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[Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
With just over a week to go until Diablo III is released, Blizzard revealed the final details of the real money auction house, released some fantastic new class wallpapers, and launched a TV advertising campaign. Meanwhile, Torchlight II showed off the impressive final result of its earlier armour design contest and encouraged players to produce armour mods when the game is released.

Heroes of Newerth released a brand-new community-inspired MidWars game map this week to lend official support to the popular unofficial game mode. League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Varus with a full run-down of his abilities and a great art spotlight video. Dota 2 fixed some bizarre bugs and introduced classic hero Phantom Lancer. Rise of Immortals revealed details of its upcoming immortal Nauria, the Angel of Agony. Finally, Wrath of Heroes announced the controversial addition of health potions to its microtransaction store.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbattlenetbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidominiondotae-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmid-warsmidwarsmobamultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesphantom-lancerpvpreal-money-auction-housereal-money-tradereal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsrmahrmtrmt-ahrmtahroiround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamesvideowarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesMon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: On gold-farming and the grind]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/the-soapbox-on-gold-farming-and-the-grind/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/the-soapbox-on-gold-farming-and-the-grind/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/the-soapbox-on-gold-farming-and-the-grind/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Chest of gold
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

You're no doubt aware of a certain sci-fi MMORPG that's launching this week. As is the case each time a new major title releases, I'm curious to see how (or if) the developers will deal with the inevitable real-money trade.

BioWare has been fairly quiet about gold-farming and the steps it may take to combat it, which isn't too surprising given the unglamorous and often controversial subject matter. Few game devs mention their anti-RMT plans prior to launch, but plenty of dev teams complain about RMT after their game has been released. And yet, the usual solutions to black market currency trading are continuously ineffective at stopping it.

Continue reading The Soapbox: On gold-farming and the grind

MassivelyThe Soapbox: On gold-farming and the grind originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareeq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfun-barriergold-buyinggold-farminggold-sellinggrindgrinding-leads-to-gold-farmingopinionprogress-questprogressionreal-money-traderichard-garriottrmtsci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-grindthe-old-republicthe-soapboxtorTue, 13 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The more you MMO, from the Aion community team]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/the-more-you-mmo-from-the-aion-community-team/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/the-more-you-mmo-from-the-aion-community-team/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/the-more-you-mmo-from-the-aion-community-team/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Those crazy daevas on NCSoft's Aion Community Team want you to know about the evils of Real Money Trading, and they've put together a four minute public service video to spread the word. Buying gold, or Kinah as it's known in the world of Atreia, destroys game economies and compromises account security according to the spot posted on the official Aion web site.

One of the guiding principles we have here at NCsoft is that our customers come first. A major challenge that we face in the gaming industry today is the use and abuse of an evil known as real money trading (RMT). We're in the middle of a war, a war that we fight because of the adverse effects RMT can have on you, our loyal customers.

Check out the full press release as well as the embedded video at the official site.

MassivelyThe more you MMO, from the Aion community team originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionncsoftpsareal-money-tradermttamatvideoSun, 21 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Crystal Palace Space Station auction tops 330,000 US dollars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/crystal-palace-space-station-auction-tops-330-000-us-dollars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/crystal-palace-space-station-auction-tops-330-000-us-dollars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/crystal-palace-space-station-auction-tops-330-000-us-dollars/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Remember a while back when we mentioned that the Crystal Palace Space Station went up for sale in Planet Calypso, marking the start of another insane bidfest to claim what could be a very real source of income? Well, the auction is over and the winner has been declared -- Buzz "Erik" Lightyear has taken control of Crystal Palace for the very, very hefty sum of 3,300,000 PED. For those of you who want to know the real world value, you're looking at a cool 330,000 dollars.

While this seems insane (and it probably is, to some degree), Mr. Lightyear will be looking at revenue coming in from the hunting conducted on the space station, plus the purchases made there. In short, this space station is a walking money generator, especially as it's the only place to find alien body parts used to make high-end armor. All Buzz has to do is let the station run, set a decent tax rate, keep it stocked with things to hunt, and he can take all the PED he earns and translate it into cold, hard cash.

For all of the bidding insanity, check out the full coverage of the auction over at Entropia Planets.

MassivelyCrystal Palace Space Station auction tops 330,000 US dollars originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auctionbreakingcrystal-palace-space-stationentropia-universemindarkplanet-calypsoreal-money-tradermtspace-stationTue, 29 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microtransactions anticipated by game industry professionals]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/microtransactions-anticipated-by-game-industry-professionals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/microtransactions-anticipated-by-game-industry-professionals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/microtransactions-anticipated-by-game-industry-professionals/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


If you thought microtransactions weren't taking off, think again. In a recently conducted survey by VentureBeat, the microtransaction business model was voted the most impactful area of the games industry by a sample of 160 industry professionals.

The second place choice for the professionals who answered the survey was the appearance of smartphones as a game development platform. The two results came in very close, with 66 percent voting for microtransactions as the most impactful and 61 percent voting for smartphones.

The survey comes as a part of VentureBeat's GamesBeat event, where the main conference is scheduled to take place tomorrow in San Francisco. The GamesBeat conference isn't a part of the main Game Developers Conference, but their wish is to view their conference as complementary to the main GDC instead of competing against it.

MassivelyMicrotransactions anticipated by game industry professionals originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsgame-industrygamesbeatgamesbeat-2009iphonemicrotransactionsreal-money-tradermtsmartphonesventurebeatventurebeat.comTue, 24 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Real money trade as a convenience to players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/real-money-trade-as-a-convenience-to-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/real-money-trade-as-a-convenience-to-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/17/real-money-trade-as-a-convenience-to-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Whenever real money trade is mentioned, or the dreaded term "item shop" is brought up, we all seem to get a little twitchy and afraid. Games that were supported by item shops use to denote which games had little content and poor quality, but times are swiftly changing. Games like Runes of Magic, Wizard 101, Mabinogi, Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine and others are changing the face of the free to play market and item shop transactions as they begin to combine quality with affordability. Yet, the stigma of the item shop remains in our culture.

Saylah at Mystic Worlds has put together a well-written argument in favor of the item shop and RMT system. Instead of looking at it like getting ahead of the players who are "playing the game properly," look at it as customizable service for the user. Item shops should provide convenience for players who are looking to make some of the boring parts of the game move a little faster so the game can fit in their personal timeframe.

If any of this sounds interesting, check out her full article as she lays down her opinion and then applies it to her current MMO, Runes of Magic.

MassivelyReal money trade as a convenience to players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfree-to-playitem-shopmabinogimegatenmystic-worldsreal-money-tradermtrunes-of-magicsaylahshin-megami-tensei-imaginewizard-101Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gold farming is "inevitable?"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/gold-farming-is-inevitable/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/gold-farming-is-inevitable/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/21/gold-farming-is-inevitable/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Kerry Fraser-Robinson, the founder of virtual world developer RedBedlam, stated in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that the industry should focus more on integrating gold farming into the game design, rather than attempting to stomp it completely out of the system.

"It's going to happen whether you like it or not," he said in today's interview. "People will always find the path of least resistance, if you stop them buying your gold then they'll buy that gold from somebody else who is gold farming."

Continue reading Gold farming is "inevitable?"

MassivelyGold farming is "inevitable?" originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economisteconomygold-buyinggold-farmingkerry-fraser-robinsonreal-money-traderedbedlamrmtWed, 21 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why do people buy virtual goods in MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/why-do-people-buy-virtual-goods-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/why-do-people-buy-virtual-goods-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/why-do-people-buy-virtual-goods-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Massively multiplayer online gamers spend hours -- so many hours -- working towards obtaining virtual gear. Epic armor sets, mounts, player housing, faction ships... the list goes on, and will continue to go on. Our collective fascination with these intangibles ensures our desire for them -- and for those things beyond a player's reach solely within the virtual realm, real world cash makes all things possible.

This is the research focus of Ph.D. student Vili Lehdonvirta of the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology, who breaks down our buyer's impulse according to three criteria:

  • Functional attributes, such as speed, hitpoints, teleportation.
  • Hedonic attributes, or how the virtual gear looks or sounds, its provenance or its connection to the background fiction of the setting, and of course customizability.
  • Social attributes, particularly the prestige accorded with ownership of a rare item.
Have a look at his "Virtual item sales as a revenue model: identifying attributes that drive purchase decisions" for a thorough analysis of why many of us are so inclined to obtain something that's ultimately ephemeral, which goes beyond the simpler "useful vs. decorative" angle.

MassivelyWhy do people buy virtual goods in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicarmorarmor-setculturefaction-shipgeargoldlootmmo-industrymountmountsplayer-housingreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtvirtualvirtual-goodsvirtual-itemsvirtual-worldsFri, 09 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How much have you spent on your MMO habit?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/the-daily-grind-how-much-have-you-spent-on-your-mmo-habit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/the-daily-grind-how-much-have-you-spent-on-your-mmo-habit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/31/the-daily-grind-how-much-have-you-spent-on-your-mmo-habit/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Once upon a time, I sat down with a calculator and counted the months I'd spent playing World of Warcraft, multiplied by $15, added in costs for game boxes and character transfers... and came to a sum, in the end, that shocked me. (Though, considering the hours of enjoyment I've gotten from the game thus far, perhaps it shouldn't.) And that number was without spending a dime on buying characters, gear, gold, or paying for leveling. Putting the ethics of RMT aside for the moment, I must say I'm glad of it, as it means I've never had the opportunity to loose even more cash to an MMO, as in yesterday's story of an EVE player who lost $19,000 buying ISK. (Yes, you read that number correctly. It's a one and a nine followed by three zeros. Count 'em: three!) While that certainly makes my financial losses seem practically frugal by comparison, The Daily Grind is all about getting your opinions. So today, I ask: how much have you spent feeding your MMO habit?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How much have you spent on your MMO habit? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>goldiskmoneyreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmttdgwarcraftwowWed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Game revenue taxation begins spread to Sweden and South Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/#commentsFiled under: , ,

They always say the two things you can't avoid in life are death and taxes. Yet, being an MMO player, death always just seems to be a part of life. And now, governments around the world are beginning to become interested in putting in the other unavoidable part of life in our gaming experience -- as if we had enough of death.

As in-game transactions and RMT are beginning to become major boons to business the government is getting interested. And, of course, like any good government, they want their share. China was only the first, now Sweden and South Korea are interested in getting their tax laws straight as well.

Taxing game transactions, however, isn't as easy as making laws that tax a physical currency. There's the issues of relative value, constantly diminishing returns as more money flows into virtual economies without enough monetary sinks in the game, and the whole issue if the game goes out of business.

We tend to believe that worlds like this should avoid colliding, but it seems that as we begin to mesh our virtual currencies and begin to value them as much as our real world ones, paths like these seem inevitable.

MassivelyGame revenue taxation begins spread to Sweden and South Korea originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinadeatheconomicseconomygovernmentkorealawsreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtsouth-koreaswedentaxesFri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fortune and failure in real-money trading]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/fortune-and-failure-in-real-money-trading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/fortune-and-failure-in-real-money-trading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/fortune-and-failure-in-real-money-trading/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Although many western MMO gamers profess a distaste for all things RMT, it's definitely become an aspect of these games and virtual worlds that we're all aware of to some degree. But it wasn't always that way. In fact, it wasn't so long ago that the notion of people working in virtual settings and earning real world wealth was, quite frankly, bizarre.

Julian Dibbell was one of the first journalists to expose the idea of RMT and the possible existence of 'virtual sweatshops' to mainstream readers years ago, before such ideas and practices became almost commonplace in virtual worlds and MMOs. Dibbell has continued on with this tradition since the days of writing about Black Snow Interactive, more recently in his book 'Play Money' and with a piece he's written for Wired, titled "The Decline and Fall of an Ultra Rich Online Gaming Empire."

Continue reading Fortune and failure in real-money trading

MassivelyFortune and failure in real-money trading originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-snow-interactivebrock-piercecontroversialcontroversyeconomyeverquestigeinternet-gaming-entertainmentjulian-dibbelllegalmmo-industryplay-moneyreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtterra-novavirtual-worldswiredWed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Live Gamer interviewed about regulated RMT]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/live-gamer-interviewed-about-regulated-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/live-gamer-interviewed-about-regulated-rmt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/20/live-gamer-interviewed-about-regulated-rmt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We've mentioned a company called Live Gamer in the past here at Massively. Essentially, Live Gamer is attempting to legitimize real money trading (RMT) in virtual spaces, by partnering with game publishers to create a regulated secondary market for item sales and trades. The goal is to integrate RMT with MMOs and virtual worlds and usurp the myriad gold spammers and scammers currently plaguing most virtual spaces that feature economies.

Suzie Ford at WarCry recently interviewed Live Gamer Founder and President Andrew Schneider about how the company plans to change a $2 billion industry presently dominated by the black and grey market. The interview touches on the company's background, how the Live Gamer service works, and overall how they handle some of the polarizing issues of RMT in MMOs. Check out the full interview with Andrew Schneider over at WarCry for a brief overview of what Live Gamer is about.

Does the prospect of having a legitimate, regulated secondary market for avatars, virtual items, and currency in your MMOs seem like a step in the right direction?

MassivelyLive Gamer interviewed about regulated RMT originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andrew-schneiderblack-marketeconomygold-spammergray-marketgrey-marketinterviewslive-gamerreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtscammersspammerssuzie-fordwarcryMon, 20 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cute and scary glimpses from Florensia Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cute-and-scary-glimpses-from-florensia-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cute-and-scary-glimpses-from-florensia-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/cute-and-scary-glimpses-from-florensia-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Check out the above glimpse from Florensia Online's vast dungeons, dark secrets, horrifying monsters, sinister nightmares, and infernal bosses. Oh no, what will you do? Combine efforts and lead your band of cute and merry anime-inspired adventurers to victory of course! If you want to dare the impossible join the open beta that is underway.

In all seriousness, the Japanese import is free-to-play and will sustain development from a micro transaction "itemshop" model. Florensia does feature a somewhat unique leveling twist. The dual battle system gives players the freedom to choose if they want to level at land or at sea, as well as the ability to specialize in both areas of combat. The sea system is more difficult to master, but the catch is that sea based gameplay is unavoidable if you want to visit other islands. There's a new dungeon preview on the official website along with other news updates. If you thought the trailer was a bit cheesy and left you lingering for something like some ship action, there are several other official clips available.

If you're looking to download a copy and check it out, our sister site Big Download has the files waiting for you!

MassivelyCute and scary glimpses from Florensia Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asianasian-mmobetabetasflorensiaflorensia-onlinefree-to-playimportitemshopjapanese-mmogmediamicrotransactionmicrotransactionsnew-titlespiratereal-money-tradermtseabasedtrailersFri, 25 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hernandez v. IGE: Brock Pierce declaration and Hernandez compel developments]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/hernandez-v-ige-brock-pierce-declaration-and-hernandez-compel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/hernandez-v-ige-brock-pierce-declaration-and-hernandez-compel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/07/hernandez-v-ige-brock-pierce-declaration-and-hernandez-compel/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Antonio Hernandez filed a lawsuit in 2007 against IGE, the MMOG-currency for real dollars illicit emporium. Hernandez claims IGE diminishes the overall playing experience for legitimate players and filed on the grounds that stem from farming gold, spamming chat, and camping spawns it allegedly prevented players from receiving full benefits Blizzard intended via World of Warcraft's End User License Agreement.

Eight weeks remain in the fact discovery phase under the court's calendar and two recent developments have surfaced. First, a declaration on behalf of IGE's CEO Brock Pierce which states IGE merely holds stock in Affinity Media INC. and does not employ anyone nor have anything to do with the alleged activities in the Amended Complaint was filed. Second, Hernandez has moved to compel production of documents and asked the court to force IGE to respond fully to plaintiff's interrogatories.

Virtually Blind has been following the lawsuit closely since the outset and has all legal documentation available for download.

MassivelyHernandez v. IGE: Brock Pierce declaration and Hernandez compel developments originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>affinity-mediaantonio-hernandezblizzard-entertainmentbrock-pierceeulahernandezhernandez-vs-igeigelawlawsuitlegalreal-money-tradermtvirtually-blindworld-of-warcraftMon, 07 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Entropia Universe Ambassador interview: Why play EU?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/entropia-universe-ambassador-interview-why-play-eu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/entropia-universe-ambassador-interview-why-play-eu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/01/entropia-universe-ambassador-interview-why-play-eu/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

So what is it about Entropia Universe that has kept players hooked for five years now? What sets it apart from the other virtual worlds or MMOs out there? Well, according to one of EU's Ambassadors, Buzz Erik Lightyear, the game is about much more than simply playing a game. It's about playing a game that actually gives something back. "I'm not paying to play. I'm profiting from playing," he says.

This real-world money system is not unique to EU, as it's seen in other virtual worlds, such as Second Life. In most other online games, the exchange of in-game currency for real-world currency is against the terms of service. But EU is seen as more of a venture into the MMO space than Second Life, using skills, crafting and auction houses as you would in something like WoW or LotRO. In addition to this, EU is updated monthly, with word of new planets on the horizon and the new CryEngine2 platform being introduced soon.

MassivelyEntropia Universe Ambassador interview: Why play EU? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economyentropia-universeeumindarkreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingsecond-lifevirtual-worldsvwSun, 01 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Game developer sued for virtual losses]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/game-developer-sued-for-virtual-losses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/game-developer-sued-for-virtual-losses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/game-developer-sued-for-virtual-losses/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Shanda, operator and developer of several popular online games in China, is being sued by a gamer for RMB 100,000 (USD 14,300) in losses resulting from technical issues in Legend of Mir 2. The plaintiff, named Wen, claims to have spent roughly RMB 200,000 (USD 28,600) on virtual items in the game. Wen filed the lawsuit in Shanghai, following the disappearance of more than 30 of those virtual items over the course of a year.

Shanda is no stranger to controversy, or to the legal system of China. An assistant manager at Shanda received a five-year prison sentence in 2007, following the discovery that he and two conspirators established an illegal trade in virtual items in 2004 and 2005. The trio netted a cool RMB 2 million (USD 286,000) in just 14 months. Although the lawsuit presents little in the way of financial distress to Shanda and there is no way of knowing if the company was negligent at all in respect to Wen's grievance, this is yet another incident of negative publicity related to Legend of Mir 2.

MassivelyGame developer sued for virtual losses originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinalawsuitlegend-of-mirreal-money-tradermtshandavirtualTue, 20 May 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Live Gamer now live on Vox and Bazaar servers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/live-gamer-now-live-on-vox-and-bazaar-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/live-gamer-now-live-on-vox-and-bazaar-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/18/live-gamer-now-live-on-vox-and-bazaar-servers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The previously-postponed Live Gamer Exchange service has now launched, and EverQuest II players that are into the whole RMT thing can start spending. To get started, you'll need to register at the EQII Live Gamer page, and you can then take part in trading real cash for characters, items or in-game currency for the Vox and Bazaar servers. It looks like the bidding has already begun, so hurry along to the Live Gamer Exchange if you want to snap up the first deals.

MassivelyLive Gamer now live on Vox and Bazaar servers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bazaareq2eqiilive-gamerlive-gamer-exchangereal-money-tradereal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionrmtvoxFri, 18 Apr 2008 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EQ2's Live Gamer opening postponed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/30/eq2s-live-gamer-opening-postponed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/30/eq2s-live-gamer-opening-postponed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/30/eq2s-live-gamer-opening-postponed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SOE has informed EverQuest II players via the game's official community website that the opening of the Live Gamer service has been delayed. The originally stated launch date was March 31st. No new date has yet been provided. The Station Exchange -- the service Live Gamer is to replace -- ceased operation Thursday. In this new announcement, SOE noted that it will update a status thread on the official forums with new information at some point.

If you're not in the loop about Live Gamer: it's a company that works with game publishers and developers to provide legitimized RMT (Real Money Trading) services to users of MMOs. SOE has had all sorts of problems in the past with credit card fraud and gold farmers, and it hopes the folks running Live Gamer will have much better luck. Is this delay just technical in nature, or have new concerns arisen? It's a bit late for second thoughts, so this is probably just a technical bump in the road, but we'll be keeping our eyes and ears open for updates.

Oh, and if this is all new to you: before you raise your eyebrows too high note that, as with Station Exchange, Live Gamer service will be limited to the specified RMT-friendly servers.

MassivelyEQ2's Live Gamer opening postponed originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delayeq2-playerslive-gamerlivegamerreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtsoestationstation-exchangeSun, 30 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE President crushes EQ2 / Live Gamer speculation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/25/soe-president-crushes-eq2-live-gamer-speculation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/25/soe-president-crushes-eq2-live-gamer-speculation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/25/soe-president-crushes-eq2-live-gamer-speculation/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


This past weekend, Sony Online Entertainment's Grand Poobah, alias John Smedley, was out and about dousing the fires and dismissed SOE's alleged takeover by Zapak. (SOE had for a measly 300 million? What a crock.) During his flurry, Smedley also dispelled the crazy speculation talk regarding SOE's new partnership with Live Gamer over on the lovable EQ2 Flames. After the initial announcement regarding the two joining forces; the hysteria pot stirred yet again. The biggest concern was that the grey-market service would intrude on EQ2's non-Station Exchange servers.

"We aren't going to be allowing RMT in any way, shape or form on the non-exchange enabled EQ II servers. Period. End of statement. If we catch people, we ban them and have been for a long time now. The truth of the matter is it's very difficult to combat them, but we have people at SOE who fight the good fight each and every day. In the near future you're going to see us becoming a lot more public about this then we ever have been. I think we've done a bad job at communicating just how seriously we take this fight.

We're interested in working with LiveGamer because they are unique in the RMT world due to the fact that they are pledging (and are putting technology behind it) to not buy from farmers. Farmers are the bane of our existence at SOE. They cause us endless amounts of grief and do real financial damage in a meaningful way."

Continue reading SOE President crushes EQ2 / Live Gamer speculation

MassivelySOE President crushes EQ2 / Live Gamer speculation originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eq2eqiieverquest-2john-smedleylive-gamerreal-money-tradermtsoesony-online-entertainmentstation-exchangezapakTue, 25 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor Mill: Fury bombed - Massive layoffs at Auran imminent [updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/rumor-mill-fury-bombed-massive-layoffs-at-auran-imminent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/rumor-mill-fury-bombed-massive-layoffs-at-auran-imminent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/rumor-mill-fury-bombed-massive-layoffs-at-auran-imminent/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

[updated: 11:55PM PST] The rumors regarding the layoffs have been
confirmed by IGN in this interview with the CEO of Auran Games.

Another one bites the dust? Angry Gamer reports that a reliable anonymous source close to Australian based Auran has told them staff layoffs are imminent and that Fury may be outsourced to China. "Fury was a financial disaster, it lost Auran a lot of money."

No kidding. This news is not in the least-bit surprising considering Fury is in-the-running for worst MMOG of the year. Fury is more proof that not all RMT (real money trade -- micro transactions) based MMOs in the Western market strike it big as some developers so often pronounce. I believe Fury is dying, maybe you want to check the game out in case it does take a final dirt-nap. If you are interested in the last update to the game you can find the details over on the official Fury website. Any Fury players here disappointed over the news or good riddance?

MassivelyRumor Mill: Fury bombed - Massive layoffs at Auran imminent [updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>angry-gamerauranbreakingfurymicro-transactionspvpreal-money-tradermtrumor-millThu, 06 Dec 2007 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOG pirates jailed for running illegal Priston Tale servers [updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/mmog-pirates-jailed-for-running-illegal-prison-tale-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/mmog-pirates-jailed-for-running-illegal-prison-tale-servers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/mmog-pirates-jailed-for-running-illegal-prison-tale-servers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Jail sucks, jailed in China probably sucks a lot more. Going to jail over running illegal Priston Tale servers -- the irony and endless puns are hilarious. Five Chinese men were arrested earlier this month when they were busted for running illegal MMOG servers and were also found with defrauding Prison Tale with their own bootleg RMT services. RMT stands for real money trade, which is the activity of selling in-game commodities in exchange for real-world currency.

The five men are facing a stiff three million yuan (almost $400,000) civil lawsuit from Priston Tale's license holder, Shanghai Yetime Network Technology Co Ltd. The supposed mastermind behind the operation, 33 year-old Yan Shaodong, bought a Japanese version of the game back in 2006 raising the question if Yan actually believed, or was sold a legit license.

Yan recruited the others, ages between 17 and 32, to help with logistics, translation, server maintenance, and promotion. They were all paid for their pirate services, maybe in duped potions -- that would do the trick. Yan claims that Shanghai Yetime never sent a cease and desist letter, and that if they had, he would have complied with their demands and shut operations down. Uh-huh, right! Apparently, Yan's pirating endeavor earned 70,000 yuan total, but during court proceedings he proclaimed no profit was earned and that they were operating at a net loss. What I want to know is if those players who thought the servers were legit and who bought any items ever saw a refund after the illegal servers went dark? Yea, I didn't think so either. Take heed, if you ever take a trip to China, setting up your own illegal MMOG server and selling in-game items isn't the best plan. There's always farming gold...

[updated: Remind me not to make posts wee-early in the morning without having my coffee first!] :)

MassivelyMMOG pirates jailed for running illegal Priston Tale servers [updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>illegal-serverslegalmmog-chinammog-eulammog-lawpriston-talereal-money-tradermtshanghai-yetime-network-technologyvirtual-item-salesyan-shaodongMon, 19 Nov 2007 15:30:00 EST