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[RIFT ships off to South Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/19/rift-ships-off-to-south-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/19/rift-ships-off-to-south-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/19/rift-ships-off-to-south-korea/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For as many Asian MMOs that get imported overseas, it's good to see a little love heading back that way as well. South Korean players anxious to get their hands on RIFT will now have that opportunity. Trion Worlds announced that it signed a multi-year agreement with CJ E&M Games to publish a localized version in the country.

This is good news for RIFT, as it will expand outside of its current North American and European markets. Trion's Lars Buttler sees South Korea as ripe for a few dynamic invasions: "We take the Korean market very seriously as it is driven by innovation and growth in the online gaming space. By working with CJ E&M we are able to bring deep, immersive online gaming experiences to the east, and continue delivering quality games to gamers worldwide."

RIFT is riding high after a recent NPD report that listed the game as the top-selling retail PC game in North America in March, according to Trion's press release.

MassivelyRIFT ships off to South Korea originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cj-em-gamescj-groupkoreakoreanlars-buttlerlocalizationnpdretail-salesriftrift-planes-of-telarasouth-koreatriontrion-worldsTue, 19 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DDO jumps to third-most-popular spot in MMO survey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/13/ddo-jumps-to-third-most-popular-spot-in-mmo-survey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/13/ddo-jumps-to-third-most-popular-spot-in-mmo-survey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/13/ddo-jumps-to-third-most-popular-spot-in-mmo-survey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Market research company NPD has completed its annual survey of online gamers with some fascinating results. They surveyed nearly 19,000 gamers of all ages in January of this year, looking at every aspect from hours played per week to what former WoW fans are currently playing. The results are interesting not only for their variety but because it's such an extensive survey from a company that's been doing this very thing for years.

Several interesting changes have come about in the past year: former World of Warcraft players are turning to different games than they have in the past, the subscription model is a lot less popular these days, and Dungeons and Dragons Online has knocked Guild Wars out of the comfy #3 spot it enjoyed for the two previous years.

Follow along after the jump as we take a closer look at some of the survey results.

Continue reading DDO jumps to third-most-popular spot in MMO survey

MassivelyDDO jumps to third-most-popular spot in MMO survey originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinefeaturedguild-warsgwnpdnpd-grouprunescapesurveyworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 13 May 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion tops NPD Group PC sales chart for September]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/aion-tops-npd-group-pc-sales-chart-for-september/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/aion-tops-npd-group-pc-sales-chart-for-september/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/aion-tops-npd-group-pc-sales-chart-for-september/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


When NCsoft released Aion, they had hopes it would ultimately enjoy the caliber of success in western markets that the title has in Asia. It's been roughly one month since Aion launched in North America but it's off to a good start, as indicated by its entry to the NPD Group's September US PC sales chart at number one.

Aion usurped competing titles like World of Warcraft and Champions Online in the NPD rankings, and the Aion Collectors Edition took the number five slot on the chart as well. Not bad at all for a game that only launched in the third week of September.

MassivelyAion tops NPD Group PC sales chart for September originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionfantasymmo-industryncsoftnorth-americanpdnpd-grouppc-salessales-chartWed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kids choose digital entertainment over traditional media]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/kids-choose-digital-entertainment-over-traditional-media/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/kids-choose-digital-entertainment-over-traditional-media/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/kids-choose-digital-entertainment-over-traditional-media/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A recent survey of moms by NPD shows that kids are more interested in receiving digital content than purchasing physical media such as CDs or DVDs. Though most games still rely on an initial physical purchase of software, there is an increasing trend towards online and on-device delivery.

The study also looked at device usage and activities done on those devices. It found that gaming is the most popular activity with around 85% of kids playing on the devices studied. There has also been an increase in cross-platform usage with videos being watched on consoles and cell phones used to listen to music. With all the talk of MMOs on consoles and the ability of devices to handle more tasks each rather than respecting their traditional, separate roles, it seems this trend is poised to continue.

MassivelyKids choose digital entertainment over traditional media originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digitaldigital-entertainer-elitenpdsurveyThu, 15 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard retains PC gaming dominance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blizzard-retains-pc-gaming-dominance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blizzard-retains-pc-gaming-dominance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/blizzard-retains-pc-gaming-dominance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


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

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

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

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzarddiablogamesindustrygamesindustry.biznpdnpd-groupwarwarcraft-3warcraft-iiiwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderwow-killerThu, 04 Sep 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan continues sales domination]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/19/age-of-conan-continues-sales-domination/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/19/age-of-conan-continues-sales-domination/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/19/age-of-conan-continues-sales-domination/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Another week, another round of retail domination by Funcom's indefatigable Age of Conan. They managed to sustain the momentum they demonstrated last week with the latest round of NPD PC game sales information for the week ending June 7. Age of Conan came in at number 1 again, while World of Warcraft followed up in its various retail incarnations in the 5, 7, and 9 spots. While we doubt they're even close to selling through the one million units they've shipped so far, things have to look extremely promising on their end.

It's interesting to see the the twin juggernauts of Age of Conan and World of Warcraft so consistently dominate the PC sales charts. Where once Sims 2 and its expansions were the reigning retail champions, they're finally receiving some long overdue walloping at the hands of the best in the MMO genre. We anxiously await the day when Warhammer Online joins AoC and WoW on the sales charts and completely closes out the top 10.

MassivelyAge of Conan continues sales domination originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomnpdsalessales-chartssims-2world-of-warcraftThu, 19 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Players and pundits alike have been pointing to NPD figures as an indicator that PC gaming is in a decline compared to console sales. However, as pointed out by Randy Stude, PC Gaming Alliance president and Intel gaming program director in a recent interview, these figures ignored MMO subscription sales, something NPD hadn't been tracking until earlier this year. "And lo and behold, after just a quarter of research, they found -- under a rock that they hadn't looked at before -- a billion dollars."

While Stude was essentially calling for the PC gaming industry to come together to clear up this sort of confusion, there is more at work here than simply saying that PC gaming is hale and healthy based simply on MMO subscription numbers. For one thing, MMOs are merely one arm of the industry, not the industry itself. World of Warcraft alone must count for a significant total of those NPD numbers, not to mention virtual worlds like Club Penguin.

Continue reading MMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming

MassivelyMMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindeclineindieindustryintelnpdpc-gaming-alliancerandy-studeworld-of-warcraftTue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nonsurprise: AoC top selling PC game last week of May]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/nonsurprise-aoc-top-selling-pc-game-last-week-of-may/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/nonsurprise-aoc-top-selling-pc-game-last-week-of-may/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/10/nonsurprise-aoc-top-selling-pc-game-last-week-of-may/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The NPD Group's sales figures for the week ending May 31 feature Age of Conan in first place. Funcom's MMO tribute to barbarism defeated Mass Effect, the highly anticipated single-player RPG from legendary studio BioWare. Most of the top 10 list is populated by various World of Warcraft and The Sims 2 retail packages, as per usual. The exceptions are Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Sins of a Solar Empire in the 8th and 9th spots, respectively.

Go ahead and express all the criticisms about the game that you want (we know there are plenty to go around), but regardless of where you personally stand on AoC, it's impossible to deny that it's been a blockbuster hit when it comes to sales.

MassivelyNonsurprise: AoC top selling PC game last week of May originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbiowarecall-of-duty-4funcommass-effectmaynpdsalessins-of-a-solar-empirethe-sims-2world-of-warcraftTue, 10 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO subscriptions to be included in NPD reports]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/mmo-subscriptions-to-be-included-in-npd-reports/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/mmo-subscriptions-to-be-included-in-npd-reports/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/11/mmo-subscriptions-to-be-included-in-npd-reports/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The NPD group already has a prestigious reputation as the most trusted tracker of gaming industry related sales figures. Now it's seeking to augment that reputation by tracking subscription data in addition to initial software sales. This will enable the NPD group to provide businesses and others with detailed market info regarding all sorts of subscription plan based services -- from XBox Live to IGN Insider to MMOs like World of Warcraft, The Lord of the Rings Online, and EVE.

The reports will chart new subscriptions, renewals, and total market share using a sample group of "more than 3 million consumers who have agreed to complete online surveys."

We already know that World of Warcraft is number one among subscription-based, gamer-oriented MMORPGs in the North American and European markets, but hopefully these new reports will provide fairly accurate estimates about titles for which we don't have any official numbers, such as The Lord of the Rings Online.

MassivelyMMO subscriptions to be included in NPD reports originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eveindustrylord-of-the-rings-onlinenpdnpd-groupnumberssalesservicessubscriptionsworld-of-warcraftMon, 11 Feb 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PC titles only 14% of game sales in 2007, WoW leading the way]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/pc-titles-only-14-of-game-sales-in-2007-wow-leading-the-way/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/pc-titles-only-14-of-game-sales-in-2007-wow-leading-the-way/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/pc-titles-only-14-of-game-sales-in-2007-wow-leading-the-way/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The games industry views NPD sales figures with a great deal of anticipation, and the news for December was received very well earlier this month. Sales were up for every genre of software, all the hardware manufacturers - it was a banner year. Unless you made PC games. Along with the news that PC-associated FPS titles Crysis and Unreal Tournament 3 did poorly in the face of stiff genre competition, the PC platform generally didn't do terribly well compared to the rest of the industry.

1up reports that, in fact, PC titles only made up 14% of all game sales last year. As you might have guessed, Blizzard's World of Warcraft took the one and two spots on the list of top titles. Burning Crusade pushed some 2,250,000 copies in the US, while the base game sold about 914,000 units.

The article implies that one of the reasons for poor sales in the PC arena is piracy - a claim backed by statements from game companies going back years, and most recently explored by Call of Duty 4's Robert Bowling. The sheer number of people pirating the game took Infinity Ward's community manager off guard. These are comments from a man who worked on the #4 game on the top ten list, too.

The lesson is: (apparently) in order for a PC title to succeed in today's business market, you need to make a game that requires interaction with a central server. How long will it be before every FPS, RTS, and simulation we play on a PC 'calls home' every few minutes to make sure we're legit?

MassivelyPC titles only 14% of game sales in 2007, WoW leading the way originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbusinessnpdpc-gamessalesworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 28 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST