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[Analyst: SWTOR caused Dragon Age III delay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/analyst-swtor-caused-dragon-age-iii-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/analyst-swtor-caused-dragon-age-iii-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/analyst-swtor-caused-dragon-age-iii-delay/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SWTOR
There's been a lot of discussion following the recent EA earnings report in which the company announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic has 1.3 million subscribers, down from its previous 1.7 million mark. We've heard from the fans, the critics, and the studio itself -- now it's time for the analysts to contribute their side of the conversation. According to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, EA's investment in SWTOR has caused a delay in other projects at BioWare, particularly in Dragon Age III's case.

The analyst noted that Dragon Age III's expected release window was delayed, and he says this is due to the enormous undertaking of SWTOR. "We believe that a significant portion of the BioWare team responsible for the game was reassigned to Star Wars in order to create content and fix bugs to keep the game's audience engaged," Pachter said.

Delay or no, Pachter is upbeat about EA's future, especially in light of the earnings report's news that the company turned a profit. He says that the company will continue to grow, make money, and be a good bet for investors.

MassivelyAnalyst: SWTOR caused Dragon Age III delay originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analysisanalystbiowaredragon-agedragon-age-3dragon-age-iiieaearnings-callearnings-reportelectronic-artslucasartsMichael-Pachterresourcessci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscriberssubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorWedbush-SecuritiesTue, 08 May 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Creating a new world: 38 Studios discusses the formation of Amalur's IP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/creating-a-new-world-38-studios-discusses-the-formation-of-amal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/creating-a-new-world-38-studios-discusses-the-formation-of-amal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/creating-a-new-world-38-studios-discusses-the-formation-of-amal/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Reckoning
As MMO fans, we're keeping a close eye on 38 Studios for its development of Project Copernicus, the MMO that will serve as the follow-up to next month's Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The risk factor of not only developing two major intertwined projects in parallel but to have the additional task of creating a brand-new IP in which to put them must be a pressing one, which is why CVG sat down with Reckoning Lead Designer Ian Frazier to talk about challenges the studio has been tackling.

Frazier outlines the balance the studio's struck between its three big-name creators -- Todd McFarlane (art), R.A. Salvatore (story), and Ken Rolston (design) -- not to mention the ideas that pour in from founder Curt Schilling. Fortunately, Frazier says that these larger-than-life personalities mesh well together: "The nice thing that's worked out is, I think if we'd got three famous game designers, it would have been a disaster: big egos, they're all on the same plane, it wouldn't have worked out. What makes this work is they're all different."

Even though Rolston previously worked on The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Frazier said the designer wanted to try his hand at something fresh with a better combat system. "They're all great games," Frazier said of the Elder Scrolls series, "and I think they're progressively better, but they're all the same game. It's not like they're radically changing with time."

Frazier said Reckoning has been compared to a "single-player WoW" as well as Dragon Age and Fable, but he insists that the world and ideas the team's been creating will take it far past those basic comparisons.

You can take your first peek into the world of Amalur with the Reckoning demo -- and let us know what you think in the comments!

MassivelyCreating a new world: 38 Studios discusses the formation of Amalur's IP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studioscopernicusCurt-Schillingcvgdragon-ageegoegoselder-scrollsfableIan-FrazierinterviewKen-Rolstonkingdoms-of-amalur-reckoningoblivionR.A.-Salvatorera-SalvatorereckoningTodd-McFarlaneworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Illusion of choice]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/hyperspace-beacon-illusion-of-choice/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/hyperspace-beacon-illusion-of-choice/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/hyperspace-beacon-illusion-of-choice/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Before I begin this little rant about Star Wars: The Old Republic, there are a couple things I want to make clear: This edition of the Hyperspace Beacon will have a lot of spoilers, and I really like SWTOR as a whole.

First off, the spoilers mentioned here will be about the DragonAge and Mass Effect series of games. If you have not played through either one of those games and do not want to know how some of that story turns out, then you may not want to read this article. Secondly, SWTOR is a wonderful game. I have played it on a couple of occasions, and I believe it exhibits some of the qualities that have been missing from many of the current MMOs -- specifically, story. By no means do I want to discourage anyone from playing or pre-ordering this game, so if you're on the fence about this game, you may not want to read on because this article is not for you.

Surely, fans of BioWare have played games like Mass Effect and DragonAge, and I hope you have played Knights of the Old Republic. These games really define what BioWare is and the types of games it can make. However, given some of the most recent announcements, I have to wonder if some of the staples that made these BioWare games great are going to be missing in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Have BioWare games gone from having choice to just the illusion of choice?

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Illusion of choice

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Illusion of choice originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarechoicedaniel-ericksonDragon-AgeDragon-Age-2EAElectronic-ArtsfeaturedGame-Mechanicshyperspace-beaconIllusion-of-choicejames-ohlenKnights-of-the-Old-RepublicLucasArtsMass-EffectMass-Effect-2opinionStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstoryswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 02 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Music to kill by: The making of Rift's score]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/08/music-to-kill-by-the-making-of-rifts-score/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/08/music-to-kill-by-the-making-of-rifts-score/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/08/music-to-kill-by-the-making-of-rifts-score/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The musical score is often one of the little-appreciated aspects of MMOs, providing mood, tone and emotion for the player while hopefully refraining from being annoying or too repetitive.

In a new dev diary, Trion Worlds showcases the audio talent behind Rift: Planes of Telara's score. Audio Director Yannis Brown and Composer Inon Zur (Dragon Age: Origins, Fallout: New Vegas) talk about how the music lends itself to character identity and the environment's atmosphere, while giving us an aural sneak peek of Rift's tunes. One of the cool concepts the audio team is the creation of multi-layered music tracks that provide the same theme in different degrees of intensity based on how big the rifts have grown.

Hit the jump to watch the diary and hear for yourself whether this will be a game in which the default score stays on -- or gets quickly turned off in favor of personal playlists.

Continue reading Music to kill by: The making of Rift's score

MassivelyMusic to kill by: The making of Rift's score originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>composerdev-diarydragondragon-ageDragon-Age-Originsfallout-new-vegasinon-zurmusicriftrift-planes-of-telarasoundtracktriontrion-worldsvideoyannis-brownMon, 08 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA giving free game to disgruntled APB buyers [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/27/ea-giving-free-game-to-disgruntled-apb-buyers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/27/ea-giving-free-game-to-disgruntled-apb-buyers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/27/ea-giving-free-game-to-disgruntled-apb-buyers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ticked off about the recent closure of Realtime Worlds' All Points Bulletin? Well you're not alone, and surprisingly enough it seems like Electronic Arts has heard your cries for justice. According to reports from CVG and SavyGamer, the publishing giant is ponying up a free download from the EA Store for customers who purchased APB via Valve's Steam digital distribution platform.

The list of possible freebies is nothing to sneeze at either, as it includes BioWare darlings Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins, as well as Spore, The Saboteur, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and several more. There's currently no word on refunds or compensation for those who purchased the ill-fated urban crime MMOFPS from retail outlets or other digital shops.

[Editor's Note: Having just gone through this process myself, I can tell you that it's easy and virtually painless. Simply visit www.ea.com, choose your country of origin, visit the support link in the upper right hand corner, and log into your EA account. Once that's done, click the "contact us/email us" button to create a new question to ask the EA support representatives. Select APB as the game in question and tell them that you own the game, where you bought it, and that you'd like to take advantage of their refund offer. The representative will ask you to make a list of games you'd like (pre-order titles are excluded and only games in the EA store are being offered) and that's it! Once you send your list, they'll give you a game (most likely your first choice) and you can download it using their instructions. ~Seraphina]

MassivelyEA giving free game to disgruntled APB buyers [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbbattlefield-bad-company-2BioWareDragon-AgeDragon-Age-Originseaelectronfree-gamefree-gamesmass-effect-2refundsporesteamthe-saboteurvalveMon, 27 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/waging-war-rvr-packs-the-wait-and-see-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/waging-war-rvr-packs-the-wait-and-see-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/28/waging-war-rvr-packs-the-wait-and-see-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This week Waging WAR rides the double rainbow of gameplay customization via downloadable content and takes a cursory glance at the RvR packs being teased by the folks behind the development of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Let's follow along and see what Greg can unleash this time.

It is difficult to talk about the future of WAR right now. Not because it doesn't have a future, but because the availability of information regarding it is not exactly easy to find. Actually, information on the future of WAR is all but non-existent, surrounded by controversy on all sides, and steeped in rumor, speculation, assumption and misinformation. The best I can put together is that we, as players, can look forward to some sort of set of three different "RvR Packs" allowing us to "customize" our gameplay experience moving forward. The packs have been called "Power," "Progression," and "Personality." What exactly each contains is a mystery, although the few talking points I was able to find regarding these RvR packs are speculatively disappointing at best. Although Carrie, Andy, and anyone else involved with the Mythic development team have said time and time again that they are not discussing moving toward the free-to-play business model, what they're proposing with these customization packs looks suspiciously like the item shop established by Turbine, implemented in Dungeons & Dragons Online and soon in Lord of the Rings Online as well. V.I.P. membership, anyone?

Although concrete information is scarce and difficult to find, let's take a look at the most commonly referenced points of interest after the break.

Continue reading Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition

MassivelyWaging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-the-tower-of-eternityaion-tower-of-eternityandy-belfordbalaurBioWarebioware-eaBioware-MMObioware-mythicbioware-pointscarrie-gouskosddoddo-storeddo-unlimitedDLCdownloadable contentdownloadable-contentDownloadableContentDragon-AgeDragon-Age-OriginsDungeons-and-Dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineEAea-mythicf2pfeaturefeaturedfeaturesfree-to-playgames-daygames-day-2010games-workshopgamesday-ukLord of the Ringslord-of-the-rings-onlineLordOfTheRingsmass-effectmass-effect-2MassEffectmicro-transactionmicro-transactionsmonster-gamesmonster-playmythicmythic-eaMythic-Entertainmentrenownrenown-armorrenown-bonusrenown-caprenown-pointsrenown-rankrenown-rankingrvrrvr-packscenarioscenario-weaponsscenariosskaventurbineTurbine-Entertainmentvipwaging-warwarWarhammer-OnlineSat, 28 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TOR's conversation system rebuilt to be like Mass Effect's]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/tors-conversation-system-rebuilt-to-be-like-mass-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/tors-conversation-system-rebuilt-to-be-like-mass-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/tors-conversation-system-rebuilt-to-be-like-mass-effect/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


BioWare lead designer and storywriter Daniel Erickson drops a few interesting nuggets about Star Wars: The Old Republic's well-publicized voice system. In an interview with CVG, he gives credit to Mass Effect, BioWare's celebrated single-player RPG, for inspiring a complete change in The Old Republic's voiceover content.

"Originally the game was built far more like Dragon Age as far as [the] Conversation System went," he said. "Our player characters were not going to be voiced because it's a massively insane expenditure and hugely complicated to do. You have to cast 16 of the best actors ever and then hold them for eternity," Erickson says.

He goes on to illustrate how the original Mass Effect caused the TOR team to adjust their thinking, as it debuted very early in the latter's development cycle. You can read the full article at CVG.

MassivelyTOR's conversation system rebuilt to be like Mass Effect's originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareconversation-systemdaniel-ericksonDragon-AgeDragon-Age-OriginsEAmass-effectstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicMon, 28 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA adds veteran industry talent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/tera-adds-veteran-industry-talent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/tera-adds-veteran-industry-talent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/12/tera-adds-veteran-industry-talent/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

En Masse Entertainment isn't messing around, judging by today's announcement regarding several game industry heavyweights joining forces with the publisher of the forthcoming TERA MMORPG. "We want En Masse Entertainment to serve as a magnet for creative talent. As we build toward the launch of TERA, we are adding veteran strength to all facets of the company to ensure a topnotch action MMO experience for our customers," said CEO Dr. Jae-Heon Yang.

New TERA team members include Aaron LeMay, a veteran of major action franchises including Halo and Saint's Row. Also signing on are Matt Atwood, former Global Public Relations Lead at BioWare and responsible for overseeing both Dragon Age and Mass Effect. David Noonan, a former Dungeons and Dragons game designer and Aion writer also joins the TERA crew, as does Microsoft Xbox Live Operations Center veteran Markus Schweig.

Head on over to the official TERA forums for the full press release.

MassivelyTERA adds veteran industry talent originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaron-lemayaionbiowaredavid-noonandragon-ageen-masse-entertainmenthaloindustry-veteransmarkus-schweigmass-effectmatt-atwoodmicrosoftsaints-rowTERAxbox-liveMon, 12 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: Delay? You can't handle the delay!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/the-digital-continuum-delay-you-cant-handle-the-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/the-digital-continuum-delay-you-cant-handle-the-delay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/the-digital-continuum-delay-you-cant-handle-the-delay/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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!

MassivelyThe 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20102011biowaredelaydelayeddelaysdragon-agedragon-age-originseaelectronic-artsfeaturedlucasartsopinionrumorrumorssplinter-cellsplinter-cell-convictionstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-digital-continuumthe-old-republicTue, 19 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How MMOs infect other games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/26/how-mmos-infect-other-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/26/how-mmos-infect-other-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/26/how-mmos-infect-other-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Games are rather viral in the way that their ideas spread around. You start off with perfectly self-contained genres, perhaps, but before long your characters are leveling up in a sports game and going through jumping puzzles in an action game (or a first-person shooter if you're unlucky). Next thing you know, you're shooting hoops before racing a car and shooting people and then solving a riddle... you get the idea. MMOs seem like they'd be largely immune to this -- after all, many of their conventions not ported from elsewhere, such as persistent online play, are fairly unique to them. However, Spinks has a fascinating essay regarding the way that, for better or for worse, MMOs are becoming closely entwined with other games.

In short, while she notes that the mechanics haven't always made the jump from, for instance, World of Warcraft to Dragon Age, the design of the game's structure and the tactics available have. She notes the increasing prevalence of the "holy trinity" in non-MMO games (Final Fantasy XII being another excellent example), the ways in which our ideas about discussing both the game itself and the tactics it requires have expanded, and the ways that our attitudes toward our characters in a game have changed as MMOs have diversified, expanded, and improved. Insightful and astute, fans of gaming should find more than a little food for thought within the full article.

MassivelyHow MMOs infect other games originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dragon-agedragon-age-originsemergent-gameplayffxiifinal-fantasy-xiiholy-trinitymassively-singleplayer-gamesmmos-infecting-gamesopinionspinksvilleworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 26 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You'd be forgiven for thinking Aion would've fallen off the Steam and DIrect2Drive top ten sales charts, what with the fire hose blast of new PC releases. Fortunately for NCsoft, that isn't the case as the game is still clinging to said charts in the face of games like Dragon Age: Origins, Borderlands, Torchlight and Left 4 Dead 2. Boldness!

Actually, the game is pretty darn good -- if you don't mind your peanut butter with extra grind -- so that's not a huge surprise all things considered. It's always a good sign when an MMO can stay on the top ten after its launch, moreso when it does so against high profile, high pedigree releases. So, rejoice Aion players, you've likely got a strong community! (We could've just told you that, but now numbers vindicate said observation.)

MassivelyAion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionborderlandsd2ddigitaldirect2drivedragon-agedragon-age-originsl4d2nc-westncsoftsteamtop-tentorchlightSat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/the-digital-continuum-swtor-turns-up-the-heat-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/the-digital-continuum-swtor-turns-up-the-heat-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/the-digital-continuum-swtor-turns-up-the-heat-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat, part 2

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gatebiowaredragon-ageeaelectronic-artslucas-artsmass-effectstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-digital-continuumTue, 09 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: Blizzard's mysterious MMO Part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/the-digital-continuum-blizzards-mysterious-mmo-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/the-digital-continuum-blizzards-mysterious-mmo-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/the-digital-continuum-blizzards-mysterious-mmo-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Blizzard's mysterious MMO Part 2

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: Blizzard's mysterious MMO Part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareblizzardcyberpunkdark-fantasydragon-agemass-effectscience-fantasystar-warssteampunkswtorwuxiaTue, 19 May 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E308: BioWare says there is no KOTOR MMO (wink)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-bioware-says-there-is-no-kotor-mmo-wink/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-bioware-says-there-is-no-kotor-mmo-wink/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-bioware-says-there-is-no-kotor-mmo-wink/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We just saw BioWare show off their new Dragon Age: Origins here at E3, and while that singleplayer game looks great (imagine a Mass Effect game set in the world of Baldur's Gate), we did spring the requisite massively multiplayer question on them for you. At the very end of the Q&A session with developer Dan Tudge after the demo, the PR rep told us there was just "time for one more question," and we threw it out there: "So, how's the Knights of the Old Republic MMO coming?"

There was silence in the room for a moment. Tudge quietly said, "I... have no idea what you're talking about," and then everyone laughed as the PR rep nervously said, "Good answer." Tudge added, "You're asking me that in front of my boss?" And so we revised the question: Dragon Age has a very MMO-style design -- there's a minimap in the upper right, party portraits in the upper left, and a bar with icons for skills across the bottom. Does BioWare really want to make an MMO? "The interface looked like Baldur's Gate to me," said Tudge cooly. "The real question is, how much of the MMOs did Baldur's Gate influence?"

Touché. But we left the press conference with a smile, a special secret that we'll share with you now. As much as Tudge was thrown off by the question, as much as the PR flack was aghast that we asked it, we did leave with this satisfactory piece of information: they didn't, in point of fact, deny.
Did you enjoy this? Check out all of our E3 coverage as the week rolls forward!

MassivelyE308: BioWare says there is no KOTOR MMO (wink) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gatebiowarebreakingdragon-agedragon-age-originse3e3-08e3-2008e308featuredjoystiqfeaturesknights-of-the-old-republicKOTORkotor-mmokotorommoprswtorWed, 16 Jul 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare likes WoW but thinks it can do better]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/bioware-likes-wow-but-thinks-it-can-do-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/bioware-likes-wow-but-thinks-it-can-do-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/bioware-likes-wow-but-thinks-it-can-do-better/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

GameInformer published an interview with BioWare President Greg Zeschuk and CEO Ray Muzyka in its December 2007 issue. Most of the questions in the interview focused on the EA acquisition, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, but one did probe for information on the (KotOR?) MMO in development at BioWare's Austin studio.

Both Zeschuk and Muzyka admitted to being players and fans of World of Warcraft, but expressed dissatisfaction with the way that making progress in the game is so time-consuming that "it's almost like having another job." They said they are thinking about ways to make the genre more accessible and easier to "pick up and play and have fun."

"We certainly like the games," said Muzyka, "but the staying power hasn't been as strong. They totally enthrall a certain set of people, but we thought about how to make it an experience where you don't have to have a massive investment of itme."

Blizzard had similar aspirations with World of Warcraft, and it succeeded in its goal; WoW is far more accessible than previous entries in the genre. Can BioWare expand the appeal of MMOs even further?

MassivelyBioWare likes WoW but thinks it can do better originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>austinbiowarebioware-mmoblizzarddragon-ageeagameinformergreg-zeschukinterviewkotorkotor-mmomass-effectray-muzykaworld-of-warcraftTue, 27 Nov 2007 19:30:00 EST