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Path of Exile Season Two starts April 19th, adds solo challenge

MJ Guthrie — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Path of Exile

Although still in open beta, Path of Exile has already wrapped up one round of its popular race events, where players joined short-term leagues on brand-new characters in a race to complete objectives and rack up points. And now Grinding Gear Games is all set for the next round: Season Two begins on April 19th and runs through June 1st in North America.

Season Two differs from its predecessor with a few new offerings, including a larger variety of unique prizes. Players can achieve prizes more easily and in new ways; participants who complete at least one goal within the race can be awarded random spot prizes. Also added are new "Signature Events" -- solo events of a consistent-length that are run multiple times during the season. When the season concludes, the best performing characters of each class will receive a prize similar to the top 20 overall for the entire season. For a complete listing of events, check out the full schedule.

[Source: Grinding Gear Games press release]

Path of Exile Season Two starts April 19th, adds solo challenge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR awards

Larry Everett — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon, Dungeons

The Oscars were given out two nights ago. Celebrities, actors, and film crews dressed in their red-carpet best to be handed a 13.5-inch golden statue of a naked bald man. As I heard these writers and directors give thanks to various loved-ones and talent agencies, I thought about Star Wars: The Old Republic. (Sad. I know.) SWTOR contains some of the best writing and storytelling in all of MMOs. In my opinion, it's better than some of movies represented on that stage. Sure, it didn't impact the world like Zero Dark Thirty, but it did impact my world, and I'd like to recognize some of the best parts of this MMORPG.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR awards

Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR awards originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Check out the D.I.C.E. awards finalists

Elisabeth Cardy — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Contests, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Miscellaneous

The nominees for the 16th annual D.I.C.E. (hint: It's spelled out right in the image) awards have been listed! While Journey is (deservedly) leading the list with 11 nominations, MMOs and not-quite-MMOs have done their genre proud. Diablo III, Torchlight II, and Guild Wars 2 are all in the running for Role-Playing / Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year. Diablo III also got tapped for a shot at Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay, Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, and Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition. World of Warcraft's Mists of Pandaria expansion is also in the running for the original music composition award.

Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday, February 7th. There are oodles of other games in the running for oodles of other titles, so be sure to check out the complete listing of nominees.

Check out the D.I.C.E. awards finalists originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What MMO are you embarrassed to admit you play?

Brianna Royce — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous

One of the silly questions I posed the Massively staff during our end-of-2012 awards was about embarrassing MMOs that we play. But we didn't publish the answers, partly because we couldn't come to any consensus. Glitch took my vote; browser games are still looked down on, no matter how creative they are. Among the other writers, Clone Wars Adventures cropped up, as did RuneScape, Free Realms, Habbo Hotel, and Star Stable. It wasn't just "kids games" making the cut, either. Mike lamented the fact that World of Warcraft is a "punch line" in the community and that "serious" MMO players can't play it. Jef said Lord of the Rings Online makes him want to shower after he logs out, while Patrick argued that Champions Online's apparent lack of developer resources makes for a sad experience.

But the other reason we didn't publish our responses was that most of us just aren't deeply embarrassed about playing anything. As Eliot put it,

If you're playing an MMO, you have absolutely zero ground to make fun of someone else for playing another MMO. This is something that really gets under my skin, the idea that some games are somehow cooler than others. MMOs are just plain fun, and there's no reason to be embarrassed by anything you like to play. I'm happy when anyone finds a fun game, even if it's a game I'm personally not fond of. Follow your bliss, people, and hold your heads high.

So where do you stand? Are you embarrassed to play a certain MMO, and if so, what is it?

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!

The Daily Grind: What MMO are you embarrassed to admit you play? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: The one where we talk about our 2012 awards

Brianna Royce — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous

Welcome back to Ask Massively. Here's your present: an edit button! What? You say you didn't get us anything? Awww. Well, let's get back to the important things, like your telling us how wrong our opinions are.

thatchefdude (and zaithnoc and cbv1020) asked: How can Guild Wars 2 be your game of the year and also runner-up for biggest disappointment of the year? I understand no game is perfect, but I would expect game of the year to not have enough disappointments in it to warrant it a place as runner-up for disappointment of the year.

Because voting.

OK, also because of a few other things.

Continue reading Ask Massively: The one where we talk about our 2012 awards

Ask Massively: The one where we talk about our 2012 awards originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Dec 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's Best of 2012 Awards

Brianna Royce — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Miscellaneous

When game obituaries and studio layoffs start to pile up in the news, Massively can seem like a herald of doom, but the reality is that the MMO industry is stronger and richer than ever. We've got more features to try, more business models to play with, more studios (and indie Kickstarters) to vie for our favor, and more titles to play than most of us could possibly sample in our lifetimes.

Today, Massively's staff honors the best of the best for the year 2012. We asked each writer and streamer to vote in each category with an anything-goes nomination process. No MMO, company, or headline was off the table.

Enjoy our picks for the best MMOs, expansions, studios, stories, and innovations of 2012... and our most-anticipated for 2013.

Continue reading Massively's Best of 2012 Awards

Massively's Best of 2012 Awards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: The Guild Wars 2 end-of-the-year awards

Elisabeth Cardy — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles

The end of the year seems to be a good time for awards -- all the cool kids are doing it, and Massively is nothing if not cool. Guild Wars 2 has been around long enough for me to have made some favorites. I've talked about features and things I loathe and love before, but now it's time to call out specific NPCs and instances, rather than general features. Before we get any further with this: These awards are purely my own opinion. Disagree with me? Great; write your own end-of-the-year awards. The more, the merrier.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The Guild Wars 2 end-of-the-year awards

Flameseeker Chronicles: The Guild Wars 2 end-of-the-year awards originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Koster, Blizzard to be honored at GDC Online event

Jef Reahard — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous

Raph Koster and Blizzard may be polar opposites in terms of design philosophy, but both will take home awards at this year's GDC Online convention.

Koster, instrumental in the development of sandbox worlds like Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies, will take home the Online Game Legend Award. Blizzard, which turned the MMO space on its ear via World of Warcraft's resounding financial success, will see its flagship title inducted into the Choice Online Awards Hall of Fame. The ceremonies take place on October 10th in Austin, Texas.

Don't forget to cast your vote for the GDC Audience Award prior to September 14th!

[Source: GDC press release]

Koster, Blizzard to be honored at GDC Online event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Illyriad's revamp adds friends list, medal designer, and more functional UI

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, MMORTS, Community Q&A, Dev Diaries

Although some people might argue that "less is more," that don't hold up well when it comes to features in an MMO. Who doesn't appreciate more goodies? Illyriad players were treated to just that this weekend as a major update added new features and improved existing ones. The free-to-play fantasy MMORTS now sports a cleaner, more functional UI, a friends list, and a new Alliance medal design system.

Illyriad also released a video dev chat with Community Manager GM Luna and Art Director GM Cerberus highlighting these changes. GM Luna explains that "everything has been 'refreshed' from the ground up... to make it more user friendly." The new UI transformed the Herald into an interactive book where players can read the lore of the game. The friends list, a precursor to private chat, is designed so that players must approve all requests. The medal design feature allows players to create personalized awards and titles for others.

The video then ends with a community Q&A. You can watch a demonstration of these features in the dev chat after the break. For more about Illyriad, check out Beau's inside look at the game.

[Source: Illyriad press release]

Continue reading Illyriad's revamp adds friends list, medal designer, and more functional UI

Illyriad's revamp adds friends list, medal designer, and more functional UI originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion rewarding decorating skills with contest

MJ Guthrie — Sat, 12 May 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Contests, News Items, Free-to-Play

As one of 3.0's most anticipated features, player housing brought a whole new facet of gaming to Aion. Along with the studios, houses, and estates, housing provided Daevas the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and decorating flair, and players have been taking full advantage of the system. Now, NCsoft wants to reward players for sprucing up their Atreian homes with a contest titled Decorate Your Space.

Think you have a pretty snazzy pad? Then show off those mad decorating skills! All Daevas over level 20 are eligible; just submit up to three unaltered screenshots of your living space via the contest thread or by email to community_aion_en@ncsoft.com by 12:59 a.m. EDT on May 19th. The top three homes judged best decorated will win special 60-day, two-drawer cabinets with an extra 18 slots of storage space.

For full rules, conditions, and the winner release form, visit the official announcement.

Aion rewarding decorating skills with contest originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's Best of 2011 Awards

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Miscellaneous

2011 was an interesting year for MMOs. Some of the most anticipated games were launched, one of the strongest MMO communities was left in the cold, and a seemingly untouchable indie developer quickly realized that it needs to listen to its players more than anything else.

As is often tradition this time of the year, we, the Massively staff, have compiled our top picks in nine different categories to celebrate what 2011 was for us. Every MMO on this list was either launched, re-launched (as free-to-play), or had some game-changing event affect it in 2011. Read along after the cut for our choices and feel free to let us know in the comments what you'd have picked for each category.

Continue reading Massively's Best of 2011 Awards

Massively's Best of 2011 Awards originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Perpetuum devs hand out PvP awards, tournament viewable in video archives

Jef Reahard — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Perpetuum, Sandbox

Last week we told you about Perpetuum's impending one-year anniversary and the robot-powered shenanigans that the devs at Avatar Creations were cooking up for the celebration that took place over the weekend.

Well, the results are in, and Perpetuum's first official PvP tournament (and a PvE scavenger hunt) went swimmingly according to the latest dev blog. Avatar even handed out a few tongue-in-cheek rewards including the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. prize (for the most laps around the combat arena) and the Baby's First PvP award which was given to the best newb group brave enough to enter the event.

If you missed the event, or if you're just interested in a free look at Perpetuum, you can watch the archived video stream at the game's official website.

Perpetuum devs hand out PvP awards, tournament viewable in video archives originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 and The Old Republic earn awards at Paris Games Week 2011

Matt Daniel — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic

The results are in from Paris Games Week 2011, and two big-name MMOs have taken spots amongst the show's award-winners. ArenaNet's upcoming (eventually) Guild Wars 2 took home the Prix du Public -- that is, the People's Choice award -- while BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic walked away with the Prix du Jeu MMO, which named it the top MMO title of the convention. Congratulations to both titles for their success. Now can we please get a launch date for GW2?

[Thanks to Rhodanum for the tip!]

Guild Wars 2 and The Old Republic earn awards at Paris Games Week 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest joins Ultima Online in GDCOA's Hall of Fame

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Events (Massively's Coverage)

EverQuest may not be the recent hotness that everyone's talking about, but its impact on the MMO genre continues to be felt to this day. As such, it's great to see this classic game reaping its reward, as the Game Developers Choice Online Awards inducted EQ into the Hall of Fame yesterday.

EverQuest was chosen for its lengthy advancements in MMO gaming, including it's focus on raiding and guild improvements. It now joins old-time competitor Ultima Online as the only other title in GDCOA's Hall of Fame.

Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley graciously accepted the honor: "When we set out to create EverQuest, many felt it was an unattainable stretch of the imagination. As it turns out, EverQuest exceeded even our wildest expectations. Twelve years later, we are about to release its 18th expansion, and have big plans for its future. We are incredibly proud of its impact on the industry and the community we have built. Tonight's honor is a testament to the hard working individuals who have contributed to EverQuest -- both past and present."

EverQuest joins Ultima Online in GDCOA's Hall of Fame originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game Developers Choice Online Awards announces finalists, EQ to be ushered into Hall of Fame

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: EverQuest, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Miscellaneous

It's not quite to the prestigious level of the Academy Awards -- yet -- but the Game Developers Choice Online Awards is fast becoming one of the more well-known and highly respected award ceremonies in the MMO world while only being in its second year. With October 12th's ceremony coming soon, the field has been narrowed by 400 industry leaders into a competitive pool of nominees in a dozen categories.

The categories include Best Online Visual Arts, Best Social Network Game, Best Online Game Design, Online Innovation, Best Online Technology, Best Community Relations, Best Audio For An Online Game, Best New Online Game, and Best Live Game. Several popular MMOs, including RIFT, DC Universe Online, World of Tanks and Wizard101, are up for a possible award.

In addition, the awards will recognize Kesmai Corporation founders John Taylor and Kelton Flinn for the Online Game Legend Award. EverQuest, too, will be getting its long-overdue kudos as it is ushered into the Hall of Fame.

We'll be anxious to see which games grab the gold this fall, but until then we're just going to grouse that we weren't tapped to be one of the judges.

Game Developers Choice Online Awards announces finalists, EQ to be ushered into Hall of Fame originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wargaming.net to sponsor European Games Awards

Jef Reahard — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items

Cologne, Germany is figuring heavily in Wargaming.net's plans this summer. The studio is unveiling its new World of Warplanes MMORPG at the city's Gamescom event on August 17th, and has also signed on to be the primary sponsor of the 2011 European Games Awards (EGA) that will be given out aboard the "event ship" Pure Liner 1 which cruises the Rhine river.

The EGA ceremony goes down on August 13th, and is notable for the fact that players nominate games and companies as well as choose the award winners.

Wargaming.net released its free-to-play World of Tanks MMO earlier this year, and has been developing strategy warfare titles since 1998.

Wargaming.net to sponsor European Games Awards originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARGO Online celebrates new ranking system with contest

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Contests, Game Mechanics, Free-to-Play, Post-Apocalyptic

Games paying us to play? Ridiculous! What's next -- dogs and cats sleeping together? Mass hysteria?

'Tis true, dear readers; ARGO Online is rewarding top players with in-game AP worth hundreds of real-world dollars. This giveaway is part of a promotion to celebrate ARGO's brand-new ranking system, in which players can compete to see who accumulates the most XP in each level tier. There's also a second ranking ladder that lists players according to wins and losses.

During this month, alaplaya is tallying up the initial pack leaders and will be rewarding the best of the best with in-game currency at the end of the 30 days. Lowest level characters have a shot at $50 worth of AP while level-capped folks can compete for $150. In total, alaplaya is giving out $500 just for players giving ARGO their all, which is a pretty sweet deal for those already into the game.

If ARGO Online is an unknown entity to you, check out our first impressions and see if it's up your alley!

ARGO Online celebrates new ranking system with contest originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ArenaNet's Daniel Dociu wins award for digital art

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, MMO Industry, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-Play

Guild Wars 2 has had a distinctive art style ever since it was first announced, helping to solidify the game's image in the minds of fans. A big part of that has naturally been the vision of Daniel Dociu, art director for ArenaNet and overseer of the visuals for the project. So it should come as no surprise that Dociu has been awarded the Grand Master Award for Exposé 9, Ballistic Publishing's digital art annual for 2011.

Both Dociu and concept artist Kekai Kotaki were featured in the pages, with both praised for their expressive and immersive artwork for the game. It might be a surprise to the readers of the magazine, but it's no surprise to the players who have been enjoying the work of these talented figures for years. Congratulations are in order for the award, one well-deserved considering the visual treat that Guild Wars 2 promises to provide.

ArenaNet's Daniel Dociu wins award for digital art originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft turns the tables by giving awards to MMO journalists

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Humor, Miscellaneous

First of all, we'd like to say that if we don't get the "Most Eminently Cheery Journalist" award, we may have to convert to the dark side and start throttling Jawas or something.

What's this all about? In order to raise money for GamesAid, a UK-based charity, NCsoft has decided to host the first Golden Chippies Awards to celebrate the best and brightest MMO journalists in the British Empire. These wink-wink, nudge-nudge awards will be handed out on Wednesday, July 20th, and are a lead-up to the real Develop Awards ceremony.

Among the awards are "GM Award for Appearing to Know More than the Developers" and the "Twink Award for the Strongest Introduction to MMO Journalism."

NCsoft's Cat Channon introduced the event with sentiment that we at Massively would like to echo: "MMO journalism is a labour of love for those involved. A niche but growing subset of traditional gaming media, these guys really are doing it through devotion to the genre."

NCsoft turns the tables by giving awards to MMO journalists originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Embark Beach and Mercenary Heroes coming to Guild Wars

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Guild Wars, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play

Do you play Guild Wars with nothing to lose and nothing to prove? Then you might wind up dancing with yourself in the newest update to the game, which will add a new system of Mercenary Heroes -- turning other characters on your account into special heroes just for your use. And since this update also gives players the option to have a full party of seven heroes, there's plenty of reason to improve alts and play with them even on other characters.

Of course, that's the least of the features packed into the new update, and you may not even need the new heroes with the introduction of the group-focused Embark Beach. Allowing players transport to a multitude of locations and missions, the outpost serves as a waypoint for players to find groups and get right into the action of a mission without any trouble. It's also a hub for services, making it an ideal place for players to congregate and look for any needed assistance.

That's not even touching upon the new daily quests in Pre-Searing Ascalon, the changes to the Survivor title track to make it earnable on an existing character even after that character has died, and a new Minion UI feature. In short, Guild Wars players have plenty to dance about in the new update, whether by themselves or with others.

Gallery: Guild Wars Core Gallery

Embark Beach and Mercenary Heroes coming to Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Captain's Log: STO was the best MMO of 2010?

Ryan Greene — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log

Happy new year, everybody! By now, we've all gotten over our post-party, um, grogginess (children might be reading) and trudged back to work. I'm still on cloud nine after a stellar Sun Bowl for my alma mater, but the time has come to look to the stars for another Captain's Log.

This week's edition, tortured metaphors and all, offers up a bit of a grab bag -- which has nothing at all to do with the fact that my day job is frantically hectic this week. We'll check out Star Trek Online's strong showing in Massively's year-end readers' poll, fiddle with a ship-building contest, and maybe whine a little about the Foundry. So, fun!

Continue reading Captain's Log: STO was the best MMO of 2010?

Captain's Log: STO was the best MMO of 2010? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's 2010 Player's Choice Awards results

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Miscellaneous

With 2010 behind us, we're happy to sit back and think about how much fun it all was -- or perhaps, rejoice in the fact that it's over! Through our Player's Choice Awards, we've counted your votes to see which games fared best against the others in several categories.

So today, we're going to show you the results, complete with colorful graphs and shiny statistics! Yeah, we're not messing around here, so click past the cut below for an analysis of our Player's Choice poll results for both 2010 and the entire last decade in MMOs. Then, later this week, we'll be giving our own votes and impressions of what we thought was the best of the best.

Continue reading Massively's 2010 Player's Choice Awards results

Massively's 2010 Player's Choice Awards results originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's 2010 Player's Choice Awards

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, Opinion, Massively Meta, Miscellaneous

As we approach the end of 2010 (yes, already), we look back at not only an interesting year for MMOs, but also an amazing decade for such a young genre. We've had our highs and lows since last year's awards, including the now-hilarious choice of APB as Most Anticipated for 2010 by the Massively staff.

This year we have a new survey format, new categories and new nominees. We also have a new title, changing it from Reader's Choice to Player's Choice, to reflect the fact that you don't necessarily need to be a Massively reader to vote. This is our biggest award poll yet, so we want to make it count. If you want to see your favorite game win, shout it from the mountain tops -- or just post a link in your favorite game's forums.

Read on for more details on the surveys and links to the surveys themselves.

Continue reading Massively's 2010 Player's Choice Awards

Massively's 2010 Player's Choice Awards originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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G-Star 2010: Vindictus wins big for Nexon

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Vindictus

Vindictus has hacked its way into the hearts of many players, with its can-do attitude and liberal stance on how many decapitations make your actions morally justified. Apparently, the players aren't the only ones in love with the game, as it has managed to walk away from the G-Star 2010 convention with so many awards that the development team can build a house. The 2010 Korean Game Awards taking place on the show floor awarded Nexon's game the grand prize as well as six other awards for excellence.

The win was a first for Nexon, and it was followed by a half-dozen other awards including the Popular Game Award (in the Online Game category) and all four technical creation categories (Game Planning/Scenario, Game Graphics, Game Character, and Game Sound). CEO Seo Min thanked the organizers for the honors as well as Vindictus players for making the game such a success. Free-to-play games have come a long way as a whole, but if the bevy of awards is any indication, Vindictus is a cut above the rest.

G-Star 2010: Vindictus wins big for Nexon originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LEGO Universe nabs three awards and steals Germany's heart

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, LEGO Universe, Kids, Family

Germany, they say, is a place where people know good workmanship. If that's the case, then the folks at Gazillion have a right to be proud today. LEGO Universe picked up three awards in Germany lately, adding to the as-of-yet unreleased MMO's pile of accolades.

At the GIGA-Maus awards ("GIGA-Maus" is terrific fun to say out loud), LEGO Universe was given a place of high honor: Best Online Game and Overall Winner in the Children's Category Age +10. The jury seemed to love the game's family bent: "Online games don't necessarily have the best reputation among parents. However, that might well change after getting acquainted with LEGO Universe as there's not alone tech support but a team of moderators working around the clock as well."

However, LEGO Universe's last award may be the best of them all. The MMO was voted third place in the TOMMI awards, which was decided solely by 3,000 kids who field-tested several up-and-coming titles. Seeing as how this is the target demographic for the title, Gazillion should feel like it hit the mark.

LEGO Universe nabs three awards and steals Germany's heart originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDCO 2010: Rich Vogel and Calvin Crowner on 13 years of Ultima Online

Karen Bryan — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Interviews, MMO Industry, Ultima Online, Interviews (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage)

At this year's GDC Online in Austin, Ultima Online was the first game inducted into the Game Developer's Choice Hall of Fame. Massively had a chance to look back at UO's thirteen years of history with its original senior producer, Richard Vogel, and its current one, Calvin Crowner. Follow along after the jump to read more on their impressions of those 13 years.

Continue reading GDCO 2010: Rich Vogel and Calvin Crowner on 13 years of Ultima Online

GDCO 2010: Rich Vogel and Calvin Crowner on 13 years of Ultima Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 awarded Best of Show at PAX

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Events (Real-World), Guild Wars 2

ArenaNet has done it again. Less than one month after carrying off Best Online Game honors at Gamescom, Guild Wars 2 picked up one of two Best of Show awards from Machinima.com.

It may seem a bit odd to be handing awards out to a game that doesn't even have a launch date, but the folks at Machinima.com were just as impressed as those who played it at PAX, declaring that the demo alone "plays better than most games on the market today."

The award is included in the full 11-minute PAX wrapup video, beginning near the 9:30 mark. Follow along after the jump to take a look, and congratulations to the ArenaNet team!

Continue reading Guild Wars 2 awarded Best of Show at PAX

Guild Wars 2 awarded Best of Show at PAX originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMOs nominated for Game Developer's Choice Awards

Rubi Bayer — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items

The nominees for the Game Developers Choice Online awards have been announced, and MMOs made more than a respectable showing.

The nominees are separated into new and ongoing categories, and awards are given in eight different categories including best community relations, best audio, best visual arts, and several more. Seven of the eight categories carried at least one familiar MMO title, such as Champions Online, LOVE, Free Realms, Guild Wars, EVE Online, Dungeon Fighter Online, and of course World of Warcraft.

The awards ceremony will take place during GDC Online in October. The full event runs from October 5th - 8th, with awards being presented on the 7th.

MMOs nominated for Game Developer's Choice Awards originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 wins best online game at Gamescom

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Guild Wars 2

The ArenaNet staffers have been working pretty hard this week -- both at Gamescom and at home in Seattle -- to make the world premiere of Guild Wars 2 gameplay an event to remember.

Their hard work paid off this morning when Guild Wars 2 was presented with the award for Best Online Game of Gamescom 2010. "We're honored and delighted to receive this award," says ArenaNet, and credit was given to quite a few others who helped make it happen at Gamescom as well. "We'd like to thank our Gamescom collaborators, Razer, Alienware, nVidia, Flashpoint and Intel, and to send a special thanks to our fans in Cologne and all over the world!"

We at Massively join all the fans in congratulating everyone at ArenaNet!

Guild Wars 2 wins best online game at Gamescom originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game Developers Choice Online Awards to knight Richard Bartle as a "Game Legend"

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Ultima Online

If it's cool to be officially dubbed an "Online Game Legend," then it's doubly cool to be the first person to ever receive such an award. Richard Bartle will be rocking cool two ways from Sunday this fall, as the Game Developers Choice Online Awards plans to honor the good doctor this October. The Online Game Legend Award stemmed from a pool of open nominations and was chosen by the GDC Online Awards advisory committee. They specify Bartle's co-creation of MUDs and his 2003 book Designing Virtual Worlds as the key reasons why he deserves to be named a capital-L Legend.

Bartle isn't the only one due for a special award, however. Ultima Online will be inducted into their Hall of Fame as "a specific online game that has resulted in the long-term advancement of the medium, pioneering major shifts in online game development and games as a whole."

The full awards ceremony will take place on October 7th, and will include a number of other categories including Best Online Game Design and Best New Online Game. You can eyeball the full details over at GDC Online Awards' website.

Game Developers Choice Online Awards to knight Richard Bartle as a "Game Legend" originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMOs campaign for a Golden Joystick

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry

After a busy month of shortlist voting, the 2010 People's Gaming Awards -- otherwise known as the Golden Joystick Awards -- has finalized the ballot and opened the polls to the gaming public. These awards are trumpeted as "by the players, for the players," with hundreds of titles whittled down into a shortlist of finalists.

While many single-player console and PC titles are represented across the 16 categories, several MMOs have waded into the fray looking for your vote (ironically, few of them can be played with a joystick). Star Wars: The Old Republic is nominated for the "One to Watch" award, Jagex and Codemasters have a shot at "UK Developer of the Year," and 2029 Online, Aion, Allods, Champions Online, Dragonica, Fallen Earth, Global Agenda, Star Trek Online and Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood are some of the MMOs vying for "Online Game of the Year." As for the "Ultimate Game of the Year" award, only one MMO made the cut: Aion.

You can cast your votes in the 28th Golden Joystick Awards from now through October 25, and watch the results on October 29. With over 1.2 million votes cast last year and current voting in the six digits, this year's Golden Joystick Awards look to be one of the most popular award ceremonies for 2010.

MMOs campaign for a Golden Joystick originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vote or game over: Golden Joystick Awards close tomorrow

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry

Believe it or not, 2010 marks the Golden Joystick Awards' 28th ceremony -- the oldest in the business. These prestigious awards are handed out every year to the best of the best in the gaming industry, and have the distinction of being voted on by Mr. and Ms. Public Gamer (i.e., You).

If you're planning on casting a ballot for this year's ceremony, you'd better hurry, as the award voting ends tomorrow, May 27th. Several MMORPG companies and titles are up for possible statues, including:

One to Watch Award: All Points Bulletin, DC Universe Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic
Online Game of the Year Award: Too many to list
Roleplaying Game of the Year Award: Global Agenda
Ultimate Game of the Year Award: Champions Online, Fallen Earth, Global Agenda, Star Trek Online

It's not too late (yet) to put one of these MMOs on the winner's platform, so get over there and vote today!

Vote or game over: Golden Joystick Awards close tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 May 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP Games win Icelandic export award

Brendan Drain — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Business Models, Culture, Economy, MMO Industry, News Items

Icelandic development studio CCP Games is certainly no stranger to awards. Their massively successful sci-fi MMO EVE Online has drawn in countless awards over the years, from PC Gamer's "2009 MMO of the year" to MMORPG.com's "Most improved game" award back in 2007 and more. The company themselves have received their share of awards for business success, being named in the Technology Association of Georgia's "Top 10 innovative companies" award in 2009 and listed as one of the "Most successful game studios" of 2009 by Develop100.

Last week, CCP added another notch in their belt when the Icelandic government awarded them the 2010 "President of Iceland's Export Award". The award usually goes to the company that generates the greatest revenue through export, with consideration given to how well the company are appealing to new markets. Past recipients of the award have included airlines, pharmaceutical suppliers, fisheries and even independent artists. As almost all of CCP's income comes from overseas, they have remained almost entirely isolated from the Icelandic financial crisis. In recognition of the company's growth and success with EVE Online in the face of economic turmoil, the award was presented to CCP on April 20th.

CCP Games win Icelandic export award originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's End-of-the-Year Reader's Choice Awards

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, Opinion, Massively Meta

The end of 2009 is almost upon us, and Arthur C. Clarke's dreams are all about to come true in less than a month. It's been an interesting year for MMOs, including everything from Tabula Rasa's official closure to the launch of LotRO's second paid expansion. While it's inevitable that the Massively staff all have their own favorite games in several different categories, we figured it would be best to get the readers involved this year.

So we've compiled a series of polls (found after the jump) in which you can vote for your favorite games of 2009 in 10 different categories. The poll choices consist of some aspect of games or expansions that launched this year, so don't expect to see older games on these lists. With almost 50 online games launching in 2009, we chose to only include a maximum of 10 for each category.

At the end of the month, we'll compile the results into one post, letting everyone know what the Massively readers think is the best of the best (or worst). So you have plenty of time, but the deadline for votes is December 31st at 11:59pm EST!

Continue reading Massively's End-of-the-Year Reader's Choice Awards

Massively's End-of-the-Year Reader's Choice Awards originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Agenda closed beta to begin in July

Brooke Pilley — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, News Items, MMOFPS, Global Agenda

Hi-Rez Studios just updated their Answer Center with new Global Agenda beta information. The game is expected to move to a Closed Beta phase this July. Global Agenda has been in Alpha testing for a number of months now.

It looks like they're sub-phasing their Closed Beta Test as well (e.g., CBT-1, CBT-2, etc.), an approach that seems more common in MMOs these days. Warhammer Online did a series of closed beta phases, and more currently, Aion is doing the same. Each phase focuses on a different area of the MMO that needs testing and each successive phase usually brings more testers to the mix.

There are pros and cons when taking this phased approach. On one hand you really get to hammer down on your areas of concern but on the other you're only testing the individual parts and not the whole. Players always seem to play a game differently when unleashed upon the full experience.

In the end though, it probably won't matter to all the people who want a taste of what Global Agenda has to offer. Winning E3 Editor's Choice awards like "Best of Show 2009" is definitely building anticipation and raising expectations for this title.

Continue reading Global Agenda closed beta to begin in July

Global Agenda closed beta to begin in July originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GamerDNA honored in AlwaysOn East 100

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, News Items

When it comes to communities where you can track your online gaming, there are tons to choose from. You can chat, message, list characters, post screenshots... sure. That said, one of our favorites has to be GamerDNA. Not only is the site run by a bunch of gamers who are absolutely passionate about what they do, but they aren't just working on their site and leaving it at that as so many other sites seem content to do. The people over at GamerDNA reach out into the community, using the information they've gathered from members to point out really interesting and enlightening things about how and why we're playing too - not just what we're playing. That's why when we heard they'd been honored this year as part of the AlwaysOn East 100, we were thrilled.

The AlwaysOn East 100 award is a way to reward "private, emerging technology companies creating new business opportunities in high-growth markets." Essentially, what that means to those of you who aren't keeping an eye on tech startups is that they kick butt and take names - and people from gamers to investors - are taking notice. Frankly, it's a richly-deserved award for an awesome bunch of people we've been lucky enough to work with from time to time. We can't wait to see what the next 12 months holds for them as they continue building their site, and their community. Grats!

GamerDNA honored in AlwaysOn East 100 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 May 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP honored with two awards for innovation

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Culture, MMO Industry, News Items

While the latest EVE Online expansion, Apocrypha, has hit the main server and the retail boxes for EVE have reappeared on game store shelves, CCP has been busy winning awards for all of their work with EVE.

CCP's awards include the Icelandic Innovation and Knowledge Award from the Association of Businessmen and Economists in Iceland as well as the 2009 Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies award from the Technology Association of Georgia.

Both of these awards come from industry peers, a high honor for a company. CCP isn't going to be resting on their laurels, however, as they have pledged a heavy presence at this year's GDC in San Francisco.

CCP honored with two awards for innovation originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan wins Best Original Score at IFMCA awards

James Egan — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, MMO Industry, News Items

The fantasy MMO Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is a game that's notable for its score, and this aspect of the title has drawn accolades from gamers and music critics alike. Composer Knut Avenstroup Haugen was even nominated for Best Original Score in a Video Game in the Hollywood Music Awards. While ultimately that honor went to Wataru Hokoyama for Afrika, Haugen now has cause to celebrate his big win at the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) awards.

The IFMCA is an association of online, print, and radio journalists who write about film and television music. Clearly they were impressed with Haugen's work. Age of Conan won Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media, this time beating Afrika, as well as Gears of War 2, Mercenaries 2, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

[Via MMORPG.com]

Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!

Age of Conan wins Best Original Score at IFMCA awards originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMORPG readers choose Lord of the Rings Online as best MMO of 2008

Seraphina Brennan — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, News Items

'Tis the season for giving awards, and the readers of MMORPG.com have bestowed two honors upon Lord of the Rings Online and one upon Turbine itself, putting LotRO and Turbine over CCP, Blizzard, and Mythic Entertainment.

LotRO was named MMO of the year, while The Mines of Moria were awarded the best expansion of the year award, beating out Wrath of the Lich King for the top spot. Also, the readers named Turbine as their favorite MMO studio of the year -- all high praise indeed.

The final results in the voting for best expansion and favorite studio weren't even close -- giving Turbine a landslide victory over Blizzard in both cases. In the best expansion category Moria won with 48% of the vote over Wrath's 25%, and for the favorite studio category Turbine achieved 46% of the vote compared to Blizzard's 14%.

Turbine has released a press statement which thanks the many fans and players of LotRO, as well as the readers of MMORPG.com. For the full release, check it out at the LotRO main website.

MMORPG readers choose Lord of the Rings Online as best MMO of 2008 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively nominated for E-ON Magazine 2009 Editor's Choice Award

James Egan — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, Massively Meta

Voting in the 2009 E-ON Magazine Awards kicked off earlier this week, announced both in the current issue of E-ON, the official magazine of EVE Online, and on the game's website. The E-ON awards are a big deal in EVE, as they're a way of honoring standout players, in-game corporations, and alliances for their contributions to the game over the course of the previous year. It's also a chance for EVE's playerbase to look at the list of nominees and inevitably exclaim, "Who the hell is that?" when seeing an unfamiliar name among them. (This is perhaps a testament to how much is going on in relation to EVE's setting of New Eden, both in-game and out.)

We certainly hope no one does this when they see Massively listed in a new category established this year -- the E-ON Editor's Choice Award. The Editor's Choice Award nominees were handpicked by the E-ON team to highlight contributions to the game that might have been overlooked otherwise, or simply wouldn't fit into the other established voting categories.

Continue reading Massively nominated for E-ON Magazine 2009 Editor's Choice Award

Massively nominated for E-ON Magazine 2009 Editor's Choice Award originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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