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Project Triniate attempts to put an MMO on a Nintendo 3DS

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, New titles, Browser, Mobile

There have been plenty of attempts at creating MMOs on mobile platforms, but so far those have been largely confined to smartphones, tablets, and iPod Touches. Enter Project Triniate, an MMO aiming to release on Nintendo's 3DS handheld platform by developer Robdeprop of 3DSPlaza.com.

Since the 3DS can't handle Java or Flash, the idea is that the player uses the system's browser to navigate to the official website and use the website to run the game instead. The title looks like a top-down 2-D game that relies on the stylus for any in-game conversations.

While interesting, it's certainly a long shot; even the developer says that it might not be released. Still, if you have a 3DS you can currently give the game a try -- for a buck, that is. Check out a demo video of Project Triniate after the jump.

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Project Triniate attempts to put an MMO on a Nintendo 3DS originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Free-to-play MMO versions of your favorite Nintendo games

Beau Hindman — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Races, Casual, Humor, Kids, Free for All, Family, Miscellaneous

I have to be honest -- I wasn't the biggest Nintendo fan. I grew up right as the whole thing was really smashing and keeping kids glued to their TVs, but I generally went outside and played more than stayed inside and played games. (Odd, huh?) Still, I had my fun with certain titles. Contra rocked my boat, along with Kid Icarus and a bit of Mario Brothers. My friends, on the other hand, were full members of the Nintendo nation. They subcribed to the magazine, played the same games for hours and hours, and generally acted as though the fate of the real world hung in the balance as they attacked that last boss monster.

Stylistically, the games have left a mark on the genre. Many of those same titles still sell as well, some of them reaching so many variations that I lost track a long, long time ago. I thought it might be fun to list off some free-to-play MMOs that remind me of those old classics. See what you think, and leave any suggestions in the comments section!

Continue reading Free for All: Free-to-play MMO versions of your favorite Nintendo games

Free for All: Free-to-play MMO versions of your favorite Nintendo games originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft may be working on a Wii U MMO

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, Consoles, Rumors

Could Ubisoft be developing an MMO for Nintendo's upcoming Wii U, of all platforms? There are a few indications that, yes, the studio is indeed doing just that.

The first step in the puzzle comes from Ubisoft's Emile Gauthier, who posted the following tweet yesterday: "Ubisoft Quebec is working on a NEW AAA MMORPG Game and we need people to fill these very strategic positions."

The link attached sends readers to Ubisoft's Facebook page, where a number of recently posted job descriptions are listed. These jobs include Senior Engine Programmer (Wii U -- AAA title), Network Programmer (Wii U -- AAA title), Tools Programmer (AAA MMO), Online Game Design Project Manager, Programmer Gameplay (MMO AAA), and Animation Art Director (MMO AAA). Since all of these have been lumped together and added within a few days of each other, one might come to the conclusion that it is for the same game -- a Wii U MMO.

Of course, the MMO and Wii U title may turn out to be two separate projects, but in any case we're interested to see what Ubisoft has planned for our favorite game genre.

Ubisoft may be working on a Wii U MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo patents "Massively Single-Player" term

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, News items

Despite the fact that this may be the first time you've ever seen Nintendo mentioned on Massively, it may not be the last. According to an article at Gamespot, the 121-year-old Japanese console company has patented the term "massively single-player" to define a new genre of games that they hope to create.

The basic idea is that you would play a single-player game, and (through an internet connection) what you do in that game would influence the environment or economy of the same game on someone else's console. Nintendo gives several examples of how this would work, including the construction of housing in a neighborhood, oil supply and demand, and even gossip, without those pesky "other players" messing up your game. The patent mentions the fact that people who share the same friends list may be able to see each other (much like Fable III does), but other than that, it's not so much the other players you see, but only their effects on the game's world.

Does this sound like something you'd be interested in checking out, as an MMO fan? Let us know in the comments below.

Nintendo patents "Massively Single-Player" term originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What classic console game would you like to see made into an MMO?

Jef Reahard — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Consoles

I recently came across an old 8-bit Nintendo on an excursion to the deep, dark recesses of my attic. Soon after, I stumbled upon a Super NES as well as a treasure trove of old game cartridges. After a few minutes of fumbling around with RCA cables, RF adapters, and finally a trip to the local Radio Shack, I managed to get both systems up and running.

A weekend of classic gaming ensued, and as is typical, I set about imagining which old console favorites might make for worthwhile transitions into the realm of the MMORPG. Thus far the Final Fantasy franchise is the most noteworthy console property to make the jump, but there are others -- from multiple platforms -- that would likely make for appealing massively multiplayer settings as well as trigger the nostalgia meter in many an older gamer. Today's Daily Grind is all about your favorite classic console titles. Specifically, which game(s) would you like to see made into an MMO?

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

The Daily Grind: What classic console game would you like to see made into an MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Zelda about to hit the MMO space?

Larry Everett — Thu, 26 May 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Rumors

The land of Hyrule may be invading your computer very soon -- or maybe you will be invading it. Nintendo, creator of the console hit the Legend of Zelda, has just registered for an ESRB rating for a game called Zelda Universe. According to the ESRB website, this mysterious game has received an "E" rating with "violence" as the only descriptive text, but the game is listed as "online." Although all other Nintendo games have a console listed along with the rating, this particular title does not. This could very well mean that everyone's favorite adventurer will appear in an MMORPG.

The official website for the Legend of Zelda games is called Zelda Universe, but the Entertainment Software Rating Board is not in the habit of handing out ratings to online content unless that content is also a game. Perhaps this is one of the big announcements Nintendo will reveal in its presentation at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in less than 12 days.

Is Zelda about to hit the MMO space? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: Your journeys, part 2

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Interviews, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous

This is the end, my only friend, the end. Of our elaborate plans, the end. Of everything that MOOs, the end. No safety or aggro radius, the end.

Man, listening to The Doors early in the morning does not put you in a happy state of writing, let me tell you!

In any case, we've extended our MUD/MU* month here on the Game Archaeologist Channel to include a few more first-hand testimonies of Massively readers' favorite text-based MMOs. As much as anything else we've talked about in this column, it's vital that we not forget the roots from which our current MMOs were born nor neglect to take the opportunity to expose a whole new generation to a graphically simpler but textually richer experience.

So let's kick the tires and light the fires of nostalgia as we talk with five of the baddest MUDders you'll ever know!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: Your journeys, part 2

The Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: Your journeys, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Uncharted Waters Online heads to open beta

Beau Hindman — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Historical, Real life, New titles, PvP, PvE, Free-to-play, Casual

Starting on October 1st, eager players will be able to jump into the open beta waters of Uncharted Waters Online. If you are a fan of Pirates of the Burning Sea, then you have an idea of what to expect with UWO. The game has a long history, stemming all the way back to a 1991 Nintendo title. This version is imported from Korea, where the game has enjoyed three years of hosting happy pirates.

If you're an options player, then you'll more-than-likely enjoy UWO. While you can always fall back on combat or adventuring for your pirating needs, you can also explore and discover new areas and items, craft goods to sell, or become a trader.

Of course, with job names like treasure hunter, master explorer, guerrilla or folklorist, you will have many other options to explore. The game also has a rich PvP system and weather that can actually hinder your adventuring. There will be a pre-load client available on September 29th for those of us who can't wait to get back to the stormy seas!

Uncharted Waters Online heads to open beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Avast ye landlubbers: Uncharted Waters Online ahead!

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Interviews, New titles, Hands-on

A month ago we heard that the folks at TECHMO KOEI are bringing Uncharted Waters Online, a three-year-old pirate MMO from Korea, to North America. As we do with all piratey things, we waved our hooks in the air and demanded that they tell us more -- or else face our ire and walk the plank. While they didn't respond to garish pirate threats, KOEI was moved by "Pretty please?" and gave us a glimpse into the high seas and low talk of this popular title.

Uncharted Waters Online is actually the latest in a long series of Uncharted Waters games, dating all the way back to a 1991 Nintendo title. Each game has dealt with a romanticized version of the Age of Exploration (14th through 16th century), and this MMO is no different. If you're familiar with games like Sid Meier's Pirates! and Pirates of the Burning Sea, you have a good idea what you're in for: trading, exploration, and a whole lot of ship-on-ship violence.

Hit the jump for a deeper look at Uncharted Waters Online!

Continue reading Avast ye landlubbers: Uncharted Waters Online ahead!

Avast ye landlubbers: Uncharted Waters Online ahead! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO tops Japan's sales charts on the Xbox 360

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Consoles

In the world of console gaming, Japan tends to strongly support their hometown champions -- although whether or not the sprawling multinational corporate behemoths of Nintendo and Sony actually need that suppport is debatable. Microsoft's Xbox 360 has generally faced slow sales in the nation and a lack of popular games on the platform. But it's gotten a boost from the strong sales of Monster Hunter Frontier Online, an MMO exclusive to the platform that's made it to the top of the Japanese sale charts. Not out of all Xbox games -- out of the entire country.

The newest installment of the long-running series is a port of a 2007 PC version, beating out several other strong contenders for the countrywide sales figures. Although the Monster Hunter series has been popular in Japan, there's no word on the MMO being released outside of the country. Still, it seems a good sign that you can sell good numbers for a ported game on an unpopular console -- something Square-Enix may well want to consider for the future.

MMO tops Japan's sales charts on the Xbox 360 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: The expo in pictures

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Events, real-world, Massively Event Coverage

We have a saying around the Massively offices -- "When we go to a show, our readers go to the show." We hope you guys have really enjoyed our crazy coverage of GDC10 as much as we enjoyed running around the show like crazy people grabbing all of that information.

But, while we were running around, we got some great photos from the show for you! Now you too can live the experience of running from booth to booth, passing legions upon legions of companies explaining their newest technologies and how they can improve your gaming experience.

So come along with us for a whirlwind trip through GDC! Trust us, it's exciting.

Gallery: GDC10: Pictures from the floor

GDC10: The expo in pictures originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virtual worlds for kids an ever-growing market

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Virtual worlds

Kids -- particularly tweens -- are big business today, with an ever-larger percentage of the family budget being used for and influenced by this age group. Smart businesses everywhere are hurrying to get in on the gold mine, and MMO gaming is no exception. MMOs and virtual worlds like Free Realms and Club Penguin are enjoying growing success, and there is still plenty of room on the bandwagon.

More and more MMO companies are turning an eye to console development, and that road runs both ways: The Escapist took a look at the possibility of upcoming virtual worlds for the 8-12 year old market. The focus was on franchises that have traditionally been known to be console only, particularly those coming from Nintendo. Nintendo enjoys a nearly unshakable hold on the young casual console gamer market, thanks mostly to the Mario franchise.

A virtual world filled with Mario and all of his friends? Why not? Take a look at what The Escapist has to say on the matter.

Virtual worlds for kids an ever-growing market originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMOrigins: Dissection of a gamer

Brooke Pilley — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, MMOrigins

The Misty Mountains
You are on a steep rocky slope and just above lies the remnants of an ancient rock slide. Far below you can see the Redhorn pass through breaks in tree canopy as well as the winding Anduin River. The sky is overcast, with a strong northerly wind raining down icy lances. The air is thin, making it difficult to breathe.
*Labero the Black Numenorean* is here riding a pack horse tending his wounds.

o S W C Move: Tired> Backstab $target
You begin to silently move behind your victim...

Oh the memories! That text-based multi-user dungeon (MUD) experience may have been the most influential on my gaming career, but it certainly wasn't the first. No, for that we'd have to travel back in time several more years; the day I unwrapped my first gaming console. It was a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the year was 1989. Follow me as I take a trip down memory lane and recount the main influencers on my MMO timeline.

Continue reading MMOrigins: Dissection of a gamer

MMOrigins: Dissection of a gamer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What do a treadmill, bike tire, and Wiimote have in common?

Brooke Pilley — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Aion, Humor

ManaEnergyPotions.com has combined three seemingly unrelated inanimate objects into a dangerous contraption rivaling that of a medieval torture device: the Aion fitness machine! Okay, we'll admit that it's actually kind of cool even though we don't think there's a huge market for MMO-related exercise equipment just yet. (/munches on Cheetos and /sips Coke guilt-free, while /relaxing in comfy chair.)

In an experiment worthy of the pages of Popular Mechanics, these fellows interfaced a basic treadmill, road bicycle tire, and two modded Nintendo Wiimotes with a PC running NCsoft's newest MMO, Aion. It's really only one stick of gum and a few matchsticks short of Richard Dean Anderson material folks.

Anyway, running on the treadmill propels your character forward and flapping your arms while holding two Wii-motes makes your character fly. They also mapped various controller buttons to directional commands and use a mounted keyboard for combat. Take that Billy Blanks! Check out a video after the cut and head on over to Mana Energy Potion for the "system specs."

Continue reading What do a treadmill, bike tire, and Wiimote have in common?

What do a treadmill, bike tire, and Wiimote have in common? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Once you play MMORPGs, can you ever go back to single-player RPGs?

Brooke Pilley — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, The Daily Grind, Consoles, Roleplaying

Before MMOs came around, I used to be a pretty active single-player RPG gamer. My platform of choice was the console but I eventually got into a few PC titles as well.

One of the first games I got into on the Nintendo Entertainment System was Dragon Warrior in 1989 (for reference, I was 9 years old). That eventually led to Final Fantasy, Crystalis, and a few others throughout the early 90s. I eventually upgraded to a Sony Playstation and gorged on a smattering of RPGs, chief among them Final Fantasy VII. Life was great (if somewhat geeky) and I didn't see any signs of my tastes changing any time soon.

Then my friend introduced me to a PK MUD in 1996 and my tastes did change. Obviously, I was a huge fan of RPGs at this stage in my life but this was my very first taste of a multi-player RPG. I was hooked. RPG lovers are big fans of stats, strategy, and story. Online RPGs give you all that and an additional sense of community, collaboration, and competition.

Whenever I try going through solo RPGs or even solo action games like God of War or Resident Evil (series) these days, I just feel like there's something missing and can barely stomach playing. For some reason, I feel like I'm wasting time, which is strange because I realize gaming is just as viable a hobby as anything else. Perhaps MMOs give me the sense that many people are wasting time so perhaps it isn't so bad? It's hard to put a finger on it.

So, I'm curious; once you've played (and enjoyed) MMORPGs, can you ever go back to (and enjoy) single-player RPGs? I know I can't anymore due in large part to the three missing C's.

The Daily Grind: Once you play MMORPGs, can you ever go back to single-player RPGs? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard bumps Nintendo off #1 spot on Develop's top 100 studios list

William Dobson — Tue, 12 May 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO industry, News items

Develop Magazine releases a list every year of the 100 most bankable game studios in the world, known as the Develop 100. The list for 2009 has just gone out, and guess who has moved up in the world? Going from #47 last year all the way to the top this year is Blizzard Entertainment -- you know, those chaps that are responsible for World of Warcraft, among other things. Fellow money-printing outfit Nintendo was relegated to second place due to this mighty ascension.

Our sister-site WoW Insider did a bit of digging to find out why Blizzard jumped so much in a single year. It seems to be due to a few things combined; Blizzard's Activision merger, the release of Wrath of the Lich King, and a change in the way Develop is calculating their figures, particularly in relation to MMOs. Here's a summary of the judging standards found on the Develop 100 page:

Develop 100 ranks the world's most bankable games development studios based on a variety of key criteria including sales data, critical success and industry standing.

Things get a bit wonky when it comes to sales data and MMOs, due to significant revenue coming from subscriptions and online purchases instead of retail sales. WotLK's release and resulting retail sales undoubtedly had a great deal to do with Blizzard's new number one standing, and we wonder how old Blizz' would have fared on the Develop 100 without a new box to put on store shelves. Regardless, they're the champions for 2009. For those interested, the top 5 in order are: Blizzard Entertainment, Nintendo, Rockstar North, EA Canada, and Capcom.

Blizzard bumps Nintendo off #1 spot on Develop's top 100 studios list originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 May 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Digital Continuum: Free Realms is missing one key class

Kyle Horner — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Digital Continuum, Free Realms

There are a lot of Jobs in Free Realms, but of all the job types available there's one in particular that's nowhere to be seen. Why SOE hasn't done everything within their power to launch with a monster battler job is beyond me. Maybe legal can't decide on whether or not to include berets as a costume option.

Moreover, when will it be added, if such a thing ever occurs? Surely the developers would be crazy to design a free-to-play "Mommy can I borrow your credit card?" online game without considering the power of capturing, leveling, evolving and battling monsters.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Free Realms is missing one key class

The Digital Continuum: Free Realms is missing one key class originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft is for "hardcore" young male gamers

Seraphina Brennan — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business models, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Humor

Yes. That's right. The most accessible MMO is too hardcore for the standard audience, according to Forbes.com and Rob Hutter of the recently unveiled Gazillion Entertainment. In a recent interview with Hutter, he was quoted as saying that the MMO market could expand outside of "targeting the hardcore gamer demographic," using World of Warcraft as his main example.

Forbes.com paraphrased him as saying, "...Most people unaccustomed to MMOs might be intimidated by complex games like 'Warcraft,' Hutter says trends in technology suggest the audience for simple, well-designed games will grow quickly. The runaway success of Nintendo's Wii proved virgin gamers will try new titles if they are easy to play, while the boom in social networks like Facebook suggests people of all ages are looking for new ways to interact online, he says."

While we understand what he's getting at and can appreciate trying to target gamers outside of the main demographic, we think he might need to pick a better example next time. WoW can be intimidating for first time users, but something must have clicked with the non-hardcore gaming crowd as many of them have stuck around in Azeroth. Unless, of course, all 11 million of the World of Warcraft subscribers have suddenly become hardcore male gaming nerds, and those newbies in our guilds are simply the stuff of illusion.

[Via Hardcore Casual]

World of Warcraft is for "hardcore" young male gamers originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What does "MMO" mean, anyway?

Samuel Axon — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind

What is an MMO, and what isn't? There was the central question in a hearty debate in the Massively offices yesterday after some of us watched (or attended) the Nintendo and Sony E3 press conferences. It's an old question, but it's all the more relevant in the context of E3 this year.

At the Nintendo conference, a game called Animal Crossing: City Folk was announced for the Wii. In that game, each player has his or her own persistent town hosted on Nintendo's servers. There are likely thousands of players, but only four players can be in each town at a time. Is Animal Crossing: City Folk an MMO? On one hand, you have thousands of players in persistent worlds. On the other: only four players per world? That doesn't sound very massive! We decided it's not, but what do you think?

A couple of hours later, Sony announced a PlayStation 3 game called MAG, which stands for "Massive Action Game." In MAG, up to 256 players battle over control points in a persistent battlefield. There's even character advancement. Is MAG an MMO? That depends on just how many players have to be in the world for it to be called "massive," doesn't it? You might say that there should be thousands. Then again, some first generation MMOs like Meridian 59 didn't usually have much more than a couple hundred people on each server. Tough call?

The Daily Grind: What does "MMO" mean, anyway? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E308: Animal Crossing Wii adds MMOG elements, but not an MMO

Krystalle Voecks — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, Opinion, Consoles, Casual, Virtual worlds

While nobody is entirely surprised that Nintendo decided to bring Animal Crossing to the Wii, the concepts behind this new title are curious from our viewpoint. Animal Crossing: City Folk appears to be an interesting combination of Wii gaming and MMOG/virtual world elements. Sadly this does not appear to be the MMO many were hoping for, but it is certainly a good first step towards that eventual end. In Animal Crossing: City Folk, there will be many elements familiar to MMO players: auction houses for player to player sales, in-game housing that others may visit, and the ability to send player mail not just in-game, but also to mobile phones -- even what appears to be some grindy trade-skills -- all in a perpetual-styled world. It does not have the massive elements, however, so it falls into multiplayer as opposed to massively muliplayer.

Sorry, Animal Crossing fans. Looks like we'll be waiting for a while to see if an Animal Crossing MMO (ever) hits. of course, as far as developing the potential to create such a game, this looks to be a really great first step. Well, after they ditch the friend codes.

E308: Animal Crossing Wii adds MMOG elements, but not an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Who's your dream developer?

Kyle Horner — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind

If you could have any developer tackle an MMO project, who would it be? There are a lot of great developers out there who've never -- as far as we know -- tried their hand at the genre. In fact, recently both Sid Meier and Gabe Newell have expressed their interest in creating MMOs. So there's always the dream of seeing a Valve MMO or even something based on the Civilation franchise as well. However, there's still plenty of other developers that we'd love to see tackle the genre. Bungie, Rockstar, Insomniac and Relic Entertainment are a few that come to mind. There's also long shots like Nintendo or Epic Games, too.

With so much money being made in the MMO market, we wonder if it's only a matter of time until a high profile developer can pitch a crazily-yet-awesomely different MMO concept and see it published and released into the wild. Maybe we'll even get a game out of

The Daily Grind: Who's your dream developer? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq looks at South Korea's PC Baang culture

Matt Warner — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry

No PlayStation, No Nintendo, No Sega. In a sprawling metropolis on the brink of a technological revolution what place would eschew console gaming? It was South Korea, and for the longest time there was an embargo against Japanese made imports. In the embargo's wake an unstoppable PC gaming utopia and a molding of an anomalous social culture evolved. With the government push for broadband access and the proliferation of PC Baangs, online PC-game rooms, a remarkable 70% of South Korean internet users have played some kind of MMOG.

The Korean MMOG invasion on the western market has spurned resentment but some MMOs like Nexon's Maple Story found a successful niche. What is fascinating, are not the endless failed imports or the lucky few that do succeed in the US but the radical differences in our gaming cultures. Joystiq's Geoffrey Brooks is residing in Seoul, South Korea for the summer. Indulging his senses in this part of the world Brook posits about South Korea's PC Baangs and the masterful technological wired revolution and contrasts it to the lagging-behind United States. It's a must read, especially if you know nothing of the PC gaming culture in South Korea other than asking "isn't Starcraft big there?"

Joystiq looks at South Korea's PC Baang culture originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Nintendo to reveal Animal Crossing MMO at E3

Mike Schramm — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, New titles, Consoles, Casual, Animal Crossing, Rumors

The picture above comes from the latest edition of the UK Nintendo Power, and the tag line up in the corner says "It's been a while. It's time to revisit an old friend. How's your village doing these days?" Looks like news about the Animal Crossing MMO for the Wii is just around the corner.

And you know what else is just around the corner? E3. The Nintendo Power issue is using the image, which is actually art for the old DS version (here's hoping we'll see actual Miis in the new Animal Crossing), as a teaser for next month, and it's a pretty good guess that by the time next month rolls around, Nintendo will have told us something about the new version at E3. Massively will be there of course, so we'll keep our eyes open.

Tom Nook is about to own your soul again -- but this time, he'll do it online.

Rumor: Nintendo to reveal Animal Crossing MMO at E3 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't expect World of Warcraft on the PS3 or Xbox 360 ever

Matt Warner — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Business models, MMO industry, Opinion, Consoles

Blizzard Entertainment's Rob Pardo is a bona fide Rockstar in the gaming industry. In his recent keynote speech at the Game Developer's Conference at the Paris GDC he continued to indirectly extinguish rumors that suggested World of Warcraft is coming to a Console, rumors that stretch back years. While not specifically talking about World of Warcraft, when Pardo was asked what kept MMOs from Consoles he responded:

"Lack of hard drive space, and difficulty in certifying patches. Basically just that.... another problem is that they want a piece of the subscriptions (laughs)."

That's a simplistic answer coming from the Executive VP of Design at Blizzard Entertainment, but there it is laid out in plain sight, a truth even if shared in a humorous fashion. Giving Microsoft or Sony residuals, most likely a big chunk is one thing keeping World of Warcraft off Consoles. Is that a bad thing? No, but Blizzard could be missing something here, and just maybe Rob Pardo is plain wrong about what's keeping MMOs away from Consoles. It's simple really...

Continue reading Don't expect World of Warcraft on the PS3 or Xbox 360 ever

Don't expect World of Warcraft on the PS3 or Xbox 360 ever originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA's Paul Barnett pegs the Wii as the first MMO-friendly console

Michael Zenke — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Consoles

Both Microsoft and Sony have big plans for the MMO genre on their respective consoles. Games like Huxley and Age of Conan are slated for the 360, and NCsoft's pairing with the Japanese hardware giant could mean any number of new games for the PlayStation 3. The console company that has remained silent on the MMO front so far is, of course, Nintendo. The Wii hardly seems like the ideal platform for a massively multiplayer experience, the possibilities of Pokemon aside.

Just the same, EA Mythic's Paul Barnett recently singled out Nintendo as the most likely to capitalize on the console possibilities of MMOs. Barnett notes that the dominance of one game has resulted in very specific thinking about the genre. As a result, game makers are having trouble concepting an online experience to be console-based from the ground up. Nintendo, Barnett feels, could overcome this hurdle. "The best example I can find for a perpetual online console game is Rock Band, with it Xbox Live community store. It's somewhere in there. I don't know what it is, but that's perhaps the closest I've seen to convincing console people to do things together, to do things online, to do things that cost money, to earn income."

EA's Paul Barnett pegs the Wii as the first MMO-friendly console originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nnooo.com pitches Pokemon MMO; own name gives the answer

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 20 May 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, News items, Opinion

Question: What's the difference between John Q. Public saying they "have a neat idea" for a Pokémon MMO and the maker of casual Wii title Pop saying the same thing? Answer: a foot in the door, and little else. That hasn't stopped nnooo.com from pitching the idea to Nintendo via their website, along with ideas for games based on the Battlestar Galactica, James Bond, and X-Men franchises. We're not saying they don't have the talent to back this claim, but a casual title is a far cry from a polished MMO -- and possibly Nintendo's first one, at that.

Even assuming this pitch had a chance to be taken seriously by Nintendo, it's highly unlikely the company would let a third-party develop it, judging by their existing Pokémon line's history. You know, if we're calling dibs, we've already pitched two of these ideas ourselves. Hmm ... Massively Games ... has a nice ring, doesn't it?

[Via NintendoLife]

Nnooo.com pitches Pokemon MMO; own name gives the answer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WRUP: More of a meal than a snack edition

Mike Schramm — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Massively Meta, Consoles, Virtual worlds

Happy Friday! Time once again to ask the most important question there is to ask here at Massively: What are you having for lunch? I just had a Potbelly open up down the street from me and... no, I'm only kidding. We want to know: What aRe yoU Playing?

Tateru Nino, as usual, is eating hardy -- she's got Second Life and City of Heroes queued up, as well as a slew of non-MMOs to play. Chris Chester is planning on diving into Age of Conan as soon as he gets a chance, and I know that most of the Massively staff are heading to the Hyborian Age as well. As for me, World of Warcraft continues to be a staple, but truth be told, I probably won't be able to step foot in an MMO this weekend -- I'm going out of town for most of it, and when I do get back, I have a recently purchased Wii system now hooked up to my television. As a first game, I'm planning to check out LostWinds (and if you have any other recommendations besides Super Mario Galaxy, which I'm already sold on as a huge platformer fan, let me know). Of course I'm anxiously looking forward to news of an Animal Crossing MMO now, too -- as if the offline version wasn't addictive enough. Curse you, Tom Nook!

So what are you up to in the world of MMOs for the next seven days?

WRUP: More of a meal than a snack edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox out, Nintendo in

Tateru Nino — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: News items, Second Life, Virtual worlds

Close to one year ago, we stumbled onto a new Microsoft island in Second Life, called Microsoft Xbox. The island was brand-new, and was still closed to the public, and there was a lot of speculation as to what it was for. This was fueled by talk of Microsoft having explored the idea of Second Life running on the Xbox platform, but the facilities specification for the system isn't adequate for running the virtual world, as-is.

Microsoft stayed mum on both topics, declining to comment on either the island or its Xbox investigations, and time dragged on. While the island eventually vanished without fanfare, it appears that Nintendo Island has just appeared on the Second Life grid. Still closed to the public, and with nothing built there yet, but with the likes of Atlus getting into the act, and an increasingly strong representation of Japanese industries in the virtual world, a Nintendo presence in Second Life makes a lot of sense.

Xbox out, Nintendo in originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Games that could be MMOs: Pok�mon

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classes, Culture, Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Races, Academic

The Pokémon brand is one of the largest and most successful franchises the gaming world has ever spawned. There are no less than 10 videogames, 1 trading card game, 12 movies, an animated series, 10 soundtrack CDs, a bunch of manga -- but no official MMO.

Why this hasn't already happened is beyond the imagination of this blogger. C'mon, a world in which thousands, if not millions of wanna-be Pokémon trainers are working hard to be number one, constantly pitting their captive critters against each other, and every iteration of the game franchise is only one-on-one? This isn't rocket science; it's not even science fair volcano science. But if we were to imagine a Pokémon MMO, it would look something like this:

Continue reading Games that could be MMOs: Pok�mon

Games that could be MMOs: Pok�mon originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadowbane dev studio to create MMO for the Wii

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Shadowbane, Consoles

Here's a weird Venn diagram for you: those of you who remember Shadowbane with fondness and also love the Nintendo Wii will be totally excited about this piece of news. Stray Bullet, the Austin, Texas MMO developer, have announced that they're working on a new MMO. At the same time, they've posted a few openings on Gamasutra's JobSeeker board, one for a Senior Programmer for an un-named Wii project, and the other for a Gameplay Programmer for an MMO project. Neither posting mentions the other, but chances are, they're for the same project.

Really, there's no bad time for wild speculation, so let's get the ball rolling! We're envisioning, obviously enough, actual hack and slash combat with the nunchuk and wiimote. Maybe crafting might take on a whole new dimension with the use of the motion-sensing abilities of the Wii. Maybe it'll be a massively Mii experience! Whatever's coming down the pike, we'll keep our ears to the ground for more info. With this on the way, can the Animal Crossing MMO be far behind? Hey ... what're the odds that this is the Animal Crossing MMO?

Shadowbane dev studio to create MMO for the Wii originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Why aren't there more console MMOs?

Akela Talamasca — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Age of Conan, Final Fantasy XI, Phantasy Star Universe, Business models, MMO industry, Opinion, Everquest Online Adventures, The Daily Grind, Consoles

The list of them can be counted on the fingers of one hand: Phantasy Star Online, for the Dreamcast; Everquest Online Adventures and Final Fantasy XI for the Playstation 2; and Phantasy Star Universe for both the PS2 and the Xbox 360. And that's it. The only MMO currently thought to be planned for release on both PC and console (though not at launch) is Age of Conan for the 360. Why is there such a dearth of console MMOs?

Many will say that it's because MMOs are so complex and rich that they cannot be managed with a console controller, and that's partly true -- imagine playing World of Warcraft with a DualShock -- but that's more of a design issue. A game meant for consoles, rather than one ported over from the PC, should have such limitations in mind. There's also the closed environment of the console, which is harder to plan patches for, and the still-in-its-infancy online service for the three major brands. On the bright side, there would be no need to worry about system specs; every player would be getting the same experience. And there could be added value in game achievements, which is a system that doesn't currently exist for PC MMOs.

Are there more reasons against console MMOs than there are for them? Should developers bother with the consoles at all?

The Daily Grind: Why aren't there more console MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Comic Watch: VG Cats explains it all

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Second Life, Free-to-play, Comics, Consoles, Virtual worlds, Humor, Comic Watch, Home

Beloved videogame webcomic VG Cats has a consistently funny style, and in this episode, they take on the differences in online systems between the Big Three Consoles. How is this a Massively concern? The final panel takes a shot at both Sony's Home and Second Life.

Warning: this comic is NSFW in both image and text! So wrong ... but so funny!

Comic Watch: VG Cats explains it all originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard takes third in comprehensive best developer of 2007 list

Kyle Horner — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, News items

What do you get when you take Game Developer magazine, Game Developer Research division, Gamasutra and combine their various developer information gathering efforts? Well, you get an all-encompassing list of the top 50 best developers of 2007 that takes not only weekly sales and ratings into account, but an anonymous survey on developer reputation fielded by Gamasutra itself. The survey asked community members to score game developers on overall reputation and direct interaction working for or with said developer, where they had actually done such.

The list puts Blizzard at third for Burning Crusade, just under Infinity Ward at second for Call of Duty 4 and Nintendo Kyoto (Brain Age, Wii Play) at first. It's an interesting method of rating developers, since they have to of had a game released the previous year to be eligible -- yet rankings also depend on developer reputation, which is a longterm concept. We weren't surprised to see Blizzard sitting pretty high on the list, beating out a lot of other developers responsible for some pretty great titles last year. (sorry, Valve)

There is a nagging question in the back of our minds, however: Which carries more weight in determining placement on the list -- sales or reputation?

Blizzard takes third in comprehensive best developer of 2007 list originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo uninterested in MMOs

Michael Zenke — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Consoles, Casual

Despite the hopes and well-wishes of Nintendo console owners everwhere, the big N has reaffirmed that they basically have zero interest in a Massively Multiplayer game right now. A Gamespot interview with company president Satoru Iwata clarifies that, in order for Nintendo to get involved such a game would have to be appealing for everyone aged '5 to 95'. That certainly explains why Square/Enix expressed no interest in porting Final Fantasy XI to the Wii console shortly after its launch.

Iwata goes on to say that the Mii customization system is about as complicated as they want to make an interface right now. Further, they're not interested in competing with the virtual world services on the market right now. If they were to enter the markplace, they'd "focus on doing things that nobody else would do ... We'd be sure to make it something that nobody would call it a product similar to another company's offering." There have been persistent stories about companies developing an MMO for the DS, though. Perhaps the handheld's unique nature would allow them to go outside their comfort zone a bit more?

How sweet would a Massive game on the Wii be though, eh?

[Via Eurogamer]

Nintendo uninterested in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Animal Crossing MMO for the Wii confirmed

Mike Schramm — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, New titles, Player Housing, Consoles, Casual, Animal Crossing

Our good friends at Joystiq are reporting that Edge, a European gaming magazine, has confirmed that the next version of the realtime animal friends/life simulator Animal Crossing will be a "social networking MMO" for the Wii. This had been rumored before, and it really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who's ever played Animal Crossing-- raises hand for both the DS and the Gamecube-- as it already works more or less as an MMO, and taking the whole thing to the next level will just make it that much more addictive as a game. And it will be fun to see what Nintendo does with social networking and the MMO format.

Of course, this probably also means that we'll have to start working the graveyard shift coming up with bells for that slum lord Nook again. That shifty raccoon is a slave driver, you hear me? A slave driver! At least now we'll be able to commiserate virtually together.

Animal Crossing MMO for the Wii confirmed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Korean devs get busy: MapleStory DS, Mabinogi XBox 360 port in '08

Samuel Axon — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:42:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Consoles

Time for your dose of Korean MMO-ness.

Nexon, a publisher of MapleStory, talked to Gamasutra about the upcoming MapleStory port for the DS, and about an XBox 360 port of the thus-far-Korean-only PC MMO Mabinogi. MapleStory DS development is going well and should see a Korean release in mid-2008. It will probably come to the West some time after that. The game is similar to the PC version, but only supports four players via Wi-Fi.

Mabinogi is a traditional anime-style MMORPG. It's had some success in the Korean market but no exposure at all in North America or Europe. Nexon plans to port the game to the XBox 360. As Gamasutra points out, the Korean market for the XBox 360 is extremely small, so we may be able to assume this means the 360 version of Mabinogi will be arriving in Western markets somewhere down the line.

Korean devs get busy: MapleStory DS, Mabinogi XBox 360 port in '08 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Animal Crossing MMO in development for the Wii?

Chris Chester — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, Consoles, Animal Crossing

Being both a console owner and an MMO nut can be hard sometimes. The two exist such separate hemispheres that it's easy to forget that they're both part and parcel of that bigger thing we all do called gaming. But if the rumors being tossed around by Next-Gen hold water, the seemingly disparate worlds of the Wii and MMOs could be coming together at last.

Yes, evidently, Next-Gen has it on good authority that the new Animal Crossing game in development by Nintendo will be taking a ride on the massively multiplayer money train. The evidence they cite actually seems pretty weak; head developer Katsuya Eguchi has talked generally about plans to feature mobile phone and PC connectivity to the Animal Crossing sequel currently in development, but he's never gone into specifics. And given that this discussion was going on last year, we'd be willing to bet that Next-Gen posted this story based on some insider information. Still, even though they use such tantalizingly declarative sentences, we're still going to have to file this one under "rumor."

But what a rumor! Of all the consoles for a new MMO to appear on, the Wii would certainly seem the least likely. The online support is weak, the console lacks voice or keyboard input, and their market skews decidedly casual. If Nintendo were to bring a franchise into the MMO fold though, Animal Crossing would be the one. It's already got a lot of the essentials: crafting systems, farming, fishing, and questing on behalf of colorful townsfolk. Throw in an elf or two, and they're practically set!

[Via Joystiq]

Animal Crossing MMO in development for the Wii? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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