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[GAME announces exclusive SWTOR CE contract, Walmart accidentally cancels 'nearly all' pre-orders]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/game-to-exclusively-sell-swtor-ce-in-the-uk-walmart-accidentall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/game-to-exclusively-sell-swtor-ce-in-the-uk-walmart-accidentall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/game-to-exclusively-sell-swtor-ce-in-the-uk-walmart-accidentall/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Walmart
Whenever a major MMO nears launch, tensions and anxieties grow to a fever pitch among players -- particularly in regard to their pre-orders. There are worries that a game won't install right, ship on time, or allow proper access to one's account. Today, there are a few more issues to be concerned with in regard to Star Wars: The Old Republic if you've pre-ordered it.

Over in the UK, GAME (and Gamestation) has announced that it will be the sole retailer for SWTOR's physical Collector's Edition in the region, even though EA previously said that companies such as Amazon, Play.com, Zavvi and ShopTo were going to be selling them as well. UK players can also purchase non-CE versions of the game through EA's Origin service.

In other news, several players who secured their copy of SWTOR through Walmart found that their orders -- both regular and CEs -- were canceled over this past weekend. A Walmart customer service representative appeared on the SWTOR forums to say that this happened due to a "data error" that forced the company to nix most of the pre-orders. SWTOR's Stephen Reid said that BioWare is investigating the situation, but he confirms that any players who have already added their pre-order codes into their accounts will have locked in early access for the launch.

MassivelyGAME announces exclusive SWTOR CE contract, Walmart accidentally cancels 'nearly all' pre-orders originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbiowarecancelcancelleddata-erroreaea-biowareelectronic-artsgamegamestationpre-orderpre-orderspreorderpreordersstar-wars-the-old-republicstephen-reidswtorwalmartwookiee-rageMon, 05 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should MMOs live forever?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/the-daily-grind-should-mmos-live-forever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/the-daily-grind-should-mmos-live-forever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/the-daily-grind-should-mmos-live-forever/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

As we learned in the 1990s, just as Full House had an unholy beginning, so too it had to have an unholy finish. Life begets death, launches beget cancellations, and official MMO forums beget the end of a civilized community. So while we play our MMOs under the illusion that these persistent worlds will, well, persist forever, the truth is that one day the curtain will come down and our characters' journeys will come to a screeching halt.

Generally, MMOs will continue as long as the companies running them find them profitable -- running online games isn't a charity, after all. Sometimes a flagging title will receive new life through a F2P transition, via a makeover, or by being lumped in with a group discount package.

Our question today is a rather broad one: Should MMOs live forever, and if so, how do you propose they keep on running when the subscriber base no longer generates enough income to cover the costs? Are you OK with MMOs bowing out of the market once their numbers dip below a certain point, or should companies do everything they can to keep them afloat, including handing the title off to private server operators?

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: Should MMOs live forever? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancellationcancelledf2pfree-to-playfull-houseopinionprivate-serverprivate-serverstdgthe-daily-grindThu, 27 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warrior Epic closes its doors]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/14/warrior-epic-closes-its-doors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/14/warrior-epic-closes-its-doors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/14/warrior-epic-closes-its-doors/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After a year and a half in service, Warrior Epic looks to be destitute. The free-to-play MMO had its service shut off on Friday by ijji, which posted the following announcement in the company's forums:

"As of November 12th, 2010, Warrior Epic will no longer be serviced through ijji.com. The ijji Warrior Epic team would like to thank you for your support during this journey. As a token of our gratitude for your loyalty, we would like to reward you an ijji loyalty package. If you had registered for an ijji Warrior Epic account, you will receive an email with full details on this loyalty package. Thank you again for your support, and we look forward to seeing you in our other exciting games!"

Details of the loyalty package can be found on this thread, where ijji promises to hand out items for former Warrior Epic players if they register for GunZ or Lunia.

Warrior Epic was developed by UTV True Games, the same studio behind Mytheon and Faxion Online.

MassivelyWarrior Epic closes its doors originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancelationcancellationcancelledclosingfaxion-onlinegunzijjiluniamytheonutv-true-gameswarrior-epicSun, 14 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The end of Exteel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/29/the-end-of-exteel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/29/the-end-of-exteel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/29/the-end-of-exteel/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Set the flags to half-mast, put on your blackest mech armor, and raise a glass with us: As of September 1st, Exteel is shutting its doors and powering down its giant fighting 'bots. NCsoft announced the game's cancellation with a bittersweet consolation prize in the form of a late August event where all parts and mechs will be sold for one NCcoin apiece.

Exteel has been around since December 2007, a mere month after Massively itself opened its doors. While it was never a title to garner a huge amount of attention, Exteel's combination of a mech-based setting, PvP-centric play and microtransaction funding made it unique to the MMO genre.

NCsoft said that the game was no longer "financially viable," adding, "We know that we have many loyal players who love Exteel. Although this decision was a painful one, in the end it was a business decision that had to be made. We encourage everyone to play and have fun with the game that you love in the time you have left."

MassivelyThe end of Exteel originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancelcancellationcancelledexteelf2pfree-to-playftpmechmechanaughtmicrotransactionsncsoftpvpshutting-downThu, 29 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What if...? Ten canceled MMOs that could've changed history]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/10/what-if-ten-canceled-mmos-that-couldve-changed-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/10/what-if-ten-canceled-mmos-that-couldve-changed-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/10/what-if-ten-canceled-mmos-that-couldve-changed-history/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

What if...? Some of the most intriguing questions known to mankind start with those two words, as well as the most maddening. What if...? An entire genre known as "alternate history" is derived from these questions, with scholars and average blokes alike speculating on what might have happened if things went just a little differently. What if Hitler got the bomb first? What if Microsoft developed the iPod instead of Apple? What if Abraham Lincoln decided to see a different play that night?

When it comes to MMORPGs, what if's can drive one up the wall. In this volatile genre, more projects have started, canceled, launched, struggled, faded and morphed into new creations than most of us know. Today, we want to look at 10 MMOs that were axed before their launch, 10 MMOs that could've changed gaming history as we know it... if only they got the chance to prove themselves.

Let's take a journey, you and I, through history itself, and ponder the greatest of questions: How would the MMO industry be different if these titles had made it to release? Click the first picture on the gallery below to start.

Gallery: What if...? Ten canceled MMOs that could've changed history

1. True Fantasy Live Online2. Ultima Worlds Online: Origin3. Halo Online4. Imperator Online

MassivelyWhat if...? Ten canceled MMOs that could've changed history originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternate-historycancelledclimaxcrypticeafeaturedgods-and-heroeshaloimperatorjagexlevel-5marvel-universe-onlinemechscapemicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiosmiddle-earth-onlinemythicMythic-Entertainmentmythicaoriginperpetual-entertainmentRichard-Garriottrunescapestar-trek-onlinesuper-hero-squad-onlinetrue-fantasy-live-onlineultima-onlineultima-online-worlds-originswarhammer-onlinewhat-ifThu, 10 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jagex cancels MechScape at significant cost, restarts anew]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/jagex-cancels-mechscape-at-significant-cost-restarts-anew/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/jagex-cancels-mechscape-at-significant-cost-restarts-anew/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/29/jagex-cancels-mechscape-at-significant-cost-restarts-anew/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard has indeed confirmed the cancellation of MechScape, although you wouldn't quite know it from his comments, which seem excited to be working on a different title with a new direction. This isn't the first time an in-development MMO has been rebooted in favor of a completely new direction, although Tabula Rasa at least kept its original name.

Why the sudden decision? According to Gerhard, MechScape wasn't able to avoid the same pitfalls of RuneScape. Of course, making such a move is going to cost Jagex millions, but their current financial success will be shouldering the weight. The new game -- known as Stellar Dawn -- should be coming in 2010 and will be based on the MechScape graphics engine.

The big changes planned for Stellar Dawn are content and combat focused, although no specifics were given by Gerhard. It's a bold move, no doubt, and sometimes this industry favors such decisions -- other times it punishes them significantly. Whether you look at this as stalled (Tabula Rasa) or prolonged (everything Blizzard) development, you have to admit it creates a notable amount of interest in Jagex's 2010 game.

MassivelyJagex cancels MechScape at significant cost, restarts anew originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010blizzardbreakingcancelcancelledeurogamerjagexmark-gerhardmechscaperunescapestellar-dawntabula-rasaThu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's Shane Kim on Xbox 360's MMO failures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/microsofts-shane-kim-on-xbox-360s-mmo-failures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/microsofts-shane-kim-on-xbox-360s-mmo-failures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/29/microsofts-shane-kim-on-xbox-360s-mmo-failures/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


EDGE spoke with Microsoft Game Studios corporate VP Shane Kim about the MMO genre's failure to come to fruition on the Xbox 360 game console. Two MMOs that were planned for the platform -- Marvel Universe Online (an in-house project) and True Fantasy Live Online (developed by Factor 5) -- were cancelled. Check out the interview for all the quotes, but we have the gist of it here.

While Kim noted that the cancellation of those specific games was "the right decision," he also said "there's nothing to say those titles can't be successful on the 360."

Some critics (such as NCsoft) disagree. They argue that the Xbox Live service is too restrictive for an MMO developer's workflow. "I think those are real challenges ... we work very hard to create a stable and secure environment on Xbox 360 and that's where you see that tension," said Kim. "I'm sure we can solve that problem though in a way that is good for MMO developers and customers because we want that content: and we're getting very close. But we're late with that, and we feel bad about that."

MassivelyMicrosoft's Shane Kim on Xbox 360's MMO failures originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancelledconsolesedgefactor-5failureinterviewmarvel-universe-onlinemicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosncsoftshane-kimtrue-fantasy-live-onlinexbox-360xbox-liveTue, 29 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Another blogger flees Age of Conan...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/another-blogger-flees-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/another-blogger-flees-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/another-blogger-flees-age-of-conan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

...and this time it's Peter Smith of the Dragonchasers blog.

Citing a waning ability to have fun with the game, item statistics that really don't help with anything, and a lack of variance in armor and items, Smith is calling it quits with Age of Conan. His comments seem to mirror the comments of many others, but one particular subject stands out in his blog from the others: the much touted and praised player vs. player endgame.

Smith brings up the point that he feels like "another cog in the wheel" of his large guild. In order to see the content of the endgame cities and city sieges, he joined a very large guild and is expected to provide materials to help with the construction of the guild city. But, without player housing, any type of city mini-games, and lack of bonuses offered by the city itself, he just feels like another faceless voice instead of a heroic city builder.

His article touches on the ability to stand out inside of a game where a person may not be able to stand out in the world itself and how it links back to his decision to cancel the game. If you're interested, be sure to drop over by to the Dragonchasers blog and check it out for yourself.

MassivelyAnother blogger flees Age of Conan... originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccancelcancelledcity-buildingcity-siegesdragonchasersfuncomguildleavingpeter-smithpvpsiegesThu, 10 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Top 10 games we'll never see]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/top-10-games-well-never-see/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/top-10-games-well-never-see/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/top-10-games-well-never-see/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


When an anticipated MMO is said to be cancelled, it takes a little piece of us right along with it. As a Star Trek fan, you may have been excited to hear the news of a Star Trek Online MMO, but upon the news of its cancellation, you've wept quietly under your desk ever since. The same goes for Darkfall. Seven years is a long time to wait for a game's release, only to have it continuously put on hold indefinitely.

Despite the fact that most of this Cracked.com list does not consist of MMOs, it's still an appropriate homage to the possibilities we've missed out on when it comes to our voided games on any platform.

MassivelyTop 10 games we'll never see originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancelledcrackedcracked.comdarkfallduke-nukem-foreverstar-trek-onlineTue, 22 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: The end of the affair]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/the-daily-grind-the-end-of-the-affair/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/the-daily-grind-the-end-of-the-affair/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/the-daily-grind-the-end-of-the-affair/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Stephen Totilo over at MTV's Mutliplayer blog actually canceled his WoW subscription recently, and to his surprise, actually found the experience easy and fun. He hadn't updated the game since last September, and speaking as someone who's played the game many, many times since then, I can safely say he was wasting his money. A great MMO is worthless to you if you're not playing it.

Thinking back on it, I believe I've only canceled one MMO ever, and that was Dark Age of Camelot (and I only canceled it because I started playing WoW). It was so long ago that I don't remember if I had any problems or not, but it must have gone smoothly enough. Other than that, I've pretty much considered all my subscriptions money well spent, so I haven't had to end anything.

But surely there are many more cancellations going on. When have you stepped up and ended the subscription, and for what reasons? Ever had a bad cancellation, or a really good one? And maybe we can help, too-- if there are any subscriptions you're paying right now that you shouldn't be, feel free to commiserate about them here-- we'll help you quit, if you need it. There are always more MMOs in the sea, if we're allowed to mess up a metaphor.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: The end of the affair originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancelledcommiseratedark-age-of-camelotend-of-the-affairpayingquittingsubscriptionwowThu, 29 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gods & Heroes slain, refunds announced]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/27/gods-and-heroes-slain-refunds-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/27/gods-and-heroes-slain-refunds-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/27/gods-and-heroes-slain-refunds-announced/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As we say goodbye to our dreams of being inducted into the Greek pantheon, the developers of Gods & Heroes are kind enough to let us know where we can get our money back on our pre-orders. As it turns out, simply return with your receipt to the retailer where you bought the pre-order, and you will get a full refund. Well duh, actually.

In their final announcement to the gaming community, the devs let us know it was a tough decision to kill the immortal game once and for all:

The Perpetual team is faced with a unique challenge of simultaneously developing both Gods & Heroes and Star Trek Online in addition to growing our Online Game Platform business. After assessing all of Perpetual's opportunities, we have made the decision to put the development of Gods & Heroes on indefinite hold.

Well, I for one am sad to see the project go, but it's also nice to see a company that knows when they bit off more than they can chew.

MassivelyGods & Heroes slain, refunds announced originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CancelledGods-and-HeroesMMORPGPerpetualPreordersstar-trek-onlineSTOSat, 27 Oct 2007 06:07:00 EST