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The Perfect Ten: The truth about lockboxes

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Opinion, Free-to-play, Legal, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

Call them lockboxes, lootboxes, super packs, gift packs, treasure boxes, mystic chests, or Chupacabra's lunchpails, but these virtual boxes of mystery, fame, and fortune are all the rage in MMOs these days. Few studios have resisted the siren's call of such easy money, much to the dismay of many-a-gamer.

The idea is that a game will dish out to players free locked treasure boxes that require purchased keys to open. The allure of the box's mystery prize is often too strong to resist, especially when there's the possibility of a huge reward inside. The result too often is strong buyer's remorse and studio glee.

There's been a lot of conversation around lockboxes here on Massively, so I wanted to dedicate this week's Perfect Ten to dissecting the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth of these items for you.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The truth about lockboxes

The Perfect Ten: The truth about lockboxes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous

One of the most persistent misconceptions about what we do here at Massively is this idea that we play games for a living. Allow me to be perfectly clear in this: What you're seeing right now? This article? The one I wrote? Writing this is what I do for a living. I write about games, and I enjoy games, but if I decided to not write any of my columns for a month and just play Star Wars: The Old Republic, I would be fired. That is not my job.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time for another installment of Ask Massively, this time featuring questions about gambling and the latest City of Heroes cash shop offering. If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future installment of the column, mail it to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited for brevity and/or clarity.

Continue reading Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition

Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard kills Diablo III's RMT to appease South Korea

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Legal

Blizzard Entertainment made waves last year when it announced that Diablo III would be supporting real-money trading (RMT) through its in-game auction house system. While it proved to be a divisive topic among fans, apparently it was too much with the South Korean rating board, which sees such activities as potentially violating the country's anti-gambling rules.

The board was quoted as saying that "the feature involving for-cash trades between users was not included in the presentation to the rating committee, and therefore it was not subjected to any scrutiny."

To appease the board and pave the way for release, Blizzard has dropped the RMT auction house for the Korean version. The ratings board has warned the company not to sneak in the feature in a future patch and gave the title an 18 rating for the country. Interestingly enough this makes South Korea the first country to slap a rating on Diablo III to date.

Blizzard kills Diablo III's RMT to appease South Korea originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon, NCsoft refuse to fully cooperate with South Korean MMO gambling probe

Jef Reahard — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous

South Korean MMO makers are under the Game Rating Board's microscope for allegedly obstructing an investigation related to MMORPG gambling. The ratings board has questions regarding real-world money transactions that offer a chance at valuable in-game items, and a veritable who's who of Korean development firms are refusing to fully cooperate, according to This Is Game.

NCsoft, Nexon, and HanbitSoft are just a few of the companies mentioned in the report, and while the publishers have given up item names, costs, and other details related to the transactions, the companies are thus far refusing to divulge information on payout percentages.

GRB chairman Soo Keun Lee says that his organization is simply trying to determine the legality of RMT transactions using a set of gambling standards adopted by South Korea in 2008. "Game companies ask us why GRB tries to touch their business model and [they] refuse our request[s]," he said.

Nexon, NCsoft refuse to fully cooperate with South Korean MMO gambling probe originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: MMO slot machines

Jeremy Stratton — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

We are beginning to drown in a sea of MMOs that are shedding variety to mimic simplified slot machines. The danger in this is that MMO gameplay is becoming akin to gambling. Enjoyment of minute-to-minute gameplay is being replaced by hours of frustration unless we manage to match three-of-a-kind to get our loot drops. The success of the games isn't resting on the shoulders of enjoyable content but on the prizes to be won by schlepping through that content. We're letting developers know this not just by playing these games but by literally asking for more of the same.

The result is that money flies into developers' hands while they skirt the boundaries of ethics by supplying "gameplay" soaked in habitual greed, delivering to players only the barest skeleton of an MMO.

Continue reading The Soapbox: MMO slot machines

The Soapbox: MMO slot machines originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Spotlight: An interview with Somer Industries

Brendan Drain — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Interviews, Promotions

EVE Spotlight is a bi-weekly feature in which we interview prominent members of EVE Online's player community or development team. Every two weeks, we'll be shining the spotlight on a player or developer who has a significant impact on EVE to highlight the efforts of EVE's most influential people.

If there's one thing I've learned about EVE Online's community, it's that every now and then a player will create something unexpected that changes the way many of us play the game. Every time I think everything has already been done in EVE, someone always comes along with something new and innovative to blow away my expectations. Early players will remember the introduction of corporate killboards, for example, which not only changed the way combat was seen in-game but also spawned an entire killboard hosting industry. The introduction of public investment schemes was another such moment, bringing in completely new ways to play the game.

The last emergent innovation from the EVE community to really grab my eye was Somer.Blink, a web-based gambling game contained entirely within EVE Online. Gambling in EVE has been going on for some time with the EOH poker league and similar schemes, but Somer.Blink brought casino-style gambling to the masses. When I first took a look at Somer.Blink, the organisation behind the site was in its infancy and it had yet to break many significant milestones. Having now served over 24 trillion ISK in winnings, the site has transformed its creators Somer Industries from a fledgling corporate venture into one of EVE's true financial giants. Even the theft of over 125 billion ISK in prizes didn't seem to slow down this gambling behemoth, which now generates enough ISK to effect major change in New Eden.

In this EVE Spotlight, I talk to Somer Industries representative Somerset Mahm about how the business got started, where all the ISK generated goes and what the future holds for the corporation.

Continue reading EVE Spotlight: An interview with Somer Industries

EVE Spotlight: An interview with Somer Industries originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atari starts Test Drive Unlimited 2's engines

Jef Reahard — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Sports, Galleries, Screenshots, Launches, New titles, News items, Miscellaneous

MMO racers are an interesting breed, seemingly rarer than a '68 GT40. Whether it's due to EA's relatively under-the-radar Need For Speed World or the gone-but-not-forgotten Motor City Online, car enthusiasts with a shared passion for MMOs have endured slim pickings in recent years. Happily, Atari and Eden Games are looking to change all that with this week's release of Test Drive Unlimited 2, an ambitious new racing title for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 platforms.

TDU2 lives up to its MMO billing (and its "beyond racing" tagline) by delivering a non-linear experience that is as much about collecting and progression as it is about driving. Also in the mix are a variety of social options such as avatar, housing, and furniture customization as well as the requisite car tuning and parts tweaking minigames. TDU2 also aims to out-MMO many current MMOs by delivering large playfields and emphasizing shared social spaces (including gambling hubs, player-run clubs, and cooperative races).

TDU2 can be played sans a sub fee after you purchase the digital download or retail box, and Atari plans to offer DLC in the form of car, clothing, and furniture packs to monetize the game over time. Check out our exclusive in-game gallery below and head to the game's official website for more info.

Gallery: Test Drive Unlimited 2

Atari starts Test Drive Unlimited 2's engines originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE gambling website SOMER.Blink is the target of 125 billion ISK theft

Brendan Drain — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, News items

It seems like almost every month there's another huge theft or insidious kill in EVE Online, with last month's 30 billion ISK suicide attack and September's record-breaking 850 billion ISK investment scam. In EVE, theft and piracy are part of the game, and players have to make a conscious effort not to put themselves at risk. Trust the wrong person with access to your assets or let your guard down and you might regret it. That lesson was learned the hard way by EVE gambling website SOMER.Blink, as last night it became the target of a 125 billion ISK theft.

The thief, Daquaris of Test Alliance Please Ignore, had access to a stash of ISK, PLEX and items as part of his role -- delivering prizes to Blink winners. Most of the prize-distributors for SOMER.Blink are real-life friends of the site's creator Somerset Mahm, a situation that limits the potential for thefts like this. Although Daquaris wasn't a real-life friend of Somer, he was a trusted old friend from a previous alliance. When reached for comment, SOMER.Blink corporation member Andrev Nox had the following to say:

"The theft was an eventuality we were prepared for. We certainly didn't expect it from Daq, obviously, but we expected it might happen eventually. The main wallet was regularly cleared to a separate corp's wallet as a 'rainy day' fund. Because of that, Blink is still fully solvent, solid, and functional. Somer has [been], and always will be, an incredibly generous and good friend to all of us. Had Daq asked for exactly the things he had stolen, Somer would have given them unflinchingly, without a doubt. Blink can always earn more ISK, it's the loss of someone we trusted as a valued part of the business, and a long time friend."

EVE gambling website SOMER.Blink is the target of 125 billion ISK theft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Gambling away all your ISK

Brendan Drain — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Professions, Opinion, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

EVE Online is said to be a game in which you can do literally anything you set your mind to. It doesn't matter whether your ambition is to climb the alliance ranks, become the scourge of low-security space or even just fly around space telling jokes. If you can conceive of an idea that can be carried out in-game, it's probably a perfectly viable way to play the game. Over the years, players have come up with a number of unique and unconventional gameplay styles. Most of them began as ways for the pilots involved to make ISK or gain notoriety, but some were created just to see if it could be done. I've seen everything from player-run graveyards for the victims of piracy to players renting kill-boards for ISK, and yet the EVE community never ceases to amaze me with the new ways people find to play the game.

The most recent development to blow me away is SOMER.blink, a website where players can gamble their ISK to win fabulous prizes. Gambling in EVE is nothing particularly new; players have been wagering ISK on everything from lotteries to hands of poker for a long time. What makes SOMER.blink special is its absolutely flawless execution. Almost everything is automated, from the transfer of ISK into your account balance to the prize lotteries themselves. The website itself is even accessible from outside EVE once ISK has been deposited in your wallet. I've spent hours so far blinking away on lotteries and losing quite a bit of ISK, but I'll be damned if it hasn't been fun.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look into the addictive phenomena of Somer.BLINK and try to explain where all my damn ISK went.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Gambling away all your ISK

EVE Evolved: Gambling away all your ISK originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, the middle years

Tateru Nino — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bugs, Business models, Culture, Economy, Opinion, Second Life, Legal, Virtual worlds, The Virtual Whirl

This week, we cover the second installment of our summarized history of Second Life and Linden Lab (or check out part one, if you missed it). From 2005, there's an impossible amount of material to cover, but there are some interesting stories lurking among it all.

Join us as we work our way through some of the interesting highlights from 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, the middle years

The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, the middle years originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dabo, Klingon missions, and diplomacy heading for Star Trek Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Star Trek Online

There are a lot of things to expect out of Star Trek Online, including things that weren't in the game at launch which made some people rather unhappy. The game has passed its three-month mark, however, and seems to be doing fairly well for itself with updates coming at a steady clip. Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich recently sat down for an interview in which he discussed some of the upcoming content for the game, including the ever-popular pastime of any Deep Space 9 occupant: Dabo, the nebulously-defined gambling game that involved large sums of money and attractive Bajoran attendants.

Beyond that, the staff is working on Memory Alpha and tweaking the difficulty of the special task forces, which they felt were just about right for the high end and a bit too difficult for the average player. They've also got the beginnings of plans for Season 2, including a raise to the skill point cap, Klingon Episodes, and a Federation diplomatic corps. The next update is tenatively scheduled for July. For more details on what the future is currently slated to hold for Star Trek Online, take a look at the full interview.

Dabo, Klingon missions, and diplomacy heading for Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth drops preview patch notes for new tradeskill, gambling and more

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Patches, News items

Even though most Fallen Earth fans knew these features were coming, it's still great to see them in writing. In a patch note preview post in the forums yesterday, the Fallen Earth team announced that their much-anticipated Construction tradeskill and gambling taverns will be entering the game this Monday, December 14th.

Construction will bring the ability for players to build camps in the wasteland, complete with their own vaults, merchant NPCs, mailboxes and more. The new gambling system will introduce slot machines, Blackjack tables and more to taverns throughout the Grand Canyon Province. In addition to these major features, the First Night preparations will be added, including special quests and rewards for the winter event celebrations. Pages of bug fixes also accompany this patch, so head on over to the forums to check out the preview of this Monday's patch notes and check out some extensive developer diaries and video on the update over at IGN for more information.

Fallen Earth drops preview patch notes for new tradeskill, gambling and more originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Linden Lab partners with Dragonfish for non-US payments processing

Tateru Nino — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Second Life, Virtual worlds

Virtual environment operator Linden Lab has partnered up with 888 Holdings plc's Gisland/Dragonfish division to provide payment processing for non-US Second Life customers.

A spokesperson for Linden Lab told us, "We're working together with Gisland on a cashier interface and other tools that will give Residents more payment options and make it easier for Residents to pay in a wider range of native currencies than they can now. Gisland will also help Linden Lab implement appropriate anti-fraud measures as we expand these payment options. In addition, Gisland will assist Residents directly with payment-related issues, including failed transactions."

That last part is fascinating, as that would be something of a first insofar as Second Life payments processing goes, as is the tantalizing hint of expanded payment options - something that is of considerable interest to users outside North America.

Continue reading Linden Lab partners with Dragonfish for non-US payments processing

Linden Lab partners with Dragonfish for non-US payments processing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Courier contracts used for theft

Brendan Drain — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Game mechanics, PvP, Making money, Tips and tricks, EVE Evolved

Many of EVE Online's most prolific marketeers use courier contracts to collect together items from their region-wide buy orders but that's not all they can be used for. Courier contracts were originally intended as a way to pay another player to haul items for you securely using a standard collateral deal but if you know how, they can also be used for theft. Over the years, players have found ways to use courier contracts for profiteering, gambling, and even corporate theft. In EVE's Machiavellian universe, anything you can get away with is fair game. This includes twisting an innocuous game mechanic like courier contracts into a tool for theft and piracy.

In this short article, I examine some of the more creative ways pilots have used courier contracts to steal and plunder their way to the top.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Courier contracts used for theft

EVE Evolved: Courier contracts used for theft originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy

Tateru Nino — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Second Life, Legal, Virtual worlds

At last week's Game Developers Conference 2009, we got the chance to sit in on Mark Methenitis' talk on How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy. You may have noticed the sheer quantity of legal cases, rulings and issues surrounding virtual environments and MMOGs that have direct impacts on users and players lately.

We found the talk to be an engaging and interesting one, which certainly went a long way towards clarifying some of the past, present and future problems and we've got a tasty summary of the highlights for you.

Continue reading GDC09: How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy

GDC09: How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chance, skill and the law

Tateru Nino — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Entropia Universe, Economy, News items, Opinion, Second Life, Politics, Legal, Virtual worlds

Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like you to give a big hand to the US Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which is back with us once again as a special, and rather unexpected guest. You see, while the UIGEA initially kicked around in 2006, the actual regulations that will implement it are just about to kick off.

Today, the House Financial Services Committee will be holding an emergency mark-up of some of this legislation. Why is it an emergency? Well, because while the whole thing is technically about 'gambling', the wording of the UIGEA isn't at all clear about what it actually is making unlawful, and when it comes to legislation and regulations, the words are everything. Words that are getting decided today.

While you might already be under the impression that the UIGEA was already active, the fact is that businesses have just been jumping the gun and attempting to regulate based on some rather fuzzy wording what they might not be permitted to do.

Online games of chance? Well, sure. What about online games of skill? That's where you use your knowledge and abilities to make a profit in an online activity. That's where we get to the sticking point, because virtual environment economies may yet fall into that yawning abyss between words.

Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.

Continue reading Chance, skill and the law

Chance, skill and the law originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hardcore gamer builds Chinese empire

James Egan — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, News items, Zhengtu Online

In the months leading up to the Summer Olympics in Beijing, with world events being what they are, it's not often that foreigners residing in the mainland turn to China Daily's English pages for the news. This little gem is an exception, however. When you picture the man who's fast becoming a leading light in China's expanding online gaming industry, who do you see?

Maybe you picture a slick twenty-something entrepreneur from Hong Kong, decked out in a $5000 suit and shuffling between calls on a few wafer-thin cell phones. Or do you envision a middle-aged bureaucrat turned businessman from Beijing, using his network of connections and riding the tide of interest in online games? Stereotypes aside, no matter how you picture Shi Yuzhu, that aforementioned 'leading light,' you're probably wrong. The 46-year-old CEO of Giant Interactive (NYSE: GA) is more outwardly eccentric than most would guess. Shi, who prefers tracksuits over 3-piece-suits, is reportedly the first CEO ever to ring the NYSE bell in anything but formal attire... much less athletic wear.

Continue reading Hardcore gamer builds Chinese empire

Hardcore gamer builds Chinese empire originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fury set to make a comeback with FuryLeague

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Bugs, Game mechanics, Interviews, PvP, News items

Fury, the maligned combat MMO by Auran Games, has had a pretty rough history. Despite the critical drubbing, the low player numbers, and the loss of a huge portion of its development crew, Auran has managed to stay together with a skeleton crew, working on the problems that made Fury such a target for ridicule.

Well, according to an interview with CEO Tony Hilliam, conducted by australiangamer.com, they've made significant changes to the title and renamed it FuryLeague, which will focus more on the competitive aspects, and less on the MMO features. Additionally, there is the prospect of winning game gold that can be converted to real money, which, because the game is skill-based instead of luck-based, means that it's not gambling and is therefore legal.

The full interview is available, and the Qualifying Season has already begun. Admit it: you're just as curious as we are. Give it a spin and let us know what you think!

[Via Kotaku]

Fury set to make a comeback with FuryLeague originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cinemassively: Showdown at the Statehouse Corral

Moo Money — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Video, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Second Life, Free-to-play, Cinemassively, Machinima, Humor

Second Life has been used to protest many things that are happening in real life. However, most don't break the Terms of Service in order to do so. Quick! Hide the cards! The Lindens are coming!

In all seriousness, the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society wants viewers to know that poker is a game of skill, therefore should not be considered in an online gambling ban. Showdown at the Statehouse Corral is clever, although sometimes cheesy with the fake celebrities. Hopefully it will help raise awareness for their campaign, because this is exactly the sort of cost-effective machinima that SL is useful for.

[Via Popcha!]

If you have machinima or movie suggestions from any MMO, please send them to machinima AT massively DOT com, along with any information you might have about them.

Cinemassively: Showdown at the Statehouse Corral originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Kwari model: Can RMT be taken to the next level?

Chris Chester — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Making money, Academic

I was in the bathroom the other day, reading Games for Windows (because let's be honest, where else would anybody read GfW?) and they had an article on an extremely interesting, though vaguely troubling new shooter called Kwari. Its basic premise is that players pony up a small amount of cash, the amount varying depending on the stakes of the game, and players lose or gain a portion of the pot based on their fragging prowess. Or to put it more simply, it's like online poker, but instead of cards, there are bullets. Designer Eddie Gill of Kwari Limited was hoping that in adding a financial incentive to the basic shooter model, it would result in an experience that was much more intense for the players involved. And if he took in a cut of the profits as well, what's the harm?

By all accounts, Kwari utterly fails at delivering an engaging shooter experience, so whatever sociological implications the game would have had were rendered moot because of sloppiness on the developer's part. Still, this perception that online games could be tweaked to be a form of online gambling got me thinking. Is this business model just a developer supported real-money transaction (RMT) scheme, or is it even deeper down the rabbit hole of Shylock-esque shamelessness?

Continue reading The Kwari model: Can RMT be taken to the next level?

The Kwari model: Can RMT be taken to the next level? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The alien world of Eastern MMOs

Michael Zenke — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Contests, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP

That may be overstating things a bit, but from from the Western viewpoint that's a pretty accurate assessment. It's easy to point out the little things that are different in China. They really like steamed buns, for example, and they make stamps that taste like pork. But the games ... the games are what are really different.

Take ZT Online, possibly the most popular game in the country. A fantastic article in the Chinese newspaper Southern Weekly took an in-depth look at the title, unveiling the fascinating and utterly alien gameplay that props up the game. It's PvP-heavy, and absolutely riddled with Microtransactions. Almost everything you can think of, from leveling to looting, requires that you pay for it. It's a swirling morass of everything that Western MMOG players say they hate.

And it gets even better! Because in ZT Online if you want some loot, you can obtain it easily, just by gambling for it. With real money. Meanwhile in the states we're nervous about the possibility that the government might tax avatar sales. Hah! This is a really complicated issue, and we could all use some help understanding things.

You should start with Danwei's commentary, as he was the one kind enough to translate the article for us in the first place. (Oh, by the way, did I mention that the article was pulled from the newspaper's official site when the company that makes it made a complaint? Did I mention China is different?) Then move on to Bills Due's observations. He notes that this gambling component is extremely widespread in Chinese games. A less detached and +5 more cynical analysis is available from the PlayNoEvil, who wonders if the highly addictive game is as much a drug as a pass-time. Simon Carless gives a great capper at the GameSetWatch blog, and should hopefully drive home why you need to read this: The full article is absolutely fascinating - in fact, I'd go as far to say that it's one of the best written, most humanistic pieces on games I've read so far this year.

The alien world of Eastern MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Second Life transactions, second half 2007

Tateru Nino — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Economy, Opinion, Second Life

The chart above represents the user-to-user transactions in Second Life (in US Dollars) per day, over almost the whole second half of 2007. The day the gambling ban was enacted is marked with the red line.

From the data we have, it appears that proceeds of the gambling culture that existed prior to that ban did not significantly flow on into the broader Second Life economy, but tended to circulate within itself and via the LindEX currency exchange.

Continue reading Second Life transactions, second half 2007

Second Life transactions, second half 2007 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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