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[Mike O'Brien discusses the business of ArenaNet]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/mike-obrien-discusses-the-business-of-arenanet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/mike-obrien-discusses-the-business-of-arenanet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/mike-obrien-discusses-the-business-of-arenanet/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's hard to become invested in MMOs and video games without learning something about the industry at play -- an industry of repeated layoffs and mergers, acquisitions and shuffling ownership, and a whole lot of passion and drama over seemingly inconsequential subject matter. The acquisition of PopCap by Electronic Arts last week prompted The Seattle Times to conduct an interview with Mike O'Brien of ArenaNet, known for the highly anticipated Guild Wars 2 and the already quite successful Guild Wars, about acquisition, corporate oversight, and the life of a smaller studio moving into big waters.

As O'Brien puts it, the decision to seek outside funding from the start was a direct result of the scale and scope of the Guild Wars project. Rather than trying to scramble for resources to create a big project that could compete, the studio went for a company that seemed like it would appreciate their way of doing business. And O'Brien has nothing but positive things to say about the working relationship between his studio and NCsoft -- although he's very aware of what can happen when a small studio gets bought by a larger organization. The full interview should be of interest to anyone who follows the industry... and like we said, that's a good part of the MMO crowd.

MassivelyMike O'Brien discusses the business of ArenaNet originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbusinessbusiness-discussionscorporategame-industryguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2industryMike-obrienmmo-industryncsoftMon, 18 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The great wormhole heist, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/17/eve-evolved-the-great-wormhole-heist-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/17/eve-evolved-the-great-wormhole-heist-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/17/eve-evolved-the-great-wormhole-heist-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

One of the most common things I hear from people who don't play EVE Online is that they don't like the game itself but they absolutely love the stories that come out of it. There's something inherently brutal and visceral about the stories players act out every day in EVE's colossal sandbox. Tales of high-profile thefts and political intrigue occasionally creep into the media and grab our attention, but stories of that sort are a lot more common than you'd think. Last year, we told one such story of a player's descent into criminality and revenge taken too far. In last week's EVE Evolved, I began to tell the true tale of that same player in one of his biggest heists to date. If you haven't read the first part of this story yet, head back to last week's EVE Evolved before reading on.

A matter of time

Having discovered an opportunity for theft much greater than expected, Scott recognised that he would need help to pull off a successful heist. With the wormhole corporation's assets within Scott's reach, a sense of urgency began to overtake him. Based on discussions with his new corp members, he knew that the group's wormhole tenancy had just begun and that they were still in the process of clearing the starbase up following a frantic move-in. This explained the secure containers littering space -- a temporary measure to be used until an adequate hangar permission scheme could be created.

In this week's conclusion of the story of the great wormhole heist, Scott discovers allies in some unexpected places and finds out first-hand whether there really is no honour amongst thieves.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The great wormhole heist, part 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The great wormhole heist, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesCCP-Wranglercorpcorporatecorporate-infiltrationcorporationcrimecriminaleveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedheistjohnmilton-keynesoutlawOutlawsrichardscottspyspyingstevewormholewormhole-explorationwormhole-heistwormholesSun, 17 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The great wormhole heist, part 1]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/eve-evolved-the-great-wormhole-heist-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/eve-evolved-the-great-wormhole-heist-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/eve-evolved-the-great-wormhole-heist-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Several years ago, EVE Online's Community Manager CCP Wrangler made a statement that I felt really crystalised the sentiment behind the game. He said that "EVE isn't designed to just look like a cold, dark and harsh world; it's designed to be a cold, dark and harsh world." Although most of us are content to indulge ourselves in PvP, market games and other traditional modes of gameplay, a criminal underworld runs beneath that innocuous surface. A significant few carve their own illicit destinies from the void, stealing and cheating their way to the top.

Whether these space-faring cyber-criminals are in it for fame and riches, political influence, or their own personal goals, the stories of their actions in EVE's colossal sandbox never fail to grip us. High-profile thefts like the Guiding Hand Social Club heist of 2005, the closure of EBank, and last year's Titans4U scandal have been made very public, and smaller-scale crimes occur every day in New Eden. Last year, we brought you the true tale of one player's revenge taken too far -- a story of corporate infiltration, social deception and utter destruction. Although this was Scott's first foray into criminality, it was most certainly not his last. The events in this week's story are true, but the names of the players and corporations involved have been changed.

In this week's EVE Evolved, Scott returns as I begin to tell the true story of his huge wormhole heist.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The great wormhole heist, part 1

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The great wormhole heist, part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesCCP-Wranglercorpcorporatecorporate-infiltrationcorporationcrimecriminaleveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedheistmilton-keynesoutlawOutlawsrichardscottspyspyingwormholewormhole-explorationwormhole-heistwormholesSun, 10 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Zinkievich returns to the bridge of Star Trek Online and Cryptic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/zinkievich-returns-to-the-bridge-of-star-trek-online-and-cryptic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/zinkievich-returns-to-the-bridge-of-star-trek-online-and-cryptic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/08/zinkievich-returns-to-the-bridge-of-star-trek-online-and-cryptic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

After charting the course to bring Star Trek Online to launch and through its early operation, Craig Zinkievich pulled a Captain Pike and left the game for greener pastures. Those pastures apparently weren't quite so green after all, as a recent interview with Daniel Stahl has confirmed that Zinkievich is back at Cryptic Studios once again as the COO. (The point is made almost as an aside at about 10:30 into the video.)

Fan reaction on the thread has been mixed, to say the least, but Stahl himself chimed in to say once more that he was happy to be working with Zinkievich again and that it should have no effect on the pace of updates. While there have been some fan misgivings, in the COO capacity Zinkievich is likely to have other responsibilities beyond solely overseeing Star Trek Online's continued development. Whether or not fans will join Stahl in welcoming Zinkievich back to the company remains to be seen.

MassivelyZinkievich returns to the bridge of Star Trek Online and Cryptic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In EVE Online, large alliances of corporations lay claim to the lucrative 0.0 security rating areas of the game and smaller corporate operations generally don't stand a chance against them. Corps who want to claim a little corner of space for themselves are forced to join an existing alliance or compete with them for space. With the recent news of 2500 new star systems coming to EVE with the release of wormholes in the march expansion, small corps may find themselves able to carve out their own little corner of space to live in without being squashed by the big alliances.

How will wormholes work?
The information we have so far suggests that wormholes into one of the 2500 new hidden star systems will open randomly in all security levels of system. Wormholes will have a diameter that restricts the maximum size of ship that can enter it and a mass limit that restricts the total mass of ships that can use the wormhole before it collapses. Once the wormhole collapses, the chances of finding another leading to the same system are astronomical so choosing which ships you bring in carefully is a must.

Read on as I describe how wormholes could allow corps to more safely own systems and go on to describe what equipment and ships you'll need to take up residence in your own system.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Gear up for wormhole exploration

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Gear up for wormhole exploration originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-gamescorporateeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexplorationfleetgangnomadorcasleepertech3wormholesMon, 09 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Would you hire a gamer?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/21/ask-massively-would-you-hire-a-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/21/ask-massively-would-you-hire-a-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/21/ask-massively-would-you-hire-a-gamer/#commentsFiled under: ,


I usually dislike writing about the things that everyone else is talking about, but I'm sufficiently motivated (read: ticked off) about this topic that I might as well throw in my two cents. With all due respect to my readers and the people who take the time to write in to Ask Massively every week, this time I am going to answer questions that have been asked in other columns.

Should employers dismiss job applicants who play MMORPGs like World of Warcraft?

I'm not going to direct this answer to you gamers out there. You probably have a good idea of what my answer is going to be. This is for all of the corporate recruiters, hiring managers, and corporate paper pushers out there who think games like World of Warcraft sufficient reason to disqualify a job applicant.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Would you hire a gamer?

MassivelyAsk Massively: Would you hire a gamer? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelycorporatefeaturedmmorpgworld-of-warcraftSun, 21 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Economist on games and profit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/the-economist-on-games-and-profit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/the-economist-on-games-and-profit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/the-economist-on-games-and-profit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Newsmagazine The Economist ran an article titled "Playing for profit" about using video game technology to increase productivity in the workplace. The article -- which was a sort of book report on "Changing the Game: How Video Games Are Transforming the Future of Business" by David Edery and Ethan Mollick -- looked to trends such as game mods and web-based-games-as-marketing-tools for inspiration, but special emphasis was placed on MMOs, including World of Warcaft and EVE Online.

Believe it or not, the WoW feature that was heralded by the writer was the soul-crushing grind! Or rather, the grind was compared to the sorts of tasks that your average office worker has to sit through each day. WoW provides a context -- the leveling system and other rewards -- that (supposedly) makes the grind worth the trouble. Companies should emulate that, the article says.

EVE, on the other hand, was used to demonstrate what not to do. That's pretty ironic, since The Economist's editorial stance is all about economic and societal openness! Regardless, the author pointed to the famous incident in which a CCP employee provided inside help to a corporation at war, using it as an example of the dangers of game-playing in a business environment.

MassivelyThe Economist on games and profit originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesschanging-the-gamecorporatedavid-ederyeditorialethan-mollickeve-onlinegrindgrindingmanagementprofitthe-economistworld-of-warcraftWed, 27 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EU gives Activision-Blizzard a big thumbs up]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/eu-gives-activision-blizzard-a-big-thumbs-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/eu-gives-activision-blizzard-a-big-thumbs-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/eu-gives-activision-blizzard-a-big-thumbs-up/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

After reviewing Activision-Blizzard's case for a few weeks, the European Commission announced its approval of the huge merger yesterday. The EU had final say approving the merger because Vivendi is a French company. Officials decided the deal wouldn't threaten the fairness of the market.

The commission made a statement, saying that Activision Blizzard "would continue to face several strong, effective competitors, such as Electronic Arts, and the game console manufacturers, such as Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft." There were some concerns that the company could have an unfair advantage in licensing music for games because Vivendi owns Universal Music Group, but they were set aside because "competing game publishers would continue to have access to a sufficiently large portfolio of music rights from alternative suppliers."

The lesson: Activision Blizzard is officially not a monopoly, thanks to EA. We could go into extreme detail weighing the pluses and negatives of the decision, but we've analyzed this merger plenty enough already. At some point, you just have to decide to sit back and see what happens.

MassivelyEU gives Activision-Blizzard a big thumbs up originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardantitrustapprovalblizzardbusinesscorporateeaelectronic-artseueuropean-commissioneuropean-unionmergermoneymusicumguniversal-music-groupvivendiThu, 17 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[John Smedley comments on the SOE/SCEI marriage]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/john-smedley-comments-on-the-soe-scei-marriage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/john-smedley-comments-on-the-soe-scei-marriage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/14/john-smedley-comments-on-the-soe-scei-marriage/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The other day, Sony Online Entertainment announced that it would begin reporting to Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. to expedite efforts to produce online content and features for the PlayStation 3. WarCry tracked down SOE president John Smedley for comments on the move.

The jist of it is that nothing within SOE will change; the move just makes it easier to coordinate the company's PS3-related projects by allowing Smedley and Kazuo Hirai (who's in charge of everything PlayStation) to work together more closely. "Being part of the PlayStation family is exciting and offers us a lot of great opportunity," Smedley said.

But opportunity for what? Are announcements of new PS3 titles forthcoming from SOE? Obviously this move is the start of a longterm investment of SOE's time in the PS3 (and maybe even the PS4), but what specifically will come of it? We're anxious to find out.

MassivelyJohn Smedley comments on the SOE/SCEI marriage originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>corporatejohn-smedleykazuo-hiraiplaystation-3ps3restructuringsceisoesonystructureFri, 14 Mar 2008 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE moved under SCEI to strengthen PlayStation 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/soe-moved-under-scei-to-strengthen-playstation-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/soe-moved-under-scei-to-strengthen-playstation-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/soe-moved-under-scei-to-strengthen-playstation-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sony Online Entertainment (the group behind EverQuest, Star Wars Galaxies, and other landmark MMO titles, for the types of readers who need answers to questions like "Vhat eez zees ... 'video game' theeng?") is relocating within the Sony empire. Starting April 1, SOE will operate under the Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. banner.

That means that SOE prez John Smedley will be reporting directly to Kazuo Hirai, who is President and CEO of SCEI, and one of the masterminds behind the success of the PlayStation brand. According to the press release, they're making this move so that Sony can use the talent and resources at SOE to push its online gaming agenda on the PlayStation 3 console. Currently, SOE reports to Sony Pictures Digital.

SOE has already been working on PS3 projects for a while now, including the spy-themed shooter MMO The Agency, and Free Realms, a family-friendly, microtransaction-fueled endeavor. Even though the press release didn't come with new game announcements, it's big news. There's been a lot of debate about whether the XBox 360 or the PS3 is the best online gaming platform, but this new structure could give Sony a new edge.

MassivelySOE moved under SCEI to strengthen PlayStation 3 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcorporatefree-realmsjohn-smedleykazuo-hiraiplaystationplaystation-3playstation-networkpsnsoesoeisonysony-computer-entertainmentsony-computer-entertainment-incsony-online-entertainmentsp3structurethe-agencyThu, 13 Mar 2008 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Run your company like an online game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/run-your-company-like-an-online-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/run-your-company-like-an-online-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/run-your-company-like-an-online-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Do business culture and the principles of online gaming belong together?

Two entrepreneurs in Palo Alto think so. Inspired by Second Life and World of Warcraft, they theorized that principles used in the management of online game communities could be used to manage businesses. They formed a company called Seriosity and its maiden voyage is a product called Attent. It's their first gaming-inspired product, but they want to launch more in the future. Learn more about it after the jump.

Continue reading Run your company like an online game

MassivelyRun your company like an online game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attentbusinesscorporateculturee-mailofficesecond-lifeseriosityworkworld-of-warcraftWed, 07 Nov 2007 21:50:00 EST