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[Disney Interactive Media Group appoints Bill Roper as Vice President, Marvel Franchise]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/disney-interactive-media-group-appoints-bill-roper-as-vice-presi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/disney-interactive-media-group-appoints-bill-roper-as-vice-presi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/disney-interactive-media-group-appoints-bill-roper-as-vice-presi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Fans of Marvel Comics have been on the edge of their seats ever since the announcement that Disney had acquired the comic publishing giant, and they're surely anxious to know that their beloved characters will be in good hands. Well, thanks to a press release from Disney Interactive Media Group today, we now know exactly whose hands they will be in.

DIMG has appointed Bill Roper, former VP of Blizzard North and former Chief Creative Officer of Cryptic Studios, as Vice President, Marvel Franchise. Alex Seropian, Senior Vice President and General Manager says of the appointment, "We are pleased to have Bill join our team. With 17 years of experience in the worldwide gaming industry, we are confident that Bill has the creative vision necessary to help guide the next wave of development and product for DIMG's Marvel Games." It seems like Disney has big plans for the Marvel franchise. What those plans are remain to be seen, though Roper will obviously play a large part in Marvel's future in the gaming industry.

MassivelyDisney Interactive Media Group appoints Bill Roper as Vice President, Marvel Franchise originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill-ropercomicscrypticcryptic-studiosdimgdisneydisney-interactivedisney-interactive-media-groupfranchisemarvelmarvel-comicsmarvel-franchiseroperThu, 21 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Battle Dawn Galaxies takes the franchise to the stars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/battle-dawn-galaxies-takes-the-franchise-to-the-stars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/battle-dawn-galaxies-takes-the-franchise-to-the-stars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/battle-dawn-galaxies-takes-the-franchise-to-the-stars/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Going from a scrappy start-up to Lord Emperor of the Universe would make your resume seem paltry, would it not? And while we have no doubt that you'll make it happen for real once your homemade starship is able to break orbit from your back yard, Tacticsoft has an easier solution: Try out Battle Dawn Galaxies, a new galaxy-spanning strategy MMO.

Battle Dawn Galaxies hands you the keys to a small space station and a dream -- a dream to become the biggest, baddest, savviest leader on the map! Over the course of this free-to-play title, you'll build up your station, create a battle fleet of ships, take over new territory, establish alliances with other players, and fight against all those who oppose you.

The game already has over 10,000 daily active players and is the latest in the Battle Dawn franchise, which begun back in 2006. Tacticsoft CEO Michael Rosen thinks the sky is the limit for this title: "The Battle Dawn brand has grown in popularity over the past five years and our players have been asking for a sci-fi universe based on the core mechanics of the original game. With Battle Dawn Galaxies, we bring strategic space combat to new heights in the browser."

You can watch the trailer for the game after the jump!

Continue reading Battle Dawn Galaxies takes the franchise to the stars

MassivelyBattle Dawn Galaxies takes the franchise to the stars originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4xbattle-dawnbattle-dawn-galaxiesbrowserbrowser-basedempire-buildingf2pfranchisefree-to-playMichael-RosentacticsoftteasertrailervideoWed, 25 May 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-the-highlig/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-the-highlig/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-the-highlig/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's not every year that a movie comes along that captures the pop culture zeitgeist so powerfully and so quickly as The Matrix did. I recall lugging a few college friends along to see this in 1999 -- having heard only a few sparse details about it beforehand -- and coming out of the theater feeling as if we we'd been electrified. The bold mix of science fiction, martial arts, philosophy, action, and leather ensembles became the smash hit of the year, and a franchise was born.

And while we had great hopes that this would be this generation's Star Wars, The Matrix ultimately proved to be a lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon, impossible to recapture once unleashed. Sequels, animated shorts, video games, comic books -- none rose to the height of the original film, and eventually the franchise petered out.

During this period, an odd duck of an MMO was born: The Matrix Online. When you think about it, an online virtual world where people log in and fight against programs was a really short hop from the movie series. MxO, as it was abbreviated, was an audacious game with unique features, story-centric gameplay and a sci-fi bent in a field of fantasy competitors, and while it only lasted four years, it was enough to make a huge impression for its community.

So by popular demand, this month we're going to revisit the 1s and 0s of The Matrix Online to see just how deep the rabbit hole (and well-worn cliche) goes -- and what made this game stand out!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ben-Chamberlinbluepilldaniel-myersfeaturedfranchisefree-firegamespotinterlockkung-fuleatherlive-events-teammachinesmatrixmatrix-onlinematrix-revolutionsmeleeMerovingianMonolithMonolith-ProductionsmorpheusmxooraclerarebitredpillsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstorylinethe-continuing-storythe-matrix-onlineubisoftWalruswarner-brosWarner-Bros-InteractivewbzionTue, 10 May 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Will The Old Republic beat World of Warcraft?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/30/the-daily-grind-will-the-old-republic-beat-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/30/the-daily-grind-will-the-old-republic-beat-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/30/the-daily-grind-will-the-old-republic-beat-world-of-warcraft/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There have been many arguments in the Massively offices -- some bordering on heated (hey, we're passionate people, alright?) -- about today's question. We don't all agree. Some think it's definite, some think it's definitely not, and some folks are on the fence, but here goes: will Star Wars: The Old Republic surpass World of Warcraft by any measure of success -- particularly in subscriber numbers?

Sure, reps from LucasArts and EA said so, but they kind of have to, right? We'd love to hear your opinions, but here are a couple points that have been brought up: WoW opened the door for new MMOs -- people are comfortable with them now. Doesn't that mean the chances are ripe for a huge, established franchise like Star Wars to sweep in and take it to the next level? On the other hand, since Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect sold substantially fewer copies than WoW, does the BioWare / KotOR pedigree really matter for this question?

Star Wars is neither a star nor a war -- discuss!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Will The Old Republic beat World of Warcraft? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareblizzarddiscussioneaelectronic-artsfranchiseipknights-of-the-old-republiclucasartsopinionspeculationstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubscriptionsswtortdgthe-daily-grindthe-old-republictorworld-of-warcraftThu, 30 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Name your MMO dream team]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/the-daily-grind-name-your-mmo-dream-team/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/the-daily-grind-name-your-mmo-dream-team/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/the-daily-grind-name-your-mmo-dream-team/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Almost every big MMO these days is a marriage between an established intellectual property -- such as The Lord of the Rings, or Conan -- and a proven development studio like Mythic or Cryptic. It seems like every setting is getting MMO-ized, from Star Trek to the DC Comics universe. But there are lots of worlds left to explore.

That's why we're asking you today what world you want to explore, and who you want to make it. In other words, which franchise and which developer would you like to see come together?Battlestar Galactica and Funcom? Lost and SOE? No idea is too crazy. After all, it's likely none of them will become reality anyway!

Please keep in mind that Hello Kitty Online has already been done! Sorry to steal your thunder, folks!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Name your MMO dream team originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbattlestar-galacticacryptic-studiosdc-universe-onlinedeveloperdreamdream-teamfantasyfranchisefuncomiplicenselostmythicsoestar-trekstudiotdgthe-daily-grindturbineThu, 31 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cartoon Network to enjoy huge TurnOut]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/cartoon-network-to-enjoy-huge-turnout/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/cartoon-network-to-enjoy-huge-turnout/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/cartoon-network-to-enjoy-huge-turnout/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Turner Entertainment, holder of the Cartoon Network brand, has announced its partnership with Outblaze Limited, a web infrastructure company, to create TurnOut Ventures Limited. They will focus on leveraging the character recognition appeal of the various CN franchises into online games, virtual spaces, and the like.

What would we like to see come from this? How about an MMO based on Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, where you can create your own monster? Or a Transformers game, where you can unlock the ability to transform to different vehicles as you level up? Or a Powerpuff Girls title where you are a new model of PG, patrolling the world, dispensing cuteness and justice in equal measure? Is the world ready for this? Are you? Am I?

No, I'm not. I'd like to keep game development away from established franchises, thank you. Now, mind you, aside from the football-themed MMO, the article under consideration doesn't specifically mention branded game development, so perhaps we'll be spared the further dilution of once-favorite characters via tacked-on plots and shoehorned game mechanics. I'd like to be right about that, but history continues to prove me wrong. I live in hope!

MassivelyCartoon Network to enjoy huge TurnOut originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandingcartoon-networkdilutionfootballfosters-home-for-imaginary-friendsfranchiseoutblaze-limitedpowerpuff-girlstransformersturner-entertainmentturnout-ventures-limitedWed, 23 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Former STO designer: Star Trek might be "hardest MMO IP ever"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/17/former-sto-designer-star-trek-might-be-hardest-mmo-ip-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/17/former-sto-designer-star-trek-might-be-hardest-mmo-ip-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/17/former-sto-designer-star-trek-might-be-hardest-mmo-ip-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Star Trek Online is one of the most anticipated MMOs on the horizon, but it's no secret that Perpetual Entertainment has had a rough couple of months. There's an ever-present air of uncertainty around STO's future.

Most of that uncertainty stems from Perpetual's legal and financial troubles, but one former STO team member has written up a blog post suggesting that making a Star Trek MMO might be a Kobyashi Maru scenario to begin with. "At first glance, Star Trek seems like the perfect setting for an MMO," said former systems designer Eric Heimburg, "but appearances can be deceiving. It's actually a huge landmine of problems."

Heimburg wrote that it's an expensive and difficult task to produce both a space game and a land game, that making space interesting is challenging, and that it's impossible to please all Star Trek fans because everyone has a different opinion about what makes the franchise great. All good points; we'll see if Perpetual has what it takes to make it all come together ... if it can even survive its financial and legal woes.

[Via TTH]

MassivelyFormer STO designer: Star Trek might be "hardest MMO IP ever" originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogelder-gameeric-heimburgfinancialfranchisekobyashi-marulandlegalperpetual-entertainmentspacestar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoMon, 17 Dec 2007 19:00:00 EST