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TERA PvP battlegrounds won't be in at launch, delayed until 'late summer'

Matt Daniel — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, News items, TERA

TERA fans who were looking forward to proving their mettle in PvP battlegrounds at launch are in for a bit of disappointment. En Masse community manager Minea stopped by the forums a few days ago to give fans an update on the game's development, and in doing so, revealed that battlegrounds will not be in the game when it launches in May.

But before you take to the forums to kick up a frenzy (please don't), keep in mind that just because battlegrounds won't be available at launch doesn't mean that they're not in the works. Minea goes on to announce that battlegrounds are planned to be added to the game "late this summer." We hope that the extra development time will allow battlegrounds to be nice and polished when they finally hit the live servers. Until then, though, players will have to make do with open-world PvP and guild-vs-guild battles.

TERA PvP battlegrounds won't be in at launch, delayed until 'late summer' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First major patch and maintenance delayed for Star Wars: The Old Republic

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Cleared your schedule later today to try out the new content in Star Wars: The Old Republic's first major patch? Well, we hate to disappoint you, but it looks like your adventures against hordes of space zombies will be delayed a little longer. According to an official announcement this morning, the scheduled maintenance has been delayed and patch 1.1 along with it, with the most definitive new information simply being some time next week.

While the announcement doesn't go into details about the rationale, it notes that there were late-surfacing issues uncovered by players on the test realm that required additional maintenance to correct, forcing the team to bring the patch back and polish it a few more times. A definite time will be posted to the community as soon as it's available. It's disappointing, certainly, but the idea of putting out the game's first major patch before the game had even been out of retail release for a month may have been overly ambitious.

First major patch and maintenance delayed for Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New producer's letter highlights upcoming changes for Final Fantasy XIV

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

As we move into late November, the question on the minds of many Final Fantasy XIV players is when patch 1.20 will finally be released. Of course, subscription fees also likely figure into that question. According to the latest producer's letter from Naoki Yoshida, the patch is being developed, but it's going to take a bit longer than originally planned just to ensure that the quality is up to snuff. Considering that the update is being expanded to accommodate the release of the in-game achievement and title system, that's understandable.

Yoshida also reassures players that the billing will not be started until the patch has been out for some time, with a more specific timeline being released in early December. If that alone isn't enough reading material for the holiday, Yoshida also wrote a lengthy post detailing future adjustments and improvements to Disciples of the Land and the Hand, explaining the current team's philosophy regarding ongoing storylines and content. Both that and the letter provide a look at the game's future, both in the immediate and the more distant sense.

New producer's letter highlights upcoming changes for Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioWare delaying Star Wars: The Old Republic's European testing

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

International issues with Star Wars: The Old Republic started cropping up more or less as soon as the pre-order began, and they're apparently persisting. It's recently been officially announced that European testing invitations have been delayed, missing the initial weekend and being postponed for an unspecified length of time. Fortunately for the players who are no doubt sore over the delay, an explanation was included with the announcement, which kicks off by pointing out that a new build and an associated character wipe are on their way for later in the week anyway.

The new build will require testers to re-download the entire client, and with the client requiring a 27 gig download, it was suspected that any players presently invited might finish the download only to have to start an entirely new download immediately afterward. Localized French and German versions of the game will be included in the new build, which further contributed to the decision to ultimately hold off on the European testing. It's cold comfort to would-be testers left out of the game, but at least it isn't without some logic.

BioWare delaying Star Wars: The Old Republic's European testing originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIFT launches patch 1.3, but don't bank on it

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, RIFT

After a great deal of anticipation and previewing, the latest patch for RIFT is finally on the live servers. Patch 1.3 brings with it a variety of improvements, including character transfers, a new raid, new world events, and of course the usual round of balance and general improvements. But there's a feature conspicuously missing from the whole affair, forecasted by the fact that the official patch notes simply say that more details on guild banks will be available when they are released.

Yes, it looks like the patch was getting just a little too big for its britches -- guild banks were found to have a couple of lingering issues and thus have been held back from the release. There's no specific timetable on when the feature will be implemented, as the announcement states mostly that the team didn't want to hold back the entire update for one feature. RIFT players might be a little miffed at the loss, but there is a full patch to explore anyhow, for however much that helps ameliorate the temporary loss.

[Thanks to Paul for the tip!]

RIFT launches patch 1.3, but don't bank on it originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV's latest producer's letter shows off auto-attacks

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

It probably feels like it's past time for another Final Fantasy XIV letter from producer Naoki Yoshida, but the wait is finally over. In the latest installment of what's become a regular dispatch from the company to the fans, Yoshida discusses the upcoming changes and additions due for patch 1.18. But rather than waste space describing what the updates to the game's battle system will be like with the inclusion of auto-attack, Yoshida instead opts to show players with a short video demonstrating the system in action.

The one piece of bad news in the letter is that the patch is going to run a bit later due to the extra balance issues introduced, overshooting the previously stated window of mid to late June. Yoshida estimates a roughly two-week delay, putting the patch in early July. Still, Final Fantasy XIV players should be happy with the contents of the letter, especially the preview of auto-attack combat (embedded just past the break).

Continue reading Final Fantasy XIV's latest producer's letter shows off auto-attacks

Final Fantasy XIV's latest producer's letter shows off auto-attacks originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthquake interruption delays Final Fantasy updates

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Events, real-world, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

With the massive earthquake that shut down both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV, players of both games are awaiting news on when service is expected to resume while the nation of Japan struggles to recover. But there have been other repercussions for Square-Enix, and in wake of the disaster, coming patches for both games have been pushed back. Final Fantasy XI's next major update, previously scheduled for mid-April, has been pushed back to a provisional date in May depending on further developments.

Naoki Yoshida has put together a producer's letter explaining some of the situation in the country now, noting that while the Tokyo-based employees were unharmed, many of the staff members had family in the affected regions, not to mention power outages rendering several team members unable to get to work. The next two patches have subsequently been delayed until April, with a promise that Final Fantasy XIV players will learn more about the upcoming Grand Companies (formerly called public companies) before too long. As always, we hope that the staff and families of Square-Enix remain safe through this unforeseen crisis.

Earthquake interruption delays Final Fantasy updates originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SOE's The Agency delayed until late 2011

Jef Reahard — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, The Agency, News items, Spy, Miscellaneous

Whatever happened to The Agency? Inquiring minds want to know, and since Sony Online Entertainment's internal memos haven't been given the WikiLeaks treatment, we'll have to take company president John Smedley at his word. "There was a moment in time in our company where we looked at our own stuff with a clear eye and saw we have to do better," Smedley told Kotaku in a recent interview. Translation: it ain't ready 'til it's ready.

While the spy MMO's launch would seem to be quite a ways off, fans should be glad to hear that it hasn't been shelved entirely. We haven't seen hide nor hair of the title since E3 2010, but hopefully the extra time will serve to boost the game's stock in the same vein as SOE's other upcoming MMO. DC Universe, originally scheduled to launch last November, has apparently benefited from the extra test cycles if the scuttlebutt surrounding yesterday's NDA-drop is to be believed.

SOE's The Agency delayed until late 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Will Final Fantasy XIV be delayed until 2011?

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 03 May 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Consoles, Rumors, Final Fantasy XIV

For those of us looking forward to new releases this year, Final Fantasy XIV is one of the few hopes we have that doesn't involve expansions. Unfortunately, a nasty little rumor has been spreading around: that it's not going to be coming out this year after all. The run of login issues that the alpha test has been experiencing has prompted more than a few people to believe that the game is having some serious problems, and we've received a few tips from our readers, as well as a tip-off from an industry insider.

Here's the thing: if it's being delayed, Yoichi Wada certainly doesn't know anything about it. And as the CEO, he's the sort of person who gets kept in the loop. The fine system folks at the Order of the Blue Gartr did an excellent job rounding up much of the information, explaining that the login issues were caused by staff underestimations, not system problems. Wada confirmed elsewhere that the game was on track, both on a Japanese Final Fantasy XIV fan site and via his own tweets. While we don't have an exact date for release just yet, it seems that the game is still on track for this year... for the moment.

Rumor: Will Final Fantasy XIV be delayed until 2011? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Still hyped for Star Wars: The Old Republic?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, New titles, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic

When we first heard that the much-anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic was more than a year away (at the time), it was pretty depressing. Not just because it meant it was that much longer until it was playable, but also because there was little left they could tell us about the game and the world. We knew all the classes and what seemed like most of the areas -- and we had more than a year to wait. There wasn't much left to look forward to in 2010 other than expansions and maybe Final Fantasy XIV.

Time has passed, as it is wont to do, and we're now just around a year out from the projected release. We've seen steady updates from the Star Wars: The Old Republic team, but they've been a bit more content-light on occasion. And, of course, 2011 is starting to gain a full roster even without BioWare's much-anticipated game. So what are your feelings? Are you still excited to be one of the two million desired subscribers, or has your ardor cooled? Do you hold out hope for a big new announcement in the next few months? Or are you just sick of hearing about it one way or the other?

The Daily Grind: Still hyped for Star Wars: The Old Republic? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Digital Continuum: Delay? You can't handle the delay!

Kyle Horner — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Opinion, The Digital Continuum, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Rumor: a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts.

Example: Star Wars: The Old Republic will be released in October, 2010.

Yeah, guys, that was never in the wings. The fact of the matter is that the game was never delayed. You need at minimum a projected release date before something can be delayed. I personally find it pretty ridiculous that some people are worried about hype dying down for a game which they themselves thrust a false release date upon because they're so hyped up for it.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Delay? You can't handle the delay!

The Digital Continuum: Delay? You can't handle the delay! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cities XL announces delay, new October 8 and 9 European launches

James Egan — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Launches, MMO industry, News items, Cities XL

It looks like our European readers are going to have to wait a bit longer to get their hands on Cities XL, a new title that will bring MMO elements to a city-building game. Cities XL developer Monte Cristo Multimedia announced today that they're pushing back that September launch date to early October.

The game will release on October 8th for these European countries: France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Austria. The French and German language versions of the game will be distributed by Focus and Flashpoint. October 8th will mark the Australian and New Zealand launches as well, with Namco Bandai Partners distributing the English language version of Cities XL. The English version will also launch the following day, October 9th, in the UK, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, and Italy.

Continue reading Cities XL announces delay, new October 8 and 9 European launches

Cities XL announces delay, new October 8 and 9 European launches originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mortal Online pre-orders delayed by two weeks

James Egan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, New titles, News items, Mortal Online

We announced some details about the Mortal Online pre-order which was slated to kick off today in the game's online store. However the Mortal Online developers, Star Vault, announced there will be a two-week delay with the launch of the Mortal Online online store.

Star Vault CEO Henrik Nystrom announced: "On the 25th of June we brought you some good stuff, but today we have to bring you bad news. We have been working very hard to get the shop up and for it to accept different methods of payment, however it's not obvious we have been too optimistic this time as we have encountered several last-minute problems.

More information and a new schedule will be announced on the Mortal Online game store soon."

(Thanks for the tip, Rhys)

Mortal Online pre-orders delayed by two weeks originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Delay or play?

Kyle Horner — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, News items, The Daily Grind

Delays are synonymous with MMOs, so while we never like to hear them announced we're usually all too surprised. Every new year brings both new MMOs and new delays, and 2009 is no exception. First it was Champions Online not too long ago, and then most recently Jumpgate Evolution was pushed from June until, well, sometime in the future.

Sometimes two or three months of more development time makes all the difference, and most would agree that such a choice is desirable in that case. Then again, some games are delayed too much. There is such a thing as overdeveloping, and sometimes a game's direction can get derailed with numerous delays.

So what's it worth? More than one reason exists for an MMO delay, but ultimately the game has to be released.

The Daily Grind: Delay or play? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LEGO Universe not clicking together in 2009

James Egan — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Launches, MMO industry, News items, Casual, LEGO Universe, Kids

We've got bad news for all the LEGO maniacs out there, who've been looking forward to LEGO Universe in 2009. They're going to have to wait a bit longer for NetDevil's take on massively multiplayer LEGO play, according to Kotaku's Brian Crecente, who reports that LEGO Universe may not even see a 2010 release date.

Despite the economic troubles many MMO developers are coping with these days, this news about LEGO Universe is not necessarily a bad thing. Kotaku spoke with the director of business development for the LEGO group, Mark Hansen, who said, "Within the company we have made a strategic decision within LEGO to make a delay of LEGO Universe. It will not be coming out in 2009. The reason is, we have a luxury right now, the business is going good. We have products that are not digital, the physical products, with them going so well we don't want to take focus away from them."

Continue reading LEGO Universe not clicking together in 2009

LEGO Universe not clicking together in 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WRUP: Groundhog Day edition

Mike Schramm — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, Culture, Massively Meta, Humor

Did you forget? Yes, tomorrow, February 2nd, is the day the MMO gamer pokes his head out the window from his longtime leveling session, and if he sees his shadow, it'll mean six more weeks of Age of Conan delays. Oh, that's not how it works? Never mind then.

But it is Friday, and that means it's time to ask What aRe yoU Playing in the world of MMOs. This week, we asked Massively writers William Dobson and Mark Crump. Will is playing Pirates of the Burning Sea with his friend since launch, and says he loves it, despite the fact that he has a few issues with the Freetrader class (look for an upcoming post about that). He's also ducking into EQ2 and playing LoN regularly. Mark says he's working on his Hunter in WoW, and LotRO may get some gametime as well.

Me, I'm taking a bit of a break this weekend-- after buying a Mac mini a few weeks ago, I'm going to spend this weekend reformatting my PC and turning it into a solely gaming/media server box. Which means I've got quite a few installs in my future-- I'll probably spend the weekend switching out gaming install discs and redownloading patches while I continue to tear up the roads of Burnout Paradise, an "almost MMO" on the 360.

So what are you playing this cold February weekend?

Previously on WRUP...

WRUP: Groundhog Day edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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