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[Aion 1.5.1 patch additions receive an overwhelming "Meh"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The latest additions to Aion's 1.5.1 patch notes illustrate the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" reality that is MMO development. They also show a potential communication disconnect between the game's players and developers or possibly even unrealistic expectations. Upon reading the pages and pages of player comments on these patch note additions, the general opinion can be summarized as such: "These changes don't address our major complaints."

There's no doubt that 1.5.1 will greatly improve Aion (less grind anyone?), but players seem to be sticking on a few major points that aren't yet in the tentative patch notes. Most of the players commenting on these notes seem to feel that Aion's first big patch should tackle the crashing fortresses issue (crysys.dll), flying spiritmaster pets, better UI customization, and a number of other issues (less grind included). There also appears to be resistance to a new debuff that will be added to aether extraction. Players will now be randomly debuffed when gathering, but can quickly remove it by typing a captcha. This change is obviously aimed at bots, but many state this will become an annoyance for everyone.

Check out our summary of part one of the patch notes and AionSource's interview with NCsoft's Lani Blazier to get a comprehensive view of the situation.

MassivelyAion 1.5.1 patch additions receive an overwhelming "Meh" originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-patch-1.5.1aionsourcecrysys.dllinterviewlani-blaziernc-westncsoftpatchesMon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You'd be forgiven for thinking Aion would've fallen off the Steam and DIrect2Drive top ten sales charts, what with the fire hose blast of new PC releases. Fortunately for NCsoft, that isn't the case as the game is still clinging to said charts in the face of games like Dragon Age: Origins, Borderlands, Torchlight and Left 4 Dead 2. Boldness!

Actually, the game is pretty darn good -- if you don't mind your peanut butter with extra grind -- so that's not a huge surprise all things considered. It's always a good sign when an MMO can stay on the top ten after its launch, moreso when it does so against high profile, high pedigree releases. So, rejoice Aion players, you've likely got a strong community! (We could've just told you that, but now numbers vindicate said observation.)

MassivelyAion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionborderlandsd2ddigitaldirect2drivedragon-agedragon-age-originsl4d2nc-westncsoftsteamtop-tentorchlightSat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Details for Aion's new Veteran Rewards Program]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/details-for-aions-new-veteran-rewards-program/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/details-for-aions-new-veteran-rewards-program/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/31/details-for-aions-new-veteran-rewards-program/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We probably don't need to point out the glaring congruity that each month you play Aion will soon be rewarded with four XP boost amulets; but we will. NCsoft just spilled the beans on their new Veteran Rewards Program. This seems slightly ironic because the game has only been out for a month. We suppose it's probably a good strategy to entice players to stick around; especially after an MMO's first month, which is arguably the rockiest.

Players will now receive special items for each month they remain subscribed to Aion. Months one to six award four Lodas Amulets (20% bonus XP for one hour) and four Revival Stones (self/player resurrection). Additionally, month one gives a cube expansion ticket (+1 free row) and a special Michael Jackson dance emote. Month three grants an extra title (Adept of Aion ) and another Forbidden Dance emote. Month six gives players special level 40 Black Cloud wings.

The disclaimer states that NCsoft can expand, revise, or end the Veteran Rewards Program at any time. With the first six months plotted out, it seems likely they will continue as the game soars ahead. Check out the official description page for full details on how to qualify.

Continue reading Details for Aion's new Veteran Rewards Program

MassivelyDetails for Aion's new Veteran Rewards Program originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionlodas-amuletmichael-jacksonnc-westncsoftrevival-stoneveteran-rewardsveteran-rewards-programSat, 31 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Last chance to upgrade Aion from standard to collector's edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/last-chance-to-upgrade-aion-from-standard-to-collectors-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/last-chance-to-upgrade-aion-from-standard-to-collectors-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/last-chance-to-upgrade-aion-from-standard-to-collectors-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If you've been holding off on upgrading your standard edition version of Aion to the full-fledged collector's edition, now's your last chance. NCsoft is extending the upgrade window by only 48 more hours from Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. PDT to Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. (Check the time in your area.) Here are the in-game goodies you'll receive for a $10 USD upgrade fee:

The original upgrade period ended a bit earlier than NCsoft intended due to an interneal error, which is why they are extending it until this Friday (or Saturday depending on where you live). Keep your eye on the NCsoft store if you don't want to miss out on this limited time offer. It's actually a pretty good deal because the price difference between the pre-launch standard and collector's editions was up to $20 USD depending on the merchant.

MassivelyLast chance to upgrade Aion from standard to collector's edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionblack cloudcollectors-editionemotesnc-westncsoftstandard-editionupgradeWed, 28 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interview with Aion's new community manager part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Continue reading Massively interview with Aion's new community manager part 2

MassivelyMassively interview with Aion's new community manager part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionblizzardcommunitydaocdark-age-of-cameloteverquestlineage-2lineage-iinc-westncsoftncwestplanetsidesoesony-online-entertainmenttamatworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interview with Aion's new community manager]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Aion is easily one of the biggest MMOs of the year, so when a new North American community manager took over recently we decided it was the perfect time for an interview with the new team member, Andrew Beegle -- known as Tamat to community members.

We asked Tamat about new methods of community interaction, the hotly anticipated experience boost patch and even some personal questions about our new community manager. You can never really know enough about the person serving as the conduit to your main MMO -- at least that's what we tell them!

Continue reading Massively interview with Aion's new community manager

MassivelyMassively interview with Aion's new community manager originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncommunityexperienceexperience-boostexperience-patchfeaturedinterviewkoreakoreanmassively-interviewsnc-westncsoftnorth-americanorth-americanpatchservertamattranslationWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A retrospective of Aion's first month (part 2)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-retrospective-of-aions-first-month-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-retrospective-of-aions-first-month-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-retrospective-of-aions-first-month-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Continue reading A retrospective of Aion's first month (part 2)

MassivelyA retrospective of Aion's first month (part 2) originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionasmodianassassinfirst-monthhands-onimpressionsnc-westncsoftopinionMon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A look back at Aion's first month and impressions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-look-back-at-aions-first-month-and-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-look-back-at-aions-first-month-and-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/26/a-look-back-at-aions-first-month-and-impressions/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

43,829 minutes. That's roughly how long Aion's been out in the West. Depending on your tolerance for grinding, it may or may not have felt like that amount of time passed. There's no doubt it's been a busy month full of ups and downs, so we'd like to take an extensive look back at the last 30-days and give our impressions on the game.

Smooth criminal

Aion experienced one of the most technically smooth launches in MMO history, which was the result of hard work, innovative design, tough decision-making, and of course nearly a year between the Eastern and Western releases. Anti-cheat software, GameGuard, was stripped from the client in the 11th hour. This no doubt eliminated most of the open-beta issues that would have sent a lot of potential players packing shortly after release. Players just aren't as forgiving as they used to be.

Continue reading A look back at Aion's first month and impressions

MassivelyA look back at Aion's first month and impressions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbottersfeaturedfirst-monthgameguardgrindingimpressionsnc-westncsoftspammersxp-grindMon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One month: Aion October community address]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/24/one-month-aion-october-community-address/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/24/one-month-aion-october-community-address/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/24/one-month-aion-october-community-address/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Aion has officially been out for one full month and NCsoft just released an October community address in response. The notice reads less like a giant pat on the back and more like a checklist of major issues they are working on, which is bound to churn up speculation about how well the title is doing. Oh, we're sure Aion is doing quite well even though we haven't heard the official numbers yet, but developers usually use these opportunities to shout about their accomplishments rather than their shortcomings.

The top three issues mentioned in the letter are experience curves, client performance, and spammers/botters. Most players will agree that it can feel like a part-time job to level your character at times. Some players have had performance issues specifically related to "Cryssystem.dll." And finally, everyone has been forced to /ignore the odd spammer... or fifty. NCsoft is using this opportunity to yet again tell players they are aware of these issues and fixes are on the way.

We're curious how this may relate to differences between eastern and western gaming cultures. Aion has been released for nearly a year in Asia and yet only the outcry from European and North American players against experience grinds and gold spamming specifically seems to be sparking a change.

MassivelyOne month: Aion October community address originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbottingclient-performancecommunity-addressexperience-grindfarmingfirst-monthgold-farminggrindingnc-westncsoftspammingSat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Curse.com founder's open Aion letter to NCsoft Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/curse-com-founders-open-aion-letter-to-ncsoft-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/curse-com-founders-open-aion-letter-to-ncsoft-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/curse-com-founders-open-aion-letter-to-ncsoft-korea/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Open letters to MMO developers from forum members are
a dime a dozen these days but it isn't very often you see one from a forum admin. It's even more rare to see one from the founder of a major fansite network. Today must be our lucky day because Netcurse, founder of Curse.com wrote just such a letter to NCsoft Korea, head studio behind Aion.

The public plea puts some extra weight behind the biggest complaints many Aion players have been voicing since release, namely: "the grind," spammers/botters, and large-scale PvP performance in fortresses. Statements like "...there are three issues I want to bring to the front page today that need to be addressed or this game will end up being a 300k subscriber game within 6 months, not the one-million+ subscriber game it should be," show just how impassioned Netcurse is about these issues.

What's refreshing is that the author is pointing out potential solutions for each problem he draws attention to. For instance, to combat the grind, he feels XP should be increased and more benefits should be rewarded to social players (groupers). Not everyone is agreeing with his comments in the replies, so we're curious, what are your thoughts?

MassivelyCurse.com founder's open Aion letter to NCsoft Korea originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaionsourcecurse.comgrindnc-westncsoftncsoft-koreanetcurseopinionperformancexp-curveTue, 20 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive interview with Aion Producer Brian Knox]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/exclusive-interview-with-aion-producer-brian-knox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/exclusive-interview-with-aion-producer-brian-knox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/exclusive-interview-with-aion-producer-brian-knox/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We submitted a few questions to NCsoft back when players were taking their first baby steps into the strange and lush world of Atreia. Things have obviously been a bit hectic these past couple weeks but Aion Producer Brian Knox took some time out today to answer them for us. Thanks Brian!

We've heard a lot about "westernizing" or "culturalizing" Aion for North American and European audiences. Can you please explain the full breadth of this term? Are we talking about language translation, story rewrites, and lowered experience curves here?

Westernizing Aion is about making the game culturally relevant to our market. This includes going above and beyond basic translation and delving into the story behind the text and making sure that it is presented in a way our players will understand. For us it isn't so much about changing things with Aion but shining the spotlight on the area that is most appealing to our audience. Aion is a huge game with a ton choices and features for users all over the world to enjoy; making sure we point those parts out is a huge part of the culturalization

Continue reading Exclusive interview with Aion Producer Brian Knox

MassivelyExclusive interview with Aion Producer Brian Knox originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbalaurbrian-knoxfeaturedinterviewnc-westncsoftnew-releasespvpvethe-abyssThu, 08 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Addressing gold spam in Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/addressing-gold-spam-in-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/addressing-gold-spam-in-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/addressing-gold-spam-in-aion/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After playing Aion for any length of time, one might think the 'Looking for Group' channel is actually a 'Looking for Gold" channel. Don't worry, it's a common mistake. Since a few days after launch, players have been bombarded with gold spam in the game's various chat channels from general to group to trade and even to personal tell (whisper). Notably absent from Lance Stites' first State of the Game address last week, English Community Representative Ayase just put out an announcement about gold spam and NCsoft's efforts to eliminate it from Aion.

According to Ayase, game masters are working around the clock to identify and ban gold spammers. Players can also block spammers on an individual basis, which does work but is only a bandaid solution. It doesn't seem like NCsoft has this problem under control just yet, which isn't necessarily a testament to poor effort but to persistent and pesky spammers. The developers are working on new tools and processes to ban the spammers more effectively, but until then our chat channels will likely be flooded with spam. You see, the economy is a strong gameplay element in Aion, and where there's a buck to be made, weasels and sharks will prey.

MassivelyAddressing gold spam in Aion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionayasebangame-mastergold-spammerlance-stitesnc-westncsoftWed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion to offer free server transfers soon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/aion-to-offer-free-server-transfers-soon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/aion-to-offer-free-server-transfers-soon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/aion-to-offer-free-server-transfers-soon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sunday we told you about the open letter to the Aion community from NCsoft West executive producer Lance Stites. Stites addressed the ongoing problem of seemingly endless queues for players trying to access the more popular servers. This has been a frustrating issue for everyone involved, with the crew at NCSoft West "engaged in multiple discussions each day" on the topic and players queueing for hours a day, attempting to play.

Unfortunately, rolling out new servers hasn't done the trick so far, as the problem does not stem from too few servers. Players continue to flock to the popular servers, leaving other servers nearly empty. "Sure, you rarely had to queue, but once you got into the game large areas of the world were devoid of fellow players. It's a hard balance to strike, and we need our servers full to ensure players experience Aion at its best," says Ryan James, PR director for NCsoft West.

Continue reading Aion to offer free server transfers soon

MassivelyAion to offer free server transfers soon originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionfree-server-transferlance-stitesnc-westncsoftryan-jamestransferTue, 06 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion gets its first State of the Game address]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/aion-gets-its-first-state-of-the-game-address/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/aion-gets-its-first-state-of-the-game-address/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/04/aion-gets-its-first-state-of-the-game-address/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It's been a little over two weeks since Aion launched and NC West Executive Producer Lance Stites just released its first State of the Game address. These kinds of announcements have become more and more frequent as new MMOs launch and they usually cover the main successes and issues within a given period. This address is no different.

Lance proudly declares Aion's "fun and polished" launch and goes on to talk about the incredible demand they've experienced. Perhaps the demand was too high because the main issue he covers in this letter revolves around the server queues players have been sitting in since launch. NC West ran the usual prelaunch calculations and even added a 25% buffer to determine the game's initial server caps but that just wasn't enough.

It doesn't help that players have been playing long and hard either. "For example, we're seeing timeframes where 60 percent or more of our players are playing at any given time. This is a significant event by any MMO standard," Stites says. To address this problem, the studio is working on offering one-time free server transfers in the near future. Check out his full letter on the official site.

MassivelyAion gets its first State of the Game address originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionfree-transferslance-stiteslaunchnc-westncsoftserver-queuesstate-of-the-gameSun, 04 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion preselection and head start programs detailed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/aion-preselection-and-head-start-programs-detailed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/aion-preselection-and-head-start-programs-detailed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/aion-preselection-and-head-start-programs-detailed/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Aion is right around the corner and there are two big things you should be aware of leading up to its North American launch on September 22 (September 25 in Europe): preselection and head start. These items are only of concern if you are a preorder customer.

Preselection begins this Friday at noon PDT (3PM EDT). Eligible players who preordered the game (check your master account status: as long as it doesn't say 'beta' you're golden) will be able to log into their game clients and create a total of two characters on their server of choice. This will help you get on the same server as your friends and hopefully reserve your favorite names (see official server list). Our understanding is that you can make two characters on one server or one character on each of two servers for those wanting to reserve an Elyos and Asmodian. Preselection closes on Sunday, September 20 at 9AM PDT (noon EDT).

Aion's head start will begin on Sunday at noon PDT for those eligible players who preordered as well. It appears that both NA and EU players will have the same preselect and head start dates and times. The head start program allows players to experience the full spectrum of what Aion has to offer as there are no level/zone restrictions being put in place. It's just as if you're getting to play the full release... two days early (five if you're European). Want to avoid the launch day crowds? Play the head start!

Continue reading Aion preselection and head start programs detailed

MassivelyAion preselection and head start programs detailed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiondreadgionhead-startnc-westncsoftpreselectpvpveWed, 16 Sep 2009 17:00:00 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[Aion Abyss rankings show assassins like it on top (Korean)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/05/aion-abyss-rankings-show-assassins-like-it-on-top-korean/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/05/aion-abyss-rankings-show-assassins-like-it-on-top-korean/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/05/aion-abyss-rankings-show-assassins-like-it-on-top-korean/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We stumbled upon this interesting Aion chart that shows off the current Abyss rankings on the top five Korean servers. There are a few things you should know before drawing any absolute conclusions. First, the list only ranks players by their total Abyss Points (AP) and doesn't factor in many of the variables associated with AP gain (e.g., solo, group, PvE, PvP, exploit, etc.). Also, it doesn't necessarily reflect class imbalance issues (power or population), but we're sure that's the conclusion most people will jump to.

After tallying up the class numbers, you can see that Assassins seem to be dominating the Abyss rankings, while Spiritmasters are at the bottom. Of the top 100, 48 are Assassins and 2 are Spiritmasters. With three classes tied for second and a few others not far behind, at least that seems quite balanced in terms of class spread. Exploitation is also mentioned in this thread and there appears to be one blatant case of it in the rankings (i.e., the level 30 Ranger with the top rank for his server). PvP games inevitably result in lists like this and it will be interesting to see how things pan out on the North American servers when Aion launches later this month.
Want to know more about Aion? NCsoft invites you into the world of Atreia where the Elyos and the Asmodians fight each other and the evil Balaur for control of the shattered planet. Check out out all our coverage of this highly anticipated MMO!

MassivelyAion Abyss rankings show assassins like it on top (Korean) originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abyssaionaion-koreaassassinkoreanc-westncsoftpvp-rankrangerrvrspiritmasterSat, 05 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet releases Guild Wars 2 trailer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/20/arenanet-releases-guild-wars-2-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/20/arenanet-releases-guild-wars-2-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/20/arenanet-releases-guild-wars-2-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


The wait is finally up. At GamesCom today, ArenaNet delivered on their teasers throughout the week and released a brand new trailer for Guild Wars 2. This is something Guild Wars fans have been anticipating for years, and it's finally here.

This gorgeous trailer shows everything from animated concept art to actual in-game footage. It takes us through the awakening of the dragons beneath the surface of Tyria to the call of the five races to join forces against them. We see Humans, Norn, Asura, Charr and Silvari rising up to defeat the undead armies of the dragon Zhaitan.

Check out the trailer after the jump below, or in high definition at the main Guild Wars 2 website.

Continue reading ArenaNet releases Guild Wars 2 trailer

MassivelyArenaNet releases Guild Wars 2 trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetbreakinggamescom-2009guild-wars-2gw2in-game-footagenc-westncsofttrailerThu, 20 Aug 2009 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Guild Wars 2 concept art released through Facebook]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/new-guild-wars-2-concept-art-released-through-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/new-guild-wars-2-concept-art-released-through-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/new-guild-wars-2-concept-art-released-through-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As ArenaNet has already warned us, their social networking resources will be utilized much more often in the near future. Earlier today, we saw evidence of this on the official Guild Wars 2 Facebook page as four new pieces of concept art for Guild Wars 2 have been released.

Now these aren't leaked shots or rumored from a friend of a friend, these are officially the first real pieces of confirmed concept art from the sequel to the highly successful Guild Wars. Follow along in our Guild Wars 2 concept art gallery below to see these images and stay tuned as we continue to bring you more as they're released, including the latest news as it trickles out of GamesCom.

Gallery: Guild Wars 2 concept art

MassivelyNew Guild Wars 2 concept art released through Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetconcept-artdaniel-dociufacebookgamescom-2009guild-wars-2nc-westncsoftWed, 19 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Your thoughts on Jeff Strain's NCsoft departure?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/13/the-daily-grind-your-thoughts-on-jeff-strains-ncsoft-departure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/13/the-daily-grind-your-thoughts-on-jeff-strains-ncsoft-departure/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/13/the-daily-grind-your-thoughts-on-jeff-strains-ncsoft-departure/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As we've reported on for the past two days, ArenaNet co-founder Jeff Strain has left his position at NCsoft and is moving on to new pastures. While his former co-founding partner, Mike O'Brien, has said pretty affirmatively that his departure won't affect the development of Guild Wars 2, we're still interested in what you think of all of this.

It's certainly a very sudden and unexpected move, especially when you take into account the departure of David Reid as well, even if they both left for unrelated reasons. With Aion coming closer and closer to a launch in the United States, and NCsoft pushing to be #2 in the realm of subscription numbers, the timing for these departures seems to be odd.

But, we're not going to waste this space with our thoughts, we want yours! Drop what you think of all of this into the comment box below, and let your voices ring across the internet!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Your thoughts on Jeff Strain's NCsoft departure? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionarenanetdavid-reidguild-warsguild-wars-2jeff-strainmike-obriennc-westncsoftncsoft-westopinionsubscription-numbersthe-daily-grindThu, 13 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet's co-founder comments on Jeff Strain's departure from NCsoft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/arenanets-co-founder-comments-on-jeff-strains-departure-from-n/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/arenanets-co-founder-comments-on-jeff-strains-departure-from-n/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/arenanets-co-founder-comments-on-jeff-strains-departure-from-n/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

As we reported on yesterday, Jeff Strain, the co-founder of ArenaNet, has parted ways with NCsoft. Jeff's visions were certainly a driving factor behind ArenaNet's growth and Guild Wars production, but it's important to note that his leaving will not directly impact ArenaNet, as he has been away from the company and paired with NCsoft West since 2008.

On the tails of his departure comes a comment from Mike O'Brien, ArenaNet's other founder and Jeff's long time friend. Mike not only sends well wishes to his former founding partner, but also reaffirms that Guild Wars 2 production will not be affected by Jeff's departure. Mike has even gone as far to say that we're getting close to finally getting tangible news on their new masterpiece.

Mike's full statement can be found after the break.

[Thanks Goonja!]

Continue reading ArenaNet's co-founder comments on Jeff Strain's departure from NCsoft

MassivelyArenaNet's co-founder comments on Jeff Strain's departure from NCsoft originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetbreakingdepartureguild-warsguild-wars-2jeff-strainmike-obriennc-westncsoft-westWed, 12 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion prologue videos to serve as character intro sequences?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/05/aion-prologue-videos-to-serve-as-character-intro-sequences/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/05/aion-prologue-videos-to-serve-as-character-intro-sequences/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/05/aion-prologue-videos-to-serve-as-character-intro-sequences/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Update: These prologue videos WERE enabled this past beta weekend. I guess our assumption was correct! Thanks Zhiril!

As you might have gathered from our past Aion closed beta coverage, your first steps into the world of Atreia are a bit confusing. Currently, new characters are unceremoniously dumped into the world with a nasty bout of amnesia, with no idea of who they are or why they are there. The first ten levels of the game are all about regaining your memories and getting your destiny back on track.

NCsoft just released two new prologue videos and it seems like they would make perfect game introduction sequences. The Elyos prologue introduces players to the nasty Balaur creature featured later on in their destiny quests. The Asmodian prologue shows off the gray-haired Elyos warrior players do battle with in their destiny quests.

It appears that both videos take place in the Abyss and culminate in a severe bump to your character's noggin, which sends him or her crashing back down to either Elysea or Asmodae (depending on your faction). When you awaken, you no longer remember your past nor do you possess the powers of a full-fledged daeva.

Check out the videos after the cut!

Continue reading Aion prologue videos to serve as character intro sequences?

MassivelyAion prologue videos to serve as character intro sequences? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionasmodianatreiaelyosintroductionnc-westncsoftprologuevideoWed, 05 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SDCC 09: Aion demo and interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/24/sdcc-09-aion-demo-and-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/24/sdcc-09-aion-demo-and-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/24/sdcc-09-aion-demo-and-interview/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Our very own Editor in Chief, Elizabeth Harper attended San Diego Comic Con this week and had a number of interesting interviews. One in particular was with the NC West Aion community team. Many things were covered, some of which you probably already know. Here's the stuff you may not have been aware of.

Aion will be launching with a maximum level of 50 -- and there was a bit of vocal inflection on the word "launching." Does this mean NCsoft plans on increasing the level cap at some point in the future? Speaking of launching, the North American and European community feedback has been extremely positive about Aion launching at version 1.5 -- the same version Korea is currently at.

As for Korea, they may be leading the development of Aion, but NA/EU feedback will affect the game's direction. NCsoft feels it is important for players all over the world to enjoy Aion. One example of western influence on the game is that it will be launching with many more instances than originally intended because apparently we're big fans of dungeons in this neck of the woods.

Continue reading SDCC 09: Aion demo and interview

MassivelySDCC 09: Aion demo and interview originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncity-of-heroescomic-coninterviewnc-westncsoftpvpvesdcc-09Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion launch party contest details revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/aion-launch-party-contest-details-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/aion-launch-party-contest-details-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/aion-launch-party-contest-details-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Do you plan on participating in the Aion beta this weekend? If not, you may want to reconsider, because NCsoft is offering a pretty amazing contest for those of you who decide to play. Here's the rub: North American players who log into the Aion closed beta this weekend (July 2nd to July 6th) and obtain level 3 are entered to win a trip to Seattle for themselves and a friend. This trip culminates at the Aion launch party at the Seattle Space Needle, where they'll also get to attend the PAX 2009 expo.

Pretty cool, right? We're sure that many of you would kill to get a chance to play Aion at all, let alone be entered into this contest. So make sure you get to at least level 3 if you're playing this weekend. You may as well if you're already going to play at all, right? And if you really want that beta key now -- but haven't had the luck to nab one -- preorder customers are given access to every beta event. You can find the page for preordering yourself a copy right here.

MassivelyAion launch party contest details revealed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbetacontestnc-westncsoftpaxpax-2009seattlespace-needleThu, 02 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion: Picking your class by personality, not numbers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/aion-picking-your-class-by-personality-not-numbers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/aion-picking-your-class-by-personality-not-numbers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/29/aion-picking-your-class-by-personality-not-numbers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


MMO players come in all shapes and sizes and boast a variety of personality traits. Picking a race, class, and faction combination in your favorite MMO can sometimes give an insightful look at the player behind the keyboard. At least, Paul Barnett thinks so: "Most of the people I've met who like Dwarfs basically look like Dwarfs."

That may be true because I'm a pretty tall and lean person and I hate playing Dwarves. Then again, my MMO history includes playing a number of Kobolds in Dark Age of Camelot and Goblins in Warhammer Online, so I could just be really strange.

While browsing the Aion community forums, we came across an interesting post. One of the board members has written up a quick and quirky guide for choosing one of the game's eight classes based on one's personality. Obviously, numbers and stats play a huge factor in making class decisions for many players, but this could be a more healthy approach.

At the very least, you will gain a better understanding of the kinds of people playing these classes, which could give you a strategic advantage when you run into them on the battlefield.

MassivelyAion: Picking your class by personality, not numbers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionclass-choiceclassesdark-age-of-camelotnc-westncsoftpaul-barnettpersonalitypersonality-traitswarhammer-onlineMon, 29 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion's first video podcast is packing lore and stunning visuals]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/22/aions-first-video-podcast-is-packing-lore-and-stunning-visuals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/22/aions-first-video-podcast-is-packing-lore-and-stunning-visuals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/22/aions-first-video-podcast-is-packing-lore-and-stunning-visuals/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Stunning indeed...
Just a couple months ago a friend told me that Aion was the biggest and baddest upcoming MMORPG that no-one in North America knew about. It broke records and won awards when it launched in Korea last year, yet hardly anyone over here was talking about it. Well, things can change quickly.

As the September launch date approaches, NCsoft has been kicking Aion promotion into high gear. Their latest marketing effort is a four-part series of video podcasts hosted by IGN. The first part came out on Friday and serves as a crash course on the lore behind Aion, Atreia, and the three main factions called the Asmodians, Elyos, and Balaur (the NPC dragon race that sets up the PvPvE system).

The video really gives you a good look at Aion's very own fourth pillar (sorry BioWare, you might have some competition here) and is full of stunning in-game footage, cinematics, and staff interviews. Closed beta is currently in full swing and we're keeping tabs on it for you.

MassivelyAion's first video podcast is packing lore and stunning visuals originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionatreialani-blazierlorenc-westncsoftstoryMon, 22 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft aims to bridge the East-West divide with Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/ncsoft-aims-to-bridge-the-east-west-divide-with-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/ncsoft-aims-to-bridge-the-east-west-divide-with-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/ncsoft-aims-to-bridge-the-east-west-divide-with-aion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Stereotypes and ingrained perceptions can be frustrating to deal with, but let's face it -- some stereotypes do exist for a reason, and this can certainly apply to games as much as to anything else. There have been no small amount of Asian import MMOs that have been localized poorly for the western market, and this has certainly left a bad taste in gamers' mouths. Localization is a major challenge for any developer, and there's a rather wide chasm between what makes a game popular in an Asian market like Korea and what players embrace in the west. The westward-bound MMO that many people are focusing on right now is Aion, from NCsoft.

The westernization of Aion is the subject of another solid interview at The MMO Gamer by Steven Crews, who sat down with Aion producer Brian "Xaen" Knox, the person largely responsible for NC West's localization of this title. Knox talks about what he sees as being the best aspects of both East and West in terms of game development, and how some western influences on Aion's design have actually proven to be successful in Korea. It's a fairly in-depth interview and hits on a number of Knox's ideas about how a game can begin to bridge the game culture divide between East and West, seen in the context of Aion. Check it out over at The MMO Gamer.

Continue reading NCsoft aims to bridge the East-West divide with Aion

MassivelyNCsoft aims to bridge the East-West divide with Aion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionasiabrian-knoxeastfantasygame-designgame-mechanicsinterviewskorealocalizationnc-westncsoftsteven-crewsthe-mmo-gamerwestxaenThu, 18 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose my Adventure: Conquering Kryta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/choose-my-adventure-conquering-kryta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/choose-my-adventure-conquering-kryta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/choose-my-adventure-conquering-kryta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Join me as I brave my way through lands unknown in an adventure dictated entirely by you, the Massively readers! Vote for everything from game played to character creation to ultimate goal and watch it unfold in a series of journals and galleries here on the site. Then, as the ultimate goal is reached, we'll do it all over again in a new game!

You voted and I listened, as this week's adventure took me through every town and outpost in the entire Krytan area. Eight cities later, I'm here to beg for more!

I found it very interesting that the readers wanted me to stay in Kryta and finish out the exploration of this area. It either means that you want me to take my time and do things the right way (although I did run down to Sanctum Cay and Riverside Province from Temple of the Ages), or you simply want my time in Guild Wars to last a bit longer. Either way, I'm here to do your bidding! Speaking of that, it's time to vote for next week's goal! Click through after the jump and let me know what will be next for our beloved Moira Zonk. Also be sure to check out her ongoing in-character journal and gallery, starting this week as she leaves Lion's Arch.

Gallery: Choose my Adventure: Guild Wars

As I arrived in Ascalon CityMy first battleAshford awaitsDevonaMy choices in profession

Continue reading Choose my Adventure: Conquering Kryta

MassivelyChoose my Adventure: Conquering Kryta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetchoose-my-adventurefeaturedguild-warsnc-westncsoftWed, 17 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion NDA drop and first database revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/16/aion-nda-drop-and-first-database-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/16/aion-nda-drop-and-first-database-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/16/aion-nda-drop-and-first-database-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We just received the official word from NC West and can confirm that the North American NDA has dropped for Aion. This is great news for the 5% of testers who exhibited enough self-control to uphold the NDA, while the other 95% spoke freely as if it didn't exist at all. Some bloggers even took the loophole approach and downloaded the Chinese client so they could share their early impressions without breaking the NDA.

We can expect to see all sorts of new goodies release now that the NDA is no more. One such tool is called the Aion Armory, which is a database project partnership between AionSource and Curse. Anyone familiar with WARDB or WOWDB will find themselves quite at home on this site. AionSource also opened a new free guide subforum you may want to check out before participating in the Asmodian beta event taking place this weekend.

An early September release is looking more and more likely every day.

MassivelyAion NDA drop and first database revealed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-armoryaionsourcebetacursedatabasehalyconimpressionsnc-westncsoftndawardbwowdbTue, 16 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jaeho Lee moving to Seattle, not running NC West from Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/jaeho-lee-moving-to-seattle-not-running-nc-west-from-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/jaeho-lee-moving-to-seattle-not-running-nc-west-from-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/jaeho-lee-moving-to-seattle-not-running-nc-west-from-korea/#commentsFiled under: ,


When the news came out last week that Jaeho Lee, former chief financial officer for NCsoft, would be taking over as CEO of NCsoft West, a lot of people (including press) assumed that he would be calling the shots from Korea -- after all, NCsoft had said that the change was about "global management" and working together across business units. However, we are now being told that Lee will make the journey to Seattle to join the NCsoft West team. In response to the earlier reports of NCsoft shifting leadership of its Western division to Korea, a rep had this to say to Gamasutra:

"Jaeho Lee is moving to Seattle, so nothing has shifted except him. A similar change of personnel happened in our Japan office, so this was a strategic move on the part of our headquarters in Seoul to streamline global management."

The rep also mentioned that Lee ran other departments such as marketing and production while in his position as chief financial officer.

MassivelyJaeho Lee moving to Seattle, not running NC West from Korea originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceochief-financial-officeglobal-managementjaeho-leekoreanc-westncsoftncsoft-westseattleTue, 19 May 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft West gets a new CEO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/ncsoft-west-gets-a-new-ceo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/ncsoft-west-gets-a-new-ceo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/ncsoft-west-gets-a-new-ceo/#commentsFiled under: ,


There's been another shift in the staffing over at NCsoft West. This time, former CEO Chris Chung will be moving aside to let Jaeho Lee take his place. Lee was the chief financial officer of NCsoft, and his appointment at NC West was made with the intention of improving the subsidiary's communication with home base in Korea. NCsoft's corporate PR director Jae Sung Lee gave a comment to Kotaku regarding the move:

"As part of the corporation's global strategy, global management grows increasingly important, and the need to work together across business units becomes paramount to our success. This personnel change increases our ability in each market to remain competitive."

Chris Chung hasn't been turfed out on to the front doorstep as a result of the move and will remain where he is at NCsoft West, albeit with a lesser job title.

MassivelyNCsoft West gets a new CEO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceocfochief-executive-officerchief-financial-officerchris-chungjaeho-leenc-westncsoftncsoft-westncwestFri, 15 May 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Secondary class balance is the focus of this month's Guild Wars dev blog]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/secondary-class-balance-is-the-focus-of-this-months-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/secondary-class-balance-is-the-focus-of-this-months-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/secondary-class-balance-is-the-focus-of-this-months-guild-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


This month's skill balance for Guild Wars provides a refocus to a few aspects of the game: namely Guild vs Guild battles and the importance of secondary professions. For GvG, ArenaNet has decided to ditch the additional health bonus given to Guild Lords during a morale boost. They've also tweaked the Amulet of Protection to reach maximum damage at around 12 minutes instead of 22 minutes. These changes were put in place to steer GvG gameplay away from rushing the Guild Lord immediately and balance the action throughout the match.

The secondary profession balance is mostly set up with skill usage in mind. Since there are literally hundreds of thousands of skill combination choices available in the game, the developers thought it necessary to take measures to enforce primary profession choice. This is certain to change the way energy pools are managed and Elite skills are used. You can view the detailed developer diary for February to get more details on this month's changes.

MassivelySecondary class balance is the focus of this month's Guild Wars dev blog originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetdev-blogdeveloper-diaryelite-skillsguild-warsgvgnc-westncsoftskill-balanceWed, 11 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Official details on the NCsoft Europe layoffs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/official-details-on-the-ncsoft-europe-layoffs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/official-details-on-the-ncsoft-europe-layoffs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/official-details-on-the-ncsoft-europe-layoffs/#commentsFiled under: ,


As the news and confirmations are trickling in from this morning's layoffs at NCsoft Europe, we're happy to report that we were contacted by NCsoft regarding complete information and an official word on the situation. Apparently, according to the press release after the jump, this is more of a restructuring within the company as the NCsoft Europe studio is transitioned into more of a marketing hub for the company.

We also had a brief chat with a former NCsoft employee who confirmed the layoffs. This un-named source says that the Community Team, the Creative Services team, the Web Development team, Localization and a handful of others from various teams have been let go. But as confirmed in the official statement, these employees were offered other positions within the company, which is certainly a silver lining to this story. This person also stated that neither Aion nor Guild Wars 2 are in any trouble, as they're actually the largest focus of the company now. Read below the jump for the official word from NCsoft and let us know your opinion in the comments below.

Continue reading Official details on the NCsoft Europe layoffs

MassivelyOfficial details on the NCsoft Europe layoffs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbreakingbreakingnewsguild-wars-2layoffsnc-westncsoftWed, 11 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft Europe cuts 70 jobs at Brighton office]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/ncsoft-europe-cuts-70-jobs-at-brighton-office/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/ncsoft-europe-cuts-70-jobs-at-brighton-office/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/ncsoft-europe-cuts-70-jobs-at-brighton-office/#commentsFiled under:


In the continuing saga of NCsoft, we get word that their European office in Brighton, UK has just laid off around 70 employees this morning. This new comes straight out of the offices themselves, and a short write-up over at GamesIndustry.biz. While the details have yet to be confirmed by NCsoft officials, it is said that only a handful of employees remain at the office.

All of this news rides on the heels of last year's news regarding NCsoft's first round of layoffs and the closing of Tabula Rasa later this month. Does this mean an eventual closing of the office completely? Will this affect the development of future NCsoft products such as Aion or Guild Wars 2? None of this is known at this time, but be sure to keep your eye on Massively for any breaking new developments in this story.

[Update: The original GamesIndustry.biz story has been removed and replaced.]

MassivelyNCsoft Europe cuts 70 jobs at Brighton office originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingbreakingnewslayoffsnc-westncsoftncsoft-europeWed, 11 Feb 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars announces plans for 2009]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/guild-wars-announces-plans-for-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/guild-wars-announces-plans-for-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/guild-wars-announces-plans-for-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The team at Guild Wars has just released their newest developer update, which explains ArenaNet's plans with the game throughout 2009. This was something that was alluded to in community manager Regina Buenaobra's wiki journal last week, and speculated upon in the major Guild Wars forums. Now the word is out, and it seems promising for the majority of Guild Wars fans.

First off, the team plans to restructure their content updates and be more open about what they're working on. Their Live Team is expanding and their new goal is to release new content in "fewer yet more substantial updates". So what can we expect in the coming months? In April, a few new features will be implemented for players, including increases to account-based storage, improvements to character-based storage and account-based changes to the Hall of Monuments.

Be sure to read the entire dev update for complete information on the new direction of Guild Wars in 2009.

MassivelyGuild Wars announces plans for 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009arenanetcontentguild-warsnc-westncsoftplansstorageThu, 15 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is no news really good news?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/the-daily-grind-is-no-news-really-good-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/the-daily-grind-is-no-news-really-good-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/the-daily-grind-is-no-news-really-good-news/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Now that the holiday season is winding down and it's almost back to business in the new year, we're starting to seriously consider our MMO options. I understand that games, especially MMOs, take several years to develop from concept to launch. I understand that the game's entire premise can change dramatically throughout the development process, so revealing early details could prove damaging. I also understand how over-hype can kill a game when it doesn't live up to expectations. Yet, does a complete lack of information and veil of secrecy hurt more than it helps?

The most glaring example of this is Guild Wars 2. The sequel was first mentioned in March of 2007, and little else was said about it since then. Human nature takes over and fans who genuinely care about the direction of the game can do nothing but speculate from there.

Continue reading The Daily Grind: Is no news really good news?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is no news really good news? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warsguild-wars-2nc-westncsoftspeculationthe-daily-grindTue, 30 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars skill balance targets Elites]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/guild-wars-skill-balance-targets-elites/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/guild-wars-skill-balance-targets-elites/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/guild-wars-skill-balance-targets-elites/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


If you've noticed a change in your Guild Wars Elite skills since yesterday, there's a good reason. The folks at ArenaNet are in the midst of a pretty hefty overhaul to the Elite skills, and yesterday kicked off the first update in the process.

As an accompaniment to this update, an extensive dev diary has been released, detailing the entire process for a skill balance of this magnitude. There are three main factors that need to be taken into consideration when looking at which Elites to change: The skill has to be generally unused across all formats, all professions should have about the same number of updates and the skill has to be weak regardless of trends in the game. A skill that's strong as a counter to certain PvP builds but not others would not generally qualify, according to the dev diary.

Be sure to check out this complete dev diary for more information on the process and which skills in each class were changed exactly.

MassivelyGuild Wars skill balance targets Elites originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetelite-skillselitesguild-warsgwnc-westncsoftskill-balanceskill-updateFri, 12 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars Wintersday 2008 event goes live December 19th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/guild-wars-wintersday-2008-event-goes-live-december-19th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/guild-wars-wintersday-2008-event-goes-live-december-19th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/guild-wars-wintersday-2008-event-goes-live-december-19th/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


ArenaNet has announced today that its fourth annual Wintersday Event will officially launch on Friday, December 19th, 2008 at noon Pacific Time (-8 GMT). It will continue until noon Pacific Time on January 5th, 2009 and feature a finale event every three hours on Wintersday itself, which is January 1st.

Here's a basic run-down of the Wintersday 2008 features:

  • The Eye of the North expansion area will be decorated for the first time ever.
  • The festivities will take place in the Ebon Vanguard's Tower, Lion's Arch, Kamadan, Droknar's Forge and Ascalon City.
  • Several PvE and PvP snowball fights including arenas, tournaments and an all-new 8v8 ATS-style Snowball Tournament.
  • Brand new chain of quests in Eye of the North, in addition to the quests from previous Wintersdays.
  • Choose to kindly give away presents to children for Dwayna or destroy them in the name of Grenth.
  • In addition to the usual party favors, candy canes, tonics and other buff-enhancing items, this year presents some all-new tonics and summoning stones for all to enjoy.
  • The return of the Candysmiths and the Polar Bear mini-pet.
  • New special holiday-themed headgear will make a traditional appearance, as well as a special surprise awaiting those who complete all four Eye of the North quests.

So mark your calendars for December 19th and get ready to choose your side. Will you fight for Dwayna or Grenth?

MassivelyGuild Wars Wintersday 2008 event goes live December 19th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetguild-warsholidaync-westncsoftwintersdaywintersday-2008Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet's Linsey Murdock speaks out on recent Guild Wars update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/arenanet-s-linsey-murdock-speaks-out-on-recent-guild-wars-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/arenanet-s-linsey-murdock-speaks-out-on-recent-guild-wars-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/26/arenanet-s-linsey-murdock-speaks-out-on-recent-guild-wars-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The large, now-infamous balance update for Guild Wars two weeks ago is still causing a buzz among players, so Ravious at Kill Ten Rats took this opportunity to interview ArenaNet's Linsey Murdock to discuss the process and effect that these changes have had so far.

Murdock explains the importance of this update and some of her favorite or most-anticipated aspects. Of special note is the mention of the Luxon and Kurzick Challenge Mission reward changes, and how she hopes that it will actually get players back into those areas introduced with Guild Wars' first chapter, Factions. Check out the entire interview for a walkthrough of the update process and more from one of ArenaNet's most important Live Team game designers.

MassivelyArenaNet's Linsey Murdock speaks out on recent Guild Wars update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetbalancefactionsguild-warskill-ten-ratslinsey-murdocknc-westncsoftpatchupdateWed, 26 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa's subscriber rewards explained]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/tabula-rasas-subscriber-rewards-explained/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/tabula-rasas-subscriber-rewards-explained/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/tabula-rasas-subscriber-rewards-explained/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


As we're still digesting the sad news from earlier today of Tabula Rasa's demise, some may have overlooked, or simply become confused about the special rewards that NCsoft is offering their current TR subscribers. We thought it only fair for us to explain them a bit.

First off, it's important to note that all of these goodies are only available to people who were subscribed to Tabula Rasa at the time of this announcement. That's right. There was no warning, or time to prepare. They are rewarding those who have stayed subscribed to the game, rightfully so.

Continue reading Tabula Rasa's subscriber rewards explained

MassivelyTabula Rasa's subscriber rewards explained originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncity-of-heroesdestination-gameslineage-2nc-westncsofttabula-rasatrFri, 21 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST