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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[World of Warcraft coming to Brazil]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/world-of-warcraft-coming-to-brazil/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/world-of-warcraft-coming-to-brazil/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/22/world-of-warcraft-coming-to-brazil/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A fully localized World of Warcraft is on its way to Brazil, complete with a Portuguese client and customer service platform. This marks Blizzard's ninth officially supported language according to a press blurb on the company's website, and the third supported language in Latin America (following the English and Spanish versions).

Blizzard is providing a full suite of payment options for Brazilian customers, with the base game (plus the Burning Crusade expansion) available for BRL 29.90, while Wrath of the Lich King and Cataclysm will retail for BRL 99.90 each. If retail boxes aren't your thing, the Brazilian version of WoW will also be available through Battle.net.

Finally, subscription plans come in 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day flavors, and 60-day time cards will be available in retail stores. North American players who wish to play on the dedicated Brazilian realms may install a language pack or purchase the Portuguese client, and Blizzard says that "additional pricing details and an official release date [...] will be announced closer to launch."

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft coming to Brazil originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-BlizzardblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbrazilburning-crusadebusiness-modelscataclysmfantasylatin-americammo-industryportugueseportuguese-clientworld-of-warcraftwowwow-brasilWrath-of-the-Lich-KingFri, 22 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: The evolution of /dance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/the-perfect-ten-the-evolution-of-dance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/the-perfect-ten-the-evolution-of-dance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/the-perfect-ten-the-evolution-of-dance/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I recall when I was a wee... teenager and C+C Music Factory would blast through our Walkmans to demand that everybody (1) dance and (2) dance now. It was commanding, enthralling and extremely dorky, but the dance could not be denied. Dancing is in the soles of our souls as humans; we simply must boogie to a good beat.

I'm not quite sure when or where dancing in MMOs became all the craze, but these days it seems as though every game (except the dour ones with bears, bears, bears) prides itself on a good set of /dance emotes. For some players, it's the perfect way to unwind after a long raid or chew up a bit of time while one waits for SgtCuddlyMonkey to return from his refreshing bio break. For others, it's a legitimate career path with a long and distinguished history of gyrating on top of mailboxes while annoyed postal recipients long for a day when a pelvis will not be gesturing at eye level.

So this week, let's loosen up, let our hair down, and samba across the ballroom floor as we count down (up?) 10 incredible MMO dances.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The evolution of /dance

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: The evolution of /dance originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanallods-onlinebears-bears-bearsburning-crusadec+c-music-factorycarltonchicken-dancedancedance-emotedance-emotesdancingddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineemotesentertainereverybody-dance-nowfallen-earthfeaturedfree-realmsfresh-prince-of-bel-airgibberlingsguild-warsirish-jigjukeboxkoboldmichael-jacksonmoonkinnapoleon-dynamiteottos-irresistible-danceowlbearperfect-10perfect-tenrealm-rolledrick-astleyrickrolledriftrock-the-casbahrunescapestar-wars-galaxiesstygianstygian-danceswgtabula-rasathe-chicken-dancethe-perfect-tenthrillervote-for-pedroworld-of-warcraftThu, 10 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/the-perfect-ten-best-non-traditional-mmo-fantasy-races/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/the-perfect-ten-best-non-traditional-mmo-fantasy-races/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/13/the-perfect-ten-best-non-traditional-mmo-fantasy-races/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Elves. Dwarves. Humans. Halflings. Gnomes. Hobbits. Dark elves. High elves. Half-elves. Wood elves. Keebler elves. Elvish impersonators.

Are you as tired as I am of the endless regurgitation of stock fantasy races in our MMOs? It seems inconceivable (I do not think that means what you think it means) for a new fantasy title to come out without most of the above races infesting the character creation screen with moldy unoriginality, putrescent stank, and dusty boredom.

That's why today I'm standing up to praise 10 MMOs that dare to go above and beyond the stale by offering mostly unique and different races than the rest of the market. Hopefully future games will learn from their example and throw off the yokes of generic oppression to give us something bold and refreshing!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acallods-onlineasherons-callbed-wettingburning-crusadecharrdaocdark-age-of-camelotdark-elvesddodraeneidragondragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlinedwarveseberronelveselvish-impersonatoreq2eqiiettenmoorseverquest-2everquest-iifalcor-the-luck-dragongargoylegibberlingsgnomesgpotatoguild-wars-2halflingshigh-elveshobbitshorizonsistariaistaria-formerly-horizonskeebler-elveskoboldlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromonster-playnarniaperfect-10perfect-tenpuff-the-magic-dragonpvmpratongareepicheeprubiskavensoeSony-Online-Entertainmentspider-weaverturbineultima-onlineundeadwarforgedWarhammer-OnlineWorld-of-WarcraftThu, 13 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: When has an MMO made you feel least like a hero?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/25/the-daily-grind-when-has-an-mmo-made-you-feel-least-like-a-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/25/the-daily-grind-when-has-an-mmo-made-you-feel-least-like-a-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/25/the-daily-grind-when-has-an-mmo-made-you-feel-least-like-a-hero/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


For me, it was the early days of World of Warcraft's first expansion, The Burning Crusade. After years in Azeroth, honing my uber-skills and collecting my uber-armor (everything was uber back then), I gave a battle cry and leaped through the portal to Outland with adventure in my heart.

"Oh hey, you're here," the unsurprised NPC said. "Here's a bag. Go collect boar droppings."

"Boar droppings? Shouldn't the janitor take care of that?" I replied, fingering my sword.

"They're, um, hellboars. So this poop can only be handled by a level 60 character. You have 0/6, by the way. Get cracking!"

A little part of me died that day. But I still did the quest.

Whether it's picking up poo, collecting flowers or escorting little children on their quest to find a flute, all MMOs have those moments when we have to do things that are decidedly unheroic. What were the times when an MMO made you feel least like a hero?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: When has an MMO made you feel least like a hero? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antiheroburning-crusadedroppingsfelboarhellboarheroleavingsopinionoutlandpoopoopshizz-worktdgthe-daily-grindWorld-of-WarcraftwowSat, 25 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: Modding your way out of a paper bag]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/anti-aliased-modding-your-way-out-of-a-paper-bag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/anti-aliased-modding-your-way-out-of-a-paper-bag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/anti-aliased-modding-your-way-out-of-a-paper-bag/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If there's been a theme to this week, it's been interfaces and modding. Both EverQuest II and Lord of the Rings Online have had announcements related to their interfaces, be it re-skinning or new Lua functionality being installed. However, it was these two articles that set off the Rube Goldberg device in my head. They reminded me just what I thought about mods.

My relationship with mods has always been iffy. While I certainly appreciate what they do for us in our many MMOs, they also irk me to no end. While I understand (and totally support) some mods, there are others that I'd rather offer to Zuul.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate the mods because they're not useful. It's quite the opposite, in fact. Sometimes, I think mods are too useful. When you start skipping social interactions in favor of an e-peen number, that's the point where mods are going over the line.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: Modding your way out of a paper bag

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: Modding your way out of a paper bag originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onsanti-aliasedbecause-reading-the-quest-text-is-hardburning-crusadedeadly-boss-modsdo-as-the-program-saysfeaturedgearscoreinterfaceluamodmoddingmodding-communitymodsquest-auto-complete-9000raidingthe-burning-crusadeuiuser-interfaceworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 22 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Honoring the Lightbringer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/21/one-shots-honoring-the-lightbringer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/21/one-shots-honoring-the-lightbringer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/21/one-shots-honoring-the-lightbringer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Before Burning Crusade came out, all World of Warcraft players had of Uther Lightbringer was lore and a grave in Andorhal. The addition of the Paladin class to the Horde with World of Warcraft's first expansion opened up the potential of giving both factions the chance to meet with the man (or at least his ghost) so crucial to the history of Azeroth. Today's One Shots comes to us from one of our very own Massively writers, Colin Brennan, who sent in this lovely shot he took honoring Uther.

If you're playing a game we haven't seen in a while, why not send in a screenshot? We like to see everything from rolling landscape screens to the intense heat of battle. All you have to do is email it to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the game it's from, and a quick note about what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you credit for sending it in!

Gallery: One Shots


MassivelyOne Shots: Honoring the Lightbringer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andorhalblizzardburning-crusadecolin-brennanone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsuther-lightbringerworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 21 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Skies over Blades Edge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/05/one-shots-skies-over-blades-edge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/05/one-shots-skies-over-blades-edge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/05/one-shots-skies-over-blades-edge/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Back when Burning Crusade was the hotness and we were raiding Gruul's and doing dailies, there were many times we looked up into these same Outland skies. While those spikes look pretty mean, they only really annoyed us when they got in the way of our flying mounts. Today's World of Warcraft One Shots comes to us from Cory M, who gives us a little slice of Burning Crusade nostalgia with this image. Cory writes in: Heres a shot I got from when I was waiting for some guildies. I forget where I was unfortunately. It's a very nice desktop pic though.

We love to see screens from MMOs both big and small, but we need you to send them in! It's really easy to do - just drop an email to oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and a quick description. We'll post it out here for everyone to check out, and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Skies over Blades Edge originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blades-edge-mountainsblizzardburning-crusadecory-mone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 05 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: The role you play pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/31/behind-the-curtain-the-role-you-play-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/31/behind-the-curtain-the-role-you-play-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/31/behind-the-curtain-the-role-you-play-pt-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

I haven't looked back. I've had a lot of ups and downs on my journey to level 80. I haven't always stayed true to my original goal, and ended up skipping more than my fair share of groups at level 70 - can you believe that I didn't actually visit one Heroic dungeon in Burning Crusade?

I've been in groups where the run was smooth as silk, and the chat had be holding my sides from laughing too hard.

On the flip-side, I've had groups which made me want to claw my eyeballs from their sockets, and break my fingers so I couldn't play ever again. Seriously, Barrens General had nothing on some of these people.

I've discovered that a lot of the things that make me a good healer in WoW also make me a good tank. Situational and tactical awareness, an eye for detail, the ability and willingness to communicate and the ability to make decisions quickly are necessary for success in both roles. Don't get me wrong - I'm not the best tank out there, I'm far from perfect, but I'm bloody good at it, and you could do an awful lot worse.

Tanking is a role that puts a fair amount of responsibility on the player's shoulders. Whether you like it or not, whether you even realise it or not, a lot of the wipes that happen in an instance will be your fault. Yes, that Warlock/Mage/Shaman shouldn't be pulling aggro, but you should be watching Omen and warning them about it. Mobs running around one-shotting your healer? You should be picking them up before bad things happen.

You might not agree, you might say that aggro is each player's own responsibility - that they should be checking their own Omen, and making sure they're behind you in aggro. That's fair enough, I just calls 'em the way I sees 'em.

I never expected to enjoy tanking as much as I do. I've found a role that I never thought would have suited me, but by the same token, might not have enjoyed as much if I'd gone into it earlier in the game. Maybe I was wrong about the other classes I considered, and I'd have ended up feeling as much at home being a Mage or Shaman.

Most of us play games for some small amount of escapism, to get away from our real lives and forget our stresses for a little while if we can. But are we drawn to certain classes because they reflect something within ourselves? Do I enjoy tanking and healing because of some personality quirk? Does that mean I enjoy smoothing over people's concerns and keeping them happy in real life? My family would beg to differ. Are Mages running a heavy Fire spec all secret Pyromaniacs? Are those of us with a Druid secret hippies? The analogy doesn't really hold much weight, I'll admit - but there may be something in it.

Feel free to comment below, share similar stories of you finding your niche, or even stories of you not finding it. Let me know if agree or disagree with my theories - I'll try not to delete the ones that disagree. No promises though.

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: The role you play pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-curtainburning-crusadeclasseshealingplaystyleplaystylestankingworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 31 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: The role you play]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/31/behind-the-curtain-the-role-you-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/31/behind-the-curtain-the-role-you-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/31/behind-the-curtain-the-role-you-play/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

This week, I'd like to talk a bit about how taking a look at how you play a game, and which class you play, and maybe choosing to change one or both can pay dividends.

Before I do that though, I would just like to mention that I did finally manage to get hold of Baron Rivendare's mount after 68 runs - my thanks to all of you who shared similar stories in the comments of last week's column. Or at the very least, my thanks to whatever Blizzard GM read my whinings and took pity on me, if that's what happened.

Apart from Keith. Ten runs, two mounts and one sword? Keith, I'll be hunting you down to kill you in your sleep, I just wanted to give you fair warning.

If you've been paying attention to any of my columns of late, you'll have noticed that I'm playing a level 80 Protection Warrior in World of Warcraft just now.

I may not have Matthew Rossi's deep, rather touching, love for the Warrior class, but I do love being a tank. Which is something of a surprise, because it was never something I thought I would enjoy being.

My first character in WoW, away back around patch 1.9 was a Tauren Druid. I won't lie, the whole idealized Native American feel of the Tauren sucked me right in. The serenely beautiful rolling plains of Mulgore certainly didn't hurt my choice either. As for the Druid class itself, I can't quite remember what drew me there. I imagine it was that the theory and lore behind the class match up well with that of the Tauren race itself - they seemed to go well together, so I guess I just went with it.

Levelling up, of course, I specced Feral. I knew the Balance and Restoration trees were there, but I avoided them. I avoided Balance because it didn't suit the way I wanted to play, and I avoided Restoration because I wasn't yet comfortable speccing into a tree which required regular PUGs to get the most out of it.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: The role you play

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: The role you play originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-curtainburning-crusadefeaturedhealingplaystyleplaystylesrolestankingworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 31 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: Take a look back]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/03/behind-the-curtain-take-a-look-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/03/behind-the-curtain-take-a-look-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/03/behind-the-curtain-take-a-look-back/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Brace yourself for the obligatory 'New Year' post. I'd resolve to lose weight, tone up and be kinder to my fellow man, but I'd be lying. Not because I'm weak and won't follow through on them, but because I don't need to. I'm practically perfect in every way.

Except not really. I'm lying. I also hate Mary Poppins with a cold, implacable hatred. But that's neither here nor there.

It's been a year of ups and downs in the MMO world. We've seen World of Warcraft go from strength to strength with an expansion pack which knocked the socks off of Burning Crusade. Say what you will about Blizzard, but it's always good to see a company that's willing and able to learn not only from its past mistakes, but its past successes. We've seen the long-awaitied launch of Warhammer Online, but we've also seen some downers, with Tabula Rasa going down the tubes, and Fury falling over. Although, not as many people were upset about Fury, given that it was terrible from start to finish.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Take a look back

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: Take a look back originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-curtainburning-crusadefeaturedfurynew-yearretrospectivetabula-rasawarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 03 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Burning Crusade raids rebalanced in patch 3.0]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/burning-crusade-raids-rebalanced-in-patch-3-0/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/burning-crusade-raids-rebalanced-in-patch-3-0/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/01/burning-crusade-raids-rebalanced-in-patch-3-0/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Massively's sister site WoW Insider is reporting that the upcoming mega-patch to World of Warcraft will include nerfs. But not to your precious Hunter or Warlock ... no, the nerfs are hitting the bosses of the Burning Crusade and Outlands. Major changes to the way fundamental game mechanics work have resulted in bosses that are significantly more challenging than they were intended to be when the BC expansion was released. To combat this, every boss in Outlands has had their health reduced by (in some circumstances) up to 30%.

Blogger Alex Ziebart runs down the numerous 'old style' raid tactics that, now deprecated, the Blizzard developers had to tune for. "Shaman stacking", and "Shadow Priest mana batteries" were just two of the tactics that neccessitated these changes. Alex views these changes as "an absolutely required retuning", and we're inclined to agree. Check out the discussion of the latest PTR patch to World of Warcraft, and plenty of analysis, at WoW Insider.

MassivelyBurning Crusade raids rebalanced in patch 3.0 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardburning-crusadeendgamepatchraidsworld-of-warcraftwowwow-patch-3.0Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What's new in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/15/whats-new-in-the-wrath-of-the-lich-king-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/15/whats-new-in-the-wrath-of-the-lich-king-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/15/whats-new-in-the-wrath-of-the-lich-king-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

World of Warcraft was first announced in 2001, and almost from the get-go players were hotly debating which components of the gameworld of Azeroth would make it into the MMO. Blizzard launched their blockbuster MMO with a very focused experience, and managed to set a new bar for online gaming quality with their 2007 Burning Crusade expansion.

Now the company is set to once again expand the horizons of their gameworld, and in doing so reconnect the Warcraft RTS titles with their MMO. Wrath of the Lich King will reintroduce old characters, allow players to explore acres and acres of new environments, and remake the face of Azeroth as we know it. But what exactly is the expansion offering? What are the brand-new elements coming from the minds 'behind the storm'? Today we have a gallery feature for you that should clear up any questions you might have about this most ambitious of expansions.

In cooperation with Massively's sister site WoW Insider, we present an extensive survey of the changes coming to Blizzard's World of Warcraft. We'll explore the new lands, new beasts, new toys, and class changes coming with the expansion, and even talk a little bit about where Blizzard might go next. Join us as we head north to adventure!

Gallery: What's new in Wrath of the Lich King

The New Face of AzerothAdvancing the LoreMaking Contact with NorthrendBorean Tundra Howling Fjord
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyWhat's new in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardburning-crusadedalaranfeaturedjoystiqfeaturesworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 15 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft's expansion lore needs addendums to understand?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/world-of-warcrafts-expansion-lore-needs-addendums-to-understand/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/world-of-warcrafts-expansion-lore-needs-addendums-to-understand/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/03/world-of-warcrafts-expansion-lore-needs-addendums-to-understand/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The blogger who's titled himself "Lume the Mad" (ahem) has an interesting take on the lore surrounding World of Warcraft's lore for the Burning Crusade as a whole, and the patch 2.4 content drop in specific. According to Lume, Blizzard needs to make a better effort in the future towards keeping everything in-game. As it stands, the final encounter in the Sunwell dungeon is nigh-incomprehensible if you're only using in-game references. The final interplay between Kalecgos, Aveena, and Kil'jaeden is perfectly understandable if you follow WoW Insider's excellent "Know Your Lore" series, but otherwise you'd have to read a few graphic novels to get the full effect of the dungeon's climax.

Lume compares this storytelling to the way that the television show Lost approaches lore. There are pieces of story spread around various types of media - videogames, books, websites, podcasts - all of which expand on the Lost world. The key is that none of these 'extra' components are integral to the television show's story. They enhance, rather than prop up, elements of the show's plot. In WoW, that's not the case - you need to read these manga, effectively, to really get what's going on. As we look forward to seeing a lot of Arthas in Wrath of the Lich King, let's hope the company keeps in mind what players have and haven't seen to date in-game.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's expansion lore needs addendums to understand? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardburning-crusadeloresunwellworld-of-warcraftwowwow-patch-2.4Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Bartle expands on earlier remarks stated in Massively interview [updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/richard-bartle-expands-on-earlier-remarks-stated-in-massively-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/richard-bartle-expands-on-earlier-remarks-stated-in-massively-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/richard-bartle-expands-on-earlier-remarks-stated-in-massively-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In this interview conducted by Michael Zenke, Richard Bartle discussed how to improve World of Warcraft and about MMOGs in general. One comment in particular overshadowed the whole interview: "I've already played Warhammer. It was called World of Warcraft." The comment thread on both Massively and WoW Insider was met with heavy criticism towards what many considered a myopic statement. It didn't stop there; the blogosphere has been running rampant with rambunctious commentary about his remarks all weekend long.

This isn't the first time that Bartle has come under scrutiny for one of his outspoken comments. Last year, when asked what he would do if he could control any MMOG Bartle proclaimed he would shut down World of Warcraft. His reasoning behind it was so that other unknown virtual worlds would have the chance to thrive and push new boundaries in the massive genre. One sacrifice for a thousand, but it's definitely something to ponder as the cost of MMO development continues to skyrocket towards the 100 million dollar mark. Big-budget MMOs are less likely to take risks and follow a winning formula.

No matter what you think of Richard Bartle, we only felt that it was fair that we share his follow-up comments that may help discern his perspective as a game designer. More on Bartle's controversial statement which may not be as shocking as one might think, in his own words after the jump.

Continue reading Richard Bartle expands on earlier remarks stated in Massively interview [updated]

MassivelyRichard Bartle expands on earlier remarks stated in Massively interview [updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbartleblizzardburning-crusadedesigngame-designrichard-bartletheory-craftworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 23 Jun 2008 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive: Richard Bartle on how he'd make World of Warcraft better]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/richard-bartle-on-how-hed-make-world-of-warcraft-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/richard-bartle-on-how-hed-make-world-of-warcraft-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/richard-bartle-on-how-hed-make-world-of-warcraft-better/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Or: The Grandfather of MUDs talks the Mother of all MMOs

Earlier in the year this blogger had the chance to attend the Independent MMO Game Developer's Conference, the second annual event held in Minneapolis, MN. A number of luminaries in the field made an appearance, such as Scott Hartsman (former Senior Producer for EverQuest 2) and Brian Green (best known for his work on Meridian 59). Also in attendance was Dr. Richard Bartle, the much-admired co-developer of the original MUD1 online environment. Along with Roy Trubshaw, Mr. Bartle essentially pioneered the field of MUDs. As these games gave rise to MMOs as we know them today, we would most likely not be enjoying the Massively.com website without his efforts.

Join us as we sit down for a conversation about the big kid on the block: World of Warcraft. Some time ago Dr. Bartle made the crack that he'd "shut down" Blizzard game in an effort to improve the industry. Though he was only making an elaborately illustrative joke at the time, he's gotten a lot of flack for it. Today we have the other side of that coin: what Blizzard could honestly do to make the game even better. Click on through below the cut for Dr. Richard Bartle's view on Karazahn, playing MMOs as a player, and his overall view on the near future of the genre's darlings.

Continue reading Exclusive: Richard Bartle on how he'd make World of Warcraft better

MassivelyExclusive: Richard Bartle on how he'd make World of Warcraft better originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bartleblizzardburning-crusadefeaturedgame-designimgdcimgdc-2008joystiqfeaturesrichard-bartleworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 20 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Keeping the Blizzard team happy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/keeping-the-blizzard-team-happy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/keeping-the-blizzard-team-happy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/keeping-the-blizzard-team-happy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


In a recent interview over at CVG, Blizzard's senior producer on the Wrath of the Lich King project, J. Allen Brack, talks a bit about how the newest WoW expansion will be better than anything we've seen yet. He says that 95% of the team that worked on Burning Crusade have remained and are working on WotLK. This is an important distinction, as it means the team is happy. As Brack says, "It's a testament to Blizzard culture, the success of the game and the environment we've created."

This interview also touches on the state of PvP in WoW. The CVG interviewer makes some humorous remarks on the changes that have been made to PvP since it was first introduced, and asks if this trend will continue into WotLK. Brack believes that with the expansion's new Lake Wintergrasp area, players will enjoy the siege weapons and destructible environments it will introduce. Let's hope he's right!

MassivelyKeeping the Blizzard team happy originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardburning-crusadej-allen-bracklake-wintergraspworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 09 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wrath of the Lich King interview notes some big changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/wrath-of-the-lich-king-interview-notes-some-big-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/wrath-of-the-lich-king-interview-notes-some-big-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/wrath-of-the-lich-king-interview-notes-some-big-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Blizzard should have a reason to fret since two games, Age of Conan and Warhammer Online, are set to release this year and might rain on Blizzard's parade. However, Blizzard refuses to lower their shield and sword and bubble hearth. They are actually pretty confident in their upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, and they do not think that there is too much aggro from the new games. In an interview with Eurogamer, a few of the devs chatted about what spells will be cast to keep the accounts up and the game fresh.

Content updates do not come as much of a surprise. Blizzard is raising the cap to level 80, but they do not want you to feel as if the bar has been set and there is no progression beyond it. Raids and dungeons are going to be more inviting since, in the words of Jeff Kaplan, "Burning Crusade was way too hardcore out of the gate." If raiding is still not for you, the Death Knight is going to add a little flavor to the game. Best of all, there are going to be evolved murlocs! With this exciting change, we may feel badly about killing the poor guys over and over again for their shiny, graphically enhanced, scales. Take a look at the interview and get a feel for what awaits us on the frozen grounds of Northrend.

MassivelyWrath of the Lich King interview notes some big changes originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanblizzardburning-crusadeeurogamerjeff-kaplanwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 17 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Gaming Iconoclast: Jumping Ship]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/the-gaming-iconoclast-jumping-ship/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/the-gaming-iconoclast-jumping-ship/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/the-gaming-iconoclast-jumping-ship/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kriss Kross will make you wanna... or maybe they won't.In the spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.
-- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

No matter where you go, there you are.
-- Buckaroo Banzai

Recently, in The Daily Grind, Brenda brought up the subject of taking up a new game in addition to, or instead of, one you currently play, and there were some very insightful responses in the comments. We here at TGI have been mulling over the same issue lately as well. There's apparently something in the air or water these days that leads to such ruminations. Not necessarily outright dalliances, per se, but as a gedankenexperiment into the merits of leaving our current realm or realms and striking out for greener fields.

There seems to be a generalized atmosphere swirling around this notion of changing games lately, but why? For some players, it's idle speculation; for others, serious contemplation. For developers, it's either cause for concern or Miller Time. Is it merely widespread anticipation of Warhammer Online and Age of Conan? Is it boredom with the current crop of MMO titles?

Or is everybody out there just playing Grand Theft Auto IV?

Continue reading The Gaming Iconoclast: Jumping Ship

MassivelyThe Gaming Iconoclast: Jumping Ship originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 May 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananarchy-onlineblizzard-entertainmentburning-crusadecity-of-heroesea-mythicfuncomgrand-theft-auto-ivlord-of-the-rings-on...lotromidwayncsoftrockstar-gamessoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiestabula-rasathe-burning-crusadethe-gaming-iconoclastwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 12 May 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: The Lich King made me do it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/the-digital-continuum-the-lich-king-made-me-do-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/the-digital-continuum-the-lich-king-made-me-do-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/the-digital-continuum-the-lich-king-made-me-do-it/#commentsFiled under: , ,


So I'll admit it. I've been pretty hard on World of Warcraft ever since The Burning Crusade launched. A large part of the reason I've been so down on the game is because a lot of Burning Crusade's end-game content came off as incredibly daunting to me. I never had any interest in most of the raids offered in the game simply because I didn't feel like going through all the hoops to access them. Sure there were the 5-mans, but most of the super-cool content was still locked away from me.

Even with the original announcement of Wrath of the Lich King, I felt complete disinterest in the expansion as it seemed to be more of the same. More raids, more high quality content that was probably going to be locked away behind hoops, barrels and fire pit traps. Yet that all changed yesterday with the icy cool wake-up blast of new information that jolted my interest -- something I thought could never happen again with World of Warcraft.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: The Lich King made me do it

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: The Lich King made me do it originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbcblizzardburning-crusadefeaturedtbcthe-digital-continuumwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 10 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard opens its digital download doors]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/blizzard-opens-its-digital-download-doors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/blizzard-opens-its-digital-download-doors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/blizzard-opens-its-digital-download-doors/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you just can't take the wait of driving to a brick and mortar store (or even worse, waiting for something to show up in the mail!) then Blizzard's got you covered with their new digital download service. As of right now they're only offering the Starcraft Anthology, Warcraft III and its Frozen Throne expansion pack. However, we could see Blizzard eventually offering both World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade -- not to mention Wrath of the Lich King when it launches.

Currently it's possible to get a digital download version of World of Warcraft and its first expansion through third-party. We're sure Blizzard will eventually take over those titles, as the company probably wants to make sure that buying their product digitally is as good an experience as it can possibly be. The thought of having every Blizzard PC title at our fingertips is a little scary though, we're worried that our bank accounts may suddenly drop soon for some mysterious reason.

[via WarCry]

MassivelyBlizzard opens its digital download doors originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbrick-and-morterburning-crusadedigital-downloadsfrozen-thronestarcraftwarcraftwarcraft-iiiworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 06 May 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: Macrotransactions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/26/the-digital-continuum-macrotransactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/26/the-digital-continuum-macrotransactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/26/the-digital-continuum-macrotransactions/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The subject of microtransactions tends to bring out a lot of different opinions in people and sometimes harsh words are exchanged. I've never really taken a stance on the matter, as I've always been a bit unsure of which side of the argument I fell on.

I recently had an epiphany on my stance. Everyone that is talking about microtranasctions seems to be missing something important. They're all a little bit wrong. Michael Zenke (one of our intrepid leads here at Massively) recently brought up the subject in a different light and in doing so made me come to this realization that we'd all been missing an important factor in this discussion.

I think we need to stop looking at microtransactions with a black or white lens. Monthly subscriptions and single-dollar purchases aren't the only options available to us. For the sake of argument, let's call what I'm about to discuss something different.

Let's call them Macrotransactions.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Macrotransactions

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: Macrotransactions originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardburning-crusadefeaturedhumanmacrotransactionsmagemicrotransactionsthe-digital-continuumworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 26 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the scenes with the men who brought you Sunwell]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/behind-the-scenes-with-the-men-who-brought-you-sunwell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/behind-the-scenes-with-the-men-who-brought-you-sunwell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/behind-the-scenes-with-the-men-who-brought-you-sunwell/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The Blizzard team has learned a lot from their experience with The Burning Crusade, and in a recent interview posted on their official page, producer J. Allen Brack and art director Chris Robinson lay out exactly which of these lessons they're following through on for the new Sunwell Plateau instances and Wrath of the Lich King further down the road. They talk about how Sunwell is really the pinnacle of the Blood Elf design style and how players will see many design parallels with their starting zone.

As for WotLK, one of the cooler design changes they mentioned is more closely integrating the main story-arc into the leveling experience. Brack mentions how with WotLK, Arthas will play a more visible role in the lives of players, even well before they ever reach the level 80 cap. Similarly, he also discusses how the element of snow in the expansion is being used as much as a story-telling device as an aesthetic one, trying to get players to feel the isolation and despair inherent in the Northrend zone. It's pretty fascinating, as both Brack and Robinson are more forthcoming than usual, perhaps because it's an in-house interview.

MassivelyBehind the scenes with the men who brought you Sunwell originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arthasburning-crusadechris-robinsonj.-allen-bracksunwellsunwell-plateautbcworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingThu, 24 Apr 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard takes third in comprehensive best developer of 2007 list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/blizzard-takes-third-in-comprehensive-best-developer-of-2007-lis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/blizzard-takes-third-in-comprehensive-best-developer-of-2007-lis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/blizzard-takes-third-in-comprehensive-best-developer-of-2007-lis/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What do you get when you take Game Developer magazine, Game Developer Research division, Gamasutra and combine their various developer information gathering efforts? Well, you get an all-encompassing list of the top 50 best developers of 2007 that takes not only weekly sales and ratings into account, but an anonymous survey on developer reputation fielded by Gamasutra itself. The survey asked community members to score game developers on overall reputation and direct interaction working for or with said developer, where they had actually done such.

The list puts Blizzard at third for Burning Crusade, just under Infinity Ward at second for Call of Duty 4 and Nintendo Kyoto (Brain Age, Wii Play) at first. It's an interesting method of rating developers, since they have to of had a game released the previous year to be eligible -- yet rankings also depend on developer reputation, which is a longterm concept. We weren't surprised to see Blizzard sitting pretty high on the list, beating out a lot of other developers responsible for some pretty great titles last year. (sorry, Valve)

There is a nagging question in the back of our minds, however: Which carries more weight in determining placement on the list -- sales or reputation?

MassivelyBlizzard takes third in comprehensive best developer of 2007 list originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbrain-ageburning-crusadecall-of-duty-4gamasutragame-developer-magazinegame-developer-research-divisioninfinity-wardnintendowii-playFri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Comic Watch: Shakes and Fidget explain the Burning Crusade races]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/comic-watch-shakes-and-fidget-explain-the-burning-crusade-races/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/comic-watch-shakes-and-fidget-explain-the-burning-crusade-races/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/26/comic-watch-shakes-and-fidget-explain-the-burning-crusade-races/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Oskar Pannier & Marvin Clifford are the creators of 'Shakes and Fidget', a webcomic set in the World of Warcraft universe. Shakes and Fidget are a human and gnome, respectively, and they travel Azeroth for the sole purpose of getting into trouble, apparently. This works out well for all of us, as seen in this strip, entitled 'A New World', as they travel through the Dark Portal and meet the two new races from the Burning Crusade expansion.

I have to hand it to any author who uses the word 'invidious'. In fact, I'm gonna start up a webcomic wherein every episode features a ten-cent word for your reading pleasure. The main character is a dinosaur named Thesaurus Rex. You can make Paypal donations to my personal email address.

MassivelyComic Watch: Shakes and Fidget explain the Burning Crusade races originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothburning-crusadecomic-watchcomicsdark-portalmarvin-cliffordoskar-pannierpaypalshakes-and-fidgetthesaurus-rexwebcomicworld-of-warcraftTue, 26 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW: The Burning Crusade wins MMO of the year from the AIAS]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/08/wow-the-burning-crusade-wins-mmo-of-the-year-from-the-aias/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/08/wow-the-burning-crusade-wins-mmo-of-the-year-from-the-aias/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/08/wow-the-burning-crusade-wins-mmo-of-the-year-from-the-aias/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has placed another feather in the positively avian cap of Blizzard's World of Warcraft. A final list of the nominees and winners from AIAS' 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards has been released, and of the five shortlisted games in the Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year category, it is the WoW expansion in particular, The Burning Crusade, that took the top honor (as Mike Schramm predicted when the nominations were first announced). Blizzard executives also gave speeches on the strategies behind their success -- unrelated to the award -- at the D.I.C.E. Summit, where the awards took place.

There were four other MMOs that deserve a mention for being nominated, and these are a mix of new titles and expansions. In no particular order, they are: EVE Online: Trinity, Guild Wars: Eye of the North, The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, and Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa. The Overall Game of the Year went to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and you can check out a discussion of this, and some of the other AIAS' gaming awards outside of the MMO focus, at Joystiq.

MassivelyWoW: The Burning Crusade wins MMO of the year from the AIAS originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiaaaiasbcburning-crusadedicedice-summitevelotrorgtrtbctrwowFri, 08 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cinemassively: Burning Crusade The Movie]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/cinemassively-burning-crusade-the-movie/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/cinemassively-burning-crusade-the-movie/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/01/cinemassively-burning-crusade-the-movie/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

According to WoWJutsu, only 6% of WoW players can reach high-end raids in the Burning Crusade expansion. If you're worried about never seeing them, fear not! Jack, of Easy Productions, has come out with Burning Crusade The Movie.

BCTM is an action-packed 30+ minute Machinima that features 25-man armies in four full dungeons with 24 bosses! Not only is it nice to see who you may be up against in the future, but it's presented in a cinematic way. Follow along as they work their way to the final boss, Illidan Stormrage, and then download the high-quality version on Warcraftmovies.

[Via Warcraftmovies.com]

MassivelyCinemassively: Burning Crusade The Movie originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I don't know whether we should pretend to be surprised or not, but according to a report by the NPD group peeped by Gamasutra, which tracks game sales in retail outlets in the United States, World of Warcraft stood triumphantly on top of the PC Gaming pile for the year 2007, taking the number one and two spots on the list by a wide margin. Burning Crusade clocked in at #1 with 2.25 million and vanilla World of Warcraft came in second with 914k. The next highest contender was the Sims 2 Seasons Expansion Pack which clocked in it a relatively paltry 433k units sold. The PC game industry in general took in revenue of $910.7 million in sales, though that figure was down from $970 million last year. It's unclear whether this general downturn was due to a lack of good games compared to consoles or the relative untraceability of digital downloads, or what, but regardless the dominance by WoW is striking.

No other MMOs managed to crack the top 10 (nor did we really expect them to), but it'll be interesting to see whether the twin terrors that are Age of Conan and Warhammer Online can join WoW at the pinnacle of PC gaming success this time next year. If Blizzard can generate sales for their original game (which, by the way, launched in 2004 for crying out loud) that eclipse the next highest competitor two times over, you have to assume that Funcom and Mythic are hoping to grab at least a piece of that sweet, sweet NPD pie this year. Whether they choose to use the revenue to buy four wheels of fury is their own prerogative, however.

MassivelyWoW dominates the greater PC retail landscape in 2007 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burning-crusadenpd-salespc-gamingsalesworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 25 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AIAS nominations for MMO of the year announced]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/22/aias-nominations-for-mmo-of-the-year-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/22/aias-nominations-for-mmo-of-the-year-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/22/aias-nominations-for-mmo-of-the-year-announced/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You may have heard that the Academy of Motion Pictures announced their Oscar nominations (how about that Ellen Page? And I definitely need to see There Will Be Blood, as soon as my wacky work schedule allows me the free time) this morning, but the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences also announced their Academy Award nominations for videogames earlier this week, and they picked five nominees for MMO game of the year.

And the nominations are: EVE Online: Trinity, Guild Wars: Eye of the North, Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa, Lord of the Rings: Shadows of Angmar, and World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. I don't want to be a spoilsport, but I'm thinking that any of those others are going to have a tough time beating Burning Crusade-- Blizzard is still pretty far ahead of the game at this point. But it is interesting to note that three of the five nominees are expansions-- Tabula Rasa and LotRO are the two original games on the list.

Hopefully this time next year we'll see some more new names in the mix. The AIAS awards winners will be announced on February 7, 2007 in Las Vegas.

[Via Curse]

MassivelyAIAS nominations for MMO of the year announced originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiasburning-crusadeeve-onlineguild-warslord-of-the-ringslotrotabula-rasatrinitywowTue, 22 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell announces new epicly geeky WoW laptop]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/dell-announces-new-epicly-geeky-wow-laptop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/dell-announces-new-epicly-geeky-wow-laptop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/dell-announces-new-epicly-geeky-wow-laptop/#commentsFiled under: , ,


When Dell started dropping hints a few weeks ago that World of Warcraft players simply weren't prepared for some epic announcement they had planned for December, the more easily manipulated among us immediately assumed that it must have had something to do with a Dell advertising cross-over for the anxiously anticipated Wrath of the Lich King expansion. And of course, the cynical folks retorted that it was probably just a lot of hullabaloo about a new laptop or something.

When we checked our inboxes this morning, we found out the cynics had it! Dell has announced a new WoW-ified version of its XPS M1730 notebooks. These things go far, far beyond being simply a "WoW notebook" however, as Dell has gone all out to create a gamer dreambox. Sporting an Intel Core Duo at 2.2ghz, 2 gigs of ram, a GeForce 8700M, and a hearty 17" screen, the real allure of the M1730 is its custom case, which can be tailored to your faction preference with Horde and Alliance version. It also comes with a Beta Club key card (giving you access to all future WoW betas), a pre-installed retail copy of Burning Crusade with all the updates, a WoW-themed backpack and a host of other goodies like a behind-the-scenes DVD, a soundtrack, novels, strategy guides, some CCG cards, and more.

All for the low, low starting price of $4500! That's a lot of dough for those kind of specs, but just look at the thing, it's gorgeous! Rumor is we've got one of these floating around the Massively/WoW Insider offices, so we'll let you know if the thing is as pretty as it looks... and if it's worth it!

Gallery: Dell XPS M1730

Alliance branded Dell XPS M1730Horde branded Dell XPS M1730Alliance branded Dell XPS M1730Horde branded Dell XPS M1730Alliance branded Dell XPS M1730

MassivelyDell announces new epicly geeky WoW laptop originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingburning-crusadedelldell-wow-laptopepiclaptopworld-of-warcraftwowXPS-M1730Tue, 04 Dec 2007 10:48:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO and Burning Crusade victorious at Golden Joysticks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/26/lotro-and-burning-crusade-victorious-at-golden-joysticks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/26/lotro-and-burning-crusade-victorious-at-golden-joysticks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/26/lotro-and-burning-crusade-victorious-at-golden-joysticks/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The 25th annual Golden Joysticks (not to be confused with Joystiq) awards in London are officially over, and the MMOs were out in force. While Gears of War snagged the "Ultimate Game of the Year 2007" award, The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar took "PC Game of the Year", and World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade was the victor in the "Gametribe Online Game of the Year" category.

The full results can be viewed on the Golden Joystick website. While the majority of the winners were serious "no duh" picks, it's a little surprising to see LotRO honored as the overall PC game of the year. Not that we don't think it's not a terrific game, mind you, but an MMO (that doesn't have the word Warcraft in the title, anyway) taking the award over the glut of historically more popular shooters and strategy games is a bit shocking, though not unwelcome!

MassivelyLotRO and Burning Crusade victorious at Golden Joysticks originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Oct 2007 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardsburning-crusadegolden-joysticksGOTYlondonlord-of-the-rings-onlineLotROonline-game-of-the-yearpc-game-of-the-yearWoWFri, 26 Oct 2007 17:05:00 EST