sixth anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/lotro-awards-dedicated-players-for-the-games-sixth-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/lotro-awards-dedicated-players-for-the-games-sixth-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/09/lotro-awards-dedicated-players-for-the-games-sixth-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

LotRO awards dedicated players for the game's sicth anniversary
Lord of the Rings Online is celebrating its sixth birthday this month, and to honor the occasion, the game is holding an anniversary festival from April 16th to April 30th. To say thank you to its loyal fans, Turbine is giving away special gifts based on each player's account status. These gifts will range from a set of fireworks for everyone to more exclusive items for VIP players, depending on how long they've maintained VIP status.

Be sure to log in to the game during the festival to claim your prize, and check out the official FAQ to learn more about each gift.

[Source: Turbine press release]

MassivelyLotRO rewards dedicated players for the game's sixth anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6th-anniversaryanniversarybirthdayf2pfantasyfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrosixthturbineturbine-entertainmentTue, 09 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT celebrates its second anniversary with a freebie weekend and sale]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/rift-celebrates-its-second-anniversary-with-a-freebie-weekend-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/rift-celebrates-its-second-anniversary-with-a-freebie-weekend-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/rift-celebrates-its-second-anniversary-with-a-freebie-weekend-an/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

RIFT celebrates second anniversary with a freebie weekend and sale
There's nothing quite like a birthday to put a studio in the mood to give things away. Really, if more people thought like that, the world might be a happier place for everyone.

If you've been looking for a chance to get into RIFT, however, your world can be a happier place right now. Starting today and running 'til the 25th, folks can return to Telara for free to celebrate the second anniversary and check out the Carnival of the Ascended. Of course, you can't return to a place you've never been, so what's a newbie to do? Trion hasn't forgotten you: Until the 25th, RIFT's standard and infinity editions are on 25% sale.

MassivelyRIFT celebrates its second anniversary with a freebie weekend and sale originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybirthdaycarnival-of-the-ascendedconquestdealdealsdiscountfantasypvpriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararvrsalesalesthree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptriontrion-worldsThu, 21 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Runes of Magic celebrates its 4th Anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/runes-of-magic-celebrates-its-4th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/runes-of-magic-celebrates-its-4th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/runes-of-magic-celebrates-its-4th-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Runes of Magic celebrates its 4th Anniversary
Our favorite birthdays are the ones when the guests get gifts instead of giving them. Apparently Runes of Magic feels the same, as Gameforge is pulling out the stops to make the 4th anniversary of the game one for the history books.

Runes of Magic's 4th anniversary page has the scoop on all of the gifts, contests, events, and bonuses to be enjoyed over the next week. Players will get a lot of goodies just for logging in and leveling up, although there are additional quests if you want to reap all of the rewards. Players will also enjoy buffs to XP, talent points, and drop rates through the 25th.

Finally, Gameforge released a special video that shows the progress of Runes of Magic from beta to today, ending with several impressive statistics. If you don't watch it, you'll go mad always wondering what it might have been. We'd hate to see that.

Continue reading Runes of Magic celebrates its 4th Anniversary

MassivelyRunes of Magic celebrates its 4th Anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4th-anniversaryanniversarycontesteventf2pfantasyfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegameforgegameforge-berlingiftin-game-eventpromotionrewardromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmenttaboreavideoTue, 19 Mar 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EverQuest's 14th anniversary celebration begins early]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/everquests-14th-anniversary-celebration-begins-early/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/everquests-14th-anniversary-celebration-begins-early/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/everquests-14th-anniversary-celebration-begins-early/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EverQuest anniversary celebration begins early
Hey there, EverQuest! You're looking mighty fine for a 14-year-old game. What's that, you say? You want us to come party with you? And you're willing to start a little early?

Indeed, tomorrow is EverQuest's 14th anniversary, and SOE is kicking off the celebrations a day early. New anniversary missions that were designed at 2012's SOE Live are now active, as is all of the previous anniversary content. Double XP is also in effect to give your characters a boost.

The developers released a few fun facts about EverQuest for its anniversary, including that the number of NPCs (344,935) is more than how many people live in Tampa Florida. Also, if you created a character on launch day in 1999, then according to Norrath time, that character would be 280 years old.

MassivelyEverQuest's 14th anniversary celebration begins early originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>14th-anniversaryanniversarybonus-xpbonus-xp-weekendeqeq1eventeverquestf2pfantasyfree-to-playin-game-eventsoesoe-livesonysony-online-entertainmenttriviaFri, 15 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Eberron and beyond: Seven years of Dungeons and Dragons Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eberron-and-beyond-seven-years-of-dungeons-and-dragons-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eberron-and-beyond-seven-years-of-dungeons-and-dragons-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eberron-and-beyond-seven-years-of-dungeons-and-dragons-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Eberron and beyond 7 years of DDO
Dungeons and Dragons Online has always been a strange creature in the realm of MMOs. Ever since its launch, it decided to veer off in its own direction instead of following the rest of the pack. It brought back complicated character creation, somehow worked the arcane rules of D&D into an MMO format, and put a huge emphasis on group instanced content instead of world exploration.

Then when Turbine turned DDO into an experimental platform for a successful free-to-play model, suddenly the rest of the industry was following DDO instead. Virtually overnight, a small-teetering-on-extinction MMO became a modest hit well into its lifespan.

As DDO celebrates its seventh anniversary and looks back on the past year, let's look at how this odd duck of a game continues to surprise and delight gamers. Join us as we consider the journey that bridged the gap from last February to this one -- and see if, just maybe, DDO is calling you to roll its dice once more.

Continue reading Eberron and beyond: Seven years of Dungeons and Dragons Online

MassivelyEberron and beyond: Seven years of Dungeons and Dragons Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7th-anniversaryanniversaryddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineexpansionf2pfantasyfree-to-playmenace-of-the-underdarkseventh-anniversaryturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-15update-16update-17Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrate RIFT's second anniversary with 2.2 and the Carnival of the Ascended]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/celebrate-rifts-second-anniversary-today-with-carvinal-of-the-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/celebrate-rifts-second-anniversary-today-with-carvinal-of-the-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/celebrate-rifts-second-anniversary-today-with-carvinal-of-the-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Celebrate RIFT's second anniversary today with Carvinal of the Ascended and 22 update
What's a party without a dragon piñata or two? Luckily, RIFT fans won't have to find out as the annual Carnival of the Ascended will have those and plenty more for revelers joining in the game's second anniversary celebration. But the carnival -- with its games of skill, pie-stomping contests, and special anniversary cape -- is not the only goody in today's 2.2 update. Besides the previously revealed features, PvP gets a tier 2 attunement of war. Want to see what awaits in the update? Watch the trailer after the break.

As an added bonus during the anniversary, from March 21st through April 4th all subscribers will receive a 20% increase to kill XP or planar attunement, prestige, guild XP, dungeon currency, zone event currency, and planarite. And don't forget that players can return for free from March 21st through 25th.

[Source: Trion press release]

Continue reading Celebrate RIFT's second anniversary with 2.2 and the Carnival of the Ascended

MassivelyCelebrate RIFT's second anniversary with 2.2 and the Carnival of the Ascended originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryanniversary-celebrationAnniversary-eventanniversary-eventsCarnival-of-the-Ascendedconquestfantasypvpriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararvrthree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptriontrion-worldsWed, 27 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Darkfall's fourth anniversary arrives, Unholy Wars doesn't]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/darkfalls-fourth-anniversary-arrives-unholy-wars-doesnt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/darkfalls-fourth-anniversary-arrives-unholy-wars-doesnt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/26/darkfalls-fourth-anniversary-arrives-unholy-wars-doesnt/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Darkfall skull keep
Several months ago, when the Massively braintrust asked me to pen an anniversary piece for Darkfall, I said, "Sure, that sounds like a great excuse to jump in and see what's changed since I played last."

Little did I know that I'd still be stuck looking at Darkfall: Unholy Wars from afar on the game's anniversary date because Aventurine still hasn't gotten around to launching its sandbox reboot just yet. Huge delays are par for the course with this game, and I suppose the latest pales in comparison to the decade-long development cycle and the interminable Forumfall buffoonery that fans of the game suffered through prior to its original 2009 release.

And yeah, I could link my old account and my new account and go beta Unholy Wars, but 15 years as an MMO fan has cured me of any impulse to test these games, particularly ones that I'm likely to enjoy post-release. Anyhow, that's a pretty long-winded intro that essentially boils down to "join me after the cut for an anniversary recap of Darkfall's past 12 months."

Continue reading Darkfall's fourth anniversary arrives, Unholy Wars doesn't

MassivelyDarkfall's fourth anniversary arrives, Unholy Wars doesn't originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agonanniversaryaventurinedarkfalldarkfall-anniversarydarkfall-rebootdarkfall-unholy-warsdffantasyfeaturedopen-pvppvpsandboxunholy-warsTue, 26 Feb 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Trion prepping bonuses for RIFT's second anniversary bash]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/trion-prepping-bonuses-for-rifts-second-anniversary-bash/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/trion-prepping-bonuses-for-rifts-second-anniversary-bash/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/trion-prepping-bonuses-for-rifts-second-anniversary-bash/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Trion prepping bonuses for RIFT's second anniversary bash
Can you believe that RIFT is almost two years old? It's true, and Trion is marking the occasion with another incarnation of the Carnival of the Ascended. This year's addition features Tier 3 planar attunement, the PvP Wheel of Fate warfront, and the usual collection and quest festivities along with their associated rewards.

If you're not currently subscribing, you can revisit RIFT for free from March 21st through March 25th. If you are a subscriber, you'll get bonus XP, guild XP, prestige, favor, dungeon currency, and more from March 21st through April 4th. Head to the official RIFT website for all the celebration details.

MassivelyTrion prepping bonuses for RIFT's second anniversary bash originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DDO celebrates a birthday, shares Update 17 notes, and revokes ghasts' ghoul status
Happy seventh birthday to Dungeons and Dragons Online! Like every good game, DDO is celebrating its anniversary-birthday-thing by giving out presents. Update 17 is live, a gift in its own right, and characters that were created before the patch will find that they've got a giftbox in their inventory.

But wait, there's more! Update 17 is a substantial patch. A whole slew of updates have been made to different bits of the game. On the DDO Store (and free to VIPs) is a new Monster Manual edition that features new deeds and objectives and two new Creature Companions. In what is arguably the most significant update, Restless Bats -- which don't exist and never have existed ever -- have been removed from the manual.

Augments, a new way to customize your equipment, have been added to the game. Items with augment slots can be, well, Augmented. Slotted Augments give their host item an additional effect for as long as they're slotted. People will be able to find named items with augment slots, pick augmentable items up from the DDO Store, or trust their luck to find one of the 5% of randomly generated items to have an augment slot. This system replaces the old Epic and Guild Augments. You can read up about Augments here.

MassivelyDDO celebrates a birthday, shares Update 17 notes, and introduces new Augments originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybirthdayddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlinef2pfantasyfree-to-playpatchpatch-notespatchesturbineturbine-entertainmentupdateupdate-17update-notesupdatesWed, 20 Feb 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kingdom of Loathing celebrates its tenth birthday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/kingdom-of-loathing-celebrates-its-tenth-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/kingdom-of-loathing-celebrates-its-tenth-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/kingdom-of-loathing-celebrates-its-tenth-birthday/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Kingdom of Loathing celebrates its tenth birthday
Happy birthday to Kingdom of Loathing, which is turning (or has turned, or is about to turn) 10! That's 10 years of Disco Banditry, Pastamancing, and Turtle Taming. Ten years of mysticality and musculature. Ten years of adventuring with your favorite Sabre-Toothed Lime familiar or Hovering Sombrero. It's almost hard to imagine life, 10 years and a day or two ago, without those simple joys.

To celebrate the blessed occasion, Kingdom of Loathing will be rewarding players with the knowledge that the game's been up and running for 10 years and is now working on an eleventh.

[Thanks to moxious tipster Kevin!]

MassivelyKingdom of Loathing celebrates its tenth birthday originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryasymmetricasymmetric-publicationsbrowserbrowser-mmokingdom-of-loathingkolmoxiousmoxysnarkstickmanstickmenten-yearsthe-kingdom-of-loathingMon, 11 Feb 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Star Trek Online pleases and teases]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/captains-log-star-trek-online-pleases-and-teases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/captains-log-star-trek-online-pleases-and-teases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/04/captains-log-star-trek-online-pleases-and-teases/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

STO Enterprise C
I have had more fun in Star Trek Online in the past week than I have had in the past six months! Part of the reason has a lot to do with the fact that the game's third anniversary has delivered something that many of us have been craving since the release of last year's featured episode, The 2800: a story-based mission. And it wasn't just any story-based mission; it was a doozy!

The team at Star Trek Online also released a third anniversary trailer, which contained a very big surprise at the very end. The teaser sent shockwaves through the loyal player community. There's a lot to go over, so join me past the jump as I touch on the anniversary celebration and ruminate on what the game will bring us in May 2013!

Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online pleases and teases

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Star Trek Online pleases and teases originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambassadorambassador-classanniversarycaptains-logchristine thompsoncrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfeaturedfree-to-playkamaragkdfklingonklingon factionklingonsopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweromulanromulan factionRomulanssci-fishipsStar Trek: The Next Generationstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlineStarTrek:TheNextGenerationstotasha yarTashaYarTemporal AmbassadorMon, 04 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entropia Universe raises a glass to its 10th anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/entropia-universe-raises-a-glass-to-its-10th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/entropia-universe-raises-a-glass-to-its-10th-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/entropia-universe-raises-a-glass-to-its-10th-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Entropia Universe raises a glass to its 10th anniversary
Entropia Universe, the "massively multiplayer online real cash economy," typically has been best known for its ludicrously expensive sales of virtual property and structure. Now it has another reason to be in the spotlight: The MMO(sigh)RCE has made it to its 10th anniversary.

The title launched on February 1st, 2003, and has generated loads of money through the creation, sale, and purchase of its online worlds. According to MindArk, Entropia Universe is a favorite of the Guinness Book of World Records when it comes to the most valuable virtual items ever sold.

MindArk recently released a mobile app for Entropia Universe and outlined a 2013 roadmap through the anniversary and beyond.

[Source: MindArk press release]

MassivelyEntropia Universe raises a glass to its 10th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013-roadmapandroidanniversariesanniversarydevelopmentdevelopment-plansdevelopment-previewentropiaentropia-facebookentropia-universef2pfree-to-playgame-mechanicsmindarkmmommorcemobilemobile-appnew-yearproject-entropiareal-cash-economyroadmapvirtual-tycoonFri, 01 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Summoner's Guidebook: A year of summoning Guidebooks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/the-summoners-guidebook-a-year-of-summoning-guidebooks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/the-summoners-guidebook-a-year-of-summoning-guidebooks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/the-summoners-guidebook-a-year-of-summoning-guidebooks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Summoner's Guidebook A year of summoning Guidebooks
It feels sort of strange to be writing the one year anniversary of the Summoner's Guidebook. On the one hand, it feels like yesterday since Shawn asked me to do more MOBA coverage and I pitched the idea of a League of Legends column to him. On the other hand, it feels like I've been writing about League for ages. I've grown tremendously as a player; from a guy who stomps pubbies in low-Elo games to a guy who gets stomped by experts in high-Elo games. I have no illusions about going pro, but I've made a lot of progress up the skill ladder.

I don't chalk up this advancement to chance or aptitude. I know I didn't get here on my own. I have you guys to thank -- faithful readers who have read my column, either silently or vocally in the comments, who force performance upon me. I can't just be a hypocrite and tell you to practice a skill. I have to practice what I preach! When my authority in this column falls on my ability to execute on the battlefield, I need to step up my game. This week's Guidebook is my love letter to all of you.

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: A year of summoning Guidebooks

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: A year of summoning Guidebooks originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarycompetitiondominiondominion-strategyduo-queuef2pfeaturedfree-to-playgankgankinghigh-elokassadinlast-hittingleagueleague-of-legendsleague-of-legends-dominionlollol-world-championshipslow-elomid-lanemlg-pro-circuitmobaopinionpoppypracticepro-gamerpro-gamingriotriot-gamesself-improvementsummoners-guidebookthe-summoners-guidebookThu, 31 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online fan video ushers in third anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/star-trek-online-fan-video-ushers-in-third-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/star-trek-online-fan-video-ushers-in-third-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/star-trek-online-fan-video-ushers-in-third-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Trek Online fan video ushers in third anniversary
It's not just the developers at Cryptic who are throwing their effort behind the third anniversary of Star Trek Online. Fan and player STOLilyGarrett put together the latest in her series of STO anniversary videos and it's a doozy.

Over the span of two minutes, this video sweeps and swooshes past many of the incredible landmarks, starships, and interstellar vistas that came into being during the past year. It's a really neat fan effort that's received the thumbs-up from the Cryptic team, so we wanted to pass it along to you. You can check it out after the jump.

Continue reading Star Trek Online fan video ushers in third anniversary

MassivelyStar Trek Online fan video ushers in third anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3rd-anniversaryanniversarycrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfan-videofree-to-playperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwesci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestothird-anniversaryvideoThu, 31 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/captains-log-supplemental-an-exclusive-interview-with-daniel-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/captains-log-supplemental-an-exclusive-interview-with-daniel-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/captains-log-supplemental-an-exclusive-interview-with-daniel-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

STO Ambassador class
Huzzah! It's here! Star Trek Online's third anniversary celebration begins today! So while we all await the patch and loosen up our trigger fingers in order to undertake the new mission that will reward players with either an Ambassador class or a Kamarag class ship, you can sit back and read a new interview with Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl.

Stahl took the time out his busy schedule to answer a litany of questions about the past year as well as the future of STO. We were also given a few new screenshots and you can view them in the gallery below. There are a lot of questions, so let's get to it!

Gallery: Star Trek Online: Third Anniversary Q&A Dan Stahl

STO Ambassador ClassSTO Enterprise-CSTO: Borg QueenSTO Into the HiveSTO Unimatrix One

Continue reading Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl

MassivelyCaptain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryAtaricaptains-logcrypticcryptic-studiosdaniel stahlDanielStahlf2pfeaturedfederationfree-to-playinventoryJames Sloyankdfklingonopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwereputationRomulanssci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestoThu, 31 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vanguard throws sixth anniversary giveaway]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/30/vanguard-throws-sixth-anniversary-giveaway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/30/vanguard-throws-sixth-anniversary-giveaway/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/30/vanguard-throws-sixth-anniversary-giveaway/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Vanguard throws sixth anniversary giveaway
It's Vanguard's sixth birthday today, and if you haven't read our recent dev tour of the game's progress since free-to-play, we're going to have a strong word with your mother. As for SOE's part, the studio is giving away five 'schwag bags' full of awesome Vanguard goodies -- but you'll have to sign up quick to get your chance at winning something.

The prize package contains a signed copy of Vanguard's collector's edition, a backpack, a $15 Station Cash gift card, a mug, a mobile stylus, and a phone case. It's open to everyone 18 and older, but all entries must be in by tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST. You can head over to the official contest page for more details and your chance to win.

MassivelyVanguard throws sixth anniversary giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6th-anniversaryanniversarycontestf2pfantasyfree-to-playgiveawaysandboxsixth-anniversarysoesonysony-online-entertainmentswagswag-bagtelonvanguardvanguard-saga-of-heroesvgWed, 30 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online posts third anniversary details]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/star-trek-online-posts-third-anniversary-details/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/star-trek-online-posts-third-anniversary-details/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/star-trek-online-posts-third-anniversary-details/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Trek Online posts third anniversary details
As you may have heard on our latest Massively Speaking podcast, Star Trek Online is on the verge of celebrating its third anniversary -- and the developers want to make sure that it's one that players won't soon forget. Cryptic Content Designer Charles Gray has the skinny on what Starfleet and KDF captains can expect in the coming days.

The ever-popular Q will show up to throw parties in Spacedock and Qo'noS from January 31st through February 14th. If you're willing to help Q out with a little assignment, he's supposed to reward you handsomely in return.

The big news is of the new featured episode that will be rewarding a souped-up version of the Ambassador Class or Kamarag Class starship if it's completed during the event. The episode centers around a strange anomaly that has connections with Tholian experiments and the 24th century. Time travel in Star Trek? Whoduthunk it! Cryptic says that it will deliver specs on the new ships soon.

MassivelyStar Trek Online posts third anniversary details originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambassador-classanniversarycharles-graycrypticcryptic-studiosenterprise-ceventf2pfeatured-episodefree-to-playin-game-eventpartyperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweqsci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestothird-anniversaryupdateTue, 29 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Touring Telon: Six years of Vanguard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/touring-telon-six-years-of-vanguard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/touring-telon-six-years-of-vanguard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/29/touring-telon-six-years-of-vanguard/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Touring Telon Six years of Vanguard
Few MMO gamers can forget the legendary bad launch of Vanguard and the drama that surrounded its development. Even fewer MMO gamers can remember what the game was like, as the population started small and stayed small. For a half-decade, the title wallowed in relative obscurity compared to the rest of SOE's lineup, and in fact, many predicted that it would be canned.

As we know now, SOE decided to go a different way. The studio threw its faith behind Vanguard last year by relaunching it as a free-to-play MMO and giving it an actual development team once more. While Vanguard isn't in the league of major sluggers in the industry, the title is now thriving and seeing a renaissance that players new and old are enjoying.

To celebrate Vanguard's 6th anniversary, we got on the phone with Producer Harvey Burgess and Game Designer Corey LeFever to take a brief tour around the latest content in the game and to talk about the road from F2P to the future.

Continue reading Touring Telon: Six years of Vanguard

MassivelyTouring Telon: Six years of Vanguard originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryanniversary-eventcity-of-brasscorey-lefeverdruidsf2pfantasyfree-to-playharvey-burgessin-game-eventinterviewisle-of-dawnrevampsandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttelonvanguardvanguard-saga-of-heroesvgTue, 29 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online celebrates two million 'captains']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/star-trek-online-celebrates-two-million-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/star-trek-online-celebrates-two-million-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/star-trek-online-celebrates-two-million-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Trek Online celebrates two million players
On the verge of its third anniversary, Star Trek Online has good reason to celebrate. In a state of the game post, Executive Producer Dan Stahl says that the title is growing by leaps and bounds: "You may have noticed that more than two million captains are continuing their voyages in Star Trek Online. With sustained increases in daily participation, the game is richer and more alive than ever before."

Stahl looked back over the accomplishments and milestones of 2012, including Star Trek Online's transition to a free-to-play format.

For the game's third anniversary, the team is releasing a featured episode on Thursday that will have a special reward for those who play it between January 31st and February 14th. The reward will be an Ambassador Class (the Enterprise-C model) for Federation players and the Kamarag Class for Klingon fans.

Stay tuned for an on-air interview with Dan Stahl about STO in tomorrow's episode of Massively Speaking!

MassivelyStar Trek Online celebrates two million 'captains' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3rd-anniversaryambassador-classanniversarycrypticcryptic-studiosdan-stahldaniel-stahldev-diaryenterpriseenterprise-cf2pfree-to-playperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentproducers-letterpwesci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestate-of-the-gamestothird-anniversarythree-yearsMon, 28 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Leveling up and new lockboxes in Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/captains-log-leveling-up-and-new-lockboxes-in-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/captains-log-leveling-up-and-new-lockboxes-in-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/captains-log-leveling-up-and-new-lockboxes-in-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

STO Mol'Rihan header
I've said it once and I'll say it over and over again: It can be hard to write about a game in the weeks leading up to a scheduled event or content release. This week is no different. Star Trek Online's team is nose down into the final touches of the new material being released next week for the game's third anniversary, and new information about any of it has slowed to a crawl.

However, in the interim, we have been given the information on the contents of Star Trek Online's newest lockbox as well as the specs on the new ships either contained in the boxes or available in the Lobi store. I also had the opportunity to take part in the most recent Q XP Weekend event and actually found myself having a lot of fun.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Leveling up and new lockboxes in Star Trek Online

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Leveling up and new lockboxes in Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryanniversary-eventcaptains-logchristine thompsoncrypticcryptic-studiosdenise crosbydominionf2pfeaturedfree-to-playJem Hadarlockboxlockboxesmirror universeMirrorUniverseopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweqsci-fiSeason Eightseason nineshipsStar Trek: The Next Generationstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestoMon, 28 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RuneScape turns 12, releases gaudy statistics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/runescape-turns-12-releases-gaudy-statistics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/runescape-turns-12-releases-gaudy-statistics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/04/runescape-turns-12-releases-gaudy-statistics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

RuneScape screenshot
Take a moment and think back to what you were doing on January 4, 2001. Kinda hard to recall isn't it? We bet that a few of you were playing a new MMO called RuneScape, though, and if you were, well, congratulations on being an MMO nerd before being an MMO nerd was cool.

Jagex's browser title turns 12 years old today, and the company has queued up a list of impressive statistics that include more than 486 million hours of gaming achieved by RuneScape players in 2012. Those players killed each other over 3.2 billion times, too. Jagex also says that the game passed the 200 million account mark last July.

Today's press release isn't all about gaudy numbers, though. Updates for 2013 will include a Grandmaster-level quest, Wilderness Warbands, Construction skill revamps, an improved grouping system, and a customizable UI. Finally, Jagex is running a number of events this month as part of its birthday celebration.

[Source: Jagex press release]

MassivelyRuneScape turns 12, releases gaudy statistics originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybrowserbrowser-basedclassic-mmof2pfantasyfree-to-playjagexjagex-games-studiorsrunescaperunescape-anniversaryrunescape-eventsrunescape-turns-12sandboxFri, 04 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Entropia lays out a roadmap for development in 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/entropia-lays-out-a-roadmap-for-development-in-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/entropia-lays-out-a-roadmap-for-development-in-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/entropia-lays-out-a-roadmap-for-development-in-2013/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

And yes, you can still hunt strange animals.
Did you know that Entropia Universe will be 10 years old next year? Possibly not, but if you did, you probably also know how much the team at MindArk has done to improve the game over the past year. That team is looking to make 2013 even better, and to that end they've put out a roadmap for 2013's development.

Aside from the obvious anniversary celebration, the developers are hard at work fixing up areas for veteran players, trying to improve the return on several activities and making the game easier to get started with. There are also plans for new server infrastructure and an entirely new taming system, both of which should make existing players happier with the game as a whole.

Beyond even that, the team has plans for shoring up the game's financial transactions in several ways. New functionality with PayPal and improved starter packs are in the works. Players can also expect to see a full rollout of the Calypso Land Deed system and accompanying political mechanics within the next year. So here's to a decade of development, and let's hope the team can manage another one.

[Source: MindArk press release]

MassivelyEntropia lays out a roadmap for development in 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013-roadmapanniversariesanniversarydevelopmentdevelopment-plansdevelopment-previewentropia-universef2pfree-to-playgame-mechanicsmindarknew-yearproject-entropiaroadmapThu, 20 Dec 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/star-wars-the-old-republic-a-cautionary-tale-of-breaking-into/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/star-wars-the-old-republic-a-cautionary-tale-of-breaking-into/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/20/star-wars-the-old-republic-a-cautionary-tale-of-breaking-into/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Wars The Old Republic a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs
From a player's perspective, Star Wars: The Old Republic exceeded expectations on its launch one year ago today. Fans really took to the story content, reporting that the story content was the most fun they'd had leveling in any MMO up to that point. Things were looking great. The designers were obviously proud, and sales neared the two million mark, surpassing all previous MMOs for box sales at launch. Even before the official launch of the game, BioWare had to add new servers because of the number of people in early access. The day before the official launch, some queue times were over two hours, and at that time, there were 140 servers. Life was insane at BioWare to say the least.

Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybiowaredaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artsfeaturedgabe-amatangelogreg-zeschuklucasartsopinionray-muzykaRetrospectivesci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorThu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[APB celebrates Steam anniversary with free cigars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/apb-celebrates-steam-anniversary-with-free-cigars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/apb-celebrates-steam-anniversary-with-free-cigars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/apb-celebrates-steam-anniversary-with-free-cigars/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

APB celebrates Steam anniversary with free cigars
There are anniversaries and there are anniversaries. Steam anniversaries are apparently a thing now, as Reloaded Productions is celebrating All Points Bulletin's debut appearance on the digital distribution platform, as well as its official relaunch day. According to the studio, APB has proven incredibly popular on Steam during its year run.

Chief Marketing Officer Rahul Sandil conveys the company's appreciation: "We want to thank our player community and our friends at Steam for all the support and love they have shown APB Reloaded for the last year. With over three million downloads delivered, APB has established itself as one of the hottest game franchises in the online games industry. Over the next few days we will be making other exciting announcements about the expansion of the APB franchise, so stay tuned."

To celebrate the anniversary, the studio is discounting the ATAC 424 NCFP 3 weapon in the store and handing out free cigar and celebrate emotes to all players.

[Source: Reloaded Productions press release]

MassivelyAPB celebrates Steam anniversary with free cigars originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedanniversaryapbapb-reloadedapbrcigarcigarscrimef2pfree-to-playg1gamersfirstpromotionpromotionspvprahul-sandilsteamFri, 07 Dec 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Perpetuum celebrates second anniversary with in-game events]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/perpetuum-celebrates-second-anniversary-with-in-game-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/perpetuum-celebrates-second-anniversary-with-in-game-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/perpetuum-celebrates-second-anniversary-with-in-game-events/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Perpetuum celebrates second anniversary with ingame events
Remember Perpetuum? Avatar Creations' sci-fi sandbox celebrated its second anniversary this past Sunday, but we missed it because we were too busy stuffing our faces with leftover turkey and dressing.

A new dev blog outlines the requisite festivities (including a treasure hunt, a quiz show, and the ability to unlock golden sparks via special assignments) which run from November 30th through December 4th. There's no tournament this year, as Avatar prefers to devote the resources that such an event requires toward further development. And speaking of development, the anniversary post nicely sums up the game's initial 24 months, which saw more than 60 patches and two major expansions.

[Thanks to Mark for the tip!]

MassivelyPerpetuum celebrates second anniversary with in-game events originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversariesanniversaryavataravatar-creationsperpetuumperpetuum-anniversarysandboxsci-fiWed, 28 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EST