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NCsoft reveals two trailers for Aion Europe's F2P launch

Jef Reahard — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Aion, Business models, Lore, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

Aion is officially free-to-play in Europe as of this week, and to celebrate, NCsoft has rolled out a couple of new trailers.

The game's Elyos and Asmodian factions get their own video clips, though the footage is largely the same excepting a brief intro and the appropriate voiceovers. There are a lot of battle shots, some glimpses of the high-level Dredgion instance, and a taste of each faction's lore (specifically, how each group blames the other for starting the endless war for the soul of Atreia).

Check out both clips after the break, and keep up with the latest Aion happenings via our weekly Wings Over Atreia column.

Continue reading NCsoft reveals two trailers for Aion Europe's F2P launch

NCsoft reveals two trailers for Aion Europe's F2P launch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion Europe going F2P on February 28th

Jef Reahard — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

We told you earlier this week about Aion's incoming North American free-to-play transition (not to mention a little ditty called Ascension/3.0), but today we've got word that Gameforge AG has released the official date for Aion's European payment plan switcheroo as well.

The change-over will occur simultaneously on February 28th for the English-, German-, and French-language versions of Aion's EU client, and you can download said client right now at the game's official website.

Gameforge also says that the Ascension patch will hit Europe "in the spring," but there are no more specifics. We'll bring you more definitive info from the world of Atreia as soon as we have it.

[Source: Gameforge press release]

Aion Europe going F2P on February 28th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gameforge offers a few Aion F2P details

Jef Reahard — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

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

Gameforge has released a few details relating to Aion's impending free-to-play conversion. As you know, the business model switch is reserved for the game's European community (for now), so none of these changes will affect the American shards.

Essentially there will be two access levels when the transition occurs in February. New players (or Starters, in Gameforge lingo) get free access to the entire game. Limitations on free play include "reduced access to functions such as the chat and the auction house," though Gameforge has not specified exactly what that means as of yet.

Aion veterans will also enjoy free access to the complete game as well as reduced instance cool-down times and increased PvP coin rewards. There is a cash shop, of course, which will include avatar customization items that may be used to individualize your character. Gameforge's press release also mentions a Gold Pack option that will grant time-limited bonuses, and we'll have more details for you as they become available. In the meantime, check out the official Aion free-to-play website for more on the game's move to F2P.

[Source: Gameforge press release]

Gameforge offers a few Aion F2P details originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft answers questions on Aion's F2P transition

Matt Daniel — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

NCsoft announced earlier today that it has partnered up with Gameforge to transition Aion Europe to a F2P model. Now Gamespot UK has a new question-and-answer session with NCsoft that explains a bit about the reasons behind the transition. For instance, what can players expect when Aion goes F2P, considering it already had a cash shop to begin with? In the F2P version, the shop will be accessible from inside the game itself, allowing players to make purchases on the fly instead of exiting the game to do so.

Gamespot also asks the company's opinion on the ongoing F2P-vs.-subscription war. The company believes that "more and more games will directly launch into a free-to-play business model in the future," but for now it's also "shown that transitioning to free-to-play has become a valid option to extend a game's life cycle." For the full Q&A, head click on over to Gamespot UK.

NCsoft answers questions on Aion's F2P transition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion going free-to-play in Europe

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items, Free-to-play

"We want to reinvigorate the world of Aion and attract new adventurers to the towns to take to the skies as Daevas."

So says the Aion team in a surprising announcement overnight. NCsoft has teamed up with Gameforge to bring free-to-play Aion to the European servers (yet). The change is scheduled to take place in February of 2012, and will not affect the NA servers. The new Aion free-to-play site is set up to answer all of players' immediate questions and concerns, featuring an extensive FAQ and an outline of the three account types that will be available.

Check out the free-to-play trailer beclow, and you can find all of the details on the new Aion F2P site.

Continue reading Aion going free-to-play in Europe

Aion going free-to-play in Europe originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigpoint may co-publish Star Trek: Infinite Space

Matt Daniel — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

There may be hope yet for Star Trek: Infinite Space. The title's future was called into question when a series of layoffs wracked Gameforge, causing the studio to state that the Star Trek title would be cancelled unless it could acquire a co-publisher. A post on the Star Trek: Infinite Space official forums stated that Bigpoint has taken an interest in the title. Now all that remains is to wait and see how Gameforge responds to Bigpoint's offer. Stay tuned, and we'll be sure to bring you the latest as it develops.

Bigpoint may co-publish Star Trek: Infinite Space originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are we witnessing the bursting of a gaming bubble?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Economy, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion

The last few weeks have cast a dark shadow over the MMO gaming industry. At a time when MMOs release seemingly every other day and big blockbusters are just over the horizon, MMO companies are canceling titles, shelving games, cutting back, changing models, and laying off staff. CCP Games dropped employees and slowed its development pace; NCsoft and GamersFirst followed suit, though with assurances that their games would proceed as usual. In the last few days alone, we saw Gameforge let go both developers and titles, TurnOut halt development on Earth Eternal, and both LEGO Universe and Troy Online announce impending shutdowns.

What do you think? Are we dealing with a "gaming bubble" on the verge of bursting? Did MMOs become too popular too fast, such that the industry is now bloated and unsustainable? Is a culling of the MMO herd a necessary evil to improve the overall quality of MMOs? Or is this flurry of layoffs and closures merely a coincidence, a temporary downsizing due to end soon?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Are we witnessing the bursting of a gaming bubble? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gameforge laying off 100 employees, canceling at least two games

Jef Reahard — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Miscellaneous

Another month, another round of MMORPG-related layoffs. This time the bad news comes courtesy of Gameforge, a German browser MMO maker responsible for Gates of Andaron as well as the upcoming Star Trek: Infinite Space and the European version of Wizard101.

Gamasutra reports that Gameforge is realigning its studio to the tune of 100 layoffs and the cancellation of at least two games, with Hellbreed and Mythos on the chopping block and Star Trek: Infinite Space not far behind "if it cannot find a co-publisher." The company will do away with its web- and client-based games divisions and restructure itself around separate development and publishing arms.

The news comes on the heels of layoff announcements by CCP, NCsoft, and GamersFirst last month.

Gameforge laying off 100 employees, canceling at least two games originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gates of Andaron update to feature mentoring, three faction PvP

Jef Reahard — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

What's been going on with Gates of Andaron lately? Quite a lot, actually. A new press release from Gameforge has the details, and they include a third warring faction, a new mentoring system, and browser-based gameplay.

The new Rise of Gor update will debut in October, and the patch introduces the Gor faction to challenge the existing Valorian and Derion forces. Starting at level 80, Gor players may enter "large PvP battles, tipping the balance of power for or against the underdogs in a given battle."

The update isn't all endgame, though, as the newbie town of Tebekut is being recreated and will include "the most impressive graphics yet." The mentoring system will also ease new players into the game (and mentors even receive a payout when their charges reach level 90). Gates of Andaron is free-to-play, and you'll want to head to the official site to learn more and grab the client.

Gallery: Gates of Andaron dev tour

Gates of Andaron update to feature mentoring, three faction PvP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Trek - Infinite Space launches website with stellar promotion

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Free-to-play, Promotions

We've been watching Star Trek - Infinite Space ever since eyeballing it at E3 earlier this year, and we're happy to say that Gameforge's upcoming title has taken the next step toward the final frontier by launching the official website for the game.

The site is somewhat bare-Bones right now, with a sign-up to receive more information, screenshots, the trailer, and a news blog. What's interesting is that Gameforge is offering players an incentive to enlist in Starfleet by offering the chance to reserve your name, get beta key priority, and receive an exclusive item once you enter your retinal scan (or, y'know, fill out the form).

Star Trek - Infinite Space is on display at this week's Gamescom, and we look forward to hearing more about this action-based free-to-play MMO.

Star Trek - Infinite Space launches website with stellar promotion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Just how mobile was E3?

Beau Hindman — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Massively Event Coverage, MMObility

E3 is a massive, loud conglomeration of lights, people, and stress. I spent most of my time there walking from one end to another, trying to find a certain booth or meeting room. Luckily for me, I am in pretty good shape and felt just fine the entire time, despite the fact that I had little to eat, and worse yet, little water. At home I drink water non-stop... no soda, no coffee. Still, it was a blast. Working like that really makes a tiny reporter like yours truly feel wonderful. Conversations with developers can be very, very interesting if games are what you love.

And there were games. A ton of games. A bunch. A lot. Even then, I knew the feeling that was coming over me, the familiar feeling of stumbling into a toy store or comic shop to look for goodies. I was in hog heaven but needed to find my particular fix. I needed indie, tiny or strange games. Games that ran on a toaster but worked well, browser games that would impress me, or phone games that would continue to destroy the idea that immersive, fun gameplay cannot be done on a portable device.

Did I find what I was looking for? Oh, hell yes I did. Click past the cut and I will tell you all about it.

Continue reading MMObility: Just how mobile was E3?

MMObility: Just how mobile was E3? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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KingsIsle brings Wizard101 goodies to Canada

Beau Hindman — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Free-to-play, Trading card games, Casual, Kids, Wizard101, Family

KingsIsle Entertainment, maker of the very popular card-based freemium title Wizard101, announced today that it will be releasing a brand-new mega-bundle pre-paid card to stores across the country. Here's how the cards work: Players pay a set amount and receive a card with a code that, once redeemed in-game, can add all sorts of gold, goodies, and other options. The new card features a new flying carpet mount, a massive sultan's palace complete with a mirage, 5000 crowns to be used in the cash shop, and several other fun items. It's no wonder the cards have become one of the best-selling cards at Gamestop -- they offer an all-in-one package that is easy to pick up.

Canadians worried about getting their hands on these cards can rest easy -- KingsIsle is pushing the cards into major Canadian retailers this fall. Concerned players who have been "surprisingly vocal" about the lack of card access will also get the chance to own exclusive pets available only in their area. This move will bring Wizard101's combined retail presence to over 50,000 stores. Not bad -- not bad at all.

So, what's next for the freemium giant? Well, KingsIsle just partnered with Gameforge to bring the game overseas. Interesting things happen when you have to port a fully voice-acted game like Wizard101 to a place like Germany. The UI and map has to be tweaked to allow room for the longer written language, and everything needs to be localized. There are also cultural differences to consider, and the cash shop can be received differently than here in the U.S.

The new game cards will be offered for $39, but the items included are valued at over $100.

KingsIsle brings Wizard101 goodies to Canada originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2011: A look at Star Trek: Infinite Space

Brandon Felczer — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Free-to-play, Browser

Engagieren! At this year's E3, German game developer Keen Games (under the production of Gameforge) brought us to warp speed and gave us a first look at the upcoming browser-based MMO Star Trek: Infinite Space. Powered by the Unity 3D engine, the latest game in the Trek franchise will be free-to-play by the end of 2011. The devs are calling it an "action-tactic" MMO, and it title will hopefully give players just what they have been asking for in a Trek MMO.

Set in the Deep Space Nine timeline, the game allows players to create custom characters and immediately begin to pilot their own ships. Right from the beginning, a player can start as either a Starfleet or a Klingon officer. To our surprise, the game's development is being fully supervised by Mike and Denise Okuda, Star Trek experts who have been involved in the franchise's many movies and television shows.

Star Trek: Infinite Space is currently in closed beta but has a cinematic trailer that is sure to give any Trekker or Trekkie goosebumps. Check it out after the break!

Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!

Gallery: E3 2011: Star Trek: Infinite Space

Continue reading E3 2011: A look at Star Trek: Infinite Space

E3 2011: A look at Star Trek: Infinite Space originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frogster cuts senior management staff

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items

Things at Frogster have been pretty busy lately with publishing projects like Runes of Magic, Mythos and TERA. Since Gameforge purchased a majority stake in the company early last month, it's made another offer to remaining Frogster shareholders in order to solidify its position.

Things changed even more today. Three senior Frogster staffers have been relieved of their duties at the company, including two former Gameforge employees. CFO Ralf Kloppel, Frogster America CEO Lars Koschin (ex-Gameforge staff) and board member Bjorn Koschin have all been let go.

There are no details forthcoming at the moment, but we'll keep you up-to-date on any developments.

[via gameindustry.biz]

Frogster cuts senior management staff originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX 2010: Selena Gomez is Wizard101's new damsel in distress

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Massively Event Coverage, Wizard101, Family

She plays a fledgling spellcaster in Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place, but soon Selena Gomez will be taking it to the next level. KingsIsle just announced that Gomez will be coming to the magical world of Wizard101 as a princess in distress who needs a bit of saving.

The actress-musician agreed to be featured in Wizard101 as a sort of cross-promotion for her latest album. The story goes that nefarious forces have kidnapped Gomez from our world into the layered realms of Wizard101, and she must be rescued and returned to Earth so that she can finish her epic video. As our world is part of the spiral (Earth is just non-magical, hence why Professor Ambrose is so startled when player characters arrive at Wizard City), this crossover doesn't break the lore of the game. Instead, KingsIsle hopes that the popular star will appeal to its core tween demographic.

Hit the jump for even more juicy tidbits from PAX Prime!

Continue reading PAX 2010: Selena Gomez is Wizard101's new damsel in distress

PAX 2010: Selena Gomez is Wizard101's new damsel in distress originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wizard101 teleports across the pond

Jef Reahard — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, News items, Browser, Kids, Wizard101, Family

KingsIsle Entertainment and Gameforge have joined forces to expand the kid-friendly MMO Wizard101 to a European audience. "This partnership is an important first step in our strategy to expand beyond the domestic US market and bring Wizard101 to an international audience," says KingsIsle CEO Elie Akilian.

The 2-year old title, which has netted Texas-based KingsIsle over 10 million registered players, features a magical world called Wizard City as well as player housing, pets, and seven combat classes presented in the form of distinct magical schools. Wizard101 features free access to portions of the game world, while players wishing to experience the complete title can purchase subscription time or use the Crowns system to pay a la carte.

Gameforge, a German publisher of free-to-play titles, currently boasts a stable of over 20 games, including Cabal Online, Gladiatus, and Couch Potatoes.

Wizard101 teleports across the pond originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gameforge buys majority stake in Frogster

Jef Reahard — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items

MMO business news isn't normally as sexy as the latest press release from BioWare or as divisive as the newest F2P conversion announcement. That said, occasionally an industry-related story comes along that indicates something equally big is in the water. Today's announcement of Gameforge's bid to take control of noted free-to-play publisher Frogster seems destined to turn a few industry heads, including ours.

Gameforge, which heretofore has specialized in smallish F2P games like Cabal, has just acquired a 60 percent majority holding in Frogster, the German publisher known primarily for distributing Runes of Magic. The purchase deal went through at $33 US a share, which places Frogster's overall value in the neighborhood of $85 million US. Frogster, and now Gameforge, is looking to grow its portfolio not only with Runes of Magic but also by publishing the forthcoming Mythos dungeon crawler as well as by securing the European publishing rights to the highly anticipated TERA action MMO from Bluehole Studio.

The Gameforge folks have been busy little bees this summer, as they earlier announced an agreement with CBS to publish several browser-based games centered around the Star Trek intellectual property.

Gameforge buys majority stake in Frogster originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Star Trek MMO in dry dock courtesy of Gameforge

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, New titles, Free-to-play, Casual

"Boldly going where one MMO has gone before!" doesn't quite have a ring to it, but that's not deterring German developer Gameforge from grabbing a slice of the Star Trek IP for a new MMO. Gameforge hasn't exactly been a household name up to this point, with titles such as Gates of Andaron and Ikariam, but it seems like that might change now that they have a crack at one of the most recognizable science fiction franchises in the world.

The unnamed Star Trek MMO will be -- yes -- a free-to-play browser title, so don't expect it to directly compete with Cryptic's own Star Trek Online. TrekWeb reports that Gameforge signed a worldwide licensing agreement with CBS Consumer Products to develop the game in the original Star Trek universe, from the classic era of Captain Kirk up through the days of Deep Space Nine. However, Atari will still hold the exclusive MMO rights to Star Trek.

Continue reading New Star Trek MMO in dry dock courtesy of Gameforge

New Star Trek MMO in dry dock courtesy of Gameforge originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gameforge introduces Gates of Andaron in developer tour

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Free-to-play, Massively Hands-on, Gates of Andaron

Gates of Andaron, the free to play MMO from German developer Gameforge, recently arrived in North America, and we were fortunate enough to take a tour of the game. Community Manager Ben Buchwald and Senior Marketing and PR Manager Marcel Jung were our guides, showing us around and giving us some insight into the land of Iberia. Follow along after the jump for a look.

Continue reading Gameforge introduces Gates of Andaron in developer tour

Gameforge introduces Gates of Andaron in developer tour originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frogster America gets a new CEO

Kyle Horner — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Runes of Magic

No big company shake-ups here, folks. Although this is news nonetheless, as Frogster America -- publisher of Runes of Magic -- has selected Lars Koschin as its new CEO, replacing founding CEO Sean Kauppinen. The reason this isn't a big deal for the company is because Kauppinen's role was transitional in nature, and the appointment of a more permanent person was always the assumption.

For those of you wondering who this Lars guy is, other than someone with an awesome name, let us point you to a little company called GameForge. Here is where Lars was previously in charge of such titles such as Ikariam and other yet-to-be-translated browser based online games were, um, forged. Sorry, we couldn't help ourselves.

The move is an interesting one considering that Koschin likely had a firm hand in the creation and direction of several of these free-to-play titles. Runes of Magic continues to become curiouser and curiouser as time marches forwards.

Frogster America gets a new CEO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tabula Rasa: Saving the game

Tateru Nino — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Culture, MMO industry, Ryzom, Opinion, Tabula Rasa

Between desperate battles against the Bane, about all anyone can talk about in Tabula Rasa right now is the impending shutdown of the game service. Website efforts are being touted to solicit ideas for rescuing the game from shutdown, people are discussing the operating costs for the game, some are hoping that Richard Garriott might rescue the game from NCsoft, while others blame him personally for the game's shutdown.

Some are hoping that a player consortium can raise enough capital to buy the game assets from NCsoft itself, much as was attempted with Ryzom (and very nearly worked, until they were outbid by another company which resurrected that game anyway).

Low signup rates have largely been balanced out by attrition from a lack of ongoing endgame content. The focus on trying to improve early and midlevel experience, which caused uncertain, multiple rebalancings of the game six to eight months ago left top tier players, well, falling off the end a bit. "People had done it all," says level 50 player Paddy Oshea, "I know I was one of them."

Continue reading Tabula Rasa: Saving the game

Tabula Rasa: Saving the game originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamasutra interviews Ikariam's Gameforge

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, Browser, Academic

Coinciding with Gameforge's recent announcement that it will open a new studio in San Francisco as part of its push into the North American market, Gamasutra has interviewed Gameforge Productions Inc. President Lars Koschin. Some of the topics covered include the continuing perception that web-based MMOs are simple, mini-game affairs; and how Gameforge's games differ in essence from more traditional, accepted brands like World of Warcraft.

It's not terribly lengthy, but there is some meat here to chew over. Certainly one of the barriers a web-based game initially overcomes is the sometimes-inaccessible system requirements a more 3D-heavy MMO might require of its players. Add to that the platform-agnostic nature of these games, and the potential audience can be much greater than many PC-only titles.

Gamasutra interviews Ikariam's Gameforge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The saga of the Saga of Ryzom: Not over yet

Tateru Nino — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ryzom, News items, Legal

The Saga of Ryzom (or just Ryzom for marketing purposes), has had a pretty rocky time in the market, struggling and never quite taking off. Poor Ryzom, even spiffy advertising on Penny Arcade could not save you.

As we posted back in early February, things were starting to fall apart, and servers beginning to close. The last of them finally did in mid-February. Game over, right? Well, maybe not.

Continue reading The saga of the Saga of Ryzom: Not over yet

The saga of the Saga of Ryzom: Not over yet originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saga of Ryzom may be going sunset

Michael Zenke — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, MMO industry, Server downtime, Ryzom, News items

The rocky road Saga of Ryzom has walked over the past four years appears to be drawing to a close. The game, originally launched in 2004, is a unique approach to the Science Fiction genre. Over the years the game has prompted a number of interesting innovations in online games, including the user-content generation system Ryzom Ring and advances in streaming art content to the user.

Still, financial problems have plagued the game almost as long. Nevrax, the original developer of the title, filed for bankruptcy near the end of 2006. The German company GameForge stepped in to run the service in a sort of reduced capacity, and has been keeping the servers live for players since. GameForge's French outfit, which ran the game, then ran into financial problems themselves in October of last year. Ryzom players were made aware that time may have been running out for the game.

A discussion of the current state of the servers is below.

Continue reading Saga of Ryzom may be going sunset

Saga of Ryzom may be going sunset originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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