Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[En Masse names Lee new CEO, hires veteran Nexon exec]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/en-masse-names-lee-new-ceo-hires-nexon-veteran/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/en-masse-names-lee-new-ceo-hires-nexon-veteran/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/en-masse-names-lee-new-ceo-hires-nexon-veteran/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

En Masse logo
En Masse Entertainment may not be switching TERA to a free-to-play model in America just yet, but the firm has hired an executive from F2P giant Nexon. A new press release details the appointment of Soo Min Park, a 12-year Nexon veteran who will serve as En Masse's COO.

The company has also announced that former VP of Publishing Chris Lee will take over as CEO, while Brian Knox will move into an executive producer role.

"The additions to our management team are all about building the foundation for a strong future in 2013 and beyond," said Lee. "Publishing games in today's marketplace requires a group of leaders with diverse backgrounds in order to succeed. Now, En Masse is in an even better position to bring fun and innovative games to players."

[Source: En Masse press release]

MassivelyEn Masse names Lee new CEO, hires veteran Nexon exec originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studiosbrian-knoxchris-leeen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasysoo-min-parkteraThu, 03 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA publisher En Masse hit with layoffs [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/rumor-tera-publisher-en-masse-hit-with-layoffs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/rumor-tera-publisher-en-masse-hit-with-layoffs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/rumor-tera-publisher-en-masse-hit-with-layoffs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Rumor TERA publisher En Masse hit with layoffs
En Masse Entertainment community manager Evan "Scapes" Berman has tweeted that layoffs are underway at the publisher responsible for bringing TERA to the western market.

"Layoffs have occurred at En Masse. I was hit," Berman wrote.

TERA launched on May 1st in North America and May 3rd in Europe after an extensive "westernization" development cycle that tweaked the native Korean client. Massively has contacted En Masse for an official statement and we'll keep you posted as this story develops.

[Update: En Masse has responded to our comment request with a statement from publishing vice president Chris Lee. We've placed the statement behind the break.]

Continue reading TERA publisher En Masse hit with layoffs [Updated]

MassivelyTERA publisher En Masse hit with layoffs [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studiosbreakingchris-leeen-masseen-masse-entertainmenten-masse-layoffsevan-bermanfantasylayoffsscapesteratera-layoffsWed, 08 Aug 2012 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA adds free seven-day trials]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/tera-adds-free-seven-day-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/tera-adds-free-seven-day-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/13/tera-adds-free-seven-day-trials/#commentsFiled under: , ,

TERA adds free sevenday trials
En Masse Vice President of Publishing Chris Lee wants to extend you -- yes, you -- a personal offer to play TERA. Don't you feel special? You totally should. "We want to open up to new players curious about the game with a free one-week TERA trial, as we're confident if you play, you will stay," Lee said in a press release (again, just to you).

Starting today, TERA now has two types of free ways for potential players to experience the game. As we've already reported, the first is the instant-streaming demo with pre-set characters. This second one is a proper trial: Players will get seven days to create their own characters and enjoy the world as much as they want during that time. There is a limit of eight characters on a single server for the trial, and without a subscription, players will be limited to a level 23 cap.

En Masse is confident that trial players will convert to a subscription if given that one-week hit of the sweet life. The studio says that players are currently averaging four-and-a-half hours of game time per day.

[Source: En Masse press release]

MassivelyTERA adds free seven-day trials originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-day-trialblueholebluehole-studioschris-leedemoen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasyone-week-trialseven-day-trialteratrialWed, 13 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA offers instant streaming demo courtesy of Gaikai]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/tera-offers-instant-streaming-demo-courtesy-of-gaikai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/tera-offers-instant-streaming-demo-courtesy-of-gaikai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/tera-offers-instant-streaming-demo-courtesy-of-gaikai/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

TERA offers instant streaming demo courtesy of Gaikai
If you've been curious about TERA but are unsure of putting your money down or waiting for a lengthy download, then En Masse has a treat for you today. The studio has partnered with cloud gaming service Gaikai to offer an instant streaming version of TERA's demo.

Players can get right into the game with no download by visiting the new TERA demo page. Massively tested this out and confirmed that the game does indeed launch within seconds and allows you to test drive one of three pre-made characters in this action combat world. There is no cost associated with using this feature.

VP of Publishing Chris Lee thinks this is a perfect way to spread the word of TERA: "Gaikai's powerful cloud streaming service gives players a chance to enter the action combat world of TERA almost instantly. Within seconds of accessing TERA through Gaikai, players will be immersed in the skill-based combat of a true action MMO where they will experience the depth of a traditional MMO alongside the visceral satisfaction of an action game."

Gaikai offers tailored cloud-based gaming services for studios. We recently spoke with Gaikai's CO Dave Perry about his company's ambitions and goals within the MMO industry.

[Source: En Masse press release]

MassivelyTERA offers instant streaming demo courtesy of Gaikai originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studioschris-leedavid-perrydemoen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasygaikaigaikai-demogaikai-incinstant-demostreaming-demoteratera-demoMon, 04 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA's Chris Lee shares the trials and joys of transforming an MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/teras-chris-lee-shares-the-trials-and-joys-of-transforming-an-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/teras-chris-lee-shares-the-trials-and-joys-of-transforming-an-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/29/teras-chris-lee-shares-the-trials-and-joys-of-transforming-an-m/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

TERA
What was En Masse VP of Publishing Chris Lee's favorite memory of working on TERA? According to a new dev diary, it was when Lee got his hands on the first English-translated build of the game: "At that time we were learning first-hand the strengths and weaknesses of each class, how a balanced party made a difference in the instances, and how much damn fun it was to kill a BAM."

Saying that it was a "different game" when the studio first got involved with TERA's Westernization, Lee said that the team had to identify problem spots that would need changing in order to bring it to market in North America and Europe. One of the biggest changes was making the game far more solo-friendly after level 20.

Lee shared a few anecdotes about life at En Masse, including a competition between team members to level as quickly as possible in beta and then again in live. He's excited to see the game gaining traction with a diverse community: "What's really interesting is the variety of people that TERA has drawn. In addition to our strong community, we have seen tweets from NFL players, Penny Arcade editors, and even Felicia Day about playing the game."

MassivelyTERA's Chris Lee shares the trials and joys of transforming an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bambamsblueholebluehole-studioschris-leedev-diarydevelopmenten-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasyfelicia-daynflpenny-arcadeterawesternizationTue, 29 May 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[En Masse comments on NCsoft TERA lawsuit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/en-masse-comments-on-ncsoft-tera-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/en-masse-comments-on-ncsoft-tera-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/en-masse-comments-on-ncsoft-tera-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

TERA - high elf character creation
En Masse Entertainment has commented on a pending lawsuit by NCsoft that seeks to prevent the North American launch of TERA. As you would expect, there is virtually no detail on the proceedings, but En Masse publishing vice president Chris Lee does come out swinging, saying that the firm "outright rejects" NCsoft's position and will fight it to the last.

NCsoft has alleged that former employees stole Lineage 3 code and art assets that were used to make TERA, and the firm has already scored a legal victory in Korea that resulted in jail time for some of the ex-staffers.

How all of this affects TERA's U.S. release is unclear, though Lee says it's business as usual for En Masse and its fans. "This situation has no impact on our continuing efforts to realize the vision we have for our game. We are committed to making TERA awesome and delivering the game to you on time on May 1st," he writes.

MassivelyEn Masse comments on NCsoft TERA lawsuit originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studiochris-leeen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasylawsuitncsoftncsoft-lawsuitncsoft-tera-lawsuitteratera-lawsuittera-release-dateFri, 27 Jan 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Trickster Online's Episode 6 woos players with magic!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/trickster-onlines-episode-6-woos-players-with-magic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/trickster-onlines-episode-6-woos-players-with-magic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/trickster-onlines-episode-6-woos-players-with-magic/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Trickster
The world's most epic love story is coming to a close, a treasure map is discovered, and celebrations galore are on the way. It's not a soap opera; it's Episode 6 for Trickster Online, which has landed on the servers today.

Trickster's latest update features the final part of its current story arc as well as a heapload of new content for players to explore. The episode adds 23 additional areas to the game, 56 more quests, an escort system, and a treasure hunt for billionaire Don Cavalier's loot.

SG Interactive's Chris Lee says to look at Episode 6 not as an ending but as a new beginning: "The new episode will put the finishing touch to our storyline while providing engaging contents for all players, from beginners to high level players. In addition to concluding the current storyline, this update marks the beginning of more new adventures in Trickster Online, and players should anticipate big celebrations in and out of the game coming soon."

Be sure to check out the trailer for Episode 6: Songs of Love and Fate!

MassivelyTrickster Online's Episode 6 woos players with magic! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris-leeDon-Cavalierepisode-6escort-systemf2pfree-to-playpatchsg-interactivesongs-of-love-and-fatestorystory-arctreasure-hunttrickstertrickster-onlineupdateThu, 06 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[En Masse delaying TERA launch to 2012 [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/en-masse-delaying-tera-launch-to-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/en-masse-delaying-tera-launch-to-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/en-masse-delaying-tera-launch-to-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

En Masse Entertainment has finally broken its silence about TERA's launch window, and there's both good and bad news for fans of the upcoming fantasy game. The bad news is that there's still no definitive launch date. The good news is that the time window has been narrowed considerably.

In a new press release issued this morning, En Masse said that TERA will release sometime in the spring of 2012. That should put to rest months of speculation as to whether the game will reach North American shores in 2011 (as well as whether it will be competing for launch customers with The Old Republic, which BioWare expects to release prior to the end of the year).

En Masse publishing vice president Chris Lee commented on the launch delay, indicating that the extra time will result in a more polished product. "The game's action combat and depth has generated a lot of interest, and we are committed to making sure every aspect of the game lives up to our standard of quality," he said.

[Update: Producer Chris Hager has penned a post on the official TERA website that offers a bit more info. In a nutshell, the North American client will enter alpha testing "later this year," with beta scheduled for early 2012.]

MassivelyEn Masse delaying TERA launch to 2012 [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-combatalphaarboreabetachris-hagerchris-leedelayen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasylaunch-datelaunch-delaynorth-american-launchpress-releaseteratera-onlineWed, 03 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA Visions trailer sighted in the wild]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/tera-visions-trailer-sighted-in-the-wild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/tera-visions-trailer-sighted-in-the-wild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/tera-visions-trailer-sighted-in-the-wild/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Kotaku's got the scoop on the latest TERA trailer, and the new four-minute video treats fans and curious bystanders to a lot of spiffy Arborean fly-through shots as well as some tough talk from En Masse Entertainment developers.

The dev dialogue snippets basically collate all of the talking points that En Masse has been hinting at in various interviews over the past year: There's the action combat, the size of the world and the way it caters to explorer-types, and the focus on the action instead of the UI. There's also a quick blurb about story from lead writer David Noonan, specifically the fact that TERA's story (and the world itself) is the dream of two ancient gods. En Masse VP Chris Lee even drops a hint about guild housing, which mitigates the fact that we've seen a lot of the footage in this video before.

There is some new stuff, though, so make sure to keep watching past the titles at the three-minute mark for additional footage. Click past the cut to check it out.

Continue reading TERA Visions trailer sighted in the wild

MassivelyTERA Visions trailer sighted in the wild originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-combatarboreachris-leecombatdavid-noonandevsen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasyfly-through-videoguild-housingstoryteratera-housingtera-onlinetrailersvideovisionsvisions-trailerThu, 21 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA's Chris Lee on making a Korean MMO into an American hit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/teras-chris-lee-on-making-a-korean-mmo-into-an-american-hit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/teras-chris-lee-on-making-a-korean-mmo-into-an-american-hit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/teras-chris-lee-on-making-a-korean-mmo-into-an-american-hit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The recent announcement regarding a mind-meld between En Masse Entertainment and Atari for the purposes of bringing Bluehole Studio's TERA to North America has generated a fair bit of industry buzz. Not only does it indicate an impending release date (though En Masse remains coy about anything other than a "2011" date), but it also signifies to fans of AAA Asian-themed MMOs that they'll soon have an alternative to Aion and Lineage II.

Gamasutra recently chatted up En Masse publishing vice president Chris Lee about the challenges inherent in bringing TERA to the West, and surprisingly, the "westernization" catch-phrase -- and associated deflections -- were nowhere to be found. Lee instead focused on how En Masse has a long road ahead when it comes to turning a Korean MMO into an American hit (regardless of the title's inherent quality). "One of the biggest misconceptions in the business is that a good game will sell itself," Lee says.

Lee also spoke to TERA's decision to bypass the free-to-play craze as well as the title's unique combat mechanic, which is "a large departure from traditional MMOs, regardless of region."

MassivelyTERA's Chris Lee on making a Korean MMO into an American hit originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoatariBlueHolebluehole-studiobusiness-modelschris-leecrowded-marketen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasygamasutrainterviewinterviewskorean-mmolocalizationmmo-industryteratera-ontera-onlineFri, 18 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[En Masse Vice President discusses goals for present and future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/en-masse-vice-president-discusses-goals-for-present-and-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/en-masse-vice-president-discusses-goals-for-present-and-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/en-masse-vice-president-discusses-goals-for-present-and-future/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


TERA has been generating a huge amount of interest in the MMO world these days, and the team at En Masse Entertainment is feeling pretty confident about where things are headed.

En Masse Vice President Chris Lee spent some time chatting with Gamasutra about the company's past, present, and future, as well as what he sees in store for TERA. TERA is, of course, the main focus these days; the team is working to make the game's quality live up to expectations, developing it for the Western market, and generally preparing for a successful launch.

But what about post-launch? What's in store for En Masse in the coming years? The team has no plans to slow down, and they want to expand a bit. "Our goal would be to go beyond what Bluehole's producing. I think they're the type of studio that's going to produce blockbuster hits, but take multiple years in between each one." They're hoping for a "small portfolio of high-quality titles" to introduce to the MMO market.

Fans aren't the only ones attracted by En Masse's success, by the way. Runes of Magic publisher Frogster liked what it saw, and has secured publishing rights to bring TERA to Europe, broadening the game's scope even further.

Check out the full story at Gamasutra.

MassivelyEn Masse Vice President discusses goals for present and future originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluehole-studiochris-leeen-masseen-masse-entertainmentgamasutrainterviewteratera-onlineWed, 14 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST