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Guild Wars celebrates its 7th anniversary [Updated]

Elisabeth Cardy — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, News items, Anniversary

It's that special time of year again! Despite the amount of effort that has got to be getting poured into the upcoming Guild Wars 2 beta weekend event, ArenaNet isn't neglecting the baby game's elder sibling. The Guild Wars site has been updated with some information about festivities for the in-game celebration.

From April 24th through May 8th, players will be able to enjoy the time-honored traditions of Guild Wars' birthday celebrations: Players can stroll down the Shing Jea Boardwalk for some festival games, race Rollerbeetles, unlock birthday hats, and collect some sweet, sweet treats. In addition, a new pet is being made available. The Hound of Balthazar can be unlocked for free by visiting Ceira, Sworn to Fire in Embark Beach and then traveling to the Zaishen Menagerie and tracking down the fiery beastie. After the anniversary has drawn to a close, the Hound will still be unlockable, but at the cost of 100,000 Balthazar Faction or 20 golden zaishen coins and 100 gold -- so maybe don't dawdle if you're interested in a shiny new pet. The updated page also promises "drops and activities never before seen in anniversary celebration," so join in the fun to find out what's new!

[Update: According to a Gamebreaker TV special, all of the normal weekend events observed in Guild Wars will be running simultaneously for the anniversary celebration!]

Guild Wars celebrates its 7th anniversary [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Happy fifth anniversary, LotRO!

Justin Olivetti — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor, Anniversary

Great Ghost Bear, has it really been five years? Why... it must have been, although it truly seems like yesterday that a magazine article caught my eye about an upcoming game based on Lord of the Rings. Just yesterday it was, when I called my brother-in-law to tell him that he could drop his World of Warcraft subscription because something better was on the horizon. It wasn't but a day ago that we Founders jumped into the head-start and power-leveled all the way to 15.

Let me tell you, those Tuckborough Library raids were brutal back then!

So it has indeed been five years since Lord of the Rings Online released, a half-decade of Middle-earth stomping, Brandywine swimming, and Weathertop free-climbing. I can't even believe that this is the third such anniversary that I've covered for Massively; boy, how the time flies.

Perhaps to make up for last year's lackluster and flawed anniversary celebration, Turbine's pulled out all the stops to make LotRO's birthday an event to remember. We've got a lot to cover and plenty of fireworks left to shoot off, so let's get to it!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Happy fifth anniversary, LotRO!

The Road to Mordor: Happy fifth anniversary, LotRO! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO launches its Fifth Anniversary Festival

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, Patches, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, Anniversary

Lord of the Rings Online's fifth anniversary is upon us, and Turbine is determined to make it a party to remember! Today the studio has released LotRO's Update 6.1, the centerpiece of which is the completely revamped and upgraded Anniversary Festival.

While the anniversary was perceived as a haphazard affair in previous years, Turbine's devs have fleshed it out to rival the other four annual festivals. The focus of the Anniversary Festival is on fireworks and lots of them. There are several new quests to discover, a new fireworks-themed mount to obtain, and beer battles to win.

Because reaching five years is a big deal for any MMO, Turbine's also showering players with free gifts if they log in during this period. The gifts range from fireworks to cloaks to a special mount that is reserved for five-year veterans of the game.

During the anniversary, monsters will drop special tokens that can be redeemed for a wide variety of prizes. There's also a double-XP weekend coming up, which will run from April 24th through the 30th.

LotRO launches its Fifth Anniversary Festival originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elsword Harmony Festival features time-limited bonus items

Jef Reahard — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

What is Elsword doing for spring break? He's going to the Harmony Festival, of course! Kill3rCombo is hosting a time-limited in-game event for its fantasy action title, and you'll want to get in on said action prior to April 4th in order to grab the bonuses and upgrades.

The festival includes free costumes as well as festival pie (the latter of which is used in dungeons to recover half your hit points and remove negative status effects). The devs have also added a few new quests to the mix, and there are new thrown weapons available for use in dungeons as well. There's more, of course, so head to the official Elsword site to get the full scoop.

[Source: Kill3rCombo press release]

Elsword Harmony Festival features time-limited bonus items originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double, double your excitement (and XP) with Aion's winter festival

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Promotions

You know what's annoying? When people break out Christmas songs after the holidays. I mean, who wants to hear cheerful songs about winter when we can just wallow in the atmosphere of grey slush and sub-zero days in peace? Stupid cheer, get out of here! We want to drink deeply of the well of seasonal affective disorder!

You know what's not annoying? When developers recognize how dull the first couple months of the year are, holiday-wise, and invent their own cause for celebration! Aion is breaking out all the stops with this year's Atreian Winter Festival, and that includes insatiably cheerful penguins and scantily clad avatars.

For the next three weekends (starting today), players will enjoy double XP and drops in Aion from Friday at 1:00 p.m. EST until Monday at the same time. There's also an "adorable" -- their words -- Daru fur costume that you can purchase in the game store for $10 and flaunt to all your friends at the lodge after a long day on the slopes.

Double, double your excitement (and XP) with Aion's winter festival originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tinkerfest returns to EverQuest II

Jef Reahard — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

EverQuest II's annual Tinkerfest has begun, and the gnomish festival runs through August 8th. As always Gnomeland Security in the Steamfront Mountains is your headquarters for all things Tinkerfest including exclusive quests, new (and old) rewards, merchants with hard-to-find buyables and new recipes, and a bit of new functionality in terms of quest-related map markings.

If you can pull yourself away from EQII's double XP weekend, it's well worth running a few of the festival quests if you're into gnomish collectibles and decor. In addition to the news blurb on the official EQII website, several fansites have exhaustive guides and picture galleries available to help you make sense of all your Tinkerfest options.

Tinkerfest returns to EverQuest II originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Festivals and you -- a love story

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor

It's a shame that Lord of the Rings Online's fourth anniversary will probably be remembered more for being a mismanaged festival event than for the achievement that reaching four years signifies. But things are as they are, and the "Grindaversary" has now gone down in LotRO's history of what not to do for an event.

If you're only tangentially tuning in to the LotRO news these days, last week Turbine launched its first anniversary celebration in the game (previous anniversaries were marked only by gift tokens dropping in the world). The celebration was a lesser type of festival that borrowed elements from previous events, namely, the horse races and the beer brawl. Players were challenged to participate in both to gain tokens to acquire special rewards, such as a new horse mount, housing decorations, and cosmetic outfits.

The problem was twofold: The tokens were gained so slowly that it took a long time to get enough for even one moderately priced reward, and the only endlessly repeatable activity (the beer brawl) could be failed if you were knocked out of the area by another player. As a result, players heavily protested what should've been a fun time and Turbine ended up with egg on its face.

In participating myself, talking with friends, and reading through the many, many responses to the event, I got to thinking about how Turbine's approached festivals over the past year or so and how the studio can learn from this to avoid another stumble.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Festivals and you -- a love story

The Road to Mordor: Festivals and you -- a love story originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch!

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor

Major patch weeks are always a great deal of fun in Lord of the Rings Online as everyone digs into the new content, looks for hidden gems, and goes on grand new adventures. As much as I appreciate most everything in this week's Echoes of the Dead update, I have to say that, hands-down, the additional outfit slots made me the happiest.

Yes, I'm weird, but I can't be the only one who had an inner squeal of joy when Turbine announced that it was going to expand (via the store) the number of outfit spots from two to five. I've always, always loved the outfit system in this game as a way to give my characters a unique and aesthetically pleasing look versus having to stare at the mismatched armor they seem to pick up along the way.

In celebration of the additional outfit slots, I wanted to finally dig into the outfit system and look at the basics of Middle-earth fashion: where you get these pieces, how colors come into play, and where you might go for inspiration. So let's put on our finest frippery and strut the catwalk, ladies and gentlemen!

(I promise, next week I'll be much more manly. Probably.)

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch!

The Road to Mordor: Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest II's City of Hate hosts lovely festival

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, Free-to-play

It may be known as the City of Hate, but even such hives of scum and villainy as Neriak get their days in the sun. EverQuest II's monthly city festival rotates to Neriak in March for a week of special events and opportunities to net spiffy rewards.

By earning special City Tokens, players have a chance to grab special items that are only available when the festival visits that specific town. For Neriak, this means a wide assortment of cool-looking marble decorations, among other goodies. Complete the stamp collection quest for the event and a usable Norrathian Express Box will be placed at your disposal.

The Neriak City Festival will only last through March 7th, so if you're looking to spruce up your in-game house with a few spite-filled decorations, get in quick before it's too late!

EverQuest II's City of Hate hosts lovely festival originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's guide to Valentine's Day festivities

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Super-hero, Culture, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic, Miscellaneous

Ah spring! 'Tis the time when young men and women's thoughts turn to love -- or at least scoring some nifty holiday-themed loot! This year there's quite a bit going on. Some events are old familiar ones that have stood the test of time. Others offer new twists and things to do for those who have been there, done that. If you aren't feeling the love bug biting, there's even the odd anti-Valentine's-type event, perfect for those who would rather rain destruction down on the head of anyone foolish enough to approach him with anything heart-shaped or pink. Curious as to what's going on? Check out our listing below -- and feel free to chime in if you know of a fun event others should check out!

	Rip out your Fallen Earth character's heart for Valentine's Day (February 11th-13th) What's better than surviving a nuclear holocaust and wandering your way across a blasted brown landscape rife with societal collapse? Why, sharing said wanderings with someone you love, of course (or at least, someone you lust after in that we've-got-to-do-this-for-the-future-of-mankind sort of way). In a novel spin on the traditional mid-February holiday, Icarus Studios is presenting Fallen Earth's Valentine's Day Massacre event, and clones everywhere can literally offer their hearts as a sign of affection (and a +3 stamina buff).
	Vindictus spreads the love with new update and holiday (February 1st-15th) Quirky events have quickly become one of Vindictus' staples. Right now players can participate in V-Day events for special rewards. If fishing and chocolate hunting isn't your bag, you can simply purchase a Valentine's Package at the Supply Depot for "sexy Valentine's themed Inner Armor." Cute undies, in other words. Valentine's events will end after the 15th, so players are encouraged to partake sooner rather than regret it later.
	Time for love in Final Fantasy XI (February 1st-15th) Valentine's Day is almost here, that special time of year when you attempt to distill the essence of a romantic relationship into chocolate form. And if you were hoping to escape from the day within Vana'diel, your efforts are rather misdirected -- Valentione's Day coincides nicely with the holiday in the real world, with just as much saccharine summation of liaisons in Final Fantasy XI.

Continue reading Massively's guide to Valentine's Day festivities

Massively's guide to Valentine's Day festivities originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Bits 'n' pieces

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Classes, Patches, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor

Three wolves. A full moon. One incredible cloak in the Lord of the Rings Online store. As a forum poster asked, is the Cloak of the Mountain Wolves too powerful and too intrinsically sweet?

I think it is a distinct possibility. I already own six and have Sauron on farm status because of them. Forget piddly rings -- this is the one cloak to rule them all, and in the darkness, blind them.

I'm a bit all over the place in today's column, so bear with me as I spew forth a 427-line stream-of-consciousness poem devoted to Aragorn's stubble. You totally know you want to hit the jump to read it. I triple-dog-dare ya.

[Editor -- No, Justin, you have to write a normal column. Don't make me get the fire hose.]

Darn.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Bits 'n' pieces

The Road to Mordor: Bits 'n' pieces originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Celebrate Hello Kitty's birthday in Hello Kitty Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play, Hello Kitty Online, Family

Hello Kitty is 36 years old, which should be the sort of thing that makes everyone blink once or twice in surprise. With that sort of pedigree, you'd be surprised not to see a celebration going on -- especially in Hello Kitty Online. Sure enough, there's a huge birthday bash going on right now for players of the game, and participation in the event will have some positive effects in the real world. Sanrio is giving money to charity, based in part upon how many people take part in the birthday festivities.

Players taking part will be sent around the world with sparklers to help cheer up monsters, so that everyone can enjoy the birthday celebration. There's also a small line for upgrading and improving sparklers for maximum effectiveness, with upgrades available in the item shop as a shortcut for participants. A full event guide has been posted, and it promises a special in-game event on November 15th -- which should be an excellent motivator for Hello Kitty Online players to log in and ring in another cat-filled year.

Gallery: Hello Kitty Online birthday event

Celebrate Hello Kitty's birthday in Hello Kitty Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO Spring Festival 2010: Shrewmageddon

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Guides

Even the most dour dwarf or happy hobbit must take a break now and then from questing for a time of merriment, games and celebration. After all, we're pretty sure that the Enemy is a big killjoy, so what better way to spit in his eye than celebrate the life and beauty of the season with LotRO's Spring Festival?

Starting today, LotRO players can hop around to this expanded festival, which includes group dancing, a mysterious hedge maze, shrew stomping, food, drink and more! There's a lot of great rewards for the dedicated party-goer, including the opportunity to grab a fish and slap a friend.

Hit the jump for help in navigating this festival, as well as brand-new pictures of the event!

Continue reading LotRO Spring Festival 2010: Shrewmageddon

LotRO Spring Festival 2010: Shrewmageddon originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wandering through the hedge maze of Lord of the Rings Online's spring festival

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Events, in-game, Opinion

Festivals come and festivals go, but how many games feature something as neat as a hedge maze for their spring festival event? A hedge maze with quests even!

Tony over at MMeOw has put together a pretty nice overview of what the hedge maze in Lord of the Rings Online is all about. He goes over exactly why you want to chase chickens through the bushes, how to get through the maze in the fastest time possible, and the enjoyable parts of putting up signs of misdirection throughout the maze.

Even if none of this sounds like it interests you, one of the possible prizes you can get is the fish slap emote, /fishslap. We are 100% confident on our side of the fence that none of you out there can turn down getting access to /fishslap.

The maze isn't the only part of the spring festival, as all of the original trappings of last year have returned. The quests for the Inn-League, the eating contest in the festival grounds, and the other events are still making their yearly appearance. But if you're looking for a nice write-up of the hedge maze, look no further than MMeOw.

Wandering through the hedge maze of Lord of the Rings Online's spring festival originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Know Your LotRO Lore: Celebrating the holidays Hobbit style

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Lore, Academic, Education, Know Your LotRO Lore

Welcome to Know Your LotRO Lore, a new weekly column here at Massively showcasing the lore of J.R.R. Tolkien's world as it intersects with Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online.

For some, the holidays are already over, but for many they've just begun. Throughout Middle-earth, none are known better for their love of celebrating those holidays than the Hobbits. We've talked about the Hobbits here before on Know Your LotRO Lore, but with the winter festivities in full swing, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to explain more specifically about just why those Hobbits are so infamous for their partying.

Continue reading Know Your LotRO Lore: Celebrating the holidays Hobbit style

Know Your LotRO Lore: Celebrating the holidays Hobbit style originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft's Midsummer Fire Festival starts today!

Michael Zenke — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events, in-game

Rejoice, Azerothians everywhere! Yet another outstanding in-game holiday is upon us, as the World of Warcraft continues to change before our eyes. The Midsummer Fire Festival is rolling out today, with numerous changes incorporated into this year's festivities. Unlike the lackluster event of years past, Fire Fest '08 incorporates some of the best elements of Brewfest, the Lunar Festival, and the last overhauled holiday: Hallow's End.

Players can participate in a number of holiday-themed activities. These include: frolicking around a fire pole, visiting a number of bonfires scattered around the world, torch tossing, and a boss encounter deep in the heart of the slave pens. Taking part will earn a special event currency, called Burning Blossoms. Blossoms can be turned in at merchants for special seasonal rewards. The rewards range from some simple particle effects all the way up to a mini-pet, the Spirit of Summer. The fest should already be in full swing, so get yourself into town and light that fire!

World of Warcraft's Midsummer Fire Festival starts today! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tavern guide for EverQuest 2's Brew Day Festival

Michael Zenke — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, Roleplaying

The EverQuest II team sent over a guide for players looking forward to this year's fantastic Brew Day event. The Festival starts today, and runs through to next Friday, the 21st. Players who participate can snag themselves a Tumpy Tonic bottle for their house, and talented videomakers who create a feature for the Brew Day video contest could win a real Tumpy Tonic glass!

To make your Brew Day extra special, check out the official Tavern Guide, which lists player-run restaurants and bars. These establishments will be celebrating the event in high style, so check out the guide or read below the cut for directions to a bar on a server near you.

Continue reading Tavern guide for EverQuest 2's Brew Day Festival

Tavern guide for EverQuest 2's Brew Day Festival originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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