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[Raising the quality bar: gamigo CEOs talk F2P success]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/raising-the-quality-bar-gamigo-ceos-talk-f2p-success/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/raising-the-quality-bar-gamigo-ceos-talk-f2p-success/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/raising-the-quality-bar-gamigo-ceos-talk-f2p-success/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

gamigo
If you want to get the full scoop on how to make a free-to-play publishing studio work, there are few better people to talk to than the guys running Germany-based gamigo. Co-CEOs Patrick Streppel and Rainer Markussen have had years to experiment and learn from the free-to-play market, as gamigo has been involved with dozens of titles across the globe.

Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, the duo says that the studio splits their attention between self-produced titles and already-made Asian MMOs that are transplanted to a different market, and the two are quite different indeed. "With our self-produced titles we are trying to merge the two branches, so in a game like Cultures Online you have traditional browser-game monetisation like saving time, spending a little bit of money here and there. But they also have the more Asian-style revenue streams like crafting, enchanting, and paying for increasing the probability of success," Streppel said.

The CEOs state that F2P actually caters better to hardcore players since those players will presumably be around for a long time and F2P will save them money over subscriptions. They also discuss how gamigo's had to "raise the quality bar" to stay competitive. The free-to-play world isn't about cutting-edge graphics, Streppel says, but instead "balancing, more about features, about gameplay depth."

Because of their experiences, the CEOs have said that they've had to abandon complete genres such as sports and racing that proved to be failures for the company. They also predict that F2P will be coming soon to consoles in a big way, just as the iPhone and iPad market has embraced it.

MassivelyRaising the quality bar: gamigo CEOs talk F2P success originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asian-mmobusiness-modelcultures-onlinef2pfree-to-playgamesindustry.bizgamigointerviewipadiphonePatrick-StreppelRainer-MarkussenTue, 10 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer 40K planning multiple payment options]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/warhammer-40k-planning-multiple-payment-options/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/warhammer-40k-planning-multiple-payment-options/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/03/warhammer-40k-planning-multiple-payment-options/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WAR40K
Despite being one of THQ's biggest projects, the upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online won't be hemmed in with a single subscription option. Instead, the company said that it is investigating a wide range of possible payment options to be as flexible as possible for players all over the world.

Speaking at a recent earnings call, CEO Brian Farrell addressed what model WAR40K would adopt. "What we've done is make the business model within Dark Millennium Online flexible so we can use different business models in different territories and exploit the game on a worldwide basis," he said. "We will have not just one business model, like subscriptions. There will be other monetisation mechanisms in the game... The team there is being very thoughtful about how we maximise monetisation in this game."

Seeing as how WAR40K is costing the company over $50 million to create, it seems wise to offer multiple options in order to draw in the largest amount of players possible. The title is being developed by Vigil Games and is slated to release in 2013.

MassivelyWarhammer 40K planning multiple payment options originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-ferrellbusiness-modelsdark-millennium-onlineearnings-callflexiblegamesindustry.bizpayment-optionsthqvigilvigil-gameswar40kwar40k-dark-millenium-onlinewarhammer-40000-dark-millennium-onlineThu, 03 Nov 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The story of saving APB]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-story-of-saving-apb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-story-of-saving-apb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-story-of-saving-apb/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

APB
While many of us are aware of the basics behind the rise, fall, and re-rise of All Points Bulletin, it's only been from a partial, fragmented perspective. GamesIndustry.biz conducted an in-depth investigation into the story of how GamersFirst swooped in to save the drowning APB, which barely had 130,000 registered users at the time of its shutdown last year.

As the game and company went into administration, GamersFirst sent in a team to assess the title and see what could be done. The company decided to purchase it and convert it to a free-to-play model, although Bjorn Book-Larsson said that the price tag for the company was higher than initially anticipated: "It ended up not being a cheap deal for us, but obviously a lot cheaper than the initial development."

In restructuring the development team, GamersFirst reduced the number of developers by 90% to make it more agile, often recruiting former Realtime Worlds employees who showed promise. "Our production designer used to be the lead QA person. He'd spent years taking notes on how things should have been different. Essentially, when I met him the first time he rattled off a huge list of what he thought should have been different. Just an insane amount. We just said, maybe we should just hire you as a designer," Larsson said.

So far, it looks as though the restructuring and new focus is paying off, as APB Reloaded's beta is currently seeing five times as many players as those who registered for the box product last year.

MassivelyThe story of saving APB originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbapb-reloadedbetaBjorn-Book-Larssonclosed-betaf2pfree-to-playgamers-firstgamersfirstgamesindustry.bizinterviewopen-betaqarealtime-worldsrestructuringMon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Glitch developer says mobile gaming is dominating the games industry]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/glitch-developer-says-mobile-gaming-is-dominating-the-games-indu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/glitch-developer-says-mobile-gaming-is-dominating-the-games-indu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/glitch-developer-says-mobile-gaming-is-dominating-the-games-indu/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Glitch
Forget consoles and PCs -- mobile gaming is prepped to be the number one gaming platform for the next decade, according to Glitch developer Tiny Speck. Vice President of Product and Operations Kakul Srivastava says we're already seeing it everywhere: "It is what is happening right now. I think the killer console is going to be your mobile device. That is absolutely where people will play more rich and involving, and even graphically intensive games."

With the newest editions of smartphones outpacing their predecessors and coming out much faster than the next console generation, Srivastava thinks it's not surprising that mobile gaming has momentum in the industry. "That pace of change is why mobile devices are going to be the console of the future. The way player interaction and player needs are changing, it's much faster than the five to seven years [of console development] that we're talking about," she said.

She points to BioWare's comments that the studio would be looking into mobile versions of its established franchises as an example of this shift.

MassivelyGlitch developer says mobile gaming is dominating the games industry originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbiowareconsoleconsolesgame-platformgamesindustry.bizgaming-platformglitchiphoneKakul-Srivastavapcsmartphonestiny-speckMon, 24 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's Doctors: 'We have an aggressive post-launch plan']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/biowares-doctors-we-have-an-aggressive-post-launch-plan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/biowares-doctors-we-have-an-aggressive-post-launch-plan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/27/biowares-doctors-we-have-an-aggressive-post-launch-plan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

BioWare Doctors
With the question of "When will Star Wars: The Old Republic ever launch?" finally answered, inquiring minds have turned to the future of the as-of-yet unreleased MMO. In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, BioWare's Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk covered many topics, including the studio's plans following December 20th. "We have a really aggressive plan post launch to build content and take the feedback to heart that we're getting from players and what they want for continued expansions, and use that feedback to build new content," Muzyka promised.

The conversation also included a probing question about the decision to limit initial sales of the game. Muzyka says that stability and service are high priorities in the company: "You have to build the infrastructure to support a certain size launch and we're also thinking really long term at Bioware EA for this, there are going to be many, many consumers coming to the game over time and we're going to be expanding it out."

Other topics covered include the funny exploits that players have discovered in beta, the challenges and joys of working on the Star Wars IP, and the issue of free-to-play business models versus subscriptions. In regards to the latter, Zeschuck isn't worried that SWTOR decided to go the sub route. "The trend for free-to-play doesn't supplant great top quality premium games that support a subscription," he said, while going on to laud the flexibility of F2P formats.

MassivelyBioWare's Doctors: 'We have an aggressive post-launch plan' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareea-biowaref2pfree-to-playgamesindustry.bizgreg-zeschukinterviewlaunchpost-launch-plansray-muzykareleasestar-wars-the-old-republicsubssubscriptionswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Online sales will dominate the market by 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/13/online-sales-will-dominate-the-market-by-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/13/online-sales-will-dominate-the-market-by-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/13/online-sales-will-dominate-the-market-by-2013/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Steam
If you purchase your video games from a brick and mortar retailer, chances are you will be in the minority in just a couple of years.

GamesIndustry.biz cites a new report that predicts online game sales will become the dominant force in the market by 2013 through individual websites, retailers like Amazon.com, and video game distributors like Steam. A DFC Intelligence analyst noted that boxed game sales already peaked in 2008, and that as physical game sales slowly decline, online sales will pick up at a marked pace. DFC is a research and consulting firm that covers the field of video games.

Last year, online game retailers sold over $19.3 billion worth of digital merchandise -- a figure that's expected to rise to $37.9 billion by 2016. While real-world stores have much to worry about as the market shifts in the direction of online sales, the industry as a whole is expected to continue to substantially increase its growth over the next half-decade. One of the "key drivers" for that growth is PC games.

The analysts also predicted that in-game advertising will increase two-fold in the next few years as advertisers realize the potential for this blossoming market.

MassivelyOnline sales will dominate the market by 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingamazonamazon.comanalysisanalystbrick-and-mortardfc-intelligencegamesindustry.bizin-game-advertisingonline-retailersonline-salesphysical-salessteamTue, 13 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DUST 514 may go true F2P in the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/11/dust-514-may-go-true-f2p-in-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/11/dust-514-may-go-true-f2p-in-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/11/dust-514-may-go-true-f2p-in-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

While we've known that DUST 514 won't be as free as originally thought, there's still hope for a true free-to-play version to come. CCP's Hilmar Veigar Pétursson told GamesIndustry.biz that while PlayStation 3 owners will have to contend with a "cover charge" -- estimated to be between $10 and $20 -- before accessing the game for the first time, the company may drop it entirely in time.

This fee is meant to help with the initial start-up costs for DUST 514, and will be refunded to players in the form of in-game currency that can be spent on unspecified in-game microtransactions. Pétursson isn't ruling out the possibility that the game might go completely free-to-play in the future, however:
"You're really getting the game for free but you have to pre-buy credits in the beginning. We might go fully free-to-play down the line, but in the beginning we have a cover charge just to manage the initial launch of it. We have always been a big believer in growing up a social network behind the game in a slow and predictable way. Because we have seen that if you don't do that you can end up with a very unstructured experience, where there's no cohesion to the community. By growing it at the beginning we help to make a healthy environment initially."
We first reported on this cover charge during last month's E3. Pétursson says that CCP will see how the cover charge plays out during the game's testing period. The company is just now recovering from a hotbed of controversy involving EVE Online's approach to in-game item sales.

MassivelyDUST 514 may go true F2P in the future originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescover-chargecurrencydust-514e3e3-2011eveeve-onlinef2pfreefree-to-playgamesindustry.bizHilmar-Veigar-Péturssonin-game-currencyin-game-storeinterviewitem-storemicrotransactionsmonoclegateplaystation-3ps3social-networkMon, 11 Jul 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft increases profits, maintains revenues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/ncsoft-increases-profits-maintains-revenues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/ncsoft-increases-profits-maintains-revenues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/ncsoft-increases-profits-maintains-revenues/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's a banner year over at the NCsoft household, as the company is showing a strong rise in net profits for the first quarter this year. Even though NCsoft's revenues have held relatively steady during Q1 2011, profits are up by 30% for a total of $37.5 million due to recent promotions in Lineage and Aion.

The vast majority of NCsoft's money comes from Korea, with Chinese and Western markets trailing behind. According to Gamesindustry.biz, Aion is making the most bank for the company (accounting for 44% of revenues), followed by Lineage (28%) and Lineage 2 (22%).

NCsoft's Sara Rogers sees nothing but good news in these numbers: "NCsoft consistently delivers strong figures in a way that most other games publishers can only dream of. These results prove that we have the MMO brands that people want to play and that we're able to grow and maintain customer loyalty, which is crucial in successful MMO publishing. This year, Gamescom will be very significant for us. We'll have a major presence and maybe even steal a headline or two."

MassivelyNCsoft increases profits, maintains revenues originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionchinagamescomgamesindustry.bizgrowthkorealineagelineage-2lineage-iincsoftnet-profitprofitprofitspromotionsrevenuesSara-RogersTue, 17 May 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[John Smedley thinks Free Realms is on track for 100 million players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/john-smedley-thinks-free-realms-is-on-track-for-100-million-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/john-smedley-thinks-free-realms-is-on-track-for-100-million-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/john-smedley-thinks-free-realms-is-on-track-for-100-million-play/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If you think World of Warcraft's 12 million players is impressive, SOE dares you to think bigger -- a lot bigger. John Smedley told GamesIndustry.biz that he sees Free Realms growing to up to 100 million players over time.

Before last week's PlayStation 3 launch, Free Realms boasted 17 million players, a number that is sure to increase now that the game is available on a console as well.

But 100 million? Smedley doesn't think that's so far-fetched: "[Seventeen million] is a phenomenal number, and we're very pleased with its success -- and it's really keeping going. I don't see this thing stopping until it hits 100 million. I think it could take five or six years -- that should give you some idea [of the time frame we're looking at]. But I don't see any reason why it can't go to 100 million, because there are so many kids out there."

Smedley also hopes that the PS3 won't be the only console to which Free Realms and other SOE titles migrate, citing the recently announced NGP as a potential candidate: "Sony's announced the NGP, and if that isn't a perfect machine for doing MMOs on, then I don't know what is. So it's too soon to tell for sure but I think you're going to start seeing free-to-play gaming on consoles as well."

MassivelyJohn Smedley thinks Free Realms is on track for 100 million players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100-millionfree-realmsgamesindustry.bizjohn-smedleyngpplayerbaseplaystation-3ps3soesony-online-entertainmentworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 05 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft's Lineage enjoys record year, Aion growth boosts total revenue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/ncsofts-lineage-enjoys-record-year-aion-growth-boosts-total-re/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/ncsofts-lineage-enjoys-record-year-aion-growth-boosts-total-re/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/ncsofts-lineage-enjoys-record-year-aion-growth-boosts-total-re/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

It's been an up and down year for NCsoft, literally. GamesIndustry.biz writes that the Korean MMO titan has reported increases in both its sales and operating profits but a drop in net income in the recently concluded fiscal 2010 period. Surprisingly, the company's total revenue was up two percent due to unprecedented sales of the 12-year-old Lineage MMORPG.

Much to the chagrin of fail-trolls across the internet, NCsoft has also publicized the fact that Aion continues to be a financial success after "recording consecutive growth for the last three years." Taken together, NCsoft's big three (Lineage, Lineage 2, and Aion) have now accounted for $2.7 billion in lifetime sales.

NCsoft's largest success came courtesy of the booming Korean market (which represented a $370 million cut of its $576 million total revenue). Next up was the Japanese market at $70 million, followed by North America at $43.4 million and Europe at $30.1 million.

MassivelyNCsoft's Lineage enjoys record year, Aion growth boosts total revenue originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessbut-aion-is-failingfiscal-2010fiscal-yearGamesindustry.bizlineagelineage-2lineage-iimmo-industryncsoftnet-incomeprofitsrevenueFri, 11 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Burnout: Report says Chinese gamers losing interest in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/burnout-report-says-chinese-gamers-losing-interest-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/burnout-report-says-chinese-gamers-losing-interest-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/burnout-report-says-chinese-gamers-losing-interest-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Is there a point at which oversaturation, cultural prominence and old habits collapse under their own weight? According to a recent survey by Chinese market analyst Niko Partners, trends are shifting away in China from hardcore MMO gaming to more casual fare like social networking games.

GamesIndustry.biz reports that self-defined "hardcore" gamers in one of the largest MMORPG markets in the world have grown tired of the thousands of carbon-copy MMOs out there and have rebelled against the monotony by taking their business elsewhere.

Niko Partners' Lisa Cosmas Hanson sees a pattern to this trend: "We believe that the Chinese market has taken up SNS (social networking site) gaming in earnest, and that the hardcore gamers have shifted their preferences to include these games alongside the casual gamers who naturally appreciate them. The hardcore gamers are growing weary of the monotony of themes in the Chinese MMORPGs, and they want to extend their social interactions to games that attract a more diverse user base."

By 2014, the analyst says that there will be 141 million online gamers in China, and the casual games market will grow from 23% to encompass 30% of all online revenues -- approximately $3 billion US.

MassivelyBurnout: Report says Chinese gamers losing interest in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burnoutcasualcasual-gameschinachinesechinese-marketfacebookGamesindustry.bizhardcoreniko-partnersover-saturationsnssocial-networkingwhat-me-worryWed, 06 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The state of the subscription MMO: Revenues up, WoW's stranglehold slipping]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/the-state-of-the-subscription-mmo-revenues-up-wows-strangehol/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/the-state-of-the-subscription-mmo-revenues-up-wows-strangehol/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/the-state-of-the-subscription-mmo-revenues-up-wows-strangehol/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While MMO subscription numbers are largely hidden from public eyes, GamesIndustry.biz found a report by Screen Digest that delivered solid figures for the rate of subscription growth and revenue from the Western market. It's a classic case of "good news, bad news" for the industry.

The good news is that MMO subscriptions rose from $1.4 billion in 2008 to $1.6 billion in 2009, a respectable increase, especially when you consider the increase of free-to-play and microtransaction titles. This number is expected to hit the $2 billion mark by 2014. The bad news is that the average revenue per player is down 10% during the same time period due to "the popularity of cheaper premium subscription services." So more people are playing and paying, but they're spending less per person.

The analysis noted that World of Warcraft's domination in the subscription MMO market is slipping, going from 60% to 54% during that time period. Screen Digest says not to count the subscription MMO out, however: "We maintain our view that subscriptions will continue to play an important role in the MMOG sector. Certain consumer groups and types of service are well suited to subscriptions but we also acknowledge the growing success and adoption of microtransaction-based MMOGs as an alternative business model for operators."

MassivelyThe state of the subscription MMO: Revenues up, WoW's stranglehold slipping originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfinancialfree-to-playGamesindustry.bizMicrotransactionsmmo-industryrevenuescreen-digestsubscriptionsubscription-numberssubscriptionsthe-monkeys-represent-market-growthworld-of-warcraftFri, 24 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard CEO calls shipping an unfinished product, 'devastating']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/blizzard-ceo-calls-shipping-an-unfinished-product-devastating/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/blizzard-ceo-calls-shipping-an-unfinished-product-devastating/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/blizzard-ceo-calls-shipping-an-unfinished-product-devastating/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When you're going to make a statement, you may as well make it a good one, right? Well, Blizzard CEO Paul Sams has delivered in that regard. Speaking with Gamesindustry.biz (a free account is required to read the whole article) Sams went on to make a bevy of remarks that reinforce the developer's stance of, "It's done when it's done." while also commenting on the "devastating" effects of shipping an unfinished product.

So what gets devastated? The people who put in all those long hours of hard work, says Sams. We believe it, too. This kind of issue is bad for any game, but for an MMO we can only begin to imagine the sort of downtrodden emotions that can permeate a dev team after seeing their work pushed out into the world before it's ready. And while we all know MMOs are living, breathing things that are never "Finished." there's still a point where more gestation time is far better than getting pushed out the door prematurely.

MassivelyBlizzard CEO calls shipping an unfinished product, 'devastating' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-fps-mmoblizzard-mmogamesindustry.bizmmopaul-samsworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 19 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[All Points Bulletin beta kicks off next week, new gameplay footage released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/all-points-bulletin-beta-kicks-off-next-week-new-gameplay-foota/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/all-points-bulletin-beta-kicks-off-next-week-new-gameplay-foota/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/all-points-bulletin-beta-kicks-off-next-week-new-gameplay-foota/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


All Points Bulletin from Realtime Worlds is eagerly anticipated by the GTA and Saints Row set, bringing much greater online interaction to the urban crime game genre. All Points Bulletin has been accepting beta applications and, according to Gamesindustry.biz, the beta will begin next week. They report that Realtime Worlds CEO Gary Dale mentioned the beta going live during Tech Media Invest 2009 in London. If all goes as planned, this is certainly good news for those of you who applied as beta testers.

APB video podcast 10 is also out, and shows us a continuation of the GamesCom 2009 footage from last month. In fact, this video quite literally picks up where the previous footage left off, showing off a bit of the Last.fm integration into All Points Bulletin, and how the unobtrusive heads-up display guides you to mission locations. We've got an HD embed of the video for you, so stick with us past the jump for a closer look at APB's gameplay.

Continue reading All Points Bulletin beta kicks off next week, new gameplay footage released

MassivelyAll Points Bulletin beta kicks off next week, new gameplay footage released originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbbetascrimedundeegamesindustry.bizgary-dalelast.fmnew-titlespodcastsrealtime-worldstech-media-investvideovideo-podcastThu, 01 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCSoft sells over 300,000 Aion pre-orders]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/ncsoft-sells-over-300-000-aion-pre-orders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/ncsoft-sells-over-300-000-aion-pre-orders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/15/ncsoft-sells-over-300-000-aion-pre-orders/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's an interesting interview with Véronique Lallier -- NCSoft's managing director of publishing -- over at GamesIndustry.biz that reveals Aion has sold over 300,000 pre-orders so far. Not too shabby if you ask us. The interview also covers a lot of what's been going on over the past year with NC West, NCSoft's 'umbrella' for their western subsidiaries.

The main goal of NC West is to give the company a stronger foothold in European and North American markets. Now based out of Seattle, employees can be closer to their players and be more responsive to their needs. Stepping back from their original strategy of making casual games, the Seattle studio is also focused on making more triple-A MMOs for the West. What's on the horizon for NCSoft? Apparently, we can expect to hear more about Guild Wars 2 next year and their Korean studio is working on Blade & Soul, which they claim has even better graphics than Aion. There are a number of unannounced titles as well.

We should have the results of our own Aion interview with NCSoft out shortly, so make sure to stay tuned for that.

MassivelyNCSoft sells over 300,000 Aion pre-orders originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionblade-and-soulgamesindustry.bizguild-wars-2gw2interviewnc-westncsoftseattleveronique-lallierTue, 15 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Idea pitch-to-publish ratio low in gaming industry]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/idea-pitch-to-publish-ratio-low-in-gaming-industry/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/idea-pitch-to-publish-ratio-low-in-gaming-industry/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/idea-pitch-to-publish-ratio-low-in-gaming-industry/#commentsFiled under: ,

Jason Della Rocca, former executive director of the International Game Developers Association just put out an interesting editorial at GamesIndustry.biz. He talks about the importance of having great ideas for games versus the ability to actually execute them. This piece is written about the gaming industry as a whole but it sounds all too familiar for MMOs specifically.

One thing in particular that caught our eye is the concept of idea pitch-to-publish ratios. In most businesses, many ideas are tossed around before anything is ever acted upon. Based on Jason's experiences, he feels that game developers can become way too attached to their ideas and as a result, the gaming industry has a much lower pitch-to-publish ratio. This can lead to bad situations for both the game studio and to an extent, the players. From a business point of view, investors care much less about your ideas than they do about how the implementation of your ideas can make them money. As for players of MMOs and beta testers especially, when an idea has become too precious to the developers, does your feedback even matter?

MassivelyIdea pitch-to-publish ratio low in gaming industry originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beta-testingexecutiongamesindustry.bizideasigdainternational-game-developers-associationjason-della-roccapitch-to-publishTue, 25 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Namco Bandai to distribute Cities XL in United Kingdom]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/namco-bandai-to-distribute-cities-xl-in-united-kingdom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/namco-bandai-to-distribute-cities-xl-in-united-kingdom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/namco-bandai-to-distribute-cities-xl-in-united-kingdom/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Fresh off their merger and complete with a new-ish name, Namco Bandai has announced a UK publishing deal for urban management MMO Cities XL. More specifically, the publisher is set to distribute the Monte Cristo developed title in the UK, Italy, Nordic countries, Iberica, New Zealand and Australia. Distribution elsewhere will be handled by Monte Cristo themselves.

If you're looking for more information on Cities XL, we've got a detailed hands-on preview written by our very own Shawn Schuster. Plus, we're still offering the opportunity to win a shiny beta key so you can try the game out for yourself. It's a good time to be both an MMO and city builder fan, which is strange to write but feels oh-so-good.

MassivelyNamco Bandai to distribute Cities XL in United Kingdom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiabetacities-xlgamesindustry.bizhands-onibericaitalymonte-cristonamco-bandainew-zealandnordicpublishingukunited-kingdomWed, 08 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview with Real Time Worlds' David Jones]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/19/interview-with-real-time-worlds-david-jones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/19/interview-with-real-time-worlds-david-jones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/19/interview-with-real-time-worlds-david-jones/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Back in April we were starting to worry about APB because we hadn't seen or heard anything new about the game in a while. Thankfully, the information is starting to flow again due to E3 and an impending "early 2010" release date. GamesIndustry recently caught up with Realtime Worlds' Creative Director, David Jones and he had a lot of interesting things to say.

You won't learn anything earth-shattering about APB, but this interview gives us a good look at one of the leading forces behind the MMO (darn that pesky label). Given the global economic downturn, David feels his studio needs to focus now more than ever because there's not much chance of raising more venture capital. He's also very happy about the publishing partnership with EA because he feels they'll be able to help build APB a strong marketing presence at retail. Maybe the loaning of Paul Barnett is icing on the cake?

For all of you hoping for closed beta, you might be waiting a little longer since APB is still in an internal testing phase. For all of you worrying about a F2P/RMT business model, your fears can probably be eased since David feels that an online distribution strategy is "maybe pushing the envelope too far" for APB.

MassivelyInterview with Real Time Worlds' David Jones originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbdavid-jonese3-2009eagamesindustry.bizinterviewpaul-barnettreal-time-worldsFri, 19 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making MMOs massive editorial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/30/making-mmos-massive-editorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/30/making-mmos-massive-editorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/30/making-mmos-massive-editorial/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Rob Fahey has an editorial piece up on GamesIndustry.biz talking about ways to make MMOs massive. The article states that the question devs should be asking is not "How do we beat World of Warcraft?"; it's "What can we learn from World of Warcraft and how can we co-exist with it?"

He defines two ends of the gaming spectrum. The most accessible games are found on services like Facebook, while the least accessible example would be World of Warcraft. This may sound a bit strange since WoW is probably the most accessible of the subscription-based MMOs, but he's using it due to its extreme popularity given the fact that it still has fairly inhibiting install, patching, and strategic components.

Rob believes games that fall in the middle of this spectrum are likely to be where we'll see the largest growth potential. He would consider Free Realms to fit this middle-spectrum description. FR has a middle-ground business model, is fairly easily accessible, and marketed at the youth and female demographics. Basically, Rob believes MMOs will become more massive if they can accomplish what FR is currently aiming for and achieving.

MassivelyMaking MMOs massive editorial originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anyone who's played an MMO for a month or so will be familiar with weekly maintenance -- that wonderful time of the week when we have to do something else other than that play our favorite game. According to gamesindustry.biz, Realtime Worlds (developer of All Points Bulletin) has recently made some operations additions by way of Patrick Bays as manager of game operations and Will Leverett as director of customer service. Both men have worked at Origin Systems and NCsoft in the past, although also had a stint with Turbine as well.

This is important because Bays is looking to completely remove the weekly maintenance every other MMO suffers from. "As a gamer myself, I don't find six or eight hours downtime every week acceptable, so our system will allow our players to enjoy our games round the clock." said Bays. Of course, both Bays and Leverett have plenty of experience in the MMO industry -- so hopefully this isn't just talk.

Hopefully we'll find out soon, even though All Points Bulletin has yet to announce a publisher or any kind of launch window. Although if we have to, we'll make a few sacrifices in order to see this game become a reality.

MassivelyRealtime Worlds grows its operations team, working on reducing MMO downtimes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As we've reported on earlier, Wrath of the Lich King isn't heading towards a speedy approval for Chinese audiences, leading to problems for The9 if they can't get Wrath approved by the government. However, unlike The9, Blizzard is downplaying the issues Wrath may be facing.

Blizzard has told GamesIndustry.biz that "World of Warcraft continues to operate as normal in mainland China, and we're continuing to work with our local partner, The9, toward the launch of Wrath of the Lich King there. An official announcement will be made once it's ready to go."

It seems that everything is on track for Wrath's launch in China according to the company, but only time will ultimately tell when Wrath will be able to get away from the new stringent regulations holding it back.

MassivelyBlizzard downplays Wrath's issues in China originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardchinadisapprovalgamesindustry.bizregulationsskeletonsthe9world-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingzombiesSun, 22 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ZeniMax Media hiring for MMO division]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/zenimax-media-hiring-for-mmo-division/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/zenimax-media-hiring-for-mmo-division/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/zenimax-media-hiring-for-mmo-division/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

ZeniMax Media Inc., is currently seeking out MMO development talent for its online game division, GamesIndustry.biz reports. Why is this significant? ZeniMax is the owner of Bethesda Softworks, and thus both Fallout and Elder Scrolls. A Fallout MMO is entirely possible, but the business side of producing this title is somewhat complex. Daedren over at r1ft Gaming dissected the issue as it stood in November:

Bethesda Softworks owns the rights to the the Fallout IP, while Interplay retains rights to a Fallout MMO. However, those rights are forfeit provided Interplay is unable to raise $30 million and begin development of the Fallout MMO by April of 2009. (This is presumably Interplay's "Project V13" which involves other original Fallout team members.)

Continue reading ZeniMax Media hiring for MMO division

MassivelyZeniMax Media hiring for MMO division originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksbusiness-modelsdaedrenelder-scrollselder-scrolls-mmoelder-scrolls-onlinefalloutfallout-mmogamesindustry.bizinterplaymmo-industryproject-v13r1ft-gamingr1ftgamingzenimaxzenimax-mediaWed, 11 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom CFO resigns in wake of $23.3M loss]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/23/funcom-cfo-resigns-in-wake-of-23-3m-loss/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/23/funcom-cfo-resigns-in-wake-of-23-3m-loss/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/23/funcom-cfo-resigns-in-wake-of-23-3m-loss/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


These are bad times all around in the massively multiplayer online game industry in terms of the economy. The troubles of some companies are still coming to light, as is the case with Funcom. James Lee from GamesIndustry.biz writes that Funcom has reported its Q4 2008 financial results with "an operating loss of USD 23.3 million, caused by a depreciation of USD 22.8 million due to the lagging performance of Age of Conan."

In addition, Funcom CFO Olav Sandes has given notice of his resignation. Sandes is not the first high level employee to quit in recent months, but all is not doom and gloom. Funcom's Q4 2008 subscription revenues from Age of Conan have shot up to USD 8.7 million, up from USD 1.2 million year-on-year, Lee reports. Funcom expects a Q1 2009 revenue of between USD 6 million and 8 million, largely comprised of subscription fees for Age of Conan. James Lee's GamesIndustry.biz article has further details on Funcom's financial situation.
Warhammer Online Coverage Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!

MassivelyFuncom CFO resigns in wake of $23.3M loss originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbusiness-modelscfoeconomyfantasyfinancefinancial-reportfuncomgamesindustry.bizjames-leemmo-industryolav-sandesresignationMon, 23 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom re-reaffirms Conan 360 in addition to The Secret World]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/funcom-re-reaffirms-conan-360-in-addition-to-the-secret-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/funcom-re-reaffirms-conan-360-in-addition-to-the-secret-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/funcom-re-reaffirms-conan-360-in-addition-to-the-secret-world/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


In a world of cut-backs and shutdowns, it's pretty easy to start worrying about things you never had the need to worry about before. Sometimes it can get so bad, that things need to be said more than once. Case in point: Funcom's Xbox 360 version of Age of Conan and their next MMO project, The Secret World. In a recent discussion with GamesIndustry.biz Funcom said not to worry about either projects, as they're both on track. The console Age of Conan will contain all updates to the PC version upon shipping -- which is a good thing, considering how buggy it was -- and The Secret World's development team is actually expanding.

So while AoC on the PC is to remain their current primary focus, things are still moving forward with other projects. We only hope this is still the case in the next six-to-twelve months time, especially with how the global economy seems to be playing out.
Warhammer Online Coverage Having fun in Conan's homeland? Make sure to check out all of our previous Age of Conan coverage, and stick with Massively for more news from the Hyborian Age!

MassivelyFuncom re-reaffirms Conan 360 in addition to The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360age-of-conanaocfuncomgamesindustry.bizpcthe-secret-worldxbox-360Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine marches to the beat of its own drum, continued yearly expansions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/04/turbine-marches-to-the-beat-of-its-own-drum-continued-yearly-ex/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/04/turbine-marches-to-the-beat-of-its-own-drum-continued-yearly-ex/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/04/turbine-marches-to-the-beat-of-its-own-drum-continued-yearly-ex/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Executive producer for Lord of the Rings Online Jeffrey Steefel doesn't seem to have any interest in mimicking his companies competitors. He recently told gamesindustry.biz, "We have been driving our content strategy based on our game and our audience," adding, "What other folks do is driven by their needs." You really do have to appreciate a company that knows where its livelihood lies.

So players can expect the same amount of book updates and further yearly expansions, which sounds like it can only be a good thing for a game that at launch was often tagged with the, "Not enough to do at end-game" complaint. It doesn't seem like that's ever going to become a problem again, however.

Check out our latest episode of Massively Speaking, featuring a discussion with none other than Jeffrey Steefel himself!

MassivelyTurbine marches to the beat of its own drum, continued yearly expansions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booksexpansionexpansionsgamesindustry.bizlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriapatchesturbineupdatesThu, 04 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard bans Battle.net accounts before WotLK launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/blizzard-bans-battle-net-accounts-before-wotlk-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/blizzard-bans-battle-net-accounts-before-wotlk-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/blizzard-bans-battle-net-accounts-before-wotlk-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Blizzard recently announced that they'd be switching over to a new centralized account system, tying together the company's online games through Battle.net. Existing World of Warcraft accounts are essentially replaced by Battle.net accounts, and will allow for the tracking of achievements across the Blizzard titles. But some players, roughly 350,000 of them, found another unexpected feature arrived with the Battle.net account integration: bans.

Gamesindustry.biz reports: "Blizzard has revealed that is has closed over 350,000 StarCraft and Diablo II accounts which were found to be using third-party hacks. The company further revealed that the Diablo II CD keys associated with the closed accounts are now barred from playing on Battle.net for 30 days and warned that repeat offenders face a permanent ban." Check out the full report over at Gamesindustry.biz, along with a statement from Blizzard about the bans.

MassivelyBlizzard bans Battle.net accounts before WotLK launch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banningbattle.netblizzardcheatcheatingdiablo-2diablo-iiexploitsfantasygamesindustry.bizhackhacksmmo-industrystarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EA vs EA: Will Star Wars hurt Warhammer Online?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/ea-vs-ea-will-star-wars-hurt-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/ea-vs-ea-will-star-wars-hurt-warhammer-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/ea-vs-ea-will-star-wars-hurt-warhammer-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Not according to EA Games president Frank Gibeau, who has been understandably diplomatic about the potential success of the company's upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, he discusses his views on the different virtual space occupied by SWTOR and Warhammer Online, after being specifically asked about it at a recent event in San Francisco.

"Well, as much as Need for Speed is a competitor for FIFA," Gibeau stated in the GamesIndustry.biz interview. "They compete in the same genre of videogames but they're very diverse customer bases. The Warhammer customer base will overlap to a degree with Star Wars, but obviously you're bringing in millions of new customers with the Star Wars universe."

MassivelyEA vs EA: Will Star Wars hurt Warhammer Online? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareea-gamesfrank-gibeaugamesindustry.bizmythicstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorwarwarhammer-onlineTue, 04 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard VP discusses mistakes made and player expectations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/02/blizzard-vp-discusses-mistakes-made-and-player-expectations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/02/blizzard-vp-discusses-mistakes-made-and-player-expectations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/02/blizzard-vp-discusses-mistakes-made-and-player-expectations/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Blizzard may be reigning supreme in the MMO world, but that doesn't mean they haven't made some mistakes along the way. Indeed, it's actually refreshing when a company is willing to come out and admit to those mistakes, namely during the BlizzCon panels, as Blizzard's Senior VP Frank Pearce addresses in a recent interview with James Lee from Gamesindustry.biz. "The panels are here about being open with the fans. I don't think the mistakes we've made are big, huge secrets anyway, right? You can see the mistakes in the results of the work anyway. It's more important to acknowledge your mistakes and learn from them than to keep them a secret," Pearce says.

Over the course of the interview, Pearce speaks about a few of the ways that the company may have been off the mark, and about what the players expect of Blizzard, particularly in terms of expansions. Pearce also acknowledges the possibility that delaying console MMO development could open Blizzard up to increased competition further down the road, with those companies who establish themselves there first. See the full interview with Frank Pearce for more on Blizzard's approach to the industry, and their ambition to have their content quality trump that expected one-year interval between World of Warcraft expansions.
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyBlizzard VP discusses mistakes made and player expectations originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardexpansionsexpectationsfantasyfrank-pearcegamesindustry.bizinterviewsjames-leemmo-industryworld-of-warcraftSun, 02 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games lead economist on social structures in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/ccp-games-lead-economist-on-social-structures-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/ccp-games-lead-economist-on-social-structures-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/18/ccp-games-lead-economist-on-social-structures-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Phil Elliott from Gamesindustry.biz recently conducted an interview with CCP Games Lead Economist Dr. Eyjólfur Guðmundsson (known as CCP Dr. EyjoG) titled "Star Bucks." While the interview discussed the importance of social structures in EVE Online given the game's single-shard nature and of course the game's economics, he was asked questions about gameplay and some of the core foundations of the game -- namely the freedom to act and the consequences that result (or the perceived lack of consequences).

Dr. EyjoG was asked about the concept of trust in the sandbox game, how some players feel there's not enough reciprocity in terms of consequences for one's actions in EVE. "Should we provide more security, more traceability -- that would help it out, but it's definitely a game design and balance question. For us we see the universe as it is, we don't see that need... at this point at least," Dr. EyjoG responded. The interview also hinted at some of the as-yet unrealized possibilities in the game such as player-requests to tie sovereignty in with rules that govern those regions of controlled territory and what the game might be like years down the line.

MassivelyCCP Games lead economist on social structures in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betrayalccpccp-dr-eyjogccp-gamesconsequenceconsequencescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmdr-eyjogeconomisteconomyeveeve-onlineeyjolfur-gudmundssongameplaygamesindustry.bizlead-economistphil-elliottscamscamssci-fisingle-shardsingle-worldsocial-structuressovereigntyterritorial-controltrustSat, 18 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW players coming back from the WAR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/wow-players-coming-back-from-the-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/wow-players-coming-back-from-the-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/16/wow-players-coming-back-from-the-war/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It was inevitable that a wave of World of Warcraft players would be taken away from the game for Warhammer Online. It is also inevitable that many of those players would return to WoW after trying out the new shinies. Yet, according to a recent interview with Blizzard COO Paul Sams at GamesIndustry.biz, more than half of the players that left WoW for WAR have since returned.

Sams states that this a typical trend for new MMO releases. "We've certainly had some of that happen, which is the same thing we experienced with Age of Conan and each time an MMO has come out we've seen some amount of reduction of use." He also gives his respect to Mythic and everything they're doing, stating that he thinks "Warhammer is best positioned to succeed out of the various products that have come out thus far since World of Warcraft has come out."

MassivelyWoW players coming back from the WAR originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardgamesindustry.bizmigrationmythicpaul-samswarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 16 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie considers the challenges of a Halo MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/bungie-considers-the-challenges-of-a-halo-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/bungie-considers-the-challenges-of-a-halo-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/bungie-considers-the-challenges-of-a-halo-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Bungie community and PR director Brian Jarrard recently told gamesindustry.biz that a Halo MMO has been the subject of "heated discussions" at the house that built Master Chief. Jarrard opines on the topic for a while, concluding that a lot of new lore and characters on top of the already-extensive universe that is Halo for a workable MMO.

That point of view rings quite true with us here at Massively. Typically, any time a non-MMO property is tapped for entry into the genre there are mountains of conceptual alterations that need to be made -- not to mention the catch 22 Jedi concession. You can't have a compelling Star Wars MMO without Jedi, however there needs to be some serious lore considerations if a developer is to allow hundreds of players run around their game world as laser-sword swinging, neo-space faring, monk/samurai. The same rule applies to the rare and elite Spartan warriors of the Halo universe.

MassivelyBungie considers the challenges of a Halo MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-jarrardbungieensemble-studiosgamesindustry.bizhalohalo-mmojedimaster-chiefspartanstar-warsTue, 14 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard comments on new MMO launch issues and WoW expansion schedules]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/blizzard-comments-on-new-mmo-launch-issues-and-wow-expansion-sch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/blizzard-comments-on-new-mmo-launch-issues-and-wow-expansion-sch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/blizzard-comments-on-new-mmo-launch-issues-and-wow-expansion-sch/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Blizzard's Mike Morhaime feels that companies new to the MMO genre underestimate the challenges of launching a new game into the market, according to an interview with gamesindustry.biz. Morhaime's specifically says, "I think everyone who hasn't done it will probably underestimate the logistics behind it - we certainly did," He continues to lay out his reasoning, citing such factors as scaling everything up quickly, multiple languages, 24/7 services and maintaining internal developer support all at the same time.

Morhaime also mentions the once trumpeted yearly release schedule for Word of Warcraft expansions, saying, "Right now we're on the longer than a year plan." The news is unfortunate for anyone hoping to see another expansion released by the same time next year, but Morhaime assures fans that it will be worth the wait. We certainly hope so with developers like Turbine and Mythic who've had past experience getting quality expansions out on a regular beat biting at Blizzard's heels.

MassivelyBlizzard comments on new MMO launch issues and WoW expansion schedules originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We relish informed opinion pieces here at Massively. That's what the professional site gamesindustry.biz is serving up for us, in the form of an editorial by site founder Rob Fahey. He tackles a subject we've looked at ourselves fairly often in the last few weeks: the nature of World of Warcraft's dominion, how long it can last, and whether challenging WoW is even worthwhile.

As well as running down the recent challengers to WoW, Rob makes two extremely simple points. Firstly, WoW is successful not just because it's good now, but because millions of players have invested in it over time and built up inertia. It's not just the mass of an MMO, but the velocity that counts.

Secondly, given the tremendous inertia, he argues that competing with WoW would be suicide. Games companies would be better advised to seek virgin territory, and 'avoid WoW's market like the plague'. Rob clearly has a high opinion of WoW, which he describes as 'the most polished and perfectly balanced MMOG ever created, regardless of what a small but vocal band of snooty naysayers may argue'.

Continue reading The allegedly incontestable momentum of World of Warcraft

MassivelyThe allegedly incontestable momentum of World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocblizzardea-mythicgamesindustry.bizrob-faheywarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 22 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard retains PC gaming dominance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blizzard-retains-pc-gaming-dominance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blizzard-retains-pc-gaming-dominance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blizzard-retains-pc-gaming-dominance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


As if in response to predictions of the beginning of the end, Blizzard's market dominance in US PC game sales was reaffirmed in late August through the NPD Group's research. In fact, World of Warcraft garnered three of the top spots on the PC game sales chart, with The Diablo Battle Chest and The Warcraft III Battle Chest thrown in for good measure, Gamesindustry.biz reports.

While it could be argued that World of Warcraft's steady retail box sales silences all erroneous claims of the rise of a WoW-killer (oops... uttered the dreaded phrase), this doesn't seem to take into account all those Warhammer Online pre-orders placed in August. In that case, September might paint a different picture. But let's face it -- WoW's not going away anytime in the foreseeable future. And despite the knocks World of Warcraft takes from some MMO gamers, would you really want a world without Warcraft?
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyBlizzard retains PC gaming dominance originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a recent interview Warhammer Online senior designer Josh Drescher remarked that World of Warcraft has actually made it considerably easier for other MMOs to succeed in the market, contrary to popular belief. While nobody has come close to dethroning the Blizzard juggernaut and its 10 million subscribers, WoW has done a lot to expand the the potential user-base, and for that Mythic is grateful. Drescher notes in the interview the rate of success in a post-WoW world is considerably higher than it was before, making for a more friendly marketplace to release a game.

It's this kind of mind for market dynamics and future-planning that's really coming to define the modern MMO game designer. For them, retail release is only the beginning of a long process that can extend as far as ten years into the future. So when it appeared during the interview that Drescher suggested that the Warhammer Online team had content planned out five years in advance, some people were understandably confused about the scope of Mythic's development efforts. Was the game delayed to implement content intended for half a decade from now?

Continue reading Mythic's efforts aided by WoW, planning ahead

MassivelyMythic's efforts aided by WoW, planning ahead originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-mythicfive-yearsgame-designgamesindustry.bizjosh-dreschermythicWARwarhammer-onlineWed, 14 May 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The war of words for Sony's PlayStation Home and Second Life users begins]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/the-war-of-words-for-sonys-home-and-second-life-users-begins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/the-war-of-words-for-sonys-home-and-second-life-users-begins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/the-war-of-words-for-sonys-home-and-second-life-users-begins/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ron FestejoRon Festejo is hardly an unbiased observer, being the creative director of the Sony project that is bringing PlayStation Home out next week, but in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz he explains that, in his opinion Home is the best looking and most user-friendly multiplayer experience he's seen so far.

Apparently Second Life is "too garish" and the rest of the MMOs are "too hardcore." Second Life users (we're not players after all) are also too geeky, and Mr. Festejo doesn't think there will be much to interest Second Lifers. Of course I'm happy to be called a geek, and not owning a playstation I won't be checking out PlayStation Home, but what do you think? Do you need to be a geek to cope with Second Life, or is he just aiming at a "cool kids" market? He probably does need to go and read the minimum specs for Second Life page mind: whilst Second Life runs on a much greater range of engines than just PlayStations, he is exaggerating saying it has to support people on Pentium II's.

MassivelyThe war of words for Sony's PlayStation Home and Second Life users begins originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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