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[Aventurine hosting free Darkfall weekend, quadruple XP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/aventurine-hosting-free-darkfall-weekend-quadruple-xp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/aventurine-hosting-free-darkfall-weekend-quadruple-xp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/aventurine-hosting-free-darkfall-weekend-quadruple-xp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Darkfall - Mahirrim fighting
If you've ever wanted to see what all the Darkfall fuss is about, this weekend would be a great time to clear your calendar. Aventurine is making the fantasy sandbox accessible to everyone for free, and the devs are also quadrupling the normal experience gain through Sunday.

Previously active accounts have been reactivated, and new players can sign up on the game's official website prior to rolling a character. Darkfall is set in the harsh realm of Agon, a huge medieval fantasy world filled with dungeons, dangerous mobs, and open PvP. The game also features full corpse-looting, crafting, and clan-based warfare.

Check out our Darkfall Choose My Adventure series for an in-depth look at the title's gameplay and community, and be sure to hit up the gallery below for the latest screenshots.

Gallery: Darkfall main gallery


[Source: Aventurine press release]

MassivelyAventurine hosting free Darkfall weekend, quadruple XP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agonaventurinebonus-xp-weekendcorpse-lootingdarkfallfantasyfree-trialfree-weekendopen-pvppvpquadruple-xpsandboxxp-bonusFri, 18 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Allies once again invited to saddle up for RIFT's world event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/allies-once-again-invited-to-saddle-up-for-rifts-world-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/allies-once-again-invited-to-saddle-up-for-rifts-world-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/15/allies-once-again-invited-to-saddle-up-for-rifts-world-event/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This weekend's shaping up to be an exciting one for the citizens of RIFT. First up is the long-awaited second phase of the River of Souls world event. As you may recall, the first phase was prolonged by an additional week while Trion Worlds worked out some technical issues. According to in-game notices, the second phase is scheduled to go live tomorrow.

To celebrate the event -- and hopefully entice additional players to the game -- Trion is offering another Allies of the Ascended weekend trial to anyone who hasn't purchased the game. By going to the Allies page, new and returning trial players can snag a code for a weekend of free RIFT game time.

The Allies of the Ascended weekend will go up at 1:00 p.m. EDT today and will continue until Monday, April 18th at 1:00 p.m EDT.

MassivelyAllies once again invited to saddle up for RIFT's world event originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allies-of-the-ascendedalsbetheventfree-game-timefree-play-weekendfree-trialfree-weekendin-game-eventriftrift-planes-of-telarariver-of-soulstriontrion-worldsworld-eventFri, 15 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT offers another free trial weekend for friends of players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/rift-offers-another-free-trial-weekend-for-friends-of-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/rift-offers-another-free-trial-weekend-for-friends-of-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/rift-offers-another-free-trial-weekend-for-friends-of-players/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

So you didn't get a chance to take part in the last free trial weekend in RIFT. Maybe you didn't have time to play over the weekend, maybe your friends ran out of keys, maybe they're just useless at giving you those keys, or maybe you're avoiding the game anyway and want no part of a free event. If you belong to any group other than the last, however, you're in luck -- another free weekend is coming, starting this Friday and running through Monday, April 11th.

As with the last event, players who sign up will be granted access to a limited version of the game during this second iteration of Allies of the Ascended. Existing players will be receiving special ally codes via email to distribute to friends, neighbors, and anyone else who hasn't yet tried RIFT but might enjoy it. So if all of your friends won't stop talking about the game, be sure to grab a key and enjoy some soul-filled action for the weekend.

MassivelyRIFT offers another free trial weekend for friends of players originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allies-of-the-ascendedeventsfreefree-trial-weekendfree-weekendgame-trialsin-game-eventsnewsrecruit-a-friendriftrift-planes-of-telaratriontrion-worldsWed, 06 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free Love for the holiday weekend]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/free-love-for-the-holiday-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/free-love-for-the-holiday-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/free-love-for-the-holiday-weekend/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Those who lament that nothing innovative and interesting is being done in the field of MMOs are probably unfamiliar with LOVE, a project seeking to redefine pretty much any core assumptions about the genre. Players build and create, levels are based upon relationships with other players, and the entire world is a surrealistic masterpiece of a landscape. Oh, and the entire project is the work of one man, Eskil Steenberg. It's the sort of thing that would be well worth checking out, and during the holiday weekend, you can do precisely that.

From 6 PM GMT on Friday until noon on Monday, LOVE will be having its first free weekend, giving players curious about the actual mechanics of the game a chance to log in and take a close look at how the game works. That runs the majority of the Labor Day weekend, a fine time to log in and get some serious construction going. Keep an eye on the official site or on GamingLove for more information on registration.

[Thanks to bartillo for the tip!]

MassivelyFree Love for the holiday weekend originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cooperationeskil-steenbergexperimental-gamesfree-trialfree-weekendindependent-gamesindy-gameslabor-daylabor-day-weekendloveone-man-mmo-studioplayer-cooperationquel-solaartrialThu, 02 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Play Champions Online for a week without paying a dime]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/31/play-champions-online-for-a-week-without-paying-a-dime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/31/play-champions-online-for-a-week-without-paying-a-dime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/31/play-champions-online-for-a-week-without-paying-a-dime/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

How much of a game can you experience in a week? Do you think you could hit the level cap? Could you make a full army of alts? Could you make friends and have a reason to keep playing? As part of its anniversary celebration, Champions Online is inviting players to see what they can do with a week of unfettered access to the game. From September 1st to the 7th, anyone can register and play the game completely free, whether or not the player has purchased the game in the past.

All that players have to do to take part is sign up on the official page, which means registering an account if you haven't done so previously. Then, for the whole of that week, you'll be able to access everything in the game as if you were a normal subscriber. To sweeten the deal for existing players, there will also be a promotion running in the C-Store, with nearly everything at a 20% discount. It's hard to say no to a free week of a game, so if your interest is piqued, sign up for a free week's worth of Champions Online now.

MassivelyPlay Champions Online for a week without paying a dime originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryanniversary-celebrationc-storechampions-anniversarychampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosfreefree-playfree-weekendin-game-eventunfettered-accessTue, 31 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online offering veteran rewards and free trials]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/star-trek-online-offering-veteran-rewards-and-free-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/star-trek-online-offering-veteran-rewards-and-free-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/30/star-trek-online-offering-veteran-rewards-and-free-trials/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Trek Online players and former players got a little surprise in their inbox this morning -- the promise of rewards if you were still playing, and the chance to get back in if you stopped. Quite apart from the recent update to the game's first large content patch, Cryptic is rolling out three new features to players: Veteran Rewards, a demo, and an upcoming free trial weekend.

The demo, not quite available yet but promised in the very near future, will work along the lines of the Champions Online demo: unlimited time, but gameplay itself limited to the first few missions and areas. For lapsed players or new players who prefer limited time and unlimited content, there's a free weekend coming up starting on May 7th. Again much like its sister game, there are no limitations on gameplay, just time: May 7th at 10 AM PST until May 10th 10 AM PST.

Of course, if you're an extant player none of these options are terribly engaging to you -- but the newly-added veteran rewards most likely are. Rolling in each 100 days, the rewards allow another free respec each interval, special costume pieces, and a small skill point buff on low-level characters. Take a look at the full page for all the rewards, which are the latest in a large dose of good news for Star Trek Online fans.

MassivelyStar Trek Online offering veteran rewards and free trials originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdemofreefree-trialfree-weekendrespecst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotrek-onlinetrialupcoming-eventsveteran-rewardsFri, 30 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online to offer free weekend]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/champions-online-to-offer-free-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/champions-online-to-offer-free-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/champions-online-to-offer-free-weekend/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If you've been watching the news on the Champions Online front, you know that big changes have come to the game and even more are in store. Players who canceled their subscriptions may even be thinking that Champions Online might be worth a second look, particularly with the addition of Revelation.

If you're one of those players, or have been considering giving the game a first look, you're going to want to clear some time next weekend. Cryptic is offering a free weekend for new and returning players, and it's a pretty generous definition of "weekend". The event -- which will give visitors completely unrestricted access to CO -- begins Friday morning, March 26th at 10 AM PDT, and runs through Monday the 29th at 10 AM PDT. Inactive accounts will be revived for the event, so former players can revisit their old characters.

And don't worry, you won't spend half that time downloading and patching. Cryptic has made the game available for pre-download now, so you'll be completely ready to go Friday morning. We definitely recommend that you check it out -- free is always good and you'll have a lot to see in those 72 hours!

[Thanks to Electrobix for the tip!]

MassivelyChampions Online to offer free weekend originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlinechampions-online-revelationcontestcrypticcryptic-studiosfree-weekendRevelationSun, 21 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bill Roper on Champions' free weekends, nemesis and content updates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/08/bill-roper-on-champions-free-weekends-nemesis-and-content-upda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/08/bill-roper-on-champions-free-weekends-nemesis-and-content-upda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/08/bill-roper-on-champions-free-weekends-nemesis-and-content-upda/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With two content updates behind the game and 2010 looming just over the horizon, we spoke briefly with Bill Roper on a multitude of Champions Online topics. Specifically, you'll find discussion on Cryptic's free weekends, Nemesis Confrontation and even a hint at future updates in the coming weeks and months.

So follow along after the jump for our talk with the executive producer, and be sure to keep up-to-date with the latest news on the game through our Champions Online page.

Continue reading Bill Roper on Champions' free weekends, nemesis and content updates

MassivelyBill Roper on Champions' free weekends, nemesis and content updates originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribill-roperblood-moonchampionschampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosfeaturedfree-weekendinterviewnemesis-confrontationTue, 08 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Have you been playing the Champions Online free weekend?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/the-daily-grind-have-you-been-playing-the-champions-online-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/the-daily-grind-have-you-been-playing-the-champions-online-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/the-daily-grind-have-you-been-playing-the-champions-online-free/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


It was certainly a nice surprise when we found out that Champions Online was going to run another free weekend over the Thanksgiving holiday. Not the biggest news, certainly, but nice in a "finding two dollars in your wallet that you didn't know you had" sort of way. And of course, there are always people who will take a gander at something if it's free, people who've been interested in seeing the latest updates to the game, and folks who wanted to take part in the Blood Moon event but had certain... technical issues.

There's a bit more than a day left, so today we ask: have you been taking part in the free Champions Online goodness? Has it improved or gotten worse, if you played before? If you're new the game, was it enjoyable or underwhelming? And if you had specifically opted out, why did you decide not to give it a chance? We're interested to hear your impressions, positive and negative. And if you're already playing the game, have you noticed more new faces running around this weekend?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Have you been playing the Champions Online free weekend? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blood-moonchampionschampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosfree-weekendopinionpreviewtdgthe-daily-grindSun, 29 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Thanksgiving surprise: Four free days in Champions Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/25/thanksgiving-surprise-four-free-days-in-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/25/thanksgiving-surprise-four-free-days-in-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/25/thanksgiving-surprise-four-free-days-in-champions-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This ain't no ordinary free weekend. Cryptic is offering a full four days worth of free time in Champions Online starting Thanksgiving day at 10am PST -- or Thursday, November 26th to the American holiday challenged. The free time will go on until the following Monday and end at precisely 10am PST. The timing isn't too surprising, as returning players will be able to check out the recent Nemesis Confrontation update that went live just yesterday.

Hopefully things go much more smoothly than the last time there was a free weekend. Although, we're curious as to who'll be watching the servers on Thursday. We expect a vast majority of people to be lined with food and edging on the precipice of nap time. Maybe Cryptic is employing robots or Canadians to run their servers for a day. Unless... unless they're the same thing...

MassivelyThanksgiving surprise: Four free days in Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atarichampionschampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosfree-weekendnemesis-confrontationthanksgivingWed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: It pays to be paranoid]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/anti-aliased-it-pays-to-be-paranoid/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/anti-aliased-it-pays-to-be-paranoid/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/anti-aliased-it-pays-to-be-paranoid/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Blame Shawn Schuster. No, really, it's applicable this time and I'm not just pulling your leg.

Many of you were wondering why we hadn't talked about the Champions Online failures this past weekend -- The "Blood Moon Blunder." Well, it was because pretty much the second we started getting reports from you guys about the client not working on Steam, or subscribing players complaining of the lag that the servers had over the weekend, Shawn turned to me, slapped the story on my desk and said, "All yours for Anti-Aliased."

And I sat there, smiled, and politely responded, "Oh crap. This is going to drive them all up the wall even further than last week's article. I'll do it."

So was the Champions free weekend a failure? Absolutely, but not for the reasons you may think. Come on, follow me after the break, and we'll go into yet another (and hopefully the last for a while) opinion column on Champions.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: It pays to be paranoid

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: It pays to be paranoid originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedblood-moonbusinesschampionschampions-onlinecryptic-studiosfeaturedfree-weekendhalloween-eventmmo-industryopinionThu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online offers free weekend during Blood Moon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/24/champions-online-offers-free-weekend-during-blood-moon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/24/champions-online-offers-free-weekend-during-blood-moon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/24/champions-online-offers-free-weekend-during-blood-moon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Player response has been great since the launch of Champions Online September 1st, and Blood Moon generated even more excitement. If you haven't tried it yet, Cryptic Studios is aiming to change that in the same way so many games do: give you a little bit free to draw you in. Next weekend, you can give the game a try during their free Blood Moon Weekend.

The official site asks you "Hate zombies? Abhor mummies? Detest the dreaded undead? Like to play MMOs for free? You could be the one. You could be the Champion we need!" It's probably safe to say that most of us meet the criteria, especially that last one. A free weekend combined with the ongoing buzz about Champions Online should be all of the reason you need to try it out if you haven't yet. The free weekend begins Friday, October 30th and runs until Monday, November 2nd. (If only employers had such a generous definition of "weekend") Since the Blood Moon event begins on the 27th, you'll get to experience that along with the rest of the game.

Visit the official site to sign up, download, and log in.

MassivelyChampions Online offers free weekend during Blood Moon originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blood-moonchampions-onlinecryptic-studiosfree-weekendSat, 24 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online experience: It comes in pints?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/25/lord-of-the-rings-online-experience-it-comes-in-pints/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/25/lord-of-the-rings-online-experience-it-comes-in-pints/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/25/lord-of-the-rings-online-experience-it-comes-in-pints/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


If you were a Lord of the Rings Online subscriber and were thinking about getting back into the game, now's your chance. In celebration of Volume 2: Book 7, Turbine has opened the doors to all former subscribers, reactivating everyone's accounts so you can play starting tomorrow and ending on the 31st.

Accompanying this five day "free weekend" is a 25% increase in the experience provided by all monsters that everyone can enjoy. This bonus experience stacks with rest experience, so that means you're going to be flying through levels at a rapid pace. Speaking of flying through the levels, Turbine is also promising that "recent game enhancements" will allow players to immediately gain multiple levels upon receiving any experience.

So yes, experience, it does come in pints.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online experience: It comes in pints? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book-2.7book-7experience-bonusfree-weekendit-comes-in-pintslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-book-2.7turbinevolume-2Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Issue 13 brings free weekend for players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/05/issue-13-offers-free-weekend-for-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/05/issue-13-offers-free-weekend-for-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/05/issue-13-offers-free-weekend-for-players/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Curious about the changes that Issue 13 has brought in, but not sure if you want to reactivate your City of Heroes or City of Villains account? Well, if so, you're in luck! The good folks at NCNC are eager to show off all the new goodies that were added with Issue 13, and have thrown open the doors to Paragon City, inviting back all former Heroes and Villains who have accounts in good standing.

All returning players will be treated to a "freespec" - or free respec, as well as a free tailoring session, enabling players to take advantage of the cool new costume options. Beyond that, there's new Cimerora and Midnight Squad story arcs to check out; new powersets; the option to have two builds enabling players to have a "solo" and "party" build - or a PvE and PvP build they can switch between; the Leveling Pact option if you're rolling a new character with a friend; and a bunch more to read over.

Of course, there's also the addition of Day Jobs to enjoy, but that works when you're logged out. We're sure you won't want to miss a minute of your free time checking out all the great new content City of Heroes has to offer!

MassivelyIssue 13 brings free weekend for players originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxcox-issue-13day-jobsfree-playfree-timefree-weekendfreespecleveling-pactncncFri, 05 Dec 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Play City of Heroes for free this weekend]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/play-city-of-heroes-for-free-this-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/play-city-of-heroes-for-free-this-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/23/play-city-of-heroes-for-free-this-weekend/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If you've got a deactivated City of Heroes account and that brand new Issue 12: Midnight Hour content is looking incredibly tempting, then fear not. NCsoft has given every City of Heroes account an automatic free weekend pass that started Thursday, May 22nd at 11am and will continue on until Sunday, May 25th at 8:59 PM Pacific. This is by no means something new for CoX players, but the timing is incredibly nice as there's a bunch of new content to check out.

We're just curious if there's any crossover between people playing Age of Conan and those who've played City of Heroes. When your time is limited by a busy schedule, it can be hard deciding between just one or two games for your weekend entertainment. Both games definitely have a lot to offer players for a weekend of play, but we have a feeling that the recent outbreak of barbarian fever might just be too strong for some.

MassivelyPlay City of Heroes for free this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccity-of-heroescity-of-villainscoxcox-issue-12eidosfree-weekendfuncomncsoftFri, 23 May 2008 16:00:00 EST